New, and probably a dumb question

[autumn_whispers]

A friend stayed over with us last night and she insisted on taking our blood sugar with her monitor. Diabetes runs in both my and my fiance's family--two of my siblings have it, and my mom died from congestive heart failure while in the hospital having her foot amputated due to diabetic complications following an injury. And there are several other risk factors...

But my question is about the results of this test our friend did: My fiance's fasting BS was 157, and mine was 154. We had a muffin for breakfast and within about 45min to an hour later my fiance's was 154 and mine was 106.

I'm concerned about my fiance and think he should see a doctor to get labs done, etc (he has insurance). I don't have insurance and can't afford a doctor, so I want to know your opinions on whether I should bother getting tested or not.

Also, is this much of a fluctuation normal? 154 then 106 after a meal? Should I bother with a test at all?

And yes, I'm definitely going to push my fiance to see his doctor.

Thanks in advance for any advice you may have.

Oh, just out of curiosity: I've gained a LOT of weight in the past couple of years (over 100lbs.. long story), and my eyesight has gotten HORRIBLE in the past two years. I can no longer read the back of a shampoo bottle, a nail polish bottle, and there are days when I can't read a price tag sticker at the store because it's too blurry. Even my cell phone is difficult to read numbers, etc. on. I've always had perfect vision, but the last two years my eyesight has gotten awful, with the majority of the changes going on over the past couple of months. I'm 44 as of september, if that means anything.

I've given up my love of reading due to this.. the words are just too blurry. :(

I also have felt for the past two years as if I'm 100 years old, crushing fatigue like you wouldn't believe. I won't list all my symptoms here.. they may have nothing to do with diabetes.

Thanks again.

[am1977]

Hi Autumn and welcome! :flowers:

I don't want to alarm you, but waking up with blood sugar readings in the 150s is not normal for you or your fiance' . Now, that doesn't mean it's necessarily diabetes. There could be a variety of reasons for the readings, but if it were me, I would definitely go get checked out. It certainly sounds like you are dealing with something after reading your symptoms, but being that I'm not a doctor or medical expert :nerd: , my opinion doesn't matter too much. You should go in and talk to a MD. It's always best to be on the safe side then just to sit around and wonder. Plus, it will put your mind at ease to know, so I don't think it would be a wasted visit, even if nothing is found.

Hopefully, you both will be given clean bills of health and let go. Keep us posted on what happens. :call2:

Take care :wink:,

Andrea :nerd: Type 1, MM 511

[liz32]

Hi and welcome. We were told that anything over 126 for a fasting sugars indicated problems and most likely diabetes. that's not always the case however, I would definately go to the doctor. If you think things are bad now with you eyesight, it can only get worse. I hope you can find a way to see a doctor. You both need some medical attention and advise. Let ud knoe how you do.

[Lori M.]

A friend stayed over with us last night and she insisted on taking our blood sugar with her monitor. Diabetes runs in both my and my fiance's family--two of my siblings have it, and my mom died from congestive heart failure while in the hospital having her foot amputated due to diabetic complications following an injury. And there are several other risk factors...

But my question is about the results of this test our friend did: My fiance's fasting BS was 157, and mine was 154. We had a muffin for breakfast and within about 45min to an hour later my fiance's was 154 and mine was 106.

I'm concerned about my fiance and think he should see a doctor to get labs done, etc (he has insurance). I don't have insurance and can't afford a doctor, so I want to know your opinions on whether I should bother getting tested or not.

Also, is this much of a fluctuation normal? 154 then 106 after a meal? Should I bother with a test at all?

And yes, I'm definitely going to push my fiance to see his doctor.

Thanks in advance for any advice you may have.

Oh, just out of curiosity: I've gained a LOT of weight in the past couple of years (over 100lbs.. long story), and my eyesight has gotten HORRIBLE in the past two years. I can no longer read the back of a shampoo bottle, a nail polish bottle, and there are days when I can't read a price tag sticker at the store because it's too blurry. Even my cell phone is difficult to read numbers, etc. on. I've always had perfect vision, but the last two years my eyesight has gotten awful, with the majority of the changes going on over the past couple of months. I'm 44 as of september, if that means anything.

I've given up my love of reading due to this.. the words are just too blurry. :(

I also have felt for the past two years as if I'm 100 years old, crushing fatigue like you wouldn't believe. I won't list all my symptoms here.. they may have nothing to do with diabetes.

Thanks again.



Hi and welcome to the board. :wavey: I'm like you I don't have any insurance because I'm unemployed at the moment, but I was having symptoms this past spring and I couldn't ignore it any longer. My mother's doctor suggested I go the Family Practice Residency Program Clinic where they will charge you based on your ability to pay. You may want to contact the hospital where you live and see if they have something like that available or maybe they can suggest something for you. But with morning fasting BS's of 157 and 154 I would be concerned. Most people will tell you that you shouldn't check your BS until 2 hours after a meal unless your just curious to see what your BS's are doing.
Since you have a family history of diabetes I would strongly recommend you and your fiance to get tested. Are you having any tingling or burning sensation in your hands and feet? Excessive thirst? Going to the bathroom more? If any of these apply to you or your fiance I would definitely go. Please let us know the outcome.


Lori :elefant:

[Middle Aged Man]

Your eyesight issue corresponds to your age somewhat. I was told when I turned 40 that I was farsighted, and that I should need glasses to read or work on the computer. (In fact, the doctor was stunned that I could still focus.) Even though I was fine, the doc gave me a prescription for glasses just in case the headaches started.

