Blood Sugar Highs/Lows

[debjos]

I don't like the doctor's answers (or rather non-answers) so I'm going to come to the real experts:  those of you that live with this every day.  :)

About a year ago I began having symptoms of diabetes (excessive urination and thirst).  There is no history of diabetes in my family and I'm not overweight.  I'm 54 years old.  The doctor tested my a1C, it was a 5.2.  Doctor said that was perfect, no diabetes, go home.

Within a few months I began having dizzy spells on many mornings.  Doctor said I wasn't staying hydrated, drink more water, go home.

My own research indicated to me that these two things might be related.  I bought a home glucose monitor.  Here is what I have noticed and I cannot find anything in my own research to help me interpret.

For a few weeks my fasting blood sugar will be between 100-127.  My spikes after meals will go over 200.  It takes about four hours after a meal for me to return to my pre-meal state of 100-127.

Then, suddenly, my fasting levels will be 56-72 each morning.  No matter what I eat my blood sugar will remain under a hundred and then quickly drop back down to the 56-72 range.  This will last a couple of weeks before I return to the high levels again.

I tell the doctor, but doctor doesn't look at my meter.  He runs another a1c.  This time it is 5.4.  Normal he says.  Go home.

Can one of you explain to me what is happening?  Many thanks in advance.

Deborah

[debjos]

Thanks for all the input.  I've learned more from these comments than I was getting from my doctor.  I will call around tomorrow to see if I can find an endo doctor that will see me without my doctor's referral.  Thanks again; without both of your input, I was reassuring myself that my doctor knows best.  I think perhaps he wasn't listening enough and just relying on the A1C result.

Just FYI:  I have been closely monitoring carbs for a few months.  My findings are that when I'm running high, almost anything will send me over 200 or close to it (but, carbs, oh my, I can't even think of them during my highs).  But when I'm running low even a cinnamon roll won't get me above 100 and within an hour I'm back below 70.  

Thanks very much for taking your time to respond.

Deb

[Super_sally888]

Further to my previous post - I think you are having ongoing immune attack on your pancreas.  This may be cyclical, which is why some weeks you have constant highs, and then for other weeks (assuming the attack has reduced) you are having lows.

You could also look at paleo diet autoimmune protocol if it is something you are interested in... the idea is to adopt a diet that will help to calm inflammation... avoid processed foods, chemicals, eat a very clean diet.

[Super_sally888]

You've definitely got something going on that's not normal.

Agree with Diabetes86 comments above.  Best to see an endocrinologist.  Also bring the results of the OGTT.  It does sound like reactive hypoglycemia, which is often an early sign of diabetes - and the 200 post eating is too high.

Fasting between 100 - 127 is also not normal.  fasting of > 126 will get you diagnosed as diabetic.

I would suggest that you adopt a low carb, high healthy fat diet, with moderate protein.   The idea is to reduce the stress on your pancreas so that it can cope with the day to day demands.  Carbs will drive the roller coaster of highs and lows.

I also believe you should get in to see an endocrinologist, and be tested for adult onset type 1 diabetes (however, not all tests come up +ve - ie. can be false negative).

[diabetes86]

Yes a post meal over 200 is diabetic.  if your fasting was over 200 you should be on insulin.

The OGTT test 40 at 1 hour is low and no for most people 40 will not make you comatose Ive been at 35 and functioning.  But 40 sound like you have Reactive Hypoglycemia.  your pancreas over shoots making insulin and your BG goes too low.

As I said if your meter is accurate and your fingers clean 200 is not a good number nor is 40 so id say you got something going on.  

there are continuous BG monitors,  the MD put it on you and it monitors your BG for 3 days and stores the data.  You return it to the MD and they can see exactly what your BG is doing every 5 minutes.

Id suggests you see an endocrinologist they would be more up to date (I hope)


I am NOT an MD,  just a well controlled diabetic for 30+ years

[debjos]

Thanks for the response.  My fasting BG has never been over 200.  That is my post-meal reading.  Interestingly, I had an OGTT test.  I expected the test would show my readings to be very high; instead it showed that I dropped to mid-30's during the test.  They repeated the test (on the same sample and got same reading).  That was my one-hour reading.  My two-hour reading was in the 40's (and again it was repeated on same sample with same results).  My doctor said to discard the results because they couldn't be accurate (and I had to agree because from things I've read, I should have been comatose with a level like that, right?)   I will see if doc will order the GAD test; I've never heard of that.  I must say though that my doctor feels like I'm chasing a problem that doesn't exist.  He may not allow the GAD test.  

Thanks again for the response.  

[diabetes86]

another test for diabetes is having a BG over 200 (IF you meter is correct)  Make SURE you wash your hands before testing.   It is normal to have a normal A1c and be diabetic.  How?  The A1c is the last thing to show a problem.  The A1c measures the average BG,  Having high BG 200 and low BG 56 can average out to a normal A1c.

There is another test for diabetes its called the OGTT (Oral Glucose Tolerances Test)  

BG over 200 is diabetes

Find out if your local hospital has a diabetes department, go in tell them your symptoms and meter readings and see if they will give you an OGTT.  

You are doing great.  A meter is a good start.  We do know that carbohydrates (carbs) are what raise BG BG  ALL carbs raise BG bread, pasta, rice, most fruit.  Many of us control our diabetes by restricting our carbs so that one hour after eating our BG does not go over 140.

You could be a LADA diabetic (Late Onset type 1)  they often have wildly fluctuating BG as the Beta cells (they make the insulin) get killed off)
There is an antibody test for that too.  GAD test

Diabetes is not the end it is controllable, the horror stories you hear are from NOT controlling your BG.  "Normal BG is the cause of absolutely nothing"   Diabetics can have normal BG