my bllod sugar was elevated in last weeks labs..120, so dr said he'd send me home with kit to do fasting blood sugar. Teaching me to use the kit showed a reading of 176. Hadn't eaten in 3 hrs, and only had a couple of eggs, walnuts and water all day.
Is this common ? I'm kinda freaking out...it's another straw on my back... And I'm not even a camel!
Posted by perplexed (Member # 1913) on :
Tincup,
What a nice gesture. Hope lots of folks do that.
Besides I have touch tone...do not have to know how to dial the phone, just touch!!! LOL
Hugs Jean
Posted by Tj33 (Member # 7214) on :
As a diabetic I am a bit familar with the routine. I don't sweat any reading between 120-150(not good but not dangerous) (100-120 is normal). The best time to take a reading is before breakast. This is the best indicator. If you wake up with a high reading 150+ especially after fasting for 12 hours. You have a major problem.. I take glucophage twice a day. So far I don't have to do insulin. Plus I can never eat donuts or cake. One donut and my level will jump to 250+ (red alert). You have to avoid soda pop, junk carbs (donuts, ect). Pancakes and syrup is deadly for me. After I eat pancakes or junk carbs, in four hours my level drops to 80 and I pass out (some can go as low as 60 before they pass out). I almost passed out while driving once ,but I pulled into a gas station and ate two candy bars that raised my levels (eat some protein as soon as possible) I have a good friend whose levels will exceed 300 if she forgets her insulin shot. Her feet are dying (gangrene due to low blood circulation, they have amputate). You don't die of dibetes only the side effects.. I use the One Touch Ultrasmart meter by Lifescan (google lifescan). Strips are .72 each. But the meter stores your readings and you can dump them to a computer program (free) that will plot the results. You need to start a baseline by doing checks when you get up, 2hours after breakast, before lunch, 2hours after, before dinner, 2hrs after, and when you go to bed. Do this for two weeks and keep a log of your foods and you will be able to spot the "bad" foods. After your baseline you adjust your foods to try to keep levels 100-120. Then checking before breakast should be enough.. Recommand seeing good Diabetes doc so he can check your A1C level. This shows long term problems. 6.0 reading is normal... Mine is 6.5 not great. 7.0+ you will need insulin... 172 reading says that you had some junk food and not good but not dangerous.. 200 plus is the "Red Zone". You won't fall over but you can't keep this up without bad side effects. Symptoms can be grumpy, tired all the time, confused thoughts weakness in muscles, and just an all-around Nasty person... Diet is the key. Stay away from sugar substitues, Aspertane has other nasty side effects. I drink tea, coffee, beer, and water. Although I will have a Pepsi (love it) once a week with a burger if my levels have been good.... good luck Tj33
[This message has been edited by Tj33 (edited 16 June 2005).]
Posted by janet thomas (Member # 7122) on :
Are you sure you're doing it right?
Check again 1st thing in the morning.
Posted by achey (Member # 6284) on :
thanks for your reply tj.... the thing is my situation just doesn't add up. I have been gluten free for 3 years. I eat very little carbs and sugar, and have had a diet like this for most of my adult life..I'm 45.
Today all I had to eat before my 176 test was 2 eggs, a handful of walnuts and water. the eggs were at 8am, the nuts at noon, the test at 3pm...go figure!
I'm not overweight, I swim 2 day/wk, although much less strenuously than before Lyme flair, dx and rx. I go to Curves 3x/ wk, and I live a fairly active life in between herxes.
This whole thing is freaking me out! I'm just not patient with this one...I'm really upset ! Is LD doing this? Or could it me meds or a herx?
Posted by achey (Member # 6284) on :
Janet, the dr did the test that yeilded 176...he was showing me how I would do it at home...but ruled out that option after seeing the results. Gotta do a fasting blood draw with all kinds of tests now tomorrow am
Posted by achey (Member # 6284) on :
anyone?
Posted by earthmama (Member # 7141) on :
Hi Achey, I was just reading 10 minutes ago about how bleached white flour seems to be partly responsable for increase in diabetes. I notice that you probably don't eat much of that. However the same article mentioned that supplementing with garlic and also aloe vera decreases blood sugars as well as some oral medications. So try adding some garlic and aloe to you supplements. Might help. Good luck with the testing. Blessings Earthmama
Posted by lymeinhell (Member # 4622) on :
Could it be yeast related?
Despite our best efforts, being on long-term abx has it's effects. If you're yeasty, your sugar will be all over the place.
Posted by Lyddie on :
Hi Achey, My daughter has type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes , which is an autoimmune illness and different from what you are experiencing.
My other two kids had high blood sugars when they were younger, soemtimes over 200, always following a LOW blood sugar w/high ketones. This is a specific condition called "ketotic hypoglycemia" tha ony occurs in the early am w/children.
But I do have to ask why all 3 of my kids, who probably all have Lyme (2 of them absolutely do) have screed up pancreases!
The point for you is that there could be all kinds of reasons for this- including BUT NOT LIMITED to the onset of type 2 diabetes (or even type 1, actually).
And clearly whatever is going on in your body is not related to your lifestyle or what you eat. There is something internal, glandular, going on, for whatever reason.
Do you have diabetes in the family at all?
Do you thnk you ever have lows that could be bouncing back up? Hormones in your body will compensate like that.
