[Chollyred]

Hi, My name is Chollyred and I'm a new Type II diabetic.

Man, that is awfully hard to say. It seems like it's taboo or a sign of weakness to admit. I'm glad I stumbled across this forum. I've been lurking here for a few weeks and have learned a lot from you folks.

After being described as pre-diabetic for several years, my sedentary lifestyle finally pushed me over the line. As I also have gout and high blood pressure, I had a full blood workup a few weeks ago. The results came back that my overall cholesterol was good, but my triglycerides had shot up over 100 points in six months. I don't remember the exact A1C number, but I believe it was just over 7.0. My doc said it had finally caught up with me, handed me a prescription for Metformin (500mg) and Gemfibrozil (600mg) twice a day. Then handed me a glucose testing kit and told me to test twice a day, 1 fasting and 1 two hours after a meal.

When I first started testing, I was seeing good fasting levels (90-110), but widely varying post-meal levels (120 - 154).

Then I joined a gym and started working out like I was 18 again (I'm 50). Not only have my post-meal readings stabilized, but I've lost 20 pounds and 3 inches. Now the highest post-meal reading I've had in the past month was 120, after eating a bunch of pizza. Even the next morning was back in the 90s.

You guys have been extremely informative and supportive of the newbies that have signed up. I signed on to say thanks!

I do have one quick question though (maybe not so quick). This past Saturday, I had a low sugar reaction. While driving home after a short trip, I started feeling very flushed, shaky, and spacey. Really scared the heck out of me. As soon as I walked in the door, I took a reading and got 78. From everything I'd read, 70-140 was considered a normal range. If I felt that bad at 78, I can't imagine what would happen if I got any lower than that! I ate a peanut butter sandwich and drank a glass of milk and felt better after an hour or so.

Is it normal for Type IIs to have low sugar reactions? I could see it if I were on insulin, but so far I'm only on the Metformin.

Do different people have different ranges that would be considered normal for them? If so, how do you determine an acceptable range?

Thanks,
Chollyred

[davef]

Chollyred,

Welcome to the forums, glad you stepped forward out of the shadows

As you will have seen, this is a great place, with great people always ready to help.

I'm a T2 also and on Metformin (500mgx2) and yes I can relate to your experience, I remember the first time I dropped below 100 and then again below 80, when I get down around 70 I can feel it, less now than the first time.

I find that milk works well for me to bring me up without a nasty spike, I have now put some cartons of juice in the office and car.

I think you are right about different people having different ranges, but your own range will might shift as you get your numbers down and closer to 70-80, as your body will become accustomed to the lower numbers.

I too was told to test twice a day, and in the UK there is a contreversary brewing over the frequency of T2's testing. I have found that I test about 4-6 times a day, morning, before lunch, after lunch, before driving home, before dinner and two hours after dinner. I don't always do all six, but it has helped me discover what foods work best for me, I always test before driving, I believe this is a legal requirement in Canada and the UK.

Visit and post often,

[princesslinda]

Hi Chollyred, welcome. Sounds like you've taken control of yoru diabetes and are seeing good results. Keep up the good work.

Regarding your reading of 78: When your body has been used to having higher numbers, this becomes its "normal", so when you get a more "normal" number, it does feel low in comparison to what its use to. I remember the first time I went under 100after diagnosis, I felt shaky. Now, I have to be in the 65-70 range before I feel the shaky feeling. I do keep a cereal bar in my purse in case I don't have a regular meal or start feeling shaky.

I'd also encourage you to test more frequently, esp. here at first. If you test 2 hrs after your first bite of food, you'll learn which foods cause your blood sugar to go high and can make smarter food choices.

When you have pizza, you might want to test a 3 hr as well, because sometimes it causes a later spike in blood sugar.

Let me recommend a great book for newly diagnosed T2s...or any T2 that wants more information "The First Year, Type II Diabetes," by Gretchen Becker. Its a worthwhile read.

Glad you found the forums. The support and friendship of other diabetics is such a great thing. Hope you post often.

[shutterbug]

Chollyred,

I'm in the same situation as you. 75-85 makes me feel flushy (not shaky though). I just had one such moment about 5 minutes back. I checked my BS and it was 78. I had 2 slices of bread and egg (egg substitute) for breakfast. I was feeling fine and I got this low after I having black berries (5oz box).

Wondering if blackberries caused it

I guess testing during these moments tell you how much your BS would be based on how you feel.

[princesslinda]

Originally Posted by shutterbug

I guess testing during these moments tell you how much your BS would be based on how you feel.

Its always good to test when you feel "off." However, i've noticed that I also feel almost the same when my blood sugars are elevated...I still feel shaky but more tired...and I feel more flushed when my blood sugars are high than I do when they are low.

Testing is so important, as you can't always rely on how you feel to tell you where your blood sugar is at the moment.

[xMenace]

Originally Posted by Chollyred

If I felt that bad at 78, I can't imagine what would happen if I got any lower than that!

I really don't know if these episodes are classified as hypoglycemia or just as a strong feeling of hunger. Maybe the bio-chemists here can chime in.

My sense is it was not really hypoglycemia. You probably had full control of all your faculties. True hypoglycemia is territory you do not forget. But I certainly acknowledge your reaction was real and intense.

