Do I have diabetes? Are my readings bad?

[dco]

Hi all, I have a blood sugar monitor to check my levels. I believe I suffer from depression and anxiety, however, I wondered if my symptoms were been caused by early diabetes so got it to make sure my sugar levels were normal..

They've seemed about right (the readings) the first 10 times of testing. However, I have porridge about 1 or 2 hours ago with about 4 or 5 tea spoons of sugar and checked my levels:

8.9 and 9.3 (seconds after each other??) were my readings, then 5 mins later retested and at 7??. Would having a lot of sugar do this? Or are these readings too high reguardless?

Before these readings (the other week) I got:
5.1 morning
6.6 eaten
4.8 afternoon

Other readings I've done a month or so ago:
6.2 mmol - 11:30 pm - 2 hours after meal *
5.8 mmol - 2am - - 2 hours after toast
6.3 mmol - 20 mins after eating
4.5 - 15:45 pm - 10 hours no food
4.8 mmol - waking up after sleep
6.2 mmol 5am - 1-2 hours after eating
5.2 mmol - 1 hour after coffee

Should I worry?

 

[Tracey69]

Hi
To be honest your readings look ok to me. Any body introducing a lot of sugar like you did on your porridge would have a slightly risen blood sugar. If you really are unsure about the levels visit your GP. Do you have any other symptoms???

 

[whompa73]

That is an awful lot of sugar . And would imaging that after that anybody would be high. It is also carb rich which will add to it . Also it will make a massive diffrence wether it was 1 or 2 hours ago . As testing sould be as close to 2 hours after finishing the food as possable . I wouldnt realy think that those levels where anything to wory about and the other leveles certainty dont seem to be. However ss peace of mind ask Dr for a glucose tolerance test .

 

[dco]

Well I get symptoms like low sex drive etc but I've put that down to depression / anxiety. That's why ive checked my blood sugar often to make sure the sysmptoms im getting aren't to do with sugar levels instead of my mood.

Can you explain if I have diabetes or early diabetes what kind of blood sugar levels I'd have? I can check my levels at specific times of the day and report back.

And my mistake, they wasn't 4/5 table spoons of sugar, they were tea spoons. Still a lot though?

 

[Yorksman]

Having an 8.9 and a 9.3 at the same time is quite normal. The readings are not precision readings simply because the finger prick test, by squeezing out capilliary blood, has other fluids in as well.

What we normally hope for is that two hours after a meal the readings are below 7.8 and we like to see them below 6 first thing in a morning.

4 or 5 spoonfuls of sugar will raise anybody's blood glucose level. What is important is how quickly it comes down.

 

[dco]

I'll re-check in 40 mins and report back. Im guessing with will have been past 2 hours since I had my porridge.
Thanks for responses.

 

[dco]

Just checked again. It's currently 8.4. Im not sure exactly what time I had my porridge, it could have been two or three hours ago. I'll re-check in 30 mins.

 

[whompa73]

I would recon as inital post was at 11pm and given the time now the porrage would have been 3. to 4 hours ago whick would mean quite high for that ammount of time but the porrage may be the key as it is very cardy but may be slow release carbs and may still have some of that sugar trapped in it . Go an get a propper glucose test its the only way to be sure. Also you need to make sure you wash hands before testing it can make a massive diffrence. Eg today before washing and I had washed the driven the car a few miles 10.8 re washed hands and tested 7.8. Big diffrences you only have to have had tuched somthing that you had once tuched with sugary hands (steering wheel for instance) and it can transfer so wash and imediatly test

 

[dco]

I've just washed my hands and the reading is now 7.7 and 10 mins later 7.3 (so it looks as though its now dropping down to normal rates 3/4 hours+ after the porridge and sugar) . I'll keep monitoring over the next few days.
I also have a skin condition and put a steroid cream on the skin around my eyes, this wouldn't effect reading? Might just be down to the porridge digesting slow, like you said, and the amount of sugar..I rarley have porridge and never ususally put any sugar on so it probably hit my system hard. The best way will be for me to take different tests over the next few days and report back.
If I get readings that don't look right then I'll book a doctors appointment.

(Im also reading that oatmeal puts peoples blood sugar sky high for most people, so if true this would explain it been a little higer and long lasting for me than normal)

What times should I be checking? First thing when I wake up? Before bed? Mid day? After meal? Which should I do?

Thanks

 

[chubbyian]

Try testing fist thing in the morning, then 2 hours after every meal. That should give you a clearer picture.

 

[dco]

This mornings reading is 5.1 - after waking up. Is this ok reading?

 

[Yorksman]

This mornings reading is 5.1 - after waking up. Is this ok reading?

It's a good reading yes.

 

[dco]

Second reading. I had a Mc Donalds burger about 4/5 hours ago and just had two coffees my reading is now 5.

 

[whompa73]

Second reading. I had a Mc Donalds burger about 4/5 hours ago and just had two coffees my reading is now 5.

Look mate 4/5 hours means absolutely nothing. It has to be before meal and 2 hours after or nothing can be taken or identified by the readings

 

[dco]

Coffee dosen't count? That's all i have on a Friday as I have beer. Friday and Saturday I have next to nothing to eat and have beer. So ill check on Sunday.

 

[dco]

Ive just done reading:
4.8 - before food - normal?
10.7 - 1 hour after food - should it be this high shortly after eating?

I had a lot of alcahol on friday and sat with little food, recovering today, not sure if thay will effect reading?

I'll recheck after 2 hours

 

[dco]

4.8 - before food - normal?
10.7 - 1 hour after food - should it be this high shortly after eating? (not sure if i washed my hands before doing this reading)
6.7 - 2 hours after food.

Are these readings ok?

 

[CambridgeLass]

Readings all seem normal. I don't believe you have diabetes. The sugary porridge you had - 8.9 then 5 min later 7. That wouldn't come down that fast if you were diabetic. Tired, lack of energy etc - hypothyroid maybe? We're not doctors - best to go see one and get bloodworks done.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[dco]

Thanks for response. Hmm yea could be anything, depression, anxiety, hypothyroid, etc. At least I can hopefully rule out diabetes. Im going to save up for a medichecks test which checks thyroid, hormones, liver (I do like a bit of a bindge drink at the weekends and when a bit younger did drink 4 days a week) etc which should find anything abnormalities if any.

 

[waltzingmatilda57]

If you're getting stressed, anxious and depressed about what may or may not be 'normal' blood sugar readings then all you will be doing is raising your BG levels. I do not know of anybody who is not diabetic who tests their own blood, several times a day it seems, even as a T2 I have only tested when I've been in hospital, or when my GP has (very rarely) done it.

If you are seriously concerned about being diabetic, or even pre-diabetic, then the best thing you could do is go and talk to your GP and ask if they will test your fasting blood sugars and your HbA1c. Your HbA1c will give your GP an average of your levels over the previous 2-3 months.

These two simple tests will let you know if you have a problem. Proper laboratory tests will show what your levels are, home monitors only give an indication of your level at any one particular time. Then you can stop worrying and carry on with your life - either as a diabetic or non-diabetic. :roll: