Type 2's: What was your fasting blood glucose in a morning?

[pavlosn]

I'm UK too but eventually realised there are others who aren't

Certainly are, we are a very cosmopolitan crowd!

 

[Mike d]

3.9 for me which smashes all records. Dunno if I should be happy with that or not.

Really low carb day

Guys ... question please .... is that too low??

Mike

 

[JohnD54]

Mike I recorded exactly that this morning, as far as I know if your feeling OK it's not a problem

 

[Sable_Jan]

3.9 for me which smashes all records. Dunno if I should be happy with that or not.

Really low carb day

Guys ... question please .... is that too low??

Mike

I'd say same as @JohnD54

 

[Mike d]

Mike I recorded exactly that this morning, as far as I know if your feeling OK it's not a problem

Yep, I thought that when I saw your post John

I was just a little jumpy. Other than that, now feel fine after a big breakfast

Cheers

 

[Mike d]

I'd say same as @JohnD54

Thanks Jan

Does raise the question though. What is TOO low a reading and what would be the symptoms if you didn't test?

Mikie

 

[JohnD54]

Mine was vodka assisted from the night before

 

[AndBreathe]

Thanks Jan

Does raise the question though. What is TOO low a reading and what would be the symptoms if you didn't test?

Mikie

How low is too low depends on you and your body. I spend a lot of time in the 3s and feel absolutely fine. In fact, my 30 day averages for fasting are 4.0. For pre-dinner, for 30 days I average 3.9 (90 days is 4.1)

Generally, I'm fine, down to about 3.2/3.3, when I begin to feel somewhat empty and a bit irritated. When I feel like that I start by having a cup of tea, with milk, whilst I decide what to do. The tea will bring me up a bit, to tide me over for a while. If I'm due to eat, I just crack on and eat as normal. If I'm not due to eat, the tea is usually enough to bring me up to feel fine, and either I'll make do with that or have a few nuts or seeds.

As a T2, with a functioning pancreas and playful liver, my body will look after me. I'm exceptionally unlikely to have any sort of hypo to cause me real problems. I don't head for jelly babies, biscuits or coke if I feel low, as it strikes me that brining myself up too quickly is counter-productive and will almost certainly lead to a bit of a blood sugar y-yo effect.

Unless it's happening all the time and you feel rough, I wouldn't be concerned. Just try not to flap into a carb-tastic binge situation.

 

[Mike d]

How low is too low depends on you and your body. I spend a lot of time in the 3s and feel absolutely fine. In fact, my 30 day averages for fasting are 4.0. For pre-dinner, for 30 days I average 3.9 (90 days is 4.1)

Generally, I'm fine, down to about 3.2/3.3, when I begin to feel somewhat empty and a bit irritated. When I feel like that I start by having a cup of tea, with milk, whilst I decide what to do. The tea will bring me up a bit, to tide me over for a while. If I'm due to eat, I just crack on and eat as normal. If I'm not due to eat, the tea is usually enough to bring me up to feel fine, and either I'll make do with that or have a few nuts or seeds.

As a T2, with a functioning pancreas and playful liver, my body will look after me. I'm exceptionally unlikely to have any sort of hypo to cause me real problems. I don't head for jelly babies, biscuits or coke if I feel low, as it strikes me that brining myself up too quickly is counter-productive and will almost certainly lead to a bit of a blood sugar y-yo effect.

Unless it's happening all the time and you feel rough, I wouldn't be concerned. Just try not to flap into a carb-tastic binge situation.

Thanks so much for the advice AB

I guess it just came out of the blue and just as much as I hate high readings (never had over 8.9) a low one like that (I've only had three or four readings in the "4" range since I started testing a month and a half back) shook me up a little bit.

I was a bit shakey in the hands (for about two minutes at most) and I think that was the shock of looking at the meter. Then again, I usually am a little shakey until I get moving in the morning.

As I said, I had a REALLY low carb day yesterday with bacon / eggs for brekkie, avocado and a small serving of tuna for lunch and chicken / zucchini / mushroom / spinach stir fry for dinner.

Cheers Mike

 

[AndBreathe]

Thanks so much for the advice AB

I guess it just came out of the blue and just as much as I hate high readings (never had over 8.9) a low one like that (I've only had three or four readings in the "4" range since I started testing a month and a half back) shook me up a little bit.

I was a bit shakey in the hands (for about two minutes at most) and I think that was the shock of looking at the meter. Then again, I usually am a little shakey until I get moving in the morning.

As I said, I had a REALLY low carb day yesterday with bacon / eggs for brekkie, avocado and a small serving of tuna for lunch and chicken / zucchini / mushroom / spinach stir fry for dinner.

Cheers Mike

Thing is, I bet you're like the rest of us, in that you have a cup of tea or coffee shortly after getting up. In doing that, if you have milk, you're already breaking your fast and giving your body something to get on with. Of course, very strong coffee can make its own contribution to the shaky feelings.

