Cf related diabetes

So, 2 weeks ago was my annual review. My blood results have come back from my glucose tolerance test and it shows my 2 hour blood sugar to be high again. It's 14, so yeh pretty high. 2 years ago it was 12 then last year it was 5, so normal.

Those who are now fully diagnosed CFRD, were were your GTT tests up and down like this? The other year further investigation with the stabby machine and the food diary showed my levels were OK and they said infection could be the cause of iffy levels. I'm hoping it'll be the same this time, just got a new stabby machine to test with.

Has anyone else had this experience? I've been losing weight quite quickly recently and am now on skandishakes. I'm just a bit worried about it all.

As far as I'm aware over here they don't discourage you from eating anything you just have to make sure you take the insulin to match it. I've been instructed not to change my diet only to add more to it and 4 sugars in my coffee, high sugar pop and crisps is still the plan as my weight keeps sinking. Because of mucus in our pancreas the ducts that allow insulin production eventually get blocked so it's a case of not enough insulin getting through. But it's somehow not the same as type 1 or type 2 it's like a weird mix of both. That's mostly what I've picked up about it over the years. Mostly I'm just hoping the GTT is wrong and that a food diary will show that. I'm not sure how knowledgeable our doctors are but our dieticians are fantastic and we do have access to a diabetic nurse aswell.

Thanks for the link Lanie :) I'll go take a look at that now. Im so worried though like getting diabetes is one of my fears, I'm very needle phobic and I'm not sure how I would cope.....Though it would also automatically enable me to get free prescriptions so I suppose there is a plus side to it. :P

I don't know, Gem. I can only tell you what I know about how insulin and the lack of it can affect us. When the body is working properly, insulin helps the glucose running around in our blood stream to get into the cells so it can be used for energy. However, if the glucose can't get into the cells, then the body is usually tired because it can't get energy and it starts using fat and muscle (the latter in extreme cases) to survive, and this does cause weight loss but not in a good way because essentially, the body is devouring muscle to survive. In the meantime, the blood sugar levels are extremely high and this can become critical. That can only go on for so long before serious health problems arise. All this can happen if there is no insulin available.

So, when the pancreas cannot produce insulin, or if it can't produce enough, then insulin needs to be part of a person's therapy on a regular and daily basis.

Now, how diet affects all this is that carbs need insulin to be escorted into the cells for energy and if there are too many carbs, then they are stored for future need (and this can be 'fat'). The more carbs eaten, the more insulin needed but if insulin in lacking and carbs are eaten, then the blood sugar levels sky rocket.

This is why a low-carb regime is best for any diabetic because it will help keep blood sugar levels closer to normal with less medication and even less insulin.

But - here is where I do not know if having CF complicates this. I would think that these general facts about blood sugar are true for everybody. I do think it's a good idea for you to look into this further because high blood sugar is not a good condition for anyone.

Best of luck. (Yeah, I'm fine, just older. )

Gemsi, Steroids, antibiotics, an infection, stress -- they all can elevate your blood sugar temporarily (matter of days, or weeks)

My annoying problem right now is my pancreas ocassionally puts out a spurt of insulin. So I dose like I normally would, and what has worked many times before, but THIS time I go severely hypoglycemic. Most annoying.

As an aside, the teeny needles for injecting insulin dont hurt at all :) MUCH less than getting blood to test your sugar level.

Gemsi, Ugh, sorry about the hospital visit. Cant you start stuff at home?

Glad to hear your gtt was fine :)

I can easily tell when I'm getting hypoglycemic. I get fuzzy-brained, sweaty, and finally if I really dont get a clue, about 1 minute before I seize I get the coppery taste of blood in my mouth. Yummy. NOt just for breakfast any more! But seriously, once I figured out the symptoms, I'm very good at getting on top of things and preventing it from getting too far.

HOpe Tuesday goes well!!!!!

Hi Wiley,

I don't have another GTT planned until next year. I know what you mean about lung function, even though I have high functioning lungs at 90+% a drop of 10% can feel like I'm being choked of air. Currently I'm sat in the 70's, just rang the hospital to check when my appointment is because I feel like death warmed up. My erythema Nodosum has also flared up big time and I can't do anything except sit on the sofa as all my joints are inflamed. Might do a couple of random blood sugars to see if they're wobbly. I only finished IV's like a month ago so I shouldn't be needing them, but they've marked me down as possibly needing a bed as something isn't right.

Wiley, I meant my lung function was sat in the 70's not my saturated oxygen. If it was my SPo2 that was in the 70's I'd be rushing myself to A+E. I never desaturate below 95%.