An all time low this morning

[Ronin]

Everyone:

Part of my regemen is to check both my FBG and my Post Breakfast readings. On most days the FBG ranges from the mid 80's to mid 90's with the post breakfast coming in pretty much the same or a bit lower than FBG level.

The thing is that my breakfast is the same every day. This morning my FBG was 85 which is at the low end of my usual scale. Two hours later -- 51! I didn't feel shaky or tired or unusual and a re-test confirmed the same result.

Any thoughts or coments on this? Perhaps it was just the moment.

[Gordonm]

Over the years I have had diabetes I can't tell you the amount of times I have had weird things happen for no reason at all. Many very lows and many very highs for no reason. I'll be cruising along for days running good numbers than BAM I'll have a day or two of strange numbers. Then for no reason it goes back to normal.
I would check again the next couple of days and see if it becomes a pattern. If it does then adjust as needed. I have had emotions, exercise differnt foods and a bunch of other things have a problem with my BS. Keep an eye on this and adjust as needed.

[mortis505]

Scary. Have you been exercising more than usual? I noticed the cycling miles in your sig. Perhaps an extra few miles more than norm? That or any added stress might be the culprit.

[jsntay]

I was taught in my diabetes class that a BS below 70 was hypo with or without symptoms.

[Ronin]

Everyone:

A Hypo? I would not think that possible, but I guess anything is possible.

Could it be the exercise? Doubtful as the mileage and intensity aren't unusual. The only factor might have been the change in weather to hot and humid but most of the rest of the day I'm inside an air conditioned house at a comfy 76 degrees. Both of these tests took place in the AM before I went outside and prior to any exercise. On my BowFlex days (M-W-F) my BG levels tend to be above my FBG's following the exercise.

I have to say that I didn't understand Gordon's response "Keep an eye on this and adjust as needed." Since I don't take any meds, and my eating pattern hasn't changed at all, what is there to adjust? I must be missing something.

How about my fellow Pre-D's: has anyone ever had a similar thing happen to them?

This was, at least so far, a one-off so I'm not overly concerned just curious.

[BlueSky]

It sounds like a reactive low to me. The beta cells overreact to a blood glucose spike and produce too much insulin, causing BG to drop later on. One would expect to see a repeating pattern, if this is the case. But perhaps this was a isolated event. :(

[matingara]

i have been down in the 50's many times. mostly after a long day at work, an early low-carb lunch and a long commute home in bad traffic.

i never feel shaky or zonked. i just feel really, really hungry and my stomach makes lots of groan-y noises!

:)

-- Joel.

[ShottleBop]

Never happened to me. My all-time low is 77.

[-sammy-]

my all time low is 1.9 had that reading twice now.
very low. and i didnt really feel it either but started shaking so you know check the sugars and what not. it was 1.9

[BrianSCohen]

Ronin,

As a type 2, I still have a functioning counterregulatory system and don't go low much. I have been to 59, but that required precise timing to encourage reactive hypoglycemia and just enough aerobic exercise. And yes, I did feel it.

The fact that you have been tightly controlled (you should have felt it) and did not feel it leads me to think that it might have been a false reading. Just like there are some things that increase readings, some things decrease readings, like alcohol. Given that you repeated the reading, it was unlikely to have been a bad strip. Next time you get a strange reading and repeat, wash your hands thoroughly and see if that helps.

[Tropo]

Everyone:
I have to say that I didn't understand Gordon's response "Keep an eye on this and adjust as needed." Since I don't take any meds, and my eating pattern hasn't changed at all, what is there to adjust? I must be missing something.


Perhaps your body is starting to work more efficiently and it's time to adjust your carbohydrate level upwards.

It's now almost 3 weeks since you reported this anomaly. How have your readings been over the last few weeks? Any repeat of your low reading?

[Ronin]

Tropo, et al.,

I was surprised to see this thread resurrect. In the past weeks my BFG's have been in the 80-90 range with the post-prandial readings have been in the 70's most days. I did have one more reading in the 50's and did not have any feelings of being shaky or dizzy. I also re-tested following the advice to re-wash my hands first -- the reading stayed the same.

Since we do our tandem rides in the AM following breakfast I always have a carb snack before I swing my leg over the tandem I don't want a hypo on the roads - that could be dangerous.

I don't take any meds so I guess my pancreas must occasionally produce more insulin than I need at the moment.

