Can anyone please explain this?

TooManyCrisps

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535
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I am relatively new to testing, and am still trying to work out what raises my blood sugar, so am testing pre and post every meal.

Today I tested at 12.30, just before I planned to eat my lunch. It was 6.1. However, I then had to go and deal with a work crisis which meant that I didn't eat as planned, and ended up in a meeting for over an hour. So just before I finally ate lunch, I tested again at 13.45, thinking bg would have dropped further as I hadn't eaten since 7am, only to get a reading of 7.3. I retested in case it was an anomoly, but the second reading was 7.4.

So, why would my bg rise at lunchtime when I hadn't eaten? Did my liver dumping more glucose into my bloodstream because I didn't eat lunch at the usual time, and if so, why? I'm used to getting a higher reading after exercise, even when I haven't eaten, but all I did was sit in a meeting. :(
 

urbanracer

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Crisis?? Did this raise your stress levels?
 

TooManyCrisps

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Hi, I don't think I was that stressed about it but maybe I was. Although I spent most of the unexpected meeting thinking about my lunch in the fridge waiting for me! The meeting was partly virtual - two of the attendees were linked in via Skype- which means there's always a slight delay where you can see their mouths move before you hear what they are saying. That always distracts me, especially as sometimes I start talking at the same time as the virtual attendees. I sometimes think that I'm too old for modern working styles!

But seriously, I think I was more stressed by not eating my lunch than by the meeting. Everything was resolved fairly quickly.
 

Rosie1953

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Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
I'm also type 2 and on 1 metiforn tablet a day. I have found it I don't eat regularly my BG reading is higher. Not sure why.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin to maintain a normal blood glucose level, or the body is unable to use the insulin that is produced – known as insulin resistance.

The pancreas (a large gland behind the stomach) produces the hormone insulin, which moves glucose from your blood into your cells, where it's converted into energy.

In type 2 diabetes, there are several reasons why the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin.
 
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Hiitsme

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I would agree, very likely any unexpected event can cause stress and your body is trying to give you a chance to cope with what is happening. Nothing you can do about it.
 
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DaveNN

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Could it be liver dumping? This used to happen to me, with BG levels increasing throughout the day with no food. Could this be related to "fright or flight" which is a stress on getting body.
 
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urbanracer

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Thanks @mo53, it was good thinking. Just because I didn't think I was stressed doesn't mean I wasn't. It's possible that my body knows I'm stressed even if I'm not aware of it.

The only reason I suggested stress was because you used the word crisis. A normal reaction to a crisis would be raised stress levels. If you've become used to dealing with these types of events in your worklife then maybe it doesn't register as a stressful event??
 
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TooManyCrisps

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The only reason I suggested stress was because you used the word crisis. A normal reaction to a crisis would be raised stress levels. If you've become used to dealing with these types of events in your worklife then maybe it doesn't register as a stressful event??
That's possible, @urbanracer.
 

Indy51

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According to the Diane Kress book, the liver "self-feeds" every 5 hour while fasting. Her method of dealing with diet in the early days after diagnosis is to eat regularly enough to avoid that happening. The fact that you went so high may also indicate stress on top of a liver dump. The only way to be sure would be to fast for a similar period without the stress and see how high the liver dump sends you. Physical exertion can also cause liver dumps. Unfortunately it's not something we really have much control over, especially in the early days after diagnosis.
 
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dbr10

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According to the Diane Kress book, the liver "self-feeds" every 5 hour while fasting. Her method of dealing with diet in the early days after diagnosis is to eat regularly enough to avoid that happening. The fact that you went so high may also indicate stress on top of a liver dump. The only way to be sure would be to fast for a similar period without the stress and see how high the liver dump sends you. Physical exertion can also cause liver dumps. Unfortunately it's not something we really have much control over, especially in the early days after diagnosis.
Anyone know why the liver dumps glucose according to the insulin level and not the glucose level - thereby adding to glucose which can already be sky high?
 
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Indy51

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Anyone know why the liver dumps glucose according to the insulin level and not the glucose level - thereby adding to glucose which can already be sky high?
There are quite a few videos about homeostasis and blood glucose control on Youtube that might help.
 
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Sean01

Guest
I am relatively new to testing, and am still trying to work out what raises my blood sugar, so am testing pre and post every meal.

Today I tested at 12.30, just before I planned to eat my lunch. It was 6.1. However, I then had to go and deal with a work crisis which meant that I didn't eat as planned, and ended up in a meeting for over an hour. So just before I finally ate lunch, I tested again at 13.45, thinking bg would have dropped further as I hadn't eaten since 7am, only to get a reading of 7.3. I retested in case it was an anomoly, but the second reading was 7.4.

So, why would my bg rise at lunchtime when I hadn't eaten? Did my liver dumping more glucose into my bloodstream because I didn't eat lunch at the usual time, and if so, why? I'm used to getting a higher reading after exercise, even when I haven't eaten, but all I did was sit in a meeting. :(
Stress! Simple. It can be stress from work, from exertion/exercise or even stress from fighting off a cold or a bug. Anything that takes your body away from its comfort zone will be stressful. Your body copes with this stress by dumping a load of stored glycogen into your blood - but firstly it converts it to sugar (glucose) and that is what your blood test picked up.
 

Robbity

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I'd also go with a combination of it being a combination of liver dump and stress (even if it was unperceived) regarding the crisis!

I generally see a rise in glucose levels if I'm under any type of even minor stress - as I see it my body's giving me more energy to deal with things. As @Sean012 says, all sorts of stuff can cause a rise in levels - e.g. stress, anger, upsets, pain, illness, headaches (migraines for me), activity... even changes in the weather! :wideyed: It's something we have to learn to understand and live with - diabetic life's not so simple, is it!

Robbity
 

TooManyCrisps

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Messages
535
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Stress! Simple. It can be stress from work, from exertion/exercise or even stress from fighting off a cold or a bug. Anything that takes your body away from its comfort zone will be stressful. Your body copes with this stress by dumping a load of stored glycogen into your blood - but firstly it converts it to sugar (glucose) and that is what your blood test picked up.
That's interesting, @Sean01. I've recently had a cold, which sent my readings sky high, and I've also noticