Sanity check on my BG numbers

[chrisn]

Hi everyone -

Thanks for your help and advice in the "intro" folder about my wonky situation with doctors. I have an appointment on Sept 21 with a new doc whose intake procedure for new patients includes a day-long visit with OGTT, FBG, A1c, thyroid panel, complete blood counts, EKG, review of my food and exercise journals, and involved medical/surgical and family history-taking.

I decided last week to invest in a one-touch ultra monitor, and have been testing my fasting, pre-dinner, 15-30min post-dinner, and 2-hour post dinner glucose levels. I'm one of those people who would rather spend the money up front to have the information NOW than wait a month for some blood work to be processed :T

My fasting levels for the past 7 days have been 90-106 (the 106 was this morning, after having some cheese late last night.)
Fasting levels: 90-106
Pre-dinner levels: 94-101
30-min post dinner: 104-137 (the 137 was with a 6oz glass of wine)
2-hour post dinner: 83-102

I eat no more than 50g of carbs a day (but don't count veggies as carbs except for corn, potatoes, and peas)

I'm guessing, and of course this is just one week's worth of data, and I'm not a doctor, but I'm not sure pre-diabetes is a correct diagnosis for me. (This whole journey started when I went to my primary care doc asking for input as to why I wasn't losing weight - with one FBG of 104, he said I was pre-diabetic and called in a script for Metformin, which I am not taking.....until I get more information)

Do these glucose levels seem normal, in your experience? (again, with my understanding that, most likely, no one here is a physician either :D )

Thank you all for your kind advice/thoughts.

[paulT2]

Hi,

Your posted numbers do seem mostly 'normal'
BUT many diabetics maintain normal numbers this does not stop them from being diabetic.

The 'experts' tell us that fasting readings in the range 100 - 126 fall in the pre-diabetes range.

Personally, I think at least two separate tests on two separate occasions are the minimum needed before any diagnosis of diabetes can be made.
Preferably a fasting test and a GTT test.

[chrisn]

Thanks for your thoughts, paulT2 - I really want it to be the 21st so I can have these tests done and know what's going on. I'll do whatever it takes to keep my body as healthy as possible, but I'd love to have a better view of what's happening!

[Cyborg]

Looks like you are doing very well! :top:

[Ronin]

Hi Chrisn!

The numbers you posted are well inside the "normal" range. The FBG numbers being above 100 are not, in and of themselves, diagnostic. The other tests that you wil have later in September are diagnostic.

That being said, it may be that your testing is giving you some "fair warning" that your endocrine system may be, with an emphasis on MAY, sliding towards what is now being called the Metabolic Syndrome.

Stress is always another factor to be considered as stress hormones play devlish games with our endocrine system, including the role of adrenaline and cortizol to make the liver dump glucose/glycogen into your blood stream. Life as a Project Manager (I role I had often in my career) is one of those high-stress jobs.

In the end we all have to take the advice printed on the cover of "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" which says:
"DON'T PANIC!"

[chrisn]

Oh, Ronin, you know about the stress of being a PM! I've been working with a new team and have been online with them well past midnight every night last week. This week, I've been getting done by 8 or 9pm, so it feels like a party :T I work for a big, blue company that pretty much expects folks to be on call 24/7, and with team members in Cairo, eastern US, and San Mateo, I have pretty much been keeping everyone's hours as I get up to speed with this group.

So, yeah, stress.

Thanks for all of the input - this board is such a helpful place! :)

[Dan Gato]

Your BG's are great. I wish they were mine.:)

& you aren't on any meds.

Yes you might be a pre-diabetic.
Take care of it with diet (low carbs) & exercise.
but don't let your guard down.

[chrisn]

Thanks again, everyone, for your thoughts and encouragement.

I had a great appointment with the endo last Friday - my A1c is 5.0, and my fasting BG at the office was 92. The OGTT went from 152 at 30 mins, to 170 at 1 hour, to 136 at 90 mins, so the doc doesn't feel that diabetes is a current issue for me. Down the line, perhaps, and we're going to continue to monitor my levels, of course.

I will have my thyroid and other hormone panels back early this week - the doc suspects there may be some subclinical hypothyroid issue, but we'll see what the number say.

In the meantime, I'm wondering if I can donate my OneTouch UltraSmart monitor to someone here, in thanks for this forum's help? Is that a proper thing to do? I think I'll PM the big guy and see what he thinks :D

[Ronin]

Hi Chrisn,

I recommend that you read Know Your Numbers, Outlive Your Diabetes by Jackson & Tendrich. There is a whole new school of thought about what is happening to a lot of people that is often diagnosed as one of many conditions that seem to be related.

Great news on the OGTT. Keep a watchful eye on what is happening to your health. Perhaps this scare was what you needed just to get back to the better path.

[chrisn]

Thanks, Ronin - I have that book on order, based on your recommendation :)