[Lizzie G]

Tropo, et al.,

I was surprised to see this thread resurrect. In the past weeks my BFG's have been in the 80-90 range with the post-prandial readings have been in the 70's most days. I did have one more reading in the 50's and did not have any feelings of being shaky or dizzy. I also re-tested following the advice to re-wash my hands first -- the reading stayed the same.

Since we do our tandem rides in the AM following breakfast I always have a carb snack before I swing my leg over the tandem I don't want a hypo on the roads - that could be dangerous.

.

I really dont get what your concern is about 'hypos'; you are 'pre diabetic', appear to have normal blood glucose readings and HbA1Cs (the upper reference range of normal being 5.9%). A person without diabetes will have an occasional low blood sugar as result of intensive exercise and so on which will later restore, but i struggle to understand how someone without diabetes, who doesnt inject insulin or take any drugs to stimulate the production of insulin, can be worried about 'hypos'.

[Ronin]

Hi Lizzie!

Worried? No. Confused? You betcha!

As I am still amongst the Pre-D community I realize that I should not be overly concerned at hypo's but I do wonder why that might be happening.

As I mentioned early in the thread my breakfasts are boringly the same every day and my routine is similarly boring. The only variable is that I do a BowFlex routine on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and that usually raises my post prandial reading. The two 50's happened on the days when I don't do the BowFlex.

Apologies for causing you irriatation.

[Lizzie G]

Hi Lizzie!

Worried? No. Confused? You betcha!

As I am still amongst the Pre-D community I realize that I should not be overly concerned at hypo's but I do wonder why that might be happening.

As I mentioned early in the thread my breakfasts are boringly the same every day and my routine is similarly boring. The only variable is that I do a BowFlex routine on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and that usually raises my post prandial reading. The two 50's happened on the days when I don't do the BowFlex.

Apologies for causing you irriatation.

Hi Ronin

Im sorry my post was overtly negative and irritable. I shouldnt take out my frustrations on others and sometimes I see stuff from a very self absorbed perspective and think 'what are you worrying for when you seem to be ok and stop thinking about it and enjoy life' and that is very ignorant....you're in the priveleged position of knowing that you have a predisposition to diabetes and that your actions can control whether you end up with it or not so of course you are focused on it and people like me who know all too well what a pain it is to live with should be helping you.

Anyhow, a couple of people have mentioned to me (most notablly a diabetes nurse that works with a lot of type 2s), if you have a 'faulty' (!) pancreas which appears to be working normally most of the time, early signs of trouble are impaired insulin responses and irregularity of action. Basically, from what people have said to me, your pancreas isnt quick enough at repsonding exactly how it needs so doesnt respond all that well to different factors such as exercise, diet changes and so on. In my (occasionally humble!) opinion i think the best you could do is to keep monitoring as you are, be aware that your pancreas maybe overshoots on occasion, and keep a sugary snack to hand in case you feel shakey.

Once again Im sorry for being snappy and irritable and hope you are doing ok

Lizzie x

[Tropo]

Tropo, et al.,

I was surprised to see this thread resurrect. In the past weeks my BFG's have been in the 80-90 range with the post-prandial readings have been in the 70's most days. I did have one more reading in the 50's and did not have any feelings of being shaky or dizzy. I also re-tested following the advice to re-wash my hands first -- the reading stayed the same.

Since we do our tandem rides in the AM following breakfast I always have a carb snack before I swing my leg over the tandem I don't want a hypo on the roads - that could be dangerous.

I don't take any meds so I guess my pancreas must occasionally produce more insulin than I need at the moment.

I haven't checked this forum for over 3 weeks, so to me it was a new thread which seemed unresolved.

In all honesty Ronin, your BG levels both fasting and post-prandial are so low that if it was me, I'd be increasing my carbohydrate levels to a more sane (normal) level...from what I've gathered from previous posts of yours, your carb load is extremely small.

[Ronin]

Tropo, Lizzie, et al.,

Thanks for the concern and checking in Tropo. Regarding the carb level, I'm working on timing my carbs to immediately prior to and/or following serious exercise. My breakfast is very low carb, the rest of my meals are reduced carb but otherwise "normal" (whatever that means today).

The comment on my pancreas getting abnormal is pretty much "bang-on" and your statement is pretty much my personal thoughts that sometimes my pancreas over produces insulin. That would say that the signaling mechanism between the pancreas, liver, and muscles is somehow a bit out or whack.

