Question for Diabetics or Hypoglycemics

[beejayw1]

I've been tracking blood sugar levels with a meter I bought. It's been interesting.

I can't find any information on normal glucose level fluctuations.

For example, 5:45 am was 76; 6:45am was 79; 8:20 was 87; 8:45 (after eating) 99; 10:05 was 74.

Is this normal? The last drop, down to 74 from 99, caused some slight symptoms. (Yes, I know 'normal' levels run from 80 - ~~120)

Any thoughts?

(And thanks for listening!)

[wallycat]

Oh how I'd kill for readings like this :)
I too have played with a meter :D

According to "standards" set...
as I mentioned in your other hypoglycemia post that fasting is considered normal anywhere from 64-110 (new trends are to see it less than 105 just as in pregnant women).

Most diabetes educators and endocrinologists ask you to simply test 2 hours AFTER the FIRST BITE of food you take, regardless of how long it takes you to eat your meal. Of course, you can see how this will vary a lot of results--if you inhale your food or savor slowly.

But, and this depends on the meter you have, which should include "normal ranges" for that particular brand...
usually, ONE HOUR after your first bite of food, you should go no higher than 160.
TWO HOURS after it should be 120 or below.

THis will also vary with what you eat. If you eat a handful of nuts or an egg, it won't move much. Try toast and jam and you'll see it jump a bit more. Of course, DH can inhale that stuff and barley have his glucose move, lucky guy.

Your drop doesn't suggest anything odd to me, but if your body is starting to put out more insulin because your cells are becoming resistant to it, you may have never encountered this and it is simply a new feeling for you.
Play with it over the course of a few weeks and several different meals. Keep a diary of what you ate and amount of time that elapsed after eating that you tested...the actual time you test makes little difference except you want a morning fasting reading.

Does this help?

Good Luck :)

Editing to say, what meter do you have?? Is it giving you venous or plasma results ;)

[wallycat]

Diana,
one other note to make, you indicated on your last few threads that you've lost an appreciable amount of weight.
This makes your body even MORE sensitive to the insulin you have.
You may simply be noticing a lot more "efficiency" due to your new body weight.
Congrats :)

[beejayw1]

To answer your question:

These are venous results. I got the CVS store brand that uses 'Prestige Smart System' strips.

Good points. I've only been tracking for a little over a full day (but keeping a food diary for several weeks) and I'm beginning to see that if I eat too much protein and not enough carbs, it stays low :confused: I have been checking 2 hours post meal, but that's post finishing. Ah, well. ;)

I had been upping my protein consumption considerably, and I think I need more complex carbs.

What bugs me is the sudden plummet that gets me shaky, perspiring and feeling anxious. Horrible feeling!

That's a good point on the weight loss. It's only 25 lbs (155 down from 181), and my exercising has been nil (MUST increase that, because it'll help metabolism).

Well, we'll see how it goes, but many thanks for the info. I'd been going crazy trying to figure out what the 'normal' glucose range is.

Thanks!

[wallycat]

Diana,
check the instruction thingie that comes with the meter. It should tell you what value is being displayed.
The trend is that most of the newer meters are all displaying the same values that you'd see from a blood draw for testing...easier to compare...which would be the numbers I mentioned.

25 pounds is a large amount...for anyone and especially for your body to readjust. Studies show that as little as 10-15% weight loss can help some type II diabetics get off of meds and regulate with diet and exercise, so it is a significant amount for you to notice.

I too hate the plummets; the sweating and cold, clammy feeling and all the other stuff. I try to eat every few hours with smaller meals, but even then, I sometimes experience it. I carry food with me and the moment I feel that glazed feeling, I take a bite or two of something to prevent the worst of it.

TOday for example, I ate a different breakfast than usual and 3/4 through my walk with DH, I felt the start of that icky feeling. Thankfully, I had a pocket full of chocolate covered raisins and ate 3 of them....enough to ward off the worst of it.

Good luck and keep us posted :)