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Dancing with the Odds – How Deb Brown Overcame Prediabetes

Deb Brown was diagnosed with prediabetes. Her husband, Milton, has diabetes. She was determined to do something to stop herself from getting diabetes.

With a family history of diabetes, Deb Brown has always been conscious of staying active and eating a healthy diet.

When she and husband, Milton, moved to Delaware in 2015, Deb slowed down a bit. She noticed she was spending more time on the couch and eating sweet treats more often than she ever did when she was working full-time for the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Pennsylvania.

“I noticed I was feeling more sluggish, and I felt like I was thirsty all of the time,” Deb says. “My daughter passed away from complications from diabetes, and my husband, Milton, has diabetes, so I thought that could be what was going on.” Deb’s annual bloodwork showed an elevated A1C—the percentage of your red blood cells that are coated with sugar. Deb’s levels fell in the prediabetes range.

“As soon as I got those results, I said to myself, I need to make some changes,” Deb says. She joined a water aerobics class and exercise group and now exercises four to five times each week. “I’m 73, and I walk regularly. There are many activity groups in my community at Heritage Shores to choose from, so I make an effort to be active every day,” Deb says.

She also focused on improving her eating habits. “I was always good about eating a healthy diet, but I have a sweet tooth, too,” she says. “I tell people it’s all about being intentional.”

Spotting the Signs of Prediabetes

When Deb and Milton were looking for a specialist to help manage Milton’s diabetes and Deb’s pre-diabetes, they found Karen E. Smith Coleman, MD, FACE, with Beebe Endocrinology – Millsboro, who they have known for many years.

Milton and Deb Brown enjoy cooking healthy meals at their home in Heritage Shores in Bridgeville. Photos by Carolyn Watson Photography.

“It shows what a small world it is because Milton used to teach Dr. Smith Coleman when she was in junior high in Baltimore,” Deb says with a chuckle. “Then when we were in Reading, Pennsylvania, Dr. Smith Coleman was one of the doctors who also helped care for our daughter. Now, here we are in Delaware, and we are her patients.”

Many people do not even notice any symptoms of prediabetes. This is why it is so important to have annual exams and bloodwork done with your primary care provider. If levels are elevated, then you can make changes and work with an endocrinology specialist, says Dr. Smith Coleman.

What to Expect During Testing

There are three tests that can help detect prediabetes: an eight-hour fasting glucose test, a two-hour oral glucose tolerance test, or a non-fasting test, an A1C. One needs one abnormal test over two different periods for the diagnosis of prediabetes. The key indicators for prediabetes are a fasting glucose of 100 to 125 mg/dl, or A1C of 5.7 to 6.4%.

Having a fasting glucose and your A1C levels tested are the first steps in helping patients, like Deb, discover they have prediabetes and get started on improving their health. If caught early, patients are able to make lifestyle changes to prevent getting Type 2 diabetes.

Make a Change to Avoid Complications

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that can be prevented by managing and reversing prediabetes with lifestyle changes. Those with prediabetes and diabetes have a higher risk for infections, nerve damage that can cause tingling and pain in the hands and feet, and risk of limb loss due to circulatory problems.

“Patients need to understand that prediabetes and diabetes are serious concerns. They should take action to improve their health because both prediabetes and diabetes can often be prevented or reversed,” Dr. Smith Coleman says.

If you are concerned that you may be among the 1 in 3 Americans with prediabetes, talk to your physician about being tested. Beebe Endocrinology sees patients in Lewes and Millsboro. For more information on the practice or to make an appointment, call (302) 648-7999 or go to www.beebehealthcare.org/endocrinology. This article first appeared in Beebe’s Beacon magazine. To read the entire issue: www.beebehealthcare.org/beebe-women.

To find out how Beebe Healthcare is Creating the Next Generation of Care for the community, go to www.nextgenerationofcare.org.

Captions: Top, Deb and Milton Brown of Bridgeville are living a healthier life with the help of Beebe Endocrinology. Above: Milton and Deb Brown enjoy cooking healthy meals at their home in Heritage Shores in Bridgeville. Photos by Carolyn Watson Photography.