[volleyball]

Welcome Cholly, glad you found your way out of the darkness. I encourage everyone else hiding to do the same.
I have several similarities to you. I had gout. Glad I fixed that myself. doing so actually helped me when I found out I have diabetes.
I can relate to that low feeling, not true hypo so you're not going to die but much of the same feelings.
I do not take meds so it's been infrequent for me. Since you've done a wonderful job of changing your activity and losing weight, maybe you need to reexamine the meds.
I chose food choices to be a better medicine and as a bonus the gout has been gone for years.

[soso]

It's possible you were lower than 78, carried on to drive home, feeling lousy... by the time you got there your liver had started it's job of saving you and you were at 78... I have had that happen to me (without the driving part) I sometimes woner as well, if that flushed disorientation isn't being caused by fast moving blood sugar—either up or down.
I sometimes don't feel a hypo till I am 3 or below(54) yet very often feel daft and drop everything and can't think straight as my pp bg hits the 4.6 to 4.9 (80's) range... once it is down to about 4.4 I am fine again.. I can;t tell you how often I have tested to see if I am hypo and got those numbers.

John is right though, a true hypo is unforgettable and in truth testing is just to see how bad it is.... lol...though it's not really funny....

[BEdmonson85]

Originally Posted by xMenace

True hypoglycemia is territory you do not forget.

You got that right! I was about to go to the movies one night w/ a friend. He was supposed to meet me there. I was feeling a little irritated (no shakeyness nor flushed yet). Tested my BG and it read 60. I decided to wait on him in the parking lot w/o knowing he had a flat on the way. Bad idea. 15 mins later I could barely control myself I was shaking so bad. Tested again and my BG was at 34 Lucky for me there was a CVS Pharmacy next to the movies, although every step of the walk across the parking lot was grueling. But I made it there, got a bottle of glucose tabs and downed 6 of em (4g/tab).

I learned my lesson that night. ALWAYS have something to you can raise your BG with just in case.

[Scrabblechick]

Hi chollyred! Glad to have you with us. I had that shaky feeling the first time a couple of weeks ago. I was at 79. LOL. I was tickled. Heh. I drank about a half-cup of milk and was OK. As Linda said, what's happening is your body just isn't used to those BG ranges, so it reacts in much the same way as it would for a really low BG, like those our Type I buddies sometimes have. If you're not on insulin, chances are you're not going to go real low, but lower than what you're used to SEEMS low. I'm getting pretty comfortable in the 90s range and hope another 70s won't even faze me.

Looks like you're making some great changes already! Keep it up and you will feel much better and that gout will probably pack up and leave.

[Hammer]

Hi there Chollyred! The only time I got the shakes was when my doctor told me to take two metformin a day, one every 12 hours after a meal. I told him I only ate dinner, so should I only take one, and he said no, I needed to take two, so I should take them both at the same time....after dinner. I did that but I didn't eat a lot for dinner. I went to bed and fell asleep.

I woke up a few hours later because it felt like all of my nerves were twitching. I felt like my limbs were making quick little jerking motions, even though they weren't. It was the muscles twitching. I figured it was probably a low blood sugar thing, so I got up and went to find something sweet to eat. I didn't have anything, so I mixed some sugar with a glass of water and drank it. The twitching went away and I felt okay, so I went back to bed.

Keep in mind, this can happen if your blood sugar drops to a lower level than it is accustomed to. It doesn't have to be a lower level than what's considered normal, like 70. If it's lower than what you're body is accustomed to, then you could get the shakes. Eventually as your body gets acclimated to the new lower levels, you won't get the shakes.

The same thing happens with cigarettes. If you've ever smoked before, then you know what happens if you quit smoking for a while, but go back to smoking a few weeks later. That first cigarette after a few weeks of being away from them makes you feel dizzy and somewhat nauseous. After a few cigarettes, you don't feel dizzy or nauseous anymore. The reason you don't feel that way is because your body has adapted to the nicotine in your system and you don't feel the effects anymore.

[Chollyred]

Thanks for the welcome and replies.

I really haven't had a gout attack in years, but it's like diabetes, once you have it, you're always at risk of an attack.

At my first follow up with the doc, he was very pleased with my progress so far. I'm not due for more lab work for about another month or so. Hopefully, the results will be even better.

He feels that if I can lose enough weight, and get my numbers under control enough, he'll be able to take me off the blood pressure, triglyceride, and diabetes meds. I'll likely be on the gout meds for life.

Have any of you been able to be drug free? Is there such a thing as a drug-free diabetic? I'm hoping that's a realistic goal.

[princesslinda]

There are several here who manage to successfully control their diabetes by diet/exercise alone. Hopefully you will be able to as well. Sounds like you're on the right track!

[kgm0612]

HI & Welcome to the forum!

Karen

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by xMenace

I really don't know if these episodes are classified as hypoglycemia or just as a strong feeling of hunger. ... My sense is it was not really hypoglycemia. You probably had full control of all your faculties. ...

That depends on how you define hypoglycemia. What we know as hypo symptoms (shakiness, perspiration, lack of balance, confusion, a sense of impending doom etc.) are in fact nothing more than the effects of a stress response. These symptoms are mostly caused by all the adrenaline rushing through our veins. Even passing out is a stress response induced defense mechanism. This kind of stress response can happen at different blood glucose levels, as Chollyred discovered. It is pretty much the same phenomenon as a T1 hypo.

Chollyred, welcome to the forums.