Testing for insulin level, what does that mean

[future-rn]

My doctor thinks I may have metabolic syndrome. He is doing a multitude of blood testing.  I am awaiting the results.  The last blood work in February from another doctor was fine except triglycerides and total cholesterol were high and B12 was 195, low, glucose 90 which was normal.   With my symptoms I have been having he is doing more testing.  He is going to do another complete workup with blood testing and this time test my insulin level fasting along with CMP, thyroid, CBC, B12, can't remember what else.  He feels that even though my glucose was normal my insulin may be high.  

Question is, if my insulin is high is that insulin resistance?  Can I be on my way to Type II diabetes if I am resistant?  

I have not had a glucose tolerance test done yet?  Should I consider that if the insulin level comes back abnormal?  

I have studies diabetes in nursing school but if you have ever been to nursing school you know they go through different diseases so fast and you actually learn just the basics of every disease. I don't have anybody that I can think of that has diabetes in my family either so I am not that familiar with diabetes.

I would just like some advice from people who deal with diabetes and what to ask my doctor just in case my insulin levels are abnormal, like what kind of extra blood test would help.  He is just a small town country doctor in a very small town and I am not saying anything bad about him but I know big city docs see more than these small town docs.  

And lets face it.  docs see so many patients a day and they are so busy that sometimes they can forget to order a certain test that can help identify the problem.  

I am sorry to ramble it is just that I have been healthy all my life except for mild gastrointestinal symptoms.  I have always been very athletic and now I am 34 years old, (not very old to be falling apart), I have arthritis in several joints, probably due to all the gymnastics, basketball and track and all the pounding I have put on my joints, I was recently diagnosed with adenomatous polyps which they told me were the precancerous type that they removed (my grandmother had cancerous polyps removed before her death, death due to her female cancer coming back and spreading all over her body), hips have bursitis in them, I get steroid injections in my right shoulder by my doc due to impingement syndrome but refuse a MRI for right now, he wants to check for a rotator cuff tear (work for orthopedics, so they keep trying to get me to get injections in my hips but I don't won't them to see my fat hips), I am overweight for the first time in my life by 30-35 lbs (my mother is severely overweight so I am fighting my overweight problem now before it gets way out of hand).  And for the past couple of years I have been extremely fatigued and have no energy, thinning hair(not too bad), very dry skin (which I have never had).  My doc I have gotten two B12 shots so far and that is helping me feel better but still not quite there.  

So there is my story, sorry to ramble but just had to get it all out there.  Noboby understands how I feel and my husband just thinks I am a hypochondriac, but he hates going to doctors.  

Any advice would be appreciated or just someone telling me I know how you feel I am in the same boat.  

[future-rn]

Forgot to mention, muscle cramps in legs and feet too, numbness, tingling, and pins and needle sensations in hands and feet.  

I am too young to fall apart

[LLWB]

With your symptoms, you could very well have insulin resistance. It means your body is not using the insulin you produce propery. It sounds like your dr is doing the necessary testing. Your weight is a very important factor if in fact you are pre-diabetic. See a nutritionist at your hospital or school for a good diabetic diet. I do know how you feel. You want some answers so you can start dealing with whatever the problem is. Knowledge is very important. There are many good websites, once you know what the problem is. Good luck on your tests. It sounds like you are going in the right direction. Husbands don't want to know, they would rather just ignore problems, but they are also scared of something being major wrong with a loved one. Try to be patient with him. Once you know the diagnosis and start dealing with it, your stress level should improve. God Bless, and please post results.

[choogieboogie]

my dr. told me the same exact thing.  she put me on Metformin and told me to diet and exercise.  i have low-avg glucose, high insulin.  there is a pcos diet i am going to try, sounds easy.  do you have pcos?  my husband is oblivious to what i tell him, it's like he could care less, blah blah blah, ok honey!  like he knows i'll just handle it!  losing the weight should help us both.  Good luck!

[SarahB79]

I had very similar things as you.  I also had gestational diabetes so I knew what it felt like to have blood sugars off.  My insulin test came back high (27).  My dr. referred me to an endocrinologist since the primary was not a primary that specialized in diabetes.  I had a 2 hour glucose test done after my endocrinologists agreed I had at the very minimum, insulin resistance.  My 2 hour glucose came back and sure enough I have type 2 diabetes (215 at 1 hour 207 at 2 hours).  I am 29 years old and active.  But have gained weight in the past year, which is what prompted me to see the dr.  I too have leg pain which is really weird to me.