Will food

Superjew78 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 01:11 PM

Always make your blood sugar go up somewhat? It seems no matter what i eat my bloodsugar is always up 2 hours later. Its not up a ton, but like from 129 to 153. Should i not worry about this and give the medicine more time to kick in? Its glipizide 2.5mgs twice a day, if that helps.

princesslinda · #2 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 01:22 PM

Blood sugar (even in a non-diabetics) will always rise in response to meals. In diabetics, our blood sugars just rise higher and take longer to return to normal than non-diabetics. My non-diabetic hubby has reluctantly been my guinea pig on numerous occasions and his 2 hr reading is a lot lower than mine, though it does rise from the pre-meal reading, just not as much as mine does.

Its my understanding the meds such as glipizide start working immediately stimulating more insulin production, whereas meds such as metformin take a few weeks to reach optimal levels.

Superjew78 · #3 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 01:26 PM

ok so i shouldnt really worry unless its a huge increase? and whats considered a huge increase? I am not sure if 24 points is alot from before a meal till 2 hours later. Am i worrying more then i should?

princesslinda · #4 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 01:37 PM

I don't think your 24 points is a bad increase at all, esp as you are a new diabetic and all of this is new to you. If you went from a 129 pre meal to 180 post meal, then you'd have more to worry about IMO. Try not to over-stress, you're doing well, and you've not been at this very long.

Our goal is to have our post meal and pre-meal #s be as close as possible, but depending on the food, sometimes it takes longer to get back to the pre-meal #. Some foods, such as pizza and some pastas, will have a delayed effect for me, the 2 hr is good, but the 3 hr is elevated as the fat content causes them to digest more slowly and the spike hits later. If you eat these, do check even after the 2 hr mark to get a true indication of how they affect blood sugar.

Superjew78 · #5 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 01:45 PM

Thanks linda! I dont eat pizza or pasta. I am trying to stay away from as many carbs as i can. Since i have started this lower carb diet my readings have been going down. Still not perfect but i get closer to normal each day. I had 2 normal fasting readings so far but nothing consistant.

My very first reading when i started this last friday was 281!!

Next morning was 218 then 236!

Superjew78 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 02:01 PM

I guess something good to focus on is that my reading did go from 171 at 2 hours after breakfast (was 145 before breakfast) to 129 in less then 3 hours.

ShottleBop · #7 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 05:46 PM

You might find the information at Blood Sugar 101 helpful. Click on
"Healthy Blood Sugar Targets."

MickeyLane · #8 (**permalink**) 08-16-2008, 05:25 AM

You might find the information at Blood Sugar 101 helpful

Interesting. Very interesting. The site suggests (accurately?) that the info my Doc gives is either wrong or out of date. - particularly the <180 at 2 hours bit.

Does this site go overboard a little? (Not suggesting anything as I really don't know...)

slipperyelm · #9 (**permalink**) 08-16-2008, 11:02 AM

MickeyLane, I think even 15 years ago my doctor was recommending to keep blood glucose two hours after eating below 140. So, no, I do not think the linked website goes overboard at all. That recommendation below 140 is what most diabetes specialists recommend.

Superjew78, have you tried using metformin to help with insulin resistance? If you are able to take it, it can help a lot. I do not think you can expect glipizide to help anymore than it already is. Each dose works independently of previous doses. That glipizide is causing your pancreas to make even more insulin than it already was; now how about glipizide to help your cells make use of the insulin?

The other things you are probably doing, like weight loss and exercise, will be able to continue to make differences. When I really watch my carbs, I can be at 87 before most meals and back down to the same number two hours after the meal. But that is with very low carb and keeping the portions at a size that does not support weight gain. If I ate in my pre-diabetes fashion, I think I would not ever even get below 160-240 between meals and I'd be over 350 after meals! For me, how I eat makes a tremendous difference. But I do need my metformin, too!

Superjew78 · #10 (**permalink**) 08-16-2008, 04:58 PM

I am on very low carbs, like 30ish a day. And i still cant get lower. But my blood sugars have gone down from what they were at.

I tried metformin once before and i got real bad diarrhea. I would like to avoid it if i could.

cyberus · #11 (**permalink**) 08-16-2008, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superjew78

I am on very low carbs, like 30ish a day. And i still cant get lower. But my blood sugars have gone down from what they were at.

I tried metformin once before and i got real bad diarrhea. I would like to avoid it if i could.

Thats a normal side effect .. and it can be bad at first, it was for me ... if you stick it out it will diminish over time. Ask for Metformin ER, the extended release taken spread out like the regular is far far easier on the digestive system.

Noturningback · #12 (**permalink**) 08-16-2008, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slipperyelm

..... That glipizide is causing your pancreas to make even more insulin than it already was; now how about glipizide to help your cells make use of the insulin?

......

I think you meant: metformin to help your cells make use of the insulin?

Just checking because I am interested in your suggestion.

~Danielle

slipperyelm · #13 (**permalink**) 08-17-2008, 10:25 AM

Yes! I meant metformin! Metformin to help your cells make use of the insulin! Sorry, what a goof!

Avandia is another med which can help make you more able to use your own insulin. I take both metformin and Avandia in a combination pill called "Avandamet" So I am taking two meds to make me less insulin resistant.

There is at least one other combination pill containing Avandia. It is "Avandaryl" which is Avandia plus glimperide. Glimepiride is similar to the glipizde that Superjew78 takes. It causes the pancreas to make more insulin.

Superjew78 · #14 (**permalink**) 08-17-2008, 04:53 PM

i am going to call my doctor tomorrow and find out about metformin XR. I will give it a try because i am not a fan of glipizide from what i hear about it.

But the glipizide i take is supposed to be XR also. So how does that work if they each work independently of each other. Then isnt taking 1 pill twice a day counter productive?

diabetestribe · #15 (**permalink**) 08-18-2008, 06:50 AM

My doc wants my BG to be under 100 fasting, under 120 2 hrs after.

I'm taking Metformin 500x2 and Amaryl 4x1.

I avoid ham and bacon because they have so much salt. I saw in other threads they were suggesting them to you but I don't know if they realize pork isn't kosher. I'm not Jewish and I know that.