I’ve been swaying the lines of being pre-diabetic and diabetic ever since I was 15. I had blood work done in early December and checked my results and saw my A1C was 6.9. I had my A1C level tested in February and it showed at a 6.8 then again in July which showed a 6.2. I am upset to see my glucose as high as it is and I truly don’t know how to continue with my results. I’ve made few changes to my diet and because of a recent surgery I’ve had a decline in my physical activity. My fear is that when I go to my dr appointment tomorrow starting medications like metformin would be my best bet simply because I am not capable of controlling my glucose levels on my own. I’m hesitant on starting medication because I am only 20 and I don’t want it to be lifelong medication. I want to believe that I can do the changes on my own but I know I need to act before it gets worse.
Hey — first, take a breath. You’re not failing, and you’re definitely not alone in feeling this way.
An A1C of 6.9 at 20 years old is scary to see, I get that. I remember feeling the exact same panic when my numbers crept into that range, like it suddenly meant “this is forever.” But it doesn’t automatically mean that. A lot of people end up on metformin as a temporary tool, not a life sentence — especially when things like surgery, stress, or reduced activity are part of the picture.
Starting medication doesn’t mean you’ve “given up.” Sometimes it just gives your body a break and buys you time to make changes without everything spiraling. And honestly, metformin is often used alongside lifestyle changes, not instead of them.
Personal experience only: when I was overwhelmed and felt like my glucose was running my life, I added 6GlukFine as a support. It didn’t replace diet changes or medical advice, but it helped me feel more in control and less panicked about every number, which made it easier to actually stick to healthier habits.
You’re young, you’re aware, and you’re acting early — that matters a LOT. Talk openly with your doctor tomorrow about your fears, especially about this not being lifelong. This isn’t the end of the road. It’s just a hard moment on it
Meds are not a report card, nor are they a moral judgement. Meds are a tool, just like step ladders or jar openers. I need those things because I'm short and have tiny hands. I need metformin because I got dealt a crappy hand genetically. Your best is all you can do, and tools are there to make doing it as easy as possible. You're not doing anything wrong, we just live in a society that's somewhat mismatched with the lifestyles we're pushed into and our genes haven't caught up with it. Similarly, your A1C is not a report card or a moral judgement. It's just a measurement. It's good to get it down, but it's just data to help you make choices. Take a deep breath and be kind to yourself, please 💙
The medications limit the damage that diabetes does to your organs and they slow down the progression.
It’s better to take meds for the next 60 years than to die in 40 years because you didn’t take meds.
I get not wanting to be on meds. It's something I try and avoid as much as possible, but you may need to go on them to get control. Still, you can work on those habits that might turn this around while you're on whatever meds your doc prescribes and maybe eventually get off them.
If there is a medication that can fundamentally increase both your healthspan and lifespan, I consider that a pure blessing. There are countless people suffering from a disease that has no effective medication yet.
I understand the philosophical aspect and baggage of a lifelong medication. But the same question can be asked of supplements or multivitamins.
Take a deep breath, and ask yourself if you want to see your A1c in 5s through a team work work your team consists of both pharma and your lifestyle changes. Best of luck!
As a context: I am T2D for 20+ years, meds were not even as remotely as effective as those that are available today. I am immensely thankful to modern meds. I couldn't have seen my first A1c in 5s without the wonders of modern med.
Diabetes is a life-long disease and requires life-long treatment. Most of us will need both diet/lifestyle and meds if we want good glucose control. Meds are just a tool. Don’t be afraid of using them. You use lots of other tools to improve your life, like electricity, the internet, a car, your cell phone, etc. Meds are no different - they are just another tool humans have invented to make their lives easier/better/longer/etc.
Take the meds.
They don't have to be a 'life long' thing, but you're 20. Work on getting healthy instead of worrying if you'll have to take a pill or two for a couple decades.
I've had 0 issues with metformin. Once you normalize, you can likely cut or quit it too.