BS was 360 this am!!!!!!

[sowski143]

I am freaking out! My fasting BS was 360 this morning, and I don't know what to do! I'm starving, but I don't want to eat and make it go even higher.

I think what happened was....I went to California Pizza Kitchen on Monday night (bad idea, I know) and every since then, my morning numbers have been over 300 (yesterday and today). Yesterday I ate very low carbs (under 100) but my BS was still over 300 today. What do I do?????:eek:

[fgummett]

Firstly take a deep breath, and secondly don't starve yourself as that will likely make things worse. You need to take back control. Start over as if you were newly diagnosed... test, test, test. Log your sugars, what you are eating (try low-carb high-protein and healthy-fats food to fill you up). Get some exercise... whatever you can do is better than nothing. Take it one step at a time. Keep coming back here to tell us how you are doing and to get support :)

[art]

360 I'm not playing with.
Call your Doctor.

Funny but Pizza deson't bother me. Rice kills me

Art

[princesslinda]

Calm down...stress can also raise your blood sugar. I'd encourage you to let your doctor know what your fastings have been the last couple of days. How do they typically run?

I wouldn't think that the one meal of pizza would have caused them to stay high for that many days....though pizza is difficult for many of us to tolerate.

I would suggest you drink LOTS of water and eat very little carbs...but you do need to eat. If you've not had breakfast, i'd suggest a nice plate of eggs...no toast. Have a salad with grilled chicken on top for lunch. When your #s get in the 200's do some exercise. I wouldn't try to exercise with blood sugars in the 300 range.

As Frank said, check your blood sugar often. No point in freaking out, just do what you know to do and hopefully the results will follow. If your levels don't come down, it may be time for a different treatment course.

[Scrabblechick]

Yes, definitely call your doc and follow the low-carb suggestions above.

[sowski143]

OK, so I just ate a 4 oz yogurt to curb my hunger...tomorrow I'm going to fax my doctor all my numbers for the past 2 weeks because my treatment isn't working anyway. My numbers have barely dipped below 200 and that isn't normal for me.

I'm at work right now, so I can't really change what I'm having for lunch, but I brought 2 hot dogs (no buns), pork rinds, dill pickles, and a diet soda. That should help get me somewhere back to "normal."

I always freak out when my numbers get really high because I was hospitalized back in 06 because I went to the ER complaining about a pain in my abdomen, and they checked my BS and they couldn't even get a read out, meaning my BS was over 500! The bad part is that I never ever feel sick when my sugar is high, so unless I test, I never know. Does anyone suggest a meter that can be easily stored in my purse (i.e. something small and compact) that also has a spot for a couple strips and lancets? I really need to start testing more often than my doctor suggests (twice a day).

[princesslinda]

One-Touch Ultra Mini is quite small and has a nice little kit to hold everything. There's a link for a free one here, check under "freebies." Also, there's often coupons in our Sunday paper for $20 off (they are usually $18-$19 here) a mini.

You absolutely need to check more than twice daily....you'll not know how foods affect you unless you check 2 hrs after the first bite....so how will you know what to eat otherwise?

If you stay high long enough your body will soon see it as "normal," and you won't feel "high." Then, as your blood sugars normalize, normals feel "low" until your body adapts.

Has your doctor mentioned starting insulin?

Also...keep some nuts or a Slim Jim (or pickles, cucumbers and celery..these are easily portable) at hand at your desk to help curb your hunger...might be better for you blood sugar wise than yogurt.

[MJB]

At age 24 I would seriously wonder if you are really a T2.

Ask your doc if they can do further testing to make sure you're not really T1.

Treatment is quite different.

[slipperyelm]

For very small glucometer, there is a disposable meter that is built into the top of a black vial of test strips. I think the brand name is Relion (normally one of the least expensive brands), but I'm not sure. Walgreens carries this product. The One Touch Ultra min that princesslinda mentions fits in my purse, too, and I carry a small purse.

For the near future---f you want to eat dairy to curb your appetite you can go lower carb than yogurt. Yogurt is not normally "completely" fermented, meaning that not all the lactose as been eaten by the bacteris that make the yogurt. However, you can get cheeses that are nealry completely lactose (that is milk sugar) free. Look on the back of packages for the carb counts and you should be able to find some with fewer carbs than yogurt. If you want to stick with yogurt, the full fat yogurts are almost always fewer carbs than low fat yogurts.

CARBS: Carbohydrates in Yogurt (http://www.annecollins.com/dietary-carbs/carbs-yogurt.htm)

By the way, many people would not consider 100 carbs a day to be "very low carb," but moderately low carb. If you are determined, you can get by on maybe 30 grams of carbs per day, and still eat vegetables and cheeses, even your small yogurts, etc. You would have to pay close attention to carb counts to do it, though.

One doctor says that when a cause for high blood glucose is not obvious it is very often related to a dental infection. Keep that in mind as a possibility.

Also, double check to make sure your strips are not way outdated and that your meter is correctly coded. Both these problems could give erroneous readings.

[sowski143]

Princess, I am on 58 units of insulin at night time. I took it last night, and my BS was still 360 this am.

The yogurt I ate was low in carbs, I think only 11.

My doctor was not sure if I was T1 or T2, but finally decided that I fit the T2 criteria better. When I fax him my numbers tomorrow am, I'm going to ask if there is something else I can be doing to get better.

I have been feeling extremely tired lately, could that be from the high BS readings? Also, I have thyroid disease and take Synthroid, but my levels have been stabilized for a long time.

