Random glucose 3.0

SarahABC

Member
Messages
23
I had blood test done which included a random plasma test which showed 3.0 mmol/l. This was done at 9am and I'd had muesli for breakfast roughly 1 hour before which has no sugar at all added. I do not have diabetes. I am exhausted all the time but I have periods of the day I struggle to stay awake. I am 38.

Do you think this is right? Or could the test be inaccurate? Dr has not contacted me about it - I've just seen results online. 6 years ago when pregnant I also had 2 random tests that also were 3.0 mmol/l but I'm not sure what time of day. 2 years ago I had a normal random glucose test of 5.0 but again no idea what time of day and whether I'd eaten.

Should I contact GP? I'm not sure what to do. 3.0 seems pretty low I can't help but wonder if others have had inaccurate readings like this. I find if I eat something really sugary, within 15 mins I feel light headed, tinnitus gets louder (I have tinnitus all the time from menieres) and my vision goes a bit weird.
 
Last edited:

Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,216
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I had a random plasma test which showed 3.0 mmol/l. This was done at 9am and I'd had muesli for breakfast roughly 1 hour before which has no sugar at all added. I do not have diabetes. I am exhausted all the time but I have periods of the day I struggle to stay awake. I am 38.

Do you think this is right? Or could the test be inaccurate? Dr has not contacted me about it - I've just seen results online. 6 years ago when pregnant I also had 2 random tests that also were 3.0 mmol/l but I'm not sure what time of day. 2 years ago I had a normal random glucose test of 5.0 but again no idea what time of day and whether I'd eaten.

Should I contact GP? I'm not sure what to do. 3.0 seems pretty low I can't help but wonder if others have had inaccurate readings like this. I find if I eat something really sugary, within 15 mins I feel light headed, tinnitus gets louder (I have tinnitus all the time from menieres) and my vision goes a bit weird.

Hi @SarahABC ,

Welcome to the forum.

Random BG tests like this realy don't help to spot trends with what could be happening.
Are your test strips within "use by date?"

It would be the first port of call to contact your doctor witch your concerns regarding the symproms you have after a meal.

Best wishes.
 

Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,216
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
It was a blood test not a finger prick test.

Ah, OK. If it was an HbA1c? Then that reflects an average over the previous 12 weeks? (Or so.)
Sounds like you are under the "flag up" which would trigger concern regarding diabetes..

Regarding your symptoms after eating sugary foods? It would be worth checking in with an appointment at your docs..
We can't make a diagnosis on the forum. (& I wouldn't like to anyway.)

It maybe worthwhile doing a fingerprick test & logging when these symptoms occur to find out if the cause is a BG drop..?
It could help your HCP work out what may be happening.
 

SarahABC

Member
Messages
23
Ah, OK. If it was an HbA1c? Then that reflects an average over the previous 12 weeks? (Or so.)
Sounds like you are under the "flag up" which would trigger concern regarding diabetes..

Regarding your symptoms after eating sugary foods? It would be worth checking in with an appointment at your docs..
We can't make a diagnosis on the forum. (& I wouldn't like to anyway.)

It maybe worthwhile doing a fingerprick test & logging when these symptoms occur to find out if the cause is a BG drop..?
It could help your HCP work out what may be happening.


Thank you. My HbA1c was done last year and that was fine so hopefully that will still be fine. I have made a GP app
 

SarahABC

Member
Messages
23
I was not really looking for a diagnosis more if anyone had had anything similar or had blood test where glucose was that low and maybe the lab often make a mistake. My neighbour is a retired biochemist who helped pioneer these kinds of tests and said he didn't think it would be that low as I wouldn't be able to function but I've had 3 proper blood tests that low. He wondered if maybe the lab don't shake the sample properly before testing it.
 

Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,796
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Hi, @SarahABC and welcome to the forum.
You are asking questions in the RH forum, has something that you have read rang a bell, any other symptoms?
Have you been to your doctor to tell him/her how you feel or tests done for example thyroid.
Did you feel dizzy, headache, blurred vision?
Are you on medication?
Sorry about the questions, however even if it's not RH, we will help you.
Finally, the reason why your blood sugar went up after breakfast is the cereal itself, as well as the sugars, the carbs in all cereals will also do this, that is normal unless you are carb intolerant. And that depends on how much you can tolerate.

Let us know how you are doing.
 

Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,796
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
I was not really looking for a diagnosis more if anyone had had anything similar or had blood test where glucose was that low and maybe the lab often make a mistake. My neighbour is a retired biochemist who helped pioneer these kinds of tests and said he didn't think it would be that low as I wouldn't be able to function but I've had 3 proper blood tests that low. He wondered if maybe the lab don't shake the sample properly before testing it.
Every oral glucose tolerance test I have done (6), I have had a hypo. Under 3.5mmols.
My numbers before the tests were all in normal range 3.5-6mmols. Your neighbour is almost right, your likely to get the symptoms of a hypo, which are horrible but it's like a version of man flu. Lethargy and wanting to fall asleep and no energy levels, and your brain is telling you to eat or a craving.
 

SarahABC

Member
Messages
23
Hi, @SarahABC and welcome to the forum.
You are asking questions in the RH forum, has something that you have read rang a bell, any other symptoms?
Have you been to your doctor to tell him/her how you feel or tests done for example thyroid.
Did you feel dizzy, headache, blurred vision?
Are you on medication?
Sorry about the questions, however even if it's not RH, we will help you.
Finally, the reason why your blood sugar went up after breakfast is the cereal itself, as well as the sugars, the carbs in all cereals will also do this, that is normal unless you are carb intolerant. And that depends on how much you can tolerate.

Let us know how you are doing.

Hi, yes so I have been to the Dr many times over the past 8 years or so to say that I feel constantly exhausted. Had bloods done each time and often ferritin is low so they blame it on that. Which it may well be. This time she also included a random glucose test. My thyroid TSH is slightly elevated but no where near enough to be diagnosed with anything. Hypothyroidism and type II diabetes runs heavily in my family but not normally as young as me.

When I eat something particularly sugary or high carb I often feel light headed, slight strange change in my vision (not sure if I'd call it blurry) and my tinnitus gets very loud. I have menieres disease and have known for a while that there are strong links with this and hyperinsulinemia but because the only blood glucose tests I've had have been done when I was pregnant I ignored it as a strange pregnancy related issue.
 

SarahABC

Member
Messages
23
Every oral glucose tolerance test I have done (6), I have had a hypo. Under 3.5mmols.
My numbers before the tests were all in normal range 3.5-6mmols. Your neighbour is almost right, your likely to get the symptoms of a hypo, which are horrible but it's like a version of man flu. Lethargy and wanting to fall asleep and no energy levels, and your brain is telling you to eat or a craving.

I do get this sometimes in the early afternoon. I'm only 38. But will suddenly fall asleep on the sofa while the kids are running around me. Or if my husband is home I'll go for a "lie down" and I'm asleep within seconds. I feel like I can't keep my eyes open before this happens. Really horrible.