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Posted 10/1/2010 3:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all -

Little background.  I am a Mom of five...yes five.  With my last three pg's I had gestational Diabetes.  With my last pg I was dx'd at 13 weeks with gestational diabetes.  The diatician said that was so rare and she would guess that I had developed type 2 before the pg.  During that pg I tested as I was told, my numbers would drop to a low of 28 and a high of almost 300.  We could never figure out why I was so up and down.

Well Chance is almost a year old now and lately I had started drinking as much water as I could and of course then going to the bathroom all the dang time.  My eyes started getting pretty fuzzy and I find myself squinting at everything.  I went to pick my son up at daycare and I was sweating like a crazy lady and about passed out.  My day care provider is also an EMT and she asked if she could check my blood sugar.  It was at 43.

So, for the past couple weeks I have been testing every now and again.  My fasting is usually between 101 and 115 which I think is pretty good.  When I remember to test two hours pp it is anywhere between 140 and 216. 

I went and had my blood drawn and requested an A1C, it came back at 5.6.  I was very happy!  I feel that is dang near perfect...right?  LOL  Then the nurse tells me that she feels mine is false. ???  She says that she hopes my doctor will do a three hour test because my extreme highs and extreme lows would cancel each other out on the A1C and make it look normal.  Do you think this is right and I should request the three hour.  That stuff is NASTY and I would like to avoid any further testing if possible.

So sorry this is so long!

Posted 10/1/2010 5:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hi momofmany5 (may I call you just 'mom'?), welcome to HealingWell.  You've been on a roller coaster ride with your blood sugar.  What strikes me is that your doctor isn't pursuing your diagnosis after several critical blood sugar readings.  The A1c is not a good diagnosis test because it only tells a 90-day average and cannot tell us what your lows or highs were.  The Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) is the one which will tell you if you're diabetic, that is, how your body is metabolilzing food, particularly carbohydrates.  That is the test which you begin fasting and then drink a glucose solution and they test you after one hour and then another.  Your doctor should order that for you and I'm wondering why you haven't had one considering what you've been through.  Your blood sugar has been both too high and too low.  It needs to be regulated, evened out.  The symptoms you've had can cause you to faint and you realize the dangers of that while driving and taking care of your kids, etc.  If I were you, I'd insist on the GTT - but I would also consider getting another doctor because this one doesn't seem to be doing the right thing regarding your health.  You might also look for an endocrinologist, a specialist who treats problems of the endocrine system which includes the pancreas.  In the meantime, you can help yourself by eating regular meals and cutting back on carbs like breads, cereals, potatoes, sugar and food made with flour and sugar.  Eat more vegetables and have a palm-sized piece of protein and a salad as your meal.  If you're overweight, losing weight will also help keep the blood sugar more regulated.  Good luck and let us know how it's going. 
Posted 10/3/2010 2:03 AM (GMT 0)
You might want to search on "hypoglycemia" (and even "reactive hypoglycemia").

That you've experienced Gestational a few times already, your post-prandial levels are on the high side, and that you're experiencing hypoglycemic episodes suggests to me that your metabolism is hiccuping but, I'm not a doctor.

You SHOULD have the 3-hour GTT test done. It will indicate how your metabolism reacts to carbohydrates. While not a determiner of diabetes, it WILL strongly indicate the status of your body's ability to produce and utilize insulin.

As Lanie suggests, the remedy/treatment for any kind of hiccuping metabolism is Lifestyle change. A little amendment to diet and exercise is often enough to avoid/postpone medication but more importantly.... avoid long-term complications. Most people find out they're diabetic because they've had to see the doc for something like poor eyesight - that usually turns out to be diabetes related. Don't be one of those. You've had some red flags - heed them.
Posted 10/5/2010 4:48 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you both so much for responding.

