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Low blood sugar?

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Posted 10/20/2013 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
Hi guys. I usually post all over the other boards UC, Lupus, Fibro, CP a few others occasionally. I have a question and thought you guys might be able to help. I have never had a problem with blood sugar. I had the fasting I think it is called A1C (sorry not sure) to see if I was becoming diabetic but it came back fine.

I have been having the most insane cravings for bread. So I looked it up and it said my blood sugar may be low. So I decided to check it with my mom's stuff (she's a diabetic). I had been drinking a regular Gatoraid with regular sugar. I was sipping it through out about the hour leading up to taking it. It was a 32 oz Gatoraid. I took my blood sugar and it was 65. I had not eaten that day. I know I had gone to long without eating but I am still worried.

I have been checking it since then a few times a day. Today when I got up I had splenda coffe and non dairy cream maybe 4 oz and then took it and it was 83. I know I need to eat more meals more frequently but do I need to call my doctor? Should I just keep watching it? Is that really low considering the Gatoraid (my mom is trying not to freak me out. All I know is if over 150 I have to give her a shot of insulin.) Thank you guys so much.
Posted 10/20/2013 6:26 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Sherrie, welcome over here to this forum! Yeah, I'd say it's strange that it was 65 after having regular Gatorade, although you said you were sipping it for awhile rather than gulping it down. Still, Gatorade has a lot of sugar. On the other hand you hadn't eaten either and your blood sugar was probably low to begin with.

The A1c is a blood test that tells you what your average blood sugar was over the past 90 days (approximately). It can be done any time of the day. If you were fasting then the lab probably also did the fasting blood sugar test and doctors look for results under 100 for that. The good news is that the doctor says your results were normal.

I guess if you are having low blood sugar experiences, you need to eat regular meals and not go for long periods of time without eating. Hypoglycemia can happen to anyone who hasn't eaten for a long time. You might feel dizzy or sickish or disoriented at that time but eating and drinking something should make you feel better.

So, since you are aware of all this, then do your best to not skip meals and not overload on too many carbs at one time. Doing that might give you immediate 'high' energy but then make you crash afterward, making you feel tired and sleepy.

If diabetes is in your family then it's a good idea to keep an eye on your blood sugar and have those blood tests on a regular basis. If there's an upward trend, then your doctor would be concerned and help you keep your blood sugar more under control.

So, eat regular, balanced meals to avoid the highs and lows.

Keep us updated and stay well!
Posted 10/21/2013 12:20 AM (GMT 0)
What is your normal fasting blood sugar after not eating anything at all for 8-10 hours? If your baseline sugar level is higher and then plunges after eating then you might have a classic case of hypoglycemia. But to tell you the truth I dunno, please consult with your doctor. Some say hypoglycemia may be preliminary to diabetes later on.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_hypoglycemia
Reactive hypoglycemia, or postprandial hypoglycemia, is a medical term describing recurrent episodes of symptomatic hypoglycemia occurring within 4 hours after a high carbohydrate meal (or oral glucose load) in people who do not have diabetes. It is thought to represent a consequence of excessive insulin release triggered by the carbohydrate meal but continuing past the digestion and disposal of the glucose derived from the meal.
Posted 10/21/2013 1:02 AM (GMT 0)
I've heard that too (about hypoglycemia being a forerunner to diabetes).  Good to be aware of these things early it this is true. 
Posted 10/21/2013 2:31 AM (GMT 0)
Hope everyone doesn't mind that I jump in. Both parents and a brother have diabetes. I am the odd ball and have been diagnosed with low blood sugar. Typically mine runs in the 60's. Endo took me completely off sugar and limited my carbs to stabilize, plus the small meals six times a day. Dr. Has me on acrabose/precose to stabilize. He has mentioned it as a precursor to diabetes and is hoping the diet and meds will prolong the switch.
Posted 10/21/2013 2:47 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the Forum, Bk1mom!  Thank you for posting some interesting information.  I didn't know about acrabose and am glad you posted about it.  It's great to read that your doctor is having you take steps to prevent a condition like diabetes.

Unfortunately, type 2 runs in families and this is why doctors ask about family members.  In your case, you have been given a head start so you're really lucky.  Besides staying away from carbs, especially the simple carbs, if you can keep your weight down to normal and include regular exercise in your life, you can probably avoid being a full-fledged diabetic later on in life. 

That's great that you're in control of this now!

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