• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Blood sugar level advice

T

The Goose

Newbie
Messages
2
I am looking for some advice about my blood sugar level and thought this would be the ideal place :D

My main problem is that an hour or two after I eat sugary food/carbs I feel very tired and fall asleep.

I have had a few blood tests at the hospital over the last 3 years and it always comes back as ok. But I can usually only get a blood test done mid afternoon due to work.
So recently I have tested my blood glucose levels at various times and basically when I feel tired its over 8-8.5. Not sure if it goes much higher than this as I am asleep :lol:
I have tested it first thing in the morning and its always between 8 and 8.5.

My doctor says that these blood glucose readings are normal.

The only way I can get through the day at work is to not eat anything till the evening so I have been having 1 meal in the evening for the last 3-4 months and this seems to be the best way to manage it so far.


The other day I got in from work and had some ham and cheese to eat (as I was having dinner later than usual) and an hour or so later I felt really wierd,shaking and dizzy etc so tested and it was 3.1. After having some sugary food I started to feel much better.

I am overweight,have high blood pressure and am nearly 40. If I went to see a vet I think he would have me put down :oops:

Any thoughts,opinions or suggestions are gratefully received.
Many thanks
 
Hi The Goose! And welcome.

I am not a doctor, so can only give you my opinion, not a diagnosis. When you test your blood glucose first thing in the morning, is this before you eat anything? If so, your levels are high - not in the normal range. Therefore, I would go back to the doctor and ask him to do a Glucose Tolerance Test. This is where they test your BG having fasted all night and then give you a measured amount of glucose to drink. You wait for 2 hours doing nothing, and then have another blood test. A normal person should have returned to almost their pre-glucose reading in this time. If you are 11 or over that is a diagnsis of diabetes. If your doctor will not do this test (and many won't), ask for a fasting blood test and ask your doctor to tell you what level is considered diabetic. If you are not diabetic, you might have pre-diabetes. Illness, infection, stress and all sorts of other things can affect your blood glucose, though, so getting a proper test done is the only way to get a diagnosis.

Good luck

Smidge
 
I am no doctor either but, according to my Oxford handbook of Endo. and Diabetes, fasting blood sugar >7 (or single random BG > 11.1 if symptoms are present, two otherwise) is diagnostic of diabetes.
 
Thanks for the replies.

The blood glucose test first thing in the morning,8+, is a few minutes after I wake up so no food or tea/coffee etc. Also when I have had the tests at the hospital they have been mid afternoon having not eaten since the evening before. The readings are iro 4-4.5. This is after a days hard work.

From what I have read on this and other websites it seems to suggest that over 7 is not good. And I must admit that I dont feel right first thing in the morning but feel better as the day goes on and the levels fall.

My doctor said the readings were normal. I did ask if there were any other tests which could be done and he said no. (there were a few other tests done at the same time but all is ok everytime)

I will see if they will do any more but to be honest I am not holding out much hope!
 
Hi

I think you need to push your doctor to do the Glucose Tolerance Test, or a least a Fasting Blood Test. If he won't then ask for a second opinion or try another doctor in the practice. Some of the chemist will also do a fasting test, Lloyds being one of them. You need a definite answer to the way you feel. If you do have Diabetes then come back and ask any questions. Many of us have found the people on this forum to be more helpful than our doctors on how to manage our new way of life. A diagnoses is not the end of the world, it can be managed and I for one now feel better than before I was diagnosed.

Ann
 
Think you need a new doctor. If the morning readings really are 8+, and are after, say, 8 hours of not eating, then they certainly aren't "normal". The reading of 3.1 you got was because you're trying to compensate by not eating during the day so your blood sugar is going too low. Eat little and often, of the right things, is the mantra.
You need to get some definitive tests done. A glucose tolerance test as described, or what is called an "HbA1c" test will give you the answers. If you ARE diabetic, at least then you'll know. And it's not as terrible as you may think if you deal with it in the right way. Come back to us with the results, and you'll get some great advice from everyone on how to deal with it.
Good luck!
 
Back
Top