 

[pavlosn]

Hi Mike

A reading under 4 mmol is technically hypoglycaemic but for a t2 with a properly functioning liver and pancreas not really a cause for concern as long as no hypo inducing medication such as insulin are taken.

Having said that personally, unlike AndBreath, I would not feel comfortable being this low. When this low I feel weak, intense hunger, lack of balance, inability to concentrate and irritability/anxiety. My heart also feels as it it is beating faster and more strongly. Not a pleasant sensation although I understand I should still not be in danger as such as my liver should come to the rescue.

You can read more about hypos here

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/Diabetes-and-Hypoglycaemia.html

Regards

Pavlos


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[Mike d]

Thing is, I bet you're like the rest of us, in that you have a cup of tea or coffee shortly after getting up. In doing that, if you have milk, you're already breaking your fast and giving your body something to get on with. Of course, very strong coffee can make its own contribution to the shaky feelings.

Nope ... just water with all meals .... gave up coffee and tea years back.

 

[Mike d]

Hi Mike

A reading under 4 mmol is technically hypoglycaemic but for a t2 with a properly functioning liver and pancreas not really a cause for concern as long as no hypo inducing medication such as insulin are taken.

Having said that personally, unlike AndBreath, I would not feel comfortable being this low. When this low I feel weak, intense hunger, lack of balance, inability to concentrate and irritability/anxiety. My heart also feels as it it is beating faster and more strongly. Not a pleasant sensation although I understand I should still not be in danger as such as my liver should come to the rescue.

You can read more about hypos here

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/Diabetes-and-Hypoglycaemia.html

Regards

Pavlos


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Hi Pavlos

Yep, I thought of you and your 3.8 reading when you were on holiday and oddly enough, ABs constant and consistent readings in the "4"s.

It was weird. Just five minutes after I got up and my first thought was the meter would give me a big reading (dunno why I had that thought) and that made me somewhat tense. Almost self fulfilling prophecy.

Mike

 

[Mike d]

... and one hour after breakfast, back to 7.4

 

[Sable_Jan]

Thanks so much for the advice AB

I guess it just came out of the blue and just as much as I hate high readings (never had over 8.9) a low one like that (I've only had three or four readings in the "4" range since I started testing a month and a half back) shook me up a little bit.

I was a bit shakey in the hands (for about two minutes at most) and I think that was the shock of looking at the meter. Then again, I usually am a little shakey until I get moving in the morning.

As I said, I had a REALLY low carb day yesterday with bacon / eggs for brekkie, avocado and a small serving of tuna for lunch and chicken / zucchini / mushroom / spinach stir fry for dinner.

Cheers Mike

Hi Mike, it doesn't sound an awful lot of calories for a man (even if you're trying to lose weight). Do be careful won't you.
Jan
PS Just noticed you had BIG breakfast

 

[Mike d]

Hi Jan

Yep, I'll be careful I should have had a bigger lunch I admit. I sure don't need to lose any more weight as I'm way down to normal levels (75 kilos at 6 foot tall) and yes, my breakfast was substantial.

Thanks for caring

Mike

 

[Mike d]

I just can't seem to get my two hour levels below my one hour.

3.9 fasting, 7.4 @ one hour after breakfast (and that was big serving of bacon, chicken zucchini mushrooms) and 8.1 @ two hours. As I only take one slow release Metformin in the evening (none in the morning as the doc cut me back given my last results) I'm guessing this has something to do with it.

Have a great evening folks Mike

 

[Sable_Jan]

I just can't seem to get my two hour levels below my one hour.

3.9 fasting, 7.4 @ one hour after breakfast (and that was big serving of bacon, chicken zucchini mushrooms) and 8.1 @ two hours. As I only take one slow release Metformin in the evening (none in the morning as the doc cut me back given my last results) I'm guessing this has something to do with it.

Have a great evening folks Mike

Don't know anything about meds Mike just being pre-diabetic (fortunately) but from what I've been reading, in most cases the peak is normally around 2 hours so naturally will be higher than at one hour? Mayb you are striving for the impossible? Feel free anyone to disagree as I DO still have my Diabetes L plates on.. (D plates? ;-))

 

[Mike d]

Hi Jan

Unfortunately no ..... the peak is (ideally under an increase of 2.0) at one hour and a drop back of 1.0 or thereabouts @ 2 hours.

It's now back to 7.9 (a little over 2.5 hours after breakfast) and it'll be moving down to the 6s for the rest of the day.

Oh well, press on huh ?

mike

 

[daddys1]

Been an odd day today for me too, first time checking after 1hr and had some surprises an 11.2 a 1hr after breakfast changing that, then arrived at 4.8 on 2hrs, what a drop!

Ive not wanted to post on here co's all my readings were nearly Non Diabetic then today decided to check @ 1hr after.
Lunchtime was a a 7.8, after 1hr although came back 2 hrs to 5.6.
Dinner 5.4 start 1 hr after again 7.8 then 6.5 on 2 hr
Was all consistant, thinking I was cruising then it all changed