Concerned. Please help.

[jerry_todd]

I was a bit worried recently when I noticed I was using the washroom to urinate more often.

I decided to buy a monitor to check my blood sugar levels.

Heres some of the results:

After an 8 hour fasting: 93.4

Then I ate 4 glazed doughnuts and a can of coca cola (just to see what would happen)

After 30 minutes: 133.2
After 1 hour : 171
After 1 hour and a half : 162
After 2 hours: 149.4

^^ I figured since I horked down 4 whole donuts and a can of cola in less than 10 minutes, the reading should be higher than normal, right?


Anyways now after I eat a pretty good meal, these are my readings:

After 1 hour: 133 - 140
After 2 hours: 120


Normally on random it's around 108-120


Is this normal? Am I pre-diabetic? Should I see a doctor for further tests or am I just paranoid?


Also, when is the "post meal" supposed to be checked at?
1 hour or 2 hours later? I keep hearing 2 hours, but it's usually higher after 1 hour. Is this normal too? Is that why they say to wait until 2 hours?


Thank you for any help or advice given


BTW I am 32 years old and overweight

[ant hill]

Hello there Jerry, Welcome to DF! :) I would see a doctor and bring your meter with you too and show your concern and get some blood work done on C-peptide tests I think and that will show your either type 2 or 1.5 as you're are definitely not type 1 as that usually with weight loss. Don't let the doctor give you a script of metaformin till the tests are done! So in the mean time, Test before you eat and make a journal on what you eat what time and your comments and exercise too.
A little hint that exercise may lower Blood Glucose! So have a test before you eat and have a test at the first hour after your last bite and take a walk and test after you had the walk. :D

[srpkinja]

After an 8 hour fasting: 93.4

Anyways now after I eat a pretty good meal, these are my readings:

After 1 hour: 133 - 140
After 2 hours: 120


Hi Jerry,
I think that your glucose levels, both fasting (93.4) and postprandial (120) are exactly what thay should be... 4 dounats are not a regular meal, it was just testing, so...
Anyway, postprandial BG levels are always measured 2h after, and 1h after has no diagnostic meaning. Anyway, I'm not a doctor, and if your body tells you that something is off, then you should see your DR anyway, and perhaps do the glucose tolerance test which would reveal whether you are a pre-D or not.
best luck,
Srpkinja33

[Ronin]

Hi Jerry!

Self testing is always kind of "iffy" for making any kind of accurate determination of your condition.

Your Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) levels would indicate that you are not a Pre-Diabetic or any kind of diabetic.

The Doughnuts and Coke experiment, while placing a good load on your endocrine system, is flawed because you did not know how many carbohydrate grams you consumed, also the presence of the fat in the doughnuts prolongs the digestion of the sugar, finally the High-Furctose-Corn-Syrup in the Coke doesn't hit the endocrine system in the same way as straight glucose and takes longer to metabolize.

Do you have a family history of diabetes? How overweight are you (percentages or BMI numbers are fine no need to give us height/and weight). When you say that you are urinating more often, just how frequently and how much do you drink. (i.e., I'm an avid cyclist so I tend to over-hydrate and I pee more than "average" because I drink about a gallon of water and other water based drinks daily.)

Be cautious, you may sit before some MD that will be more than willing to just hand you a prescription for diabetic meds. If you don't need them don't take them, the side effects can be brutal.

When was the last time you had a complete physical exam by an MD? I will hazzard a guess that it has been some time. If I'm correct -- get to a doctor for a full physical exam.

[jerry_todd]

Thanks for the responses.

To Ronin.

My grandfather (my dads dad) had diabetes. My father doesn't. He's also overweight.

I was told that doughnuts have a quicker effect, actually a very high effect on blood sugar levels than even straight sugar itself. Thats why I chose the doughnuts.

Anyways, I'm far from active. I injured my back 3 years ago which has caused me to gain even more weight than ever. I barely do any activity at all. I mean close to none. I sit at work all day. I am 5' 10 and i presently weigh 390 lbs. maybe more since I haven't checked in some time. I also smoke about a quarter pack a day.

