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Pre-Diabetes

Diabetic Connect Member Sheryl

Helpful to
80%
of readers.

I'm at a Loss

by Sheryl
November 29, 2008 2:31 AM
26 Replies
324 Views

Last edited about 1 year ago

I am wondering if anyone is going through what I have been going through lately.
I ate a complete Turkey dinner yesterday with a glass of red wine, my reading 2 hours after I started my meal was 122.
I ate the same exact thing tonight without red wine and tested 256!
I was busy both of these days. I didn't eat anything out of the ordinary for my mid day snack/meal.
This has been happening alot lately where I eat something and have a good reading then eat it another time and I'm high.
What am I missing here?
Does anyone else go through this?

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From Replies
Diabetic Connect Member debbie
debbie
debbie replied November 29, 2008 3:20 AM 

I have. But I don't know exactly why. Do you keep a record of everything you eat?
Sometimes we snack a little here, a little there and we forget what we ate.
Could this be the case?

Sheryl replied November 29, 2008 4:16 AM 

Hi Debbie,
I am just not getting this!
I do keep a record of what I eat for my main meal. I test in the morning before I eat and that always seems to be fairly good. The dinner testing is the one that gets me.
Been doing some searching on the net and there are actually 25 other diseases that can cause elevated blood glucose, how scarey!
I re-tested a hour after the bad reading and it was down to 77. Not sure if this fluxuating of numbers is normal.
Thanks for replying.
Hope you had a good Thanksgiving!
Diabetic Connect Member Deleted User
Deleted User
Deleted User replied November 29, 2008 4:28 AM 

Hi Sheryl,
I hope you don't think this sounds dumb of me to ask but are you sure you washed your hands before you tested tonight? I've done that already and wondered why on earth my numbers were so high and then washed very very good and retested and it was much lower. I have a prescription lotion that I use on my ears and if I test after applying that my numbers are terribly high but if I make sure to wash it off good, they are normal. It's a steroid lotion and apparently topical steroids do the same to blood sugar as ingested steroids.

Just a thought about maybe having something on your hands of some kind.

Sheryl replied November 29, 2008 4:41 AM 

Hi Judy,
Your question is a good one however I actually test at the kitchen sink and always wash my hands with hot, soapy water. Maybe I didn't all the soap off?
That's a good therory!
Thanks
Diabetic Connect Member LadyDi
LadyDi
LadyDi replied November 29, 2008 4:34 AM 

Just keep really good records and talk about this with your doctor. I have no idea how long you've been diabetic or what type and dosage of meds you might be taking. Sometimes an adjustment there might help with that problem. Sometimes taking the meds at certain times of the day might help. Whether or not you've been very active could enter into it, and stress hikes the BS up as much as food. Depending on how old your meter is, you may need to get a new one. With time they can become less accurate. They are not 100% accurate anyway. Take yours in to your doctor's office and let them check it against theirs. If you have any type infection going on, that can elevate your BS. I recently had a physical and my doctor found I had a urinary tract infection, even tho I had no symptoms. Remember that you can take readings from each hand (different fingers) and get very different readings at the very same time. The amount we eat, aside from what we eat, also plays a big part in our readings. Soooo you can see that the doctor will need to question you and try to get to the bottom of it if you continue to experience this. Can be a nuisance, can't it?

Sheryl replied November 29, 2008 4:50 AM 

Last edited about 1 year ago

Hi Lady Di,
I am 'pre-diabetic' or 'glucose intolorant', depending who you talk to.
Been told this in March of this year so still fairly new to this.
Back in 2005 I was also told by another Dr that I needed to watch it. Lost 60 lbs, exercised better but didn't change my eating habits much. Didn't test or anything.
This year I was asked to test regularly which I do. I take Metformin 500mg twice a day starting in Sept. I haven't seen any real changes by taking it.
As for the food it's possible I may had had a few more bites then I did last night?
I had nothing but problems with the meter the Dr insists that I use, had to send 3 of them back to Abbot Labs. This last one they sent me seems to be doing okay however I do not trust them for accuracy. When I do test high I also test on another meter to 'verify' that I am high and the numbers are very different most of the time. There is no exact science for this is there!
It's all about as clear of mud!
I see the Dr on Dec 21st and will see what she thinks.
Thank you for your reply!

