SustainMD offers a physician-guided prediabetes treatment program designed to help patients improve blood sugar control, lose weight, and reverse prediabetes before it progresses to type 2 diabetes. Dr. Allison Pope Barbee provides personalized metabolic care through telehealth.
Prediabetes is a metabolic condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes. It affects over 96 million adults in the United States, and the majority do not know they have it.
Prediabetes develops as a result of insulin resistance. When the body’s cells stop responding effectively to insulin, the pancreas produces more to compensate. Over time, this increased demand can exhaust the pancreas’s ability to keep blood sugar under control, leading to a progression toward type 2 diabetes.
The critical window for intervention is prediabetes itself. Research shows that with the right medical support, meaningful weight loss, and targeted lifestyle changes, prediabetes can often be reversed, meaning normal blood sugar levels can be restored and the progression to type 2 diabetes can be prevented.
At SustainMD, prediabetes is treated as the serious metabolic warning sign it is. Dr. Allison Pope Barbee builds personalized programs that address insulin resistance, support weight loss, and give patients the tools to take back control of their blood sugar.
How Insulin Resistance Drives Prediabetes
Insulin resistance occurs when the body's cells become less responsive to insulin signals. The pancreas responds by producing more insulin, which can maintain blood sugar levels for a period, but at the cost of promoting fat storage, increasing hunger, and accelerating metabolic decline.
Weight Gain and Blood Sugar
Excess body weight, particularly visceral abdominal fat, worsens insulin resistance and elevates blood sugar. This creates a cycle in which blood sugar dysregulation makes weight loss harder, and excess weight makes blood sugar harder to control.
Prediabetes and Cardiovascular Risk
Prediabetes is not only a precursor to type 2 diabetes. It is also associated with increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, and nerve damage. Treating prediabetes early is a critical investment in long-term health.
Your Care Journey
Step 1
Comprehensive Physician Consultation
Your program begins with a thorough virtual consultation. Dr. Barbee reviews your blood sugar history, lab results, metabolic risk factors, weight history, and lifestyle habits to build a clear picture of your metabolic health.
Step 2
Metabolic Lab Evaluation
Lab testing assesses fasting blood sugar, HbA1c, insulin levels, and other relevant metabolic markers. This data provides the foundation for a precise, personalized treatment plan.
Step 3
Personalized Prediabetes Treatment Plan
Your treatment plan is built around your metabolic profile. It may include targeted nutrition strategies to stabilize blood sugar, physical activity guidance, and medical therapies when appropriate for your level of insulin resistance.
Step 4
Continuous Glucose Monitoring
Continuous glucose monitoring is a powerful tool for prediabetes management. It provides real-time data on how your body responds to specific foods, meals, and daily habits, allowing Dr. Barbee to make highly precise recommendations.
Step 5
Ongoing Physician Support and Lab Monitoring
Regular virtual visits and lab reviews allow Dr. Barbee to track your blood sugar progress over time, adjust your treatment, and help you build toward the goal of reversing prediabetes.
Reversing prediabetes requires addressing the underlying metabolic drivers, not just managing symptoms. Our physician-guided approach may include:
Our prediabetes treatment program is designed for individuals who:
Patients who engage in physician-guided prediabetes treatment often experience:
Program Fee
Initial Consultation
Improved blood sugar and HbA1c levels
Meaningful weight loss that supports long-term blood sugar control
Reduced risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes
Improved energy levels and reduced fatigue
Fewer sugar cravings and blood sugar crashes
Better overall metabolic health and reduced cardiovascular risk
Greater confidence in managing their health long-term
Program Fee
Initial Consultation
Dr. Allison Pope Barbee, MD, is a board-certified family medicine physician with advanced training in obesity medicine and metabolic health. She understands how weight, insulin resistance, and blood sugar are connected and builds treatment plans that address all three together.
SustainMD’s goal is not to help patients manage prediabetes indefinitely. It is to help them reverse it. The program is structured around the interventions most strongly supported by evidence for improving insulin sensitivity and restoring healthy blood sugar.
Expert prediabetes treatment is available from the comfort of your home with no waiting rooms and no scheduling barriers.
SustainMD provides telehealth services for patients located in
Patients can access physician guided weight loss care through secure virtual visits.
