Is it only through bloodwork? or are there physical symptoms as well?
I have a copy of my last bloodwork in front of me but it's old (almost a year...oops!) and it doesn't look like they tested anything besides the gamut of cholesterols, dheas and testosterone (after I insisted it be tested again).
Just curious if there are any symptoms. Someone in another forums said boils may be an indicator, and I get boils quite regularly...so it's made me wonder.
Blood tests and/or a Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT)are good ways to get positively tested for IR. Often you don't have any symptoms, or you may find you are tired, no energy, and/or you crave sweets and carbs. As for boils, I believe that is a hereditary matter, but don't quote me!
Don't ever try to second guess, just go ahead and get a test done anyway. Failure to treat IR leads to diabetes...this is what happened to me. I was never diagnosed with IR. Now I am diabetic. I wish someone had warned me to go get a simple test done 15 years ago.
I'm awaiting an appointment with a specialist, so I'll make sure to get all the bloodwork done. Better to nip it in the bud if I can rather than let it go.
Have your fasting insulin tested. Any value over 10 indicates a tendency toward IR. Also, here is a list of symptoms you may want to check. I copied it from my copy of "The Insulin Resistance Diet" by Cheryle Hart & Mary Kay Grossman. They call these 'health conditions' instead of symptoms, and some of them are not really scientific, but I think it gives you a good idea of what to look for if you suspect you may be IR. Also keep in mind, not everyone has every symptom.
* A family history of diabetes, overweight problems, abnormal cholesterol or triglycerides, heart desease or stroke
* Frequent cravings for sweet or salty, crunchy snack food
*The need to eat often or eat excessive amounts of food
* A difficult time losing weight even if you exercise or cut back on your food intake
* A problem with weight gain even when eating small portions
* Weight gain mostly around your waist
* Skin tags on your neck, chest, breasts, groin area, or underarms
* A history of irregular menstrual cycles, especially skipping months
* A history of PCOS
* High triglyceride levels
* Low HDL (the "good" type of cholesterol) levels, that is, lower than 35 mg/dl
* High LDL (the "bad" type of cholesterol) levels, that is, higher than 130mg/dl
*High or borderline high blood pressure - even during pregnancy
* The feeling that you are addicted to carbohydrates
* The feeling that you have no willpower when it comes to dieting
* Jitteriness, difficulty thinking, headaches, or nausea that goes away when you eat
* Hypoglycemia
* Afternoon fatigue
* Type II diabetes, borderline diabetes, or abnormal glucose tolerance tests - even just during pregnancy
* High uric acid or gout
* History of having blood clots in your legs, lungs, or brain
* A doctor telling you that you need to eat less in order to lose weight, yet those close to you are amazed at how little you actually eat
* The belief that you are at least 30 pounds overweight
* A Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher (and my book has a chart to figure out your BMI, but there are also websites to do this online)
* Native-American, Asian, African-American, or Hispanic ancestry
Hope this helps.
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I'm definitely going to go get a thourough bloodwork done, but that list is quite interesting.
__________________ me:
Julie
age: 26
dx: at age 15? 16?
living in sin with my man (six years already?! - engaged! 01/15/07)
happily child-free
meds: Cyclen bcp
How can you tell if you're IR? 
Let me know how your test results come out!