LadyDi replied November 29, 2008 5:00 AM 

It really can be confusing and frustrating. I was pre-diabetic for years before being offcially diagnosed. Over the years I've taken different things, but currently I am on 500 mg of Glyburide/Metformin twice a day (morning and evening for me). Earlier in the year I was also put on the Lantus insulin pen to better regulate my insulin over time. Works pretty well when I'm a good girl (LOL).

highlandcitygirl replied December 2, 2008 7:13 PM 

i also am pre-diabetic,and also having swings in my testing. i appreciate all the advice.
Diabetic Connect Member SkipT
SkipT
SkipT replied November 29, 2008 1:06 PM 

Ah, the wild number swings of diabetes. Acually it could have been the red wine that gave you the lower numbers. Alcohol will slow down the digestion of the carbs you ate. Also sometimes it is just the diabetes being diabetes. I wish there were a clear cut answer as this happens to me also.

The important thing is that you keep monitoring and keep track of you numbers. When you hit a high like you did, try doing a little exercise, even for 5 or ten minutes and then check you numbers again. This usually works for me.

Sheryl replied November 29, 2008 5:30 PM 

Hi Skip,
I know the red wine helps, I started a Red Wine topic a few months back and it truely does help. I just didn't feel like having wine yesterday and perhaps I paid the price!
It's confusing to say the least. My numbers will be good for days then all of a sudden I spike for a number of days. I feel like my body is doing a cycle just to mess with me!! lol.
Thanks for your reply.
Diabetic Connect Member ancoto
ancoto
ancoto replied November 29, 2008 8:37 PM 

I have heard that some alcohol can lower blood sugars so maybe that was it

Diabetic Connect Member Gabby
Gabby
Gabby replied December 2, 2008 2:53 AM 

Hey Sheryl,
You and I both know that wine does the trick. It could be that plus any number of other things. LOL

Do you also change your lancet every test or less often? I found that I had a lancet one time that seemed to be my trouble. I had used it for a couple of days.

And then it is just like you said....our bodies just like to yank our chains sometimes.

Sheryl replied December 2, 2008 6:55 PM 

Last edited about 1 year ago

Hi Gabby,
How's the red wine working for you? I have gotten a little lazy about drinking it lately and the numbers are showing it!
Shame on me! lol...
I reuse my lanclets most of the time. I was told by my Dr that it was okay as long as my hands were washed and clean.
With all this confusion with diabetes going I wonder if they truely want to find a cure..reason is they are making so much money the way it currently is. Do ya think!
I also heard a while back on TV that China, of all countries, said that the U.S. is not making enough progress on this disease and they are looking at ways to come up with a cure. Wouldn't that say alot about our drug manufacturers if they did!!
Anyway this whole thing blows my mind. Just when I think I'm doing well, bamm it's all changed.
How are you doing? Hope well.
Hope everyone is doing well!
My sister-in-law may have to have her leg amputated. Started with a blister on the heel and now gangerene...then to top it off it's infected with MRSA, the superbug..they are hoping they caught it in time. She's been hospitilized in isolation for about a month now. It's so sad what this disease does.
Anyway, take care and hope you have a wonderful holiday season...

Gabby replied December 2, 2008 7:22 PM 

Hey Sheryl,

Well, funds have been so tight, wine has fallen off my grocery list. I would like to have it back, but it is just not doable right now.

Yeah, it is amazing that our contry is SO BEHIND in research and awareness. World Diabetes Day showed me that. I was appauled. Yes, the pharmasuticals have the doctors in their pockets and FDA has the rest. It makes me sick sometimes. Ah, but that is for a different discussion. LOL

I am so sorry to hear about your sister-in-law. Wow, that is horrible. I tell you, a hospital is the last place I want to be right now. How awful over something so small as a blister. That scares me so much. I keep a close eye on my tootsies.

Good to see you around. I have missed you. I hope you have a great holiday, and don't freak too much on your numbers. The holidays are hard on everyone, just keep from going overboard and you will come out okay.

Goddess replied December 2, 2008 7:39 PM 

Hi Sheryl,

I was in the hospital last year with ulcers the size of quarters on both heels. They too had started out as a blister. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. I had a wound care specialist and mine heeled in 2 1/2 weeks.

