Highs, lows, and everywhere in between!

[lwb84]

Hi,

I’ve just joined after reading other people’s posts in the background for a while. I’m 34 and a parent of a type 1, always thought of myself as fairly healthy but with room for improvement!

To cut a long story short after signing up for Trialnet study I did a random blood sugar test, was surprised to see a 9! Did various random tests over the next few days and got between 5 & 12! Waking bloods anywhere between 4 and 6.

Like I mentioned I have a type 1 child so am very in tune with what is a good number and what isn’t! I wrote down all my tests and went to the GP. He didn’t seem bothered and said they were all normal, yes, even the 12’s! Managed to get a HBA1C out of him which came back at 5.5% if I remember rightly.

I’ve since been keeping a very close eye as I seem to have very large spikes which then do come back down. I’m currently wearing an unused G6 starter kit which is fascinating!

I’m so confused as to what is happening. I’m not diabetic as HBA1C is fine, however am frequently waking between 5.5 and 6.3, and having large spikes after certain meals. Today I wanted to test my pancreas so had savoury rice!!

4.9 pre meal,
14.4 @ 1 hour,
8.9 @ 2 hour.

At other times my pancreas seems to be happy and doesn’t it’s job correctly not taking me much over 7/8, admittedly that’s not after rice!!

As if I didn’t think Diabetes was baffling enough I now how this to try and figure!

 

[Cocosilk]

I've just been watching this interview (link below) with Tim Noakes, who went from being a high carb athlete to having diabetes and then he backflipped to low carb. I guess he'd tell you not to eat the things that give you those spikes.

I had gestational diabetes and saw 9s and 10s as the highest reading after I had started moderating my diet. I probably had higher readings when I was still sneaking in the naughty sweet stuff but didn't have the metre to see it.
Today I only saw 5.9 as my highest reading after a long 1.5hr session of going back and forth to my breakfast (interrupted by tending to my 6 week old baby or other two young kids). 1.5hs counts as grazing which is not a good habit but because the only carb I ate in that time was a bit of sweet potato, I hope the damage is less. I'll have to get a Hb1ac test one day soon to see how that adds up. I've only been low carb for a few months but probably long enough to see a pattern.

Check the video out and see what you make of it.

There are lots of other good ones too. I am half way through this one as well:

 

[lwb84]

Thank you. It’s hard isn’t it, carbs are so addictive but only when looking closely do you realise the damage they can actually do!

 

[Bluetit1802]

I don't want to worry you, but your HbA1c could well be in the non-diabetic range because you are also having some low numbers - such as the 4.9 pre-meal, and maybe many other times when you are in the 4s or even 3s. These will offset any highs after a meal and not show the full story in the HbA1c. There are also other reasons why an HbA1c can be inaccurate - anaemia is one cause. There are several others.

Time to take this seriously, methinks, and work on cutting the carbs down as far as you can. Yes, it can be hard, but if you make a list of all the low carb foods you like and stick to those as much as possible. Things like bacon and eggs with mushrooms and a tomato, meat, fish, eggs, green leafy veggies, salads, cheese and other dairy foods, strawberries and cream, or raspberries.
This site may give you some ideas https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/60-seconds

 

[Mbaker]

Looks like carbohydrate intolerance / insulin resistance. The highs are damaging, so it would not be wise to continue with the foods that are causing the spikes (anything over 7.8 mmol). Should you feel minded and can exercise, I would encourage an expertise at powerlifting - this doesn't mean aiming to get on the Olympic team, just becoming proficient at the barbell deadlift, squat and bench press. This would build muscle which would independently clear glucose with literally minutes of work (5 minute warmup, 10 minute focused execution).

 

[lwb84]

Thank you. I am taking it seriously, just shocked that I’m getting these numbers! Do you suggest I try and change my diet and lower the spikes myself, or seek medical advice while I’m having these spikes? How bad do things have to be for it to be recognised by the GP? In my experience pretty bad with type 1, just wondering if they’re slightly more aware of type 2/insulin resistance. Does that make sense? I guess I don’t want to fix things myself and then have problems later on and not be believed there ever was a problem if you get me? Sorry for waffling on!

 

[Goonergal]

Do you suggest I try and change my diet and lower the spikes myself,

I’d say yes. Best to address things early so that you minimise the chances of problems down the line. The dietdoctor.com website contains lots of great information as does Dr Jason Fung’s work - the Diabetes Code would be a good starting point.

No harm in getting medical advice but as you’ve already been told not to worry, you may not get much further. In the UK at least most health care professionals don’t address insulin resistance until it formally manifests itself as Diabetes.

 

[catinahat]

I thought you might find this useful. It explains how blood sugars are controlled and what goes wrong
https://www.bloodsugar101.com/how-blood-sugar-control-works

 

[lwb84]

Thanks both!

 

[kitedoc]

@Iwb84, Rather than diving off the deep end and accepting dietary advice, amateur diagnoses and suggestions as appears to be happening:
Seek a formal diagnosis - on the basis of your bsl readings, not the HBA1C, request an appointment to see a endocrinologist or if you can afford it see one privately. There maybe some other underlaying causes for some of your bsls readings which need clarification before launching into treatment/dietary changes etc.
Best Wishes.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Perhaps ask for an Oral Glucose Tolerance test. This should show spikes and drops post the glucose drink. It may be more relevant to you than an HbA1c.