Pre-Diab:Should the numbers roller-coaster?

[DonnaF]

Hello - new here,

I have had hypoglycemia all my life. This is my 5th pregnancy. I have never had diabetes, not even during a pregnancy. Last week I took that glucose drink and then 1 hour later had my blood drawn. The result was 167, so my Dr had me do a 3hr fasting one today. Before I went my sugar was 67 but I felt decent enough - hungry, but not shakey yet. I had the drink and tested myself 45 minutes later and it was 172. 1 hr later 167. 1 hr later 187. 1 hr later I was nearly passed out at 60 (we had just gotten home thankfully!). I should also mention that I was eating dry whole-grain cereal on the way home b/c I still hadn't eaten a thing all morning. So, despite all the high readings, and eating something, my sugar plummeted in a very short period of time.

Is this typical of pre-diabetes? Are the readings erratic? Like maybe sometimes my pancreas over-produces insulin so I am hypoglycemic (my numbers are RARELY above 100 and I often struggle to fight hypoglycemia where it goes as low as 30) - and at other times perhaps the pancreas isn't producing enough? Are these symptoms of oncoming diabetes?

I am going to have to wait for the lab results to get back to my obgyn. In the meantime I am going crazy testing myself constantly for fear it is too high or too low. And I have no idea how I should be eating at this point. If I avoid sugars I may crash. If I eat them I may get too high.

Anyone experience this?:confused:

Thank You~

[fgummett]

Hi Donna and Welcome to DF! Gald you foudn us.
There is a reactive from of Diabetes (or Pre-D) where the body over-compensates for a high Blood Sugar (BS) by producing too much insulin... so you go from too high to too low in a short period of time, and you feel just awful as a result. Check with your Doctor about treatment but in the meantime you might try eating fewer carbs (maybe around 100g daily), and for those carbs avoid anything white (bread, potatoes, rice, pasta), plus adding healthy fats (avocado, EVOO, nuts) and higher protein foods. The lower (and slower) carbs will reduce the stimulation of insulin, while the fats and protein will slow your digestion in an attempt to smooth out those roller-coaster peaks and troughs to more manageable curves. :)

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Sounds like you are already home testing your BS, but if not ask your Doctor for a meter and strips. Test on waking, before and 2 hours after every meal, before bed... at least. Also test when you feel out of sorts or more often after meals so you can build up a picture of how different foods affect you. Keep a log with your BS levels, food you ate, activity and how you feel.

[DonnaF]

Hi Donna and Welcome to DF! Gald you foudn us.
There is a reactive from of Diabetes (or Pre-D) where the body over-compensates for a high Blood Sugar (BS) by producing too much insulin... so you go from too high to too low in a short period of time, and you feel just awful as a result. Check with your Doctor about treatment but in the meantime you might try eating fewer carbs (maybe around 100g daily), and for those carbs avoid anything white (bread, potatoes, rice, pasta), plus adding healthy fats (avocado, EVOO, nuts) and higher protein foods. The lower (and slower) carbs will reduce the stimulation of insulin, while the fats and protein will slow your digestion in an attempt to smooth out those roller-coaster peaks and troughs to more manageable curves. :)

---

Sounds like you are already home testing your BS, but if not ask your Doctor for a meter and strips. Test on waking, before and 2 hours after every meal, before bed... at least. Also test when you feel out of sorts or more often after meals so you can build up a picture of how different foods affect you. Keep a log with your BS levels, food you ate, activity and how you feel.
Thank you ,that sounds like good advice. I may be in a panic right now since finding out about this and having crashed like that has put my mind in a tizzy, but when I think about it I don't crash very often when I just try to avoid the simple sugars and eat more protein fat and veggies.

I should also mention that I have Celiac Sprue disease. It was discovered 4 years ago and one of the main symptoms was blood-sugar crashes after ingesting gluten. I'd eat thinking I would be raising my blood-sugar and instead I would be lowering it dangerously. Since going gluten-free though I have only had fasting-type hypoglycemia. Of course, now I am finding out I have diabetes too, or pre-diabetes.

Thanks for advice. I'm sure I'll have an appointment with a nutritionist soon.

[fgummett]

Congratulations on the pregnancy by the way :)

[DonnaF]

Congratulations on the pregnancy by the way :)

Oh, thank you!:D It's a tie-breaking boy. We already have 2 boys and 2 girls.

Thanks again~