recent low glucose levels for type 2 because of pancreatic cancer surgery 4 years ago.

Hello mirabella and welcome to the Diabetes Forum. First of all if your blood sugar has been around 100 to 150, your pancreas must be producing some insulin. There is actually a test that measures this, the insulin c-peptide test. (See this or other sites for more info: www.healthline.com/health/insulin-c-peptide#Overview1). If your blood sugar was extremely high, then I'm sure your doctor would want you on some medication or even insulin, but your levels seem to be controllable by diet.

In any case, the 85 is totally a normal reading and the reason you might have felt shaky is because your body was so used to higher blood sugar that it didn't recognize a normal reading. I don't know if the cinnamon or biotin or any of that combination actually helps - I've read lots of articles about them and have taken then with no good effects on blood sugar - but what certainly helps keep blood sugar nearer to normal levels is cutting out heavy carbs like bread, anything made with flour or sugar, rice and potatoes.

You are very lucky that after having pancreatic surgery your insulin-producing cells in the pancreas were not destroyed! This happens a lot from what I've read. That's great for you and that you have recovered from the pancreatic cancer! Congratulations!

So, if your blood sugar can average a little lower (lower fasting and lower post-prandial [after eating]), then you should get used to blood sugar in the low 100's, 90's and 80's which would all be normal readings!

Hello again. Yes, I think sometimes too much information isn't a good thing even though it doesn't seem to stop me from using Google looking for answers! I suppose we have to consider all this information wisely and not jump to too many hasty conclusions.

Most of what I've read says the pancreas itself doesn't rejuvenate as the liver does, but how surgery affects how the pancreas functions depends on how much of the pancreas was taken. Insulin production is made by the beta cells (although there are also delta cells involved and I really don't understand this...) and if the beta cells no longer exist or 'burn out', then we have to have insulin injections. Beta cells can burn out when our bodies have a lot of carbs in our system for a long time as the beta cells try to keep up insulin production in order to help bring down the blood sugar. This is the primary reason to eliminate heavy carbs in our diet so the pancreas is not having to work overtime producing insulin.

So, for your question about the pancreas recovering and increasing insulin production, 'maybe'. I really don't know. There is another aspect you may need to consider: insulin resistance. This is when the pancreas produces insulin but the body doesn't use it effectively, causing elevated or extremely high blood sugar. That's what I'm dealing with and this is why I eat low-carb.

The mind sometimes works against us, too. Years ago I went through anxiety and panic which lead to fears of heart problems and the symptoms of hypoglycemia. It was hard to deal with, fear of fear. Afraid of something being wrong made me more afraid although nothing was wrong at the time - only my fear. It was a cycle that was hard to break and this is why having a good physician is really important, someone who can figure out what's going on.

Here is a website that has a lot of information about blood sugar and does not make me fearful when I read through it! There is a search box which is also helpful:

www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/

I'm glad you are asking questions. Maybe we don't have answers but we always listen!

Hi and welcome back! Keeping some sort of log/journal of blood sugar and food is good to see how we react to the food we eat. I think the protein with the veggies keeps the carbs in them in check. The protein by itself probably doesn't have any carbs (that can change if there is sauce or breading, of course) but the veggies alone just have whatever carbs and our blood sugar reacts to them. And some veggies have more carbs than others. Brussels sprouts have more than green peppers, and so on.

Ten years ago when I first got a meter (and after I finally started to use it!) and I understood that I and I alone could have some degree of control of my blood sugar, I became a serial tester. So, I know what you mean about buying stock in the test strips company! I would use up a whole month's supply in just a few days because I tested all day long! I HAD to know what my blood sugar was one hour, two hours, three hours after eating. I kept very detailed records on forms that I created and printed here at home and I brought the bundle in to my doctor the next time I saw her. You should have seen her eyes. lol But I certainly learned a lot about me, my blood sugar and food.

So, just know that you're doing a good thing, keeping control of your blood sugar - it means you're keeping control of that part of your life! Good job! And I'm so glad you came back to keep us updated!