What are safe glucose levels with home testing?

[Wyldwmn]

My mother died at 49 with complications from Cushings Disease and had DM II before she passed away. Her ENTIRE family (mother, father, sisters, cousins, brother, nieces, grandparents) all have or had diabetes and my fathers biological dad died at 59 from complications with DM as well. I am 30 and not as active as I once was and have been getting readings of 140-220 two hours after eating and 19-80 when I get up in the morning or 30 minutes before I eat. I started feeling tired and thirsty all of the time and have constant sweats but don't have frequest urination or blurred vision. I have been having headaches and shakes so I decided to see why they were happening at certain times of the day and wanted to see if it had anything to do with blood sugar. I had a machine from my mom and was shocked to see the big jumps up and down. It is odd that I feel "better" when it is high and so lethargic when it is the lower ranges so I wanted to find out more about blood sugars and how they affect everything. My doctor can't get me in until late next month and would like more information before then. Any comments or advice:? What are good levels?

[mensavieja]

I am type 2 diabetic. I cannot be on insulin because I also have severe IBS which prevents me from eating a balance diet, or eating even 6 small meals a day. I have had Chronic pain since 1994. When I hardly eat anything because of pain, my levels stay 120 and above. If I eat let's say for example 1 cup of oatmeal, or a scramble egg with mushrooms my reading will go up 160-180. I don't know what to do. I'd been with the same doctor for 12-15 yrs. In about 3 days I will be with a whole new medical group. Recently 3-27-2011 I was released from a hosp. after an emergency admission from the abdominal pain. I feel like I'm between a rock and a hard place. My heart is strong and healthy, no plaque. They performed an angiogram. I'd say at age 70 my quality of life is poor due to IBS and uncontrolled diabetist. Thank you

[jdrf team dm]

Dear webspinner,

I am not a doctor and you may want to confirm this information with your physician, but before breakfast(fasting) 90-130.Before lunch, dinner and snack 90-130. Two hours after a meal under 160. Bedtime 110-150. This is from the Joslin Diabetes Center and as I said that you should check this information with your doctor. We know that a Glycosylated hemoglobin A1c should run about 6 for tight control. This can be a bit hard to achieve depending on your own personal control, but it can be done. Best of luck to you.
dm,

[webspinner]

On a recent web search, I found a nutrition Analysis. This was a big help; only it failed to give the sugar levels. Is there a suger level that I can follow along with the information I got from the Nutrition Analysis?

[Wyldwmn]

I ended up in the Urgent Care and they tried to have me admitted to the hospital but I held out. As it looks now they say I am Type I and will most likely be insulin dependant but have a ton of tests I will be taking this week to confirm. I stayed at 33 for a few hours today and it took a ton of juice and stuff to get me back up...but the headache I had all day yesterday and today has been unreal and that is what I was worried about. I am not going to be able to figure out why some day I stay in the upper 180-240 range and others I cant get there to spare me from the headaches and shakes.

[Wyldwmn]

Thanks...I really appreciate the values to compare with because I can't find answers on the net so far. The results fluxuate between low lows and high highs but very seldom stay in the normal ranges. I have been watching what I eat and how often to see how it relates and I seem to still stay outside the norm. It is upseting and frustrating to think about because I thought I was eating to bring my level back up to normal and now I figure my normal has been high for awhile. The machine has been calibrated and I double checked it with a different machine and they are as accurate as they are going to get outside of an MD's office. The wait is going to kill me I think.

[JDRF-Team-cd]

Fasting 100-126mg/dl pre diabetes
Fasting over 126mg/dl diabetes
Random over 200 mg/dl on more than one occasion

Please use the control solution on the meter to make sure of the accuracy.  It is also possible that you are so used to being high that it feels "different" when you are anything else.

Type 2 diabetes is hereditary but can be controlled with diet and exercise or oral meds.  Don't panic.  Your doctor will probably do a glycosolated hemoglobin A1c and/or a routine blood test to make a diagnosis.  Watch your fats, refined sugars and carbohydrates.  If you are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, meet with your educators learn more about diabetes and find out what to eat, how much to eat, and what to stay away from.  If you are overweight, you may need to lose weight.  Let me know what the doctor tells you.  

Carol