Regarding food, we have found the glycemic index (you can find it online) much more helpful that just thinking about simple sugars. Things like rice, bread, fruit and potatoes actually raise blood sugars more than cake and cookies. You are right, protein and fat mixed with carbs will keep it more level.
Your situation will take a little time to become clear, but don't panic. DO a lot of tests and keep good records and within a week or two I'l bet you will have some answers.
If it is type 2 diabetes, you will be able to live your life just fine after you get the hang of it. There are so many good tools now for diabetes care. But...maybe it's not!
BTW i f my daughter skips insulin, she could end up above 600 in 3 hours...luckily, she doesn't! For her a blood sugar of 176 after a meal is a great result...
Posted by achey (Member # 6284) on :
thanks lyddie.. Thanks everyone for your replies useful info. I got more info from the doc today...yesterdays before iv blood sugar was 91....didn't get 176 till after iv.
We're not so worried now. Dr is researching to try to find out why the iv ..probably the glutathion push... But anyway, resting today. It's been a way too busy week.
Posted by Tj33 (Member # 7214) on :
Sometimes I get an incorrect reading usually too high. Maybe the test strip didn't fill with enough blood. Test strips must be kept in dry containers. If they get damp (lengthy exposure to air) they get unreliable. Plus you don't make decisions based on one reading. If you have symptoms of diabetes you must do a baseline study.. Most GP docs don't know much about diabetes (surprise, surprise). It is best to see a specialist especially in regards to children... The most important thing regarding kids is diet. Milk, sugar, cereal, pancakes, and so called fruit juices for breakfast is insane.. Good way to kill them..
I now see a gp doc. I take my computer print outs so there is no doubt about how I am doing. I have my diabetes undercontrol so all I need from her are prescriptions and a A1c blood test every so often. There are tons of information on the web regarding diabetes. I know more about diabetes than my GP doc.
I have often wondered about how Lyme would effect the pancreas and the glocuse control of the body. Not much out there about that.
The glucose (blood sugar) system fuels the power plant of the body. It affects everything. The glucose levels of the blood is the best way to guage the health of the body and its diet. You can buy glucose meters and strips at most drug stores without prescriptions. There is some controversity about what a "Normal" glucose level is. But 100-120 is a good figure. 120-150 are usually peaks after eating then settles down to normal. 150-200 is a grey "concern" area. Over 200 is the "RED" zone,best see a diabete doc for a check, especially if reacurring. My wife was a Lymie and her glucose levels where not right. But, after the breast cancer chemo/radiation treatments the lyme seems to be gone and she takes glucophage for her blood sugar levels. The docs seem to think it was a result of the treatments. I mentioned Lyme and they ignored me... Oh well, she is fine now. I believe the "KEETS" were killed by the chemos. Anything that takes out the hair, finger, and toe nails can't be good for them. Tj
Posted by achey (Member # 6284) on :
thanks for the info tj...dr seems to think things are ok for now...I'll see him again on mon anyway.
Sorry you and you wife have been through so much, I hope the chemo did indeed get rid of any keets she may have had.
I hope and pray you are living well now!
Posted by Lyddie on :
Glad things seem to be working out, Achey!
Posted by lou (Member # 81) on :
Just wanted to add that some drugs can cause elevated readings in blood sugar. What drugs are you on? Might want to read the PDR or other pill info technical source.
Posted by bg (Member # 46416) on :
My readings for type 2 are higher! I also have to eat during the night; feel so sick otherwise.
Also, I learned on the 1 bottle of 50 strips, to divide them up into 2 BOTTLES..use 1 of your empties. I show on the top lid; 1/2 so I know it's other half to be used in future. My strips were going bad even though I put the lid on promptly.
I'm on diet/exercise. Was 6.2; last month was HIGH 7.7 !! Not happy about that. I saw my primary dr. last Friday. I could go on meds for that & my high triglyeries, but NOT to for now until my lyme gets settled better. My choleresterols are normal!
bettyg, Iowa
Posted by Lymeindunkirk (Member # 7118) on :
Lou, Can you really have higher blood sugar levels from certain drugs? I ask this because mine have been high but not dangerous for the past few months. My doc has noticed and is keeping an eye on it. I hadn't heard it was a lyme symptom but was wondering why both my son and my own levels would be high. thanks for posting.
Posted by lou (Member # 81) on :
There used to be a really good website for the Nurses PDR. It was more concise than the Physicians Desk Reference for prescription drugs. And more understandable. One of the best sections showed specificially which lab tests were affected and how.
Unfortunately, that website has now gone subscription.
I have somewhere the package insert (which is similar or the same as the info in the PDR) saying that one of the drugs I used would raise blood sugar levels, or at least give a lab result to that effect.
Even in the little patient info sheets that come from the pharmacy and are pretty general, suprax was described as sometimes causing false test results on urine glucose tests. This was not the one I am thinking about in above paragraph. But my papers are pretty chaotic at this point. Don't know where it got to.
But the point is that drugs can cause a lot of changes in lab test results. So, if you are not aware of it, may worry about other conditions instead.
If you are friends with any RNs, you might ask to see their copy of the Nurses PDR. It is eye opening.
[This message has been edited by lou (edited 18 June 2005).]