I used to drink close to 5-7 cans of coke everyday. Now I have cut that out.

I went to ER a few times last year and the year before complaining of light headiness. My Blood pressure was a bit high. But only once did they check my blood sugar and said that it was actually a tad low! and it was probably because I hadn't eaten much that day. They said the light headiness was stress related. Everytime I went.

I have been urinating at least once every 1.5 to 2 hours the past 4 days or so. I drink about 1.5- 2 litres litres of liquid a day.

I just ate 4 mini danishes and another coke to do a blood sugar test again.

So far,

after 30 minutes it was at 138
after an hour it was at 149

After regular meals they are lower of course, as you can read in my opening post.

I am going to check it again at the 2 hour mark

I know I have to lose weight. Thats no question.
I am going to start being more active soon and eat better to lose weight.

But, my big question is whether I'm already a pre-diabetic or not?

I'm not sure if its just these big sugar filled cakes and donuts binges along with the cokes that would make any normal persons blood sugar go high or if I indeed have a problem.

Like i said after regular meals, it looks like my numbers are okay at the 2hr mark. And my fasting numbers seem okay too.

I basically want to avoid going to the doctor right now, until after the holidays. Maybe there is a better test that you guys know of that I can take at home.

Or maybe I am just worrying for nothing.

Anyways, any advice would be great.

Thank you.

[Cyborg]

I don't think eating donuts and sugary sodas is the proper food to eat before performing the test.

Not proper to eat any time, IMO...

[Funnygrl]

If you're concerned you may be pre-diabetic, go ask for a real GTT. Home meters aren't considered accurate enough, and donuts and juice aren't exactly the same as a glucose load given for a GTT.

[Real4]

donuts and juice aren't exactly the same as a glucose load given for a GTT. Yes, but about 100 gms of glucose in fruit juice [any type really; i's just the grams of sugar in a liquid form that counts] will do the trick. Just drink it all down in less than 5 minutes.
The two hour test primarily comes from the experience that normal, non-diabetics, will be at a normal range 80-90 in that time period. If your way over that, there's a problem; if you're a little over that. Test again next year.

[lisa821]

So non-diabetics can have glucose surges that read in a glucose meter? For some reason I thought non-diabetics would always test in normal range no matter what they ate or when they tested.

[georgepds]

So non-diabetics can have glucose surges that read in a glucose meter? For some reason I thought non-diabetics would always test in normal range no matter what they ate or when they tested.

great question, I always supposed the same as you.I'll have to start testing my non diabetic wife after meals to find out

[jerry_todd]

^^^ thats what I would like to know as well.


Today I ate what I usually would eat, which is alot for most people.

But in the morning after sleeping for 8 hours, I checked my monitor and it was at 90

Then after eating 2 sandwiches at lunch (made with 4 slices of white bread), I tested at 30min, 1hr, 1.5 hr and 2 hrs. The highest it came at was 151 at the 1.5 hr mark. Then it came down to 129 after 2 hours.


Then I had a pretty good sized dinner w/ bread, meat, roasted veggies and potatoes and with 2 cans of coke, then a good sized bowl of rice pudding for dessert and I monitored it the same way, and the highest was again at the 1.5 mark at 153 then it came down after 2 hours to 118

I drank another can of pop an hour later and checked it again 15 minutes after and it was at 126


I'm guessing it because I eat quite a bit and drink alot of pop and pretty much a couch potato that causes my sugar to go higher.

I just want to know if changing my eating/drinking and exercise habits is enough and is it normal for my blood sugar to be rising a little bit high because of it? Or am I pre-diabetic?

[lisa821]

This from endocrineweb.com/diabetes/control.html

In a person with normal insulin production and activity (a non-diabetic) blood sugar levels will return to "fasting" levels within 3 hours of eating. Diabetics (type 1 and type 2) may not be able to get their blood glucose down this quickly after a meal or drinking a calorie-containing drink. More about this can be found on our Diagnosing Diabetes page.