All of that being said, this is, for me the high season for bicycle riding so I'm logging lots and lots of miles and therefore spending more cumulative hours riding the bike as well as engaging in the typical outdoor activities of any homeowner. Winter slows all of that down and I do see my average BG levels rise a bit in the winter and have to work harder to keep them low.

In all of this I am watching my C-Peptide levels firstly because I have the strong suspicion (confirmed by my primary care) that my pancreas is slowing down and may, someday, cease functioning altogether. I also understand that the C-Peptide molecule has someting to do with the regulation and signaling system.

[Gordonm]

I have to say that I didn't understand Gordon's response "Keep an eye on this and adjust as needed." Since I don't take any meds, and my eating pattern hasn't changed at all, what is there to adjust? I must be missing something.

.

My response to this is something has changed. What is it that changed and is it a pattern. If it does keep happeneing something has or is changing. I must admit I am not as up to date on Pre diabetic or type 2 tha nI am on type 1. Maybe it was just thinking to much like a type 1. I forget to look sometimes at what type people are before I respond. Just bring it up to the Doc next time and see if there is any advice he can give. Sounds like you are doing everything right. It is not good at all to be low when you are way out and you check and it is in the 40s.

[Eddy]

Exercise definitely affects insulin sensitivity. I had a teeny bit of exercise this morning, and thought I was on track with post-exercise food and insulin, but clearly fouled up:

While napping afterward, I deamt that I was hypo. I then decided it was not a dream, and that I should awaken to check... felt hypo after awakening... checked... 31. :mad: Oh, well; at least it's the first time in nearly three months that I've dropped below 40.

And, no, that's not an all-time low. It is, however, my fifth-lowest episode (after 2x sub-20, 24, and 25).

Ronin, methinks delayed insulin release combined with exercise-induced sensitivity increase could well have played a hand in your excursion.

[jakesfnm]

I seem to experience similar symptoms to what Ronin had. I hadn't been testing for months - just got an A1C though. It was back to 6.1. No diet changes, much less exercise (I live where it's 115 during the summer) and more stress (start of the school year - I'm a teacher.) Then I started testing again - pretty normal during day, but my after dinner (lots of veggies.veggie burger mostly) readings have been in the 70s or low 80s. I've felt tired, light-headed too. Tried eating some cereal etc. and the readings don't rise much. Is this reactive hypoglycemia? Just read about it. I've been drinking a bit of wine (about 4 oz.) with dinner and often walk after dinner, but haven't the last few days. No change. Still low after eating.

[Larry H.]

Ronin.. I am amazed anyone with diabetes would have such consistent low readings. I see your mentioned very low carb, and most likely you have reported previous on what exactly your meals consist of. What type of foods are you eating? I try to stay in that ADA ranges, but my numbers are more like 105 in the morning and depending up to 160 after meals. Once in a great while worse, or much better, sort of depends. The times I saw really low readings for me which were in the mid 70's was after extensive exercise over a long period. Oddly though a local hospital pronounced that I had an after breakfast reading of 71 after eating a huge carb loaded set of items including pancakes, oatmeal, syrup, orange juice, eggs and bacon and two pieces of toast with jelly.. I was stunned and so the doctor said I didn't need any testing strips from medicare. Oddly I don't get anything even close to that , but I did get a 95 at two hours before I walked in to the hospital for that test on my one touch, which was still odd since I usually ate way less and saw higher readings.. How to figure?

[jakesfnm]

Larry - I never heard of reactive diabetes until I did some searching last night. I wonder if that's what you had - and me. It's an excessive release of insulin usually in response to carbs. I don't eat that many carbs - try to hold it to around 35 per meal so I don't know. I'm pre-diabetic. I sometimes don't eat for 5-6 hours before dinner - too busy in my classroom. I read that if this (reactive diabetes) happens you should definitely be grazing. Don't know if I should go back to my doc. I know 73 isn't a horrible reading, but I felt horrible and it was 1 1/2 hours after eating. It's been going on all this week. Anyone else out there have low readings (without taking meds) after eating?

[Larry H.]

Jake,

Frankly that was for me quite unusual.. Although the other morning I had a 102 with no exercise after eating my about 30 carb breakfast. I sometimes ended up at 140 or more with that. I am not sure why readings do what they do, but that hospital reading after tons of carbs struck me as very odd.