Is fbs of 103 normal after 3 months of low carb?

[cindybells]

Hi all my name is Cindy im new to this site my question is I had a fasting blood sugar test result of 103 [ is this considered pre diabetic ? ] and this was after a 3 month long low carb diet under 30 grams a day [ only lost 5 pounds in the whole 3 months , 103 is 23 points higher then two years ago. my dr said all was normal range but im having big big trouble losing weight or inches . Thank you :)

[Josselyn]

Hi all my name is Cindy im new to this site my question is I had a fasting blood sugar test result of 103 [ is this considered pre diabetic ? ] and this was after a 3 month long low carb diet under 30 grams a day [ only lost 5 pounds in the whole 3 months , 103 is 23 points higher then two years ago. my dr said all was normal range but im having big big trouble losing weight or inches . Thank you :)
Hi Cindy. I'm pretty new here, but your FBS of 103 (which I would give my eye teeth for) is on the high side of "normal"...especially when one considers the low carb diet you've been on for three months. My glucose numbers have come down about 20 points in the six weeks I've eaten low carb, but we're all a bit different. The difficulty in losing weight despite your efforts, plus the 23 point increase in FBS should promote further investigation. Please ask for a definitive test. Best of luck.

[cindybells]

What is a [ definitive test ] and how do i convince the doctor to give the test ?

[Josselyn]

Assuming you are insured, you should be able to convince your doc of your concern with increased fasting blood sugars (23 is a jump), and an inability to lose weight despite a low carb regime. If anyone in your family is diabetic, you are over 45, or you are obese, these all should be pointed out, if necessary, because they should have triggered your doc's interest in an informed diagnosis. You might be fine, but it's best not to guess.

[sumi]

Hi Cindy,
I agree with what Josselyn has said. In your case an OTT (oral glucose tolerance test) would show your high spikes and probably give a truer picture than the slightly high fbg. Apparently doctors are switching over to an A1C test ,which gives a 3 month average bg, but seem to have set the limit too high at 6.5% (average bg of 154). As different people respond differently to these tests, really it would be ideal to use both. Your fbg should be lower since you have been low carbing, you might want to tell us how many carbs you have been eating. Also the fact that you are losing very little weight might be indicative of insulin resistance. This is the first problem T2's typically have. Check out this website for some diabetes basics,Blood Sugar 101 (http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/). Jenny has tough standards, but I think it is better to err on the side of caution.

[jps]

If I were you, I'd demand an OGTT and an A1c. It's debatable whether 103 is "normal". I don't think it is a normal number, many docs do consider it normal. To me, it's a very good indicator that without action, you will more than likely become diabetic.

If your doc won't comply with your concerns, then it is time to find a new doctor that is willing to work with you IMO.

[cindybells]

At one point I went down to 10 carbs [ all low GI veggies] for two weeks

[Josselyn]

At one point I went down to 10 carbs [ all low GI veggies] for two weeks
Not enough carb. Good grief, people get constipated on Atkins' induction carb number of 20! Not healthy.

[fgummett]

Not enough carb. Good grief, people get constipated on Atkins' induction carb number of 20! Not healthy.We do not need to eat ANY carbs and the poster stated they were only eating all low GI veggies -- how is that a recipe for constipation or even to be assumed as Atkins' induction (I thought that was zero veggies) :confused:

Is dietary carbohydrate essential for human nutrition? -- Westman 75 (5): 951 -- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/75/5/951-a)

[genie86333]

While there are few of us around here who go *quite* that low, there are many of us who are close, without any problems. As Frank said, we don't really *need* carbs.

As for the 103 being "too high," it's a tough call...it's a normal thing for the liver to dump glucose into everyone's system in the morning as a "pick-me-up" - possibly the test happened just at that time. I wouldn't worry about a 1x slightly high test reading, but combined with the difficulty losing weight, I would say to either get more tests from the doc or at the very least, get a monitor & keep an eye on it yourself.

In the meantime, welcome!

[Malarkey]

Hi all my name is Cindy im new to this site my question is I had a fasting blood sugar test result of 103 [ is this considered pre diabetic ? ] and this was after a 3 month long low carb diet under 30 grams a day [ only lost 5 pounds in the whole 3 months , 103 is 23 points higher then two years ago. my dr said all was normal range but im having big big trouble losing weight or inches . Thank you :)

HMMM I think I might have finally figured out why I can't lose weight. Docs sure as **** couldn't figure it out. They just kept telling me to exercise more & eat less.

I've been counting calories since January, and have lost only 10 lbs. Granted, the first ~3 months of the year I was eating whatever (fairly high carb stuff) just staying within the calorie range I wanted. When I found out I was pre-D I switched to adding way more protein (75g daily), keep carbs under 140g a day (egads, that's what the dietitian recommended), and started working out MORE, and harder. (zumba 3x a week, bodypump once a week, walking once a week, riding once a week.) 1500 cals a day.

Still no real results. I use the 90/10 WOE as well, and I know I know... many will say that doesn't work, but it DID work for me the first time I lost this flab, 6 yrs ago, so that's why I stubbornly stick to it. Le Sigh.

[matingara]

At one point I went down to 10 carbs [ all low GI veggies] for two weeks

just double checking that you are counting your carbs correctly?

10 grams is 1/2 of a lettuce head - for the ENTIRE DAY!!!

did you eat anything else during that time?

:)

-- Joel.

[Joder]

Hi Cindy - at that level, you have what is known as Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG). It indicates that you are either not storing glucose effectively (insulin resistance - IR) or not producing enough insulin (beta cell depletion etc.)

If you have got plenty of weight to lose, the first place to look is IR, which you can impact significantly by weight reduction, using whatever means you can - lowering carbs, portion control, exercise etc. etc.

More to the pojnt if you can reduce IR and get your Fasting Glucose down, the shadow of diabetes will most likely recede - possibly for ever if you are lucky.

Best not to sit back on results like that, as although you are probably not getting damage to your systems yet, you have the real opportunity to ensure you protect the beta cells you have and push back diabetes to another day or maybe never.


Good luck