Not quiteee new...diagnosed-ish.

[Evie]

Hey guys...

So I had my appointment with my doctor today. My blood work was indeed pretty "normal" but when he saw the readings my meter's been getting he quickly decided it was Type 2. He agreed with me to do an OGTT for a more official confirmation and I'm lining up an appointment with an endo he highly recommends. The other day I managed to get two HI readings which was quite worrying.

I've always been a little bit of a nutrition fanatic but I'm embarrassed to say I never paid much mind to carbs. I looked in my fridge today and I'm admittedly going through some adjustment depression. It all looks like poison to me at the moment. In truth, I eat very healthfully and have a wide range of lower carb items I already enjoy regularly. The only real "bad" items of mine are my beloved meal/protein bars(clif bars specifically are going to pain me to give up, lol), and probably all my granola(I haven't checked them, but it's safe to assume). I really don't want to go on medication though, for various, not entirely rational, reasons so I'm willing to give up whatever it takes if diet and exercise alone can keep me in control(wishful thinking, no doubt).

Some of my numbers:
C-peptide: 1.1
TSH: 2.87
Hemoglobin A1C: 5.1
Fasting blood glucose: 76

My morning numbers are fairly consistent from 75-89mg/dl.

My doc said that the fact that I'm so petite is working against me to some extent and that if I were heavier this might be easier to control. Ah well :rolleyes: My luck. I'm hoping my depressed funk will blow over in a week or two after I stop feeling so painfully naive about all this.

-Eve

[genie86333]

Welcome to the forum, Eve.

Sounds like you're off to a good start, knowing what you need to do already!

Just one question - when you got the two "HI" readings, had you washed your hands to make sure there was nothing contaminating the reading like food, lotion, etc? It's kind of strange (although possible, just not usual) to go from a fasting in the normal range to over 500 or 600 (depending on the meter) and then a normal fasting again the next day.

[Subby]

Hi Evie.

C-peptide numbers apparently change somewat from lab to lab. But 1.1 sounds well into normal if not on the low side. Type 2 will usually involve a high c-peptide initially, as the pancreas pumps out excessive insulin to try and counteract excessive insulin resistance. You should ask exactly where this result sits with the lab's ranges. A low c-peptide can indicate other things than type 2.

Apart from the "HI" readings, what are the other concerning numbers you've been getting?

[Evie]

Just one question - when you got the two "HI" readings, had you washed your hands to make sure there was nothing contaminating the reading like food, lotion, etc? It's kind of strange (although possible, just not usual) to go from a fasting in the normal range to over 500 or 600 (depending on the meter) and then a normal fasting again the next day.

Yes, I washed my hands after the first one and rechecked it to be sure. It was HI, HI, and then began to taper down into the 400's until it eventually returned to normal so I think it was a legitimate reading. My dad has been on my case about proper hand cleaning before hand to be sure my readings are right because the 250+ numbers make him very nervous.

Today I've been eating my usual meals and checking afterward to see which meals seem to affect me the most adversely and which do well. My readings are happily okay today. I had a 215, but this was with a meal that I knew would likely bring me higher and I'm taking notes as to how to modify such meals to make them easier on my system.

Apart from the "HI" readings, what are the other concerning numbers you've been getting?

The lab print-up says they consider .8 to 3.5 to be normal ranges.

On average my readings are anywhere from 170-330 an hour post-meal. As I've been trying to create slightly less carby meals I've been sitting in the 150-200 range post meal.

Occasionally I get (assumedly) hypoglycemic (dizziness, feeling faint, weakness, confusion) and my readings during those episodes have been 44, 54, and 66(I only had 3 severe episodes lately).

[Evie]

C-peptide numbers apparently change somewat from lab to lab. But 1.1 sounds well into normal if not on the low side.

I'm sure the visit to the endocrinologist will help clarify things. I'm curious, maybe someone with more knowledge on this could help, I'm reading that heavier/overweight people have higher c-peptide levels in general. Could mine be lower based on body size alone? (82lbs this morning, 4'6")

[Subby]

I can't say Evie, I just know it is common medical knowledge that C-peps are usually higher in T2 (high normal range or higher than normal range), until years of "burn out" may send C-pep low. I don't see how the c-pep fits in with your diagnosis - but I am NOT a doctor!

Did you get GAD autoantibodies tested? I am concerned at how fast this seems to have progressed, from good control over the past 3 months (your A1c) to very concerning numbers. Talk about escalation... While they are sorting this out, keep testing, be careful... don't think you need to solve 300+ results from meals with just food choices, I just want to say from where I am sitting, it seems to clearly indicate you primarily need the right medical intervention.

[Evie]

Did you get GAD autoantibodies tested?

No, I didn't. My endo appt has been scheduled for Christmas eve(my school and work schedule are making everything else impossible at this point. A lot of my professors are the 'if you miss one class I'll drop you a full letter grade' type =\ ) and apparently they're giving me a whole 'nother set of blood tests when I'm there as well.

The highest I gotten over the past few days was 270 and that was anticipated, because it was white bread, which I almost never eat to begin with. I only eat white bread when I purchase subs, so I'll just deconstruct it and avoid the bread next time. Fruit doesn't seem to hurt my numbers at all, so long as it's not combined with something else that's moderate-high carbs. If I eat one item first and wait an hour or so before the other I don't seem to pass 180 at the most. I even had 139 after a pretty big meal the other day(happy about that!) so that's seems positive.