Ginny, since you live in Canada, I hope this will help you. If you have a regular pharmacy that you deal with, they may be prepared to loan you a glucometer. This would allow you to test your blood sugar before you even got out of bed. Just keep the glucometer right next to your bed and test as soon as you wake up after having fasted for hopefully ten hours at least. It would be better to check after twelve hours, but YOU CAN NOT AFFORD TO TAKE THAT RISK!!! Low blood sugar can be very dangerous, I mean very dangerous!!!! So if you can not fast for that long, then just fast for a shorter time period and do the testat home. When you borrow the glucometer make sure it comes with ten test strips at least, and the lancets for testing, and purchase some glucoce tabs, like Chutz recommended. the glucose tabs that I use come in three different flavours, orange, lemon and vanilla. I prefer the orange. Then my endocronologist told me to also keep a banana next to my bed. After I have the glucose tablets (2-3), then I am suppose to eat one half a banana. The banana will continue to provide me with sugar, natural sugar, and is released more slowly and sustains longer. I am suppose to then have protein 20-30 minutes after I bring my sugar up. It is important to wait to eat the protein because your body will not absorb it when your bs is low, at least that is what I have been told. If the pharmacy will not give you a loaner, the hospital might, or you could call a company, I will email you the info on a company and you can get a free tester from them. I just know that this company gave me a third tester during a time when my sugars were out of control, for free.
Your doctor really should book you into the hospital for a 24 hour test, if you are having difficulty finding out the root cause of these symptoms.
I am sorry Ginny, I think my sugars are off right now because I am having trouble even typing this response. When I read your post indicating your concern on how you were going to do the fasting test, I panicked. I just know how dangerous it is for you to have low blood sugar. Both my husband and my sister are hypoglycemic, wheras I am hyperglycemic. I think that is what they call it. I am insulin dependent diabetec and they suffer from low blood sugar. The last time my husband did his fasting blood test, whereby he fasted, then went first thing in the morning to the doctor, his sugar level was 1.3. The doctor called us with the results and said he could have died and he was NEVER to have that type of test again.
I do not know if this makes any sense. Email me if you want more info and I could even give you my home number and we could discuss this. I am very worried about
you. Please be careful.
Also my partner, when I was working, had low blood sugar. We all live in Ontario. all three of the low blood sugar people were sent to see a nutrionist at the hospital. Just as I have to follow a special diet for diabetes, they have a special diet to follow as well. I was surprised by the diet they were given to follow. I hope your doctor will send you to a nutrionist as well.
The other question I was wondering about
was has your weight changed with these recent changes in your blood sugar. How long have you been on prednisone? Does prednisone interfere with blood sugar?
I am extremely sensitive to changes in my blood sugar. It is a terrible and scary feeling.
Judy/effie
note: I am not a doctor. I can only pass on my experiences.
Post Edited (effie) : 7/14/2005 10:51:51 AM (GMT-6)