Patient12
Dr. Barbee listens to your concerns, is empathetic and knowledgable. Not once has she made me feel ashamed or less than. She gives practical, reasonable and most importantly, doable recommendations. She uses lifestyle interventions instead of immediately jumping to medications, but will also use medications if you and she believe
Patient11
Dr. Barbee has been a remarkable weight loss physician for me. She distinguished herself by customizing her approach to suit my individual needs. Throughout our sessions, she was incredibly attentive, understanding my specific health concerns and weight loss goals. Dr. Barbee excelled in explaining the details of the medications she
Patient10
Dr. Barbee is an extremely knowledgeable physician who I rely on with all my medical needs. Her bedside manner is impeccable and very friendly. She listens to all of my issues and gets to the bottom of any problem you may have. I honestly cannot say enough good things about
Patient9
Dr Barbee actually listened to me and was able to diagnose my symptoms and actually treat and control the issue. I can not thank her enough! She was super patient and kind. Something you don’t really see now a days.
A.M.
Dr. Barbee understands that health is not one-size-fits-all. She takes the time to listen, remembers details, and works collaboratively with me as things evolve. The most meaningful part of working with her is feeling truly heard and supported, not just during appointments but overall in my care.
Andrea
The best! I have been a patient of Dr. Barbee’s for years! She has guided and treated me in my worst and best days. Her professionalism is top notch, along with her knowledge of health. You cannot ask for any better care than Dr. Barbee!
Suzanne Layser
Truly a compassionate Doctor- I can’t say enough good things about Dr. Barbee. I felt truly cared for. Dr. Barbee was incredibly compassionate, took the time to really listen, and never made me feel rushed. She asked thoughtful questions and genuinely wanted to understand what I was experiencing. What impressed
Patient8
Dr. Barbee is an extremely knowledgeable physician who I rely on with all my medical needs. Her bedside manner is impeccable and very friendly. She listens to all of my issues and gets to the bottom of any problem you may have. I honestly cannot say enough good things about
Patient7
Great doctor- Dr. Barbee is a kind and caring doctor. She is the type of person you can talk to and really will listen. She understands your problems and will work with you to solve them. She is very thorough and make sure everything is looked at does not miss
Patient6
Thoughtful, caring and truly helpful-I have been a patient of Dr. Barbee for many years. I have always found her honest and helpful. She works hard to look at root causes, which can take a while to figure out. She is persistent, yet kind. As we age, our bodies change.
In many cases, yes. With meaningful weight loss, targeted nutrition, increased physical activity, and appropriate medical support, blood sugar levels can return to the normal range, effectively reversing prediabetes.
Prediabetes is diagnosed through blood tests, including a fasting blood sugar test or HbA1c measurement. Dr. Barbee can order these tests as part of your initial evaluation.
Some medications may be appropriate for prediabetes, particularly those that improve insulin sensitivity. Dr. Barbee will evaluate whether medication is appropriate based on your metabolic profile, health history, and goals.
The initial program runs for three months with ongoing support available. Meaningful improvements in blood sugar can often be seen within the first few months of consistent treatment.
CGM is not required but can be highly valuable for patients with prediabetes. It provides detailed, real-time data that allows Dr. Barbee to personalize dietary and lifestyle recommendations more precisely.
Prediabetes is a warning, but it is also an opportunity. With the right physician-guided support, many patients are able to reverse prediabetes, avoid the progression to type 2 diabetes, and build a foundation for lasting metabolic health.
If you have been told your blood sugar is elevated, do not wait. The sooner you act, the better your chances of reversing the trend.
Physician Credentials
Care is provided by Dr. Allison Pope Barbee, MD, a board certified family medicine physician with advanced training in obesity medicine and metabolic health.
Educational Disclaimer
Information on this page is provided for educational purposes and should not replace medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.
Not Emergency Care
SustainMD telehealth services are not intended for emergency medical situations.
Privacy and Security
All virtual visits are conducted using secure, HIPAA compliant telehealth platforms to protect patient privacy.
Take the first step towards a healthier, happier you. Whether you’re interested in our comprehensive medical weight loss program, our dedicated obesity management services, or our revolutionary direct primary care model, SustainMD is here to help.