That, and your 106 blood sugar made me think to tell you NOT to worry about diabetes, but then you threw in these words:

"I also have felt for the past two years as if I'm 100 years old, crushing fatigue like you wouldn't believe. I won't list all my symptoms here.. they may have nothing to do with diabetes."

That being the case, you definitely need to be checked out.

As for your fiance', his numbers are sufficiently high that he should also be seen.

[Peter Lee]

I'm with the others, you need to be checked out.

Your symptoms tie in with the onset of insulin resistance (if you are developing Type 2 diabetes) and now is the time to do something before things get worse and more difficult to manage.

Your doctor will probably tell you to lose weight as excess weight aggravates Type 2 diabetes.

Your vision problem could well be part of the ageing process but could also indicate the presence of glucose in the fluid in your eyes. If this is the case your eyes will improve as the sugar in your blood reduces.

If you are developing diabetes, doing nothing will not make it go away and you will have to face it sometime. Now is the time to do something.

[autumn_whispers]

Wow, thank you SO very much, everyone. My friend has really been on to us about being seen, so I'll have to find a way. She once again insisted on doing both of our BGL's after waking, then 2hrs after breakfast. lol She claims she's leaving this evening so she has to do this while here. What a mother hen, huh? lol

Anyway, my morning BGL was 120 (not that bad, right?), and two hours after eating breakfast it was 88 (even better, true?).

It's really strange but my BGL seems to be very high when I feel absolutely like death warmed over. But when we took it 2hrs after breakfast---I didn't feel as bad as usual, but I was very shaky. Strange.

She also showed me something online that a physician wrote---about research pointing to not taking morning/fasting bgl, and instead taking a reading 20 minutes after a meal. This article claimed that this is the level that determines if the BGL is high enough for cell damage. Anyone hear of this before?

Thanks again. I know "something" has to be wrong, because there are times when I feel so weak and sick that I can't even sit at the computer to read email.

Oh, I almost forgot to add that we tried doing ours 20min after lunch like that article suggested... and mine was 130. Are blood sugar levels supposed to be this erratic?

[autumn_whispers]

I'm with the others, you need to be checked out.

Your symptoms tie in with the onset of insulin resistance (if you are developing Type 2 diabetes) and now is the time to do something before things get worse and more difficult to manage.

Your doctor will probably tell you to lose weight as excess weight aggravates Type 2 diabetes.

I've been trying to lose weight for the past 3 years. 3 years ago I was the most athletic person I knew, and I've been very, very active all of my life with the exception of the past 3 years. I had "transient hypothyroidism" due to excessive stress (moving, burglarized, layoff, etc., etc., etc...).

But I got too weak to workout, dance, or teach dance... my life became horribly sedentary.. and I gained 100lbs in a year's time. Prior to that I was gaining weight while dieting, and I'd dieted (another stressor that had an impact on the transient hypothyroidism) for a good year without cheating---as my weight climbed (fat, not muscle). I got weaker and weaker and finally couldn't even tolerate a brief workout, and I had to sleep for 3 hrs or so following workouts to actually recover.

I've not been able to lose since, but most of the other hypothyroid symptoms are gone. It's all very confusing, actually, but I'm not "used" to being this overweight, having spent most of my life around 125lbs (I'm 5ft 5 1/2in).

probably more than you guys wanted to know. lol I just want to cover my bases and know what I'm dealing with, or if I should be concerned, etc. before it gets too bad.

I SO appreciate everyone's comments and suggestions. You guys are GREAT!

[Ilene]

Hi Autumn. I'm very new here too. Just since last month I think. Anyway, I can't give you any advice on diabetes since I still have so many questions myself. But about your eyes---I worked for years as an optometric assistant. After the age 40 a person tends to develope presbyopia--farsightedness. That means any small print gets hard to read. Mine didn't really become a problem until I reached 53 or 54, but that's because I had laser eye surgery for nearsightedness and they corrected one eye about 10 % less so I could use it for close vision and my other eye for distance. That eventually got so it didn't work, but prolonged having to use reading glasses. Nevertheless, everyone is right and you should be checked by a doctor. I have insurance, but pay for it myself so the deductible is quite high. I end up paying the doctor and hospital for tests a little each month until the bills are paid up. I'm sure you could find a hospital that does the same thing. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

[Middle Aged Man]

I've been trying to lose weight for the past 3 years. 3 years ago I was the most athletic person I knew, and I've been very, very active all of my life with the exception of the past 3 years. I had "transient hypothyroidism" due to excessive stress (moving, burglarized, layoff, etc., etc., etc...).

But I got too weak to workout, dance, or teach dance... my life became horribly sedentary.. and I gained 100lbs in a year's time. Prior to that I was gaining weight while dieting, and I'd dieted (another stressor that had an impact on the transient hypothyroidism) for a good year without cheating---as my weight climbed (fat, not muscle). I got weaker and weaker and finally couldn't even tolerate a brief workout, and I had to sleep for 3 hrs or so following workouts to actually recover.

I've not been able to lose since, but most of the other hypothyroid symptoms are gone. It's all very confusing, actually, but I'm not "used" to being this overweight, having spent most of my life around 125lbs (I'm 5ft 5 1/2in).

probably more than you guys wanted to know. lol I just want to cover my bases and know what I'm dealing with, or if I should be concerned, etc. before it gets too bad.

I SO appreciate everyone's comments and suggestions. You guys are GREAT!

The lives we live aren't the ones our bodies, minds, and souls were meant to support. No matter what, you still look beautiful to us.

I'm also overweight. Guarantee you I weigh more than you. And I know you wouldn't reject me for it. (I'm 6'2" tall and 270 lbs.) I've posted my pic.

Welcome aboard. Feel at home. You are welcome and wanted here.