[fgummett]

Feeling tired.. high sugars yes! If there is doubt he should reassess and seriously consider more aggressive treatment of potentially Type 1 D. Please let us know how you get on :)

[MJB]

Princess, I am on 58 units of insulin at night time. I took it last night, and my BS was still 360 this am.

The yogurt I ate was low in carbs, I think only 11.

My doctor was not sure if I was T1 or T2, but finally decided that I fit the T2 criteria better. When I fax him my numbers tomorrow am, I'm going to ask if there is something else I can be doing to get better.

I have been feeling extremely tired lately, could that be from the high BS readings? Also, I have thyroid disease and take Synthroid, but my levels have been stabilized for a long time.

Did your doc run a C-peptide test? What "criteria" is he using?

I don't think there's a true T2 on this forum that runs fasting BG levels over 300 (Mine was 102 this morning).

You need get your BG down, if your doc can't do it for you it's time for a new one. Have you considered an endocrinologist?

[MarcS]

I was in similar shape not that long ago, and that was when Metformin was added, and an NPH Insulin as well. Pizza is pretty much cut out of my diet, closest I come to it is eating the cheese and toppings, and leaving the bread/crust for someone else. Also might want to wean yourself off Diet sodas, they are not good for you in the long run, and actually add to you eating more.

Testing is key to finding out what works best for YOUR body. Find a snack or two that you know does not cause BS to rise, something you can eat and not have to worry. There are some great string cheeses out there that are low carb and zero sugars also Granny Smith Apples, low carb yogurts, etc. Keep us informed on your progress.

[princesslinda]

I'm sure you're tired running all those high numbers. Have your doc run the C-peptide to make sure you're not T1...we've had several here misdiagnosed as T2s when they were really T1.

I'm T2, had initial A1C of 9.6 and have never had a "documented" blood sugar of 300. Actually, since being diagnosed, i've hit 200 3 times, once when I had a fountain Diet Mtn Dew that wasn't...and the other two recently in the midst of my shingles outbreak (but these were not fasting #s even then).

[Kim_in_TN]

Those are scary numbers, I would not question it on my own ... call your doctor! Good luck and keep us updated!

[Janlaton]

Are you sure you are not carrying some type of infection? Even a slight infection can make it hard to get bg down. You did not say are you exercising? Even using resistance bands a few minitues at a time at your desk several xs a day is good.

Try not eating after 7pm. When my doc suggested this I thought she was crazy but it has brought my #s down.

By all means get checked out quickly!

[xxkarenlxx]

When my BS is higher than I am comfortable with but I've already exercized (or am too lazy too right that minute) I soak in a HOT bath for 30 minutes to an hour. It is usually good for dropping my BS at least 40 points. Sometimes more. I know that won't get you down to "normal" but might get you low enough that you can exercise without worry.

[rmichaud]

You may just be taking too much insulin at night. I know it's weird but see this blog where she explains it.

Diabetes Update (http://diabetesupdate.blogspot.com/)

[sowski143]

Wow RM, I never even knew that. I will include all of these wonderful things when I contact my endo tomorrow. Thanks everyone!

[Janlaton]

If i stay too long in the shower in the AM my BG drops way down. Might try that one as well.

[jacobsam622]

At age 24 I would seriously wonder if you are really a T2.

Ask your doc if they can do further testing to make sure you're not really T1.

Treatment is quite different. age is no longer used in the determining type. Whatever you do dont exercise second Test a second time use a different test and make sure your hands are clean. Is Synthroid a steroid if it is that maybe whats making your bg go so high.

[LCD]

I wouldn't try to exercise with blood sugars in the 300 range.

I've read this before. Why? If you did exercise, would your bs drop? Or in some cases, the level gets higer due to exercise?
Why? I'm confused???

[BlueSky]

Michelle
Dx Type 2: October 2005
Amaryl 4 mg
Levemir 58 units
Tricor 1/daily
Synthroid 175 mmg

You could be having absorption problems. Try splitting that 58 units of insulin into 2 or even 3 shots.

[fgummett]

"I wouldn't try to exercise with blood sugars in the 300 range." ...I've read this before. Why?I have heard recently on this site that exercising with too high a sugar can cause damage. I understand that sugar in the blood is like little glass crystals. I had forgotten this fact when I advised exercise in my first post on this thread. Thankfully Linda picked up on that and corrected me :)

[HelenM]

"I wouldn't try to exercise with blood sugars in the 300 range." ...I've read this before. Why?
If the BS is high it is probable that there is too little circulating insulin. The exercising muscles need glucose but will not be able to access the glucose in the blood signalling the liver to release even more glucose from glycogen. The BS will therefore rise higher. Moreover with the lack of insulin there will be a breakdown of fat to fatty acids transforming them into ketones. There is therefore a risk of ketoacidosis.
Normal advice is to check for ketones before exercising if BS is above 250 and not to exercise at all above 300.

This happened to me before diagnosis. I 'knew' (self diagnosed) that I had diabetes. I thought it must be type 2 and that exercise was good for me. I had already lost weight ( now I realise that ketones were present.) I went for a short mountain bike ride, Couldn't go on, breathing became rapid, I felt dreadful. At the time my husband thought I was having a heart attack.Next day I was in hospital ( I was in my 50s so age is definitely not relevant)

I agree the op should call the doctor for advice. With a fasting BS that high I would check for ketones anyway.
You can get urine strips at the chemist.

[jerryn]

Ouch 360.. call the Dr. He's probably going to give you some long acting insulin. Injections aren't so bad, it hurts less then testing my glucose level! Drink 8 glasses of water a day. Walk it off too! 360 isn't anything to mess with.