Diane

Sheryl replied December 2, 2008 7:53 PM 

Diane,
That's wonderful...something to be very thankful for.
My sister-in-law was being treated by a wound center for 6 weeks and she herself asked to be hospitilized because she couldn't walk! She is a retired RN but couldn't see her feet to see how bad they had gotten. The wound clinic didn't seem to see the problem, how scarey is that! Luckily her right heel is healing, the scab is coming off and new tissue is growing back.
The left foot is still showing no progress. She had a blocked artery in the leg, they opened it up and are hoping that blood flow and oxygen will return. This week she is having an MRI to see if they can tell if the it's in the bone. If so, then she loses the leg.
Thank you for sharing and it's great to hear that you didn't have any further complications.

Goddess replied December 2, 2008 8:02 PM 

She will be in my prayers every moment.

Diane
Diabetic Connect Member Sheryl
Sheryl
Sheryl replied December 4, 2008 12:44 AM 

An update on my sister in laws foot. The MRI showed an infection in the bone and the Dr said it would need to be removed. However before they do that they are sending her to KSU to see another specialist for a second opinion..it isn't looking good.
Bless her heart, she is taking this news very well. Like she said there isn't much she can do to change this and it could have been worse, she could have lost both legs. Even with all her medical issues right now she is such a positive person. A lesson I need to learn better!

highlandcitygirl replied December 4, 2008 12:54 AM 

wow! what a brave woman!

Goddess replied December 4, 2008 12:58 AM 

I wish I was like her.

ancoto replied December 4, 2008 1:26 AM 

That's amazing I don't know that I could handle it as well.
Diabetic Connect Member Sparrow
Sparrow
Sparrow replied December 4, 2008 6:24 AM 

Alcohol can have the effect of "lowering" the blood sugar. It has something to do with the liver, although I don't remember what it actually does.

Alcohol usually has a high sugar content, but again, it triggers something in the liver that can have a "sugar lowering" effect on the blood stream.
Diabetic Connect Member Sheryl
Sheryl
Sheryl replied December 18, 2008 4:47 AM 

Just a quick update on my sister-in-law.
She had surgery and they did not remove her leg..The surgeon went down to the bone on her heel and cleaned out the dead area, the bone was fine. (smile). They think it might heal on it's own. She still has a minor infection in the area but the MRSA is gone. They are now saying she may be home before Christmas...what a beautiful gift! She has been in the hospital almost 2 months and can't wait to be able to go home and is very pleased to be leaving with both legs. What a close call....all the prayers were answered for her. I hope everyone elses prayers are answered!

Diabetic Connect Member Hinboyz3
Hinboyz3
Hinboyz3 replied October 31, 2009 10:16 PM 

well something happened to me like that the other night, I had a glass of wine with dinner, and tested it was fine, and then when I tested in the morning it was higher than any other times before. So that scared me, and I thought ok maybe I need to just omit the wine all together and see. And I work out every day. You just have to be very careful and watch what you eat.

hailchem replied October 31, 2009 10:47 PM 

There is something else we need to keep in mind, literally! Our emotions are also tied to our sugar levels, going through etreme emotions can alter our sugar levels. I am what is called a hypersomniac (similar to narolepsy) I would find my sugar levels very high in the morning consistantly, I would dream very vividly, and this would influence my numbers. I have since lost over 50 lbs, no longer take any insulin or metformin and my A1HC is 5.0 for over a year now. Even so my sugar still flucuates.

Elrond replied November 1, 2009 5:28 AM 

This is a very delayed response because I just stumbled onto this thread. About the inconsistent BS readings: I've experienced similar phenomena and I've discovered that my digestion and my body are both extremely slow in processing both food intake and insulin intake. For instance, my pre-dinner sugar can be very near 100 so I'll take sufficient insulin to cover the carbs I eat at dinner. Two hours later, my sugar will test near 300. An hour after that, I'm below 100! I learned the hard way not to panic over the 2 hour reading; it WILL go down. You probably don't respond in exactly the same manner but it might be worth the effort (and sore fingers) to do a few additional tests to see if your body is doing something similar.