Just a guestion... or 2.

[ssmithlvn]

I have not been diagnosed as diabetic... my hemaglobin a1c was 5.9 a year ago and they said watch it. I am overweight, I am a 24 y/o female.... Last night my BS dropped to 36, I drank OJ it went up to 330 in an hour... Could this mean I am diabetic

[DeusXM]

At this stage I would say probably not. An A1c of 5.9 is within the normal range for a person without diabetes. Low blood sugar can be caused by a variety of factors which aren't linked to diabetes or medication, and your high reading after drinking a load of sugar isn't too surprising. What would be more useful would be a 2-hour reading after drinking the orange juice.

Depending on how overweight you are though, you may wish to consider reducing your weight to lower your risk of developing T2 diabetes.

[Harold]

To be dx'd with diabetes you have to fail two of three test on different dates several weeks apart. A1c, Fasting Glucose, and Glucose Tolerence Test are the three main test. Failing a Random test would be cause to have the others done. In your case go to a doctor. Because if your not, you are on your way, or you have something else wrong and need to get it under control.

[MarkMunday]

330 is a very high reading, by any standards. Getting a non-diabetic's blood sugar to go over 140 would be really hard, regardless of the size of the glucose load.

Mark

[ssmithlvn]

I have been monitoring my blood sugar over a few days. Both mornings my FBS was in the 160's. Before meals I would be around 170-200. The highest I got two hours after a meal was 293. I am still monitoring, but cannot see a MD until my insurance kicks in in 30 days. Otherwise it will be a preexisting condition and they won't have to cover. Any advice you guys have will be greatly appreciated.

[Harold]

Any advice you guys have will be greatly appreciated.Since we do not know if your Type 1 or 2 it's not only difficult it could be dangerous. With any approach you decide on you will need to monitor frequently say several times a day at least untill you can get to a doctor. Probably the safest thing you can do is to take your calorie/carb intake to a level that will induce weight loss. This will, in either case of which type you are, decrease your glucose load on your pancrease and cells. Eating at least three meals a day and a snack (100 calories or 15 carb grams) inbetween around three or four hours after a meal will help to decrease liver dumping. You can control the amount of glucse your system recieves when eating, but the liver has a tendancy to release too much glucose and overload your system. Some people control this by having six very small meals a day. Sticking 'glucose index' and 'low carb' will into a Google search will give you an idea of what you might try for foods and diets. How much depends on too many varibles that we do not know enough about you to recomend. By chance if you still see your glucose levels climbing you need to go to a doctor regardless of insurence. The doctor will be a lot cheaper than finding yourself in the hospital in DKA and having to pay for that bill.

[ssmithlvn]

I am so very scared and confused right now and seem to have no answers to any thing. The thought of having this disease scares me. I don't want to be sick. I want to be able to enjoy a piece of cheese cake or drink a soda. I know I am being a whiny little baby and I'm sorry. I know if I am diabetic I will deal with this. It just takes time to get used to.

[TAutry]

I want to be able to enjoy a piece of cheese cake or drink a soda.

In time, you should be able to do a little of both. In the beginning it is very important to get your diabetes under control. Once that is accomplished and you learn how to manage it on a regular basis, you should be able to treat yourself with some favorite foods from time to time.

[ssmithlvn]

Well knowing that I may be able to cheat from time to time does help. If I don't get this under control now, it will only get worse, right?