This from sokkari.com/goals/goals.htm

The following chart outlines the usual blood sugar ranges for a person who does not have diabetes. Use this as a guide to work with your physician and your health care team to determine what your target goals should be, and to develop a program of regular blood sugar monitoring to manage your condition

Goal

Non-diabetic Blood Sugar Ranges

Before breakfast

60 - 110 mg/dL

Before lunch, supper, and bedtime snack

60 - 120 mg/dL

One hour after meals

less than or equal to 140 mg/dL

Two hours after meals

less than or equal to 120 mg/dL

2:00 am - 4:00 am

greater than or equal to 70 mg/dL

Glycosylated Hemoglobin
(Hemoglobin A1c)

4.0 - 6.0 mg/dL


I Googled "non-diabetic blood sugars" and found those; there are many more sites.

I think if I were you I would still get checked out by a doctor for your peace of mind. :)

[xMenace]

I just want to know if changing my eating/drinking and exercise habits is enough

Try it :D

[Ronin]

Hi Jerry!

Thank you for sharing your statistics. You already know it is not a pretty picture. I wish I could offer a simple solution, but I don't have one. However, I am concerned that you are fixated on your condition as related to Pre-Diabetes.

The weight you are carrying is probably making your back injury worse. Therefore, weight loss is essential to your particular condition. Since you are concerned about potential onset of diabetes, launch into a full-blown diabetic diet. Very low carbs and extremely calorie restricted. My guess is that as you drop weight your ability to walk will improve. Of course, I will say that if you can walk, even only a few hundred yards at a time, do so. Moving your weight uses a lot of energy.

You are into the long term decisions of your life. It is time to take action.

[volleyball]

I'm with Ronin, don't worry if you are pre diabetic or not. Just act like you already have it and you are going to eat right and exercise to keep you numbers under control.
If you ever looked back and said to yourself, I wish I knew then what I know now, this is your back then time. Do not waste it. Imagine what life will be like when the back pain is gone and you can run around like a kid

[BriOnH]

Man what I wouldn't give to be able to eat 4 doughnuts and cola lol, to test if i had diabetes or not!. No matter how I bolused for that I would be paying for it with a massive high or a massive low (man imagine being low after eating and drinking that? That could be torturous!). Maybe that's why I have this disease cause that could be one **** good breakfast if I wasn't diabetic. If i eat 1 doughnut in the morning the next few hours suck. If it's the afternoon I can get away with it for some reason though.

You know what you have to do brother. Change your lifestyle or diabetes will be the least of your problems. We all have to do it in someway of another and it's a b!@Tch, but its just breaking those routines so we can recondition ourselves so we don't salivate at the sound of the bell. (Pavlogs <sp?> dogs reference).

[Tropo]

To be honest Jerry, with your extreme overweight condition and your bad eating/drinking habits, pre-diabetes is likely to be the least of your concerns.

What you need is a healthy calorie controlled diet along with exercise to get your weight down to under 200 lbs.

At your weight I would recommend for you to start off with a swimming program to build up your fitness. This will keep the load off your joints and keep your body in an efficient position (horizontal) to allow your heart to pump blood more easily to your muscles. With the amount of fat you carry you'll be very buoyant which will make swimming a lot easier.

Swimming will also be very gentle on your bad back.

When you've lost about 150 lbs you can start adding some land based exercise to your program such as walking or bicycling.

And please give up the sodas ASAP.

[didi1]

Exactly. Why wait? Do a diet low on carbs and eat a lot of veggies and salads with your protein meals. Exercise and you will feel great. You will be seeing lower numbers with these changes. Plus, you will feel and look great and don't see it as a diet really. Everyone should be eating healthier and you will be by no means considered on a special diet. Eat well and you will be healthier than the others who are "non diabetic" and eat all those unneeded loads of carbs. Best of luck!:)