September 30, 2002
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from London, Ontario, Canada:
Is there is any reason to do an oral GTT on a person with diabetes? if yes, can you be classified with impaired glucose tolerance or as normal after this or are you always are going to have diabetes even your blood sugar levels are in an IGT or normal range?
Answer:
If the person already has diabetes, I’m not sure you would want to do a glucose tolerance test — which is used to diagnose diabetes. I am wondering if you are thinking that maybe the diabetes has gone away, and the test should be repeated to see if that is so. Diabetes is a chronic illness and, unfortunately, it does not go away. I am sorry if this was not the answer you were looking for.
JS
[Editor’s comment: If you have been diagnosed with type 2 and your blood sugars are normal or slightly above, this only means that you are a doing a good job in controlling your diabetes.
SS]