Advise

Ranjeeta Raniga · #1 (**permalink**) 07-01-2009, 03:25 AM

hi im a 31 year old female i was diagnosed with diabeties early this year and for few months i could not digest this news i used to cry all nite and my best friend is a doctor so he advised me to go on medications as metaformin with much hesitation i took tabs. i was even more shocked as how i developed into this bcos none of my families have diabeties.

those time my ratngs were above 15 but now after medicnines and gym work my ratings have come down to 4 or 5... ,
sometimes i get dizzy and weak and shaky so im seeknig advise on what is the case here.

DeusXM · #2 (**permalink**) 07-01-2009, 03:54 AM

Are you seeing a doctor regularly, other than just your friend? You should be doing this because diabetes isn't a condition you can just manage on your own, you need a care team keeping an eye on you and supporting you.

I'm assuming that you haven't because what you're describing here is a hypo, the most common and probably inevitable side-effect of treated diabetes.

Generally, your blood glucose (BG) level should be between 4-8mmol/l. Once you go below 4mmol/l, the concentration of glucose in your blood isn't enough for your body to work properly; imagine a car running very low on fuel, if you like. When this happens, your brain detects it and releases a lot of adrenaline, which makes you trembly, shaky, sweaty and very hungry. It's to encourage you to eat something with sugar in it in order to raise your BG level back to a safe level. This is a hypoglycaemic attack, more commonly known as a hypo.

Because you have had higher BGs until recently, your brain has become a bit like a battery that has lost its zero point. Your brain is preprogrammed to take action when your BG goes below 4mmol/l but because you have been running at higher BGs than it was designed for, for some time, it is now confused and is taking action too early. So you are having hypos at a higher BG level.

This is perfectly normal, even if it's a bit worrying. What you need to do is retrain your brain to only take action when your BG goes below 4. The best way to do this is next time you have a hypo when your BG is above 4, eat only a small amount of sugar to put you back in the 5-7 range. This will keep your brain happy but also teach it that this sort of BG level is normal, rather than the 15 it's been used to in the past.

Eventually what will happen is your brain will reset itself and then you'll only have this problem when your BG goes below 4.

volleyball · #3 (**permalink**) 07-01-2009, 05:31 AM

I have no idea which country you are in and your access to healthcare. First, if you are not using a blood glucose meter regularly, you should not be taking pills. My guess is that you are experiencing a true hypo, which is dangerous, because of your change in food and lifestyle, along with your age, has brought down your blood glucose readings and the medicine is too much.

Ranjeeta Raniga · #4 (**permalink**) 07-01-2009, 07:55 PM

hi thnx a lot for your advise . i understand what you are saying . i have seen a doctr apart from my friend and hes advised me to reduce a bit of medication . i used to take 2 tablets but now am taknig 1 tablet as i go for aerobics etc the sugar level goes down and if i take more tabs thn i will collapse. hope fully i can take care of my disease with great care.

Thnks

xMenace · #5 (**permalink**) 07-01-2009, 08:16 PM

Eat more protein and fat. You want to restrict carbs, but you don't want to starve yourself.

Ranjeeta Raniga · #6 (**permalink**) 07-01-2009, 11:59 PM

so is it viable for diabetics to eat fruits at any time of the day? some one was telling me that fruits have to be taken only before 6 pm.

volleyball · #7 (**permalink**) 07-02-2009, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranjeeta Raniga

so is it viable for diabetics to eat fruits at any time of the day? some one was telling me that fruits have to be taken only before 6 pm.

fruit is too generic a term to answer. which one and how much. And the true answer will come from you testing

genie86333 · #8 (**permalink**) 07-02-2009, 05:26 PM

Many people here can't handle most fruits much if at all. Sounds like you do have a meter since you mention your blood sugar has come down to 4's or 5's.

Best thing to do, at any time of day, is eat something, wait 2 hours & test your blood sugar. If it's below around 7.5, you're good. If not, eliminate that food from your diet, or eat less of it the next time. Soon you'll have a list of things you can eat & things you can't (or have to eat in moderation.)

In general, things that can cause poor readings are "white" foods - pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, flour, sugar (and that means anything with sugar in it, including fruits.)

Welcome to the forum! Stick around, you'll get tons of good info here.

Ranjeeta Raniga · #9 (**permalink**) 07-03-2009, 05:12 PM

thanx for that information yes my level is 4.9 or 5.9 two hours after food ..... so guess im in normal range i guess even i had taken some fizzy drinks last week and the range wnt to 5.9 so i got a bit concious ..... about it .....
yes i need details of diet etc and have also reduced my medicnes to 2 tablets a day instead of 4 as per before prescription . am donig my tests on regular basis