I was wondering why she didn't order a three hour test also. I almost wish she would. I did get a call today from the nurse. She told me that the rest of my blood tests came back and that I have high cholesterol. I don't know how that can be?? I am 5foot 4 inches and weigh 125 pounds. So I am not tiny but I don't think I am big either. I eat fairly well I think, I don't eat sugars except in my coffee, and I cook from scratch so I'm not eating any processed foods. We do eat a lot of potatoes though, maybe that is it. But I try and keep my servings the right size.

So confused. Can any of you tell me why I would have high cholesterol?
Posted 10/5/2010 5:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Mom, there is a theory that high consumption of carbs can contribute to high blood cholesterol.  Those potatoes you're eating are also driving your blood sugar up.  If you're having problems metabolizing carbs, then cutting down or cutting out the potatoes will bring the blood sugar down to more normal levels.  I think the doctor needs to order more tests to see what's going on.  A non-diabetic's blood sugar may rise after a carb-laden meal but quickly go back to normal and probably wouldn't rebound going too low, like a yo-yo, which is what yours seems to be doing.  This is what the lab work needs to find out, why it's happening to you.  Is there diabetes in your family?  Could you be developing into type 1?  There are a few blood tests that can determine what's going on, so you need to pursue that with the doctor.  Your weight doesn't seem to be an issue; that's great!  Please read the stickies at the top of Diabetes, the testimonial by TVEditor and also the one with What Makes Our Blood Sugar Rise, etc.  for more information.  Studies have found that coffee may help with diabetes/blood sugar, whether it's caffeinated or not.
Posted 10/5/2010 7:58 PM (GMT 0)
I've been drinking a lot of coffee with milk and I can't see any change over years with regards to general blood glucose levels. I assume caffeine is at least a mild diuretic.. so that can't be good for me. I think so from personal experience, or my tolerance is low. I should be drinking more water instead of coffee. I have had slight problems with dehydration this year, but it could just be the many flus I've had over this time. I tend to sweat easily and my lips are dry and "flaky" at times.. It wasn't like that last year, hmm.

I also have personal experience from high blood glucose affecting bad or total cholesterol.. It does do that, because I can't explain my current high cholesterol by the foods I eat. However, it hba1c has to have been at higher than average level for a while for that to happen. Mine has been near 9... but it should be better now. I'm type 1. The last time my hba1c dropped a lot from that level, so did my cholesterol almost as sharply. Maybe with a little help from cycling. This time, I'm not sure it's going to work as I've also been going to restaurants at lunch time almost every day during office hours..
Posted 10/17/2010 4:31 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Mom o' 5,

I new at this, dignosed Type 2 in July, so I can't really comment on the diabetes aspects -- I'm still learning.   Have to say tho, that I'm a little surprised you haven't had the 3-hour test.  Any diagnostics other than that without a lot of data are pretty much snapshots.  I've been spreadsheeting my nutrition, weight and BG for three months now and would still have wanted the test to confirm what I think I'm seeing from the nos.

I sympathize with your confusion re high cholesterol.  I take it from your weight/height comment that you, like most of us, associated cholesterol, charbs & weight, High = High = High.  Normally, probably, true but ...

... I was 49 way back in 1990, 5' 9" and under 200 lbs when my chol was found to be 413.  Turns out my mother, 5' 1" and around 100 lbs (Mom o' 6, BTW) also had humongus nos. all her life.  My little sister too.  Seems there is a genetic enzyme deficiency involved so be a little careful about trying to fit into the norm as far as chol goes.  Some of us are different.

I'm older now, still 5' 9", average in the 170s weight-wise, use a lot of Soy milk, phony meat, etc.. and still run 400+ without medication.  So I (attempt to) eat a healthy diet, get exercise and and do what my GP says re meds.  I'm lucky, My GP is very proactive as to my health and she brooks no nonsense from me.

Important point and moral from this now too-long tale -- I'm older now!  Get the tests you can, find good council and advice like this site, find the meds that do the least harm and let us know in a generation or so how many grandkids ....??

BTW, if you think the 3-hour stuff is nasty, try a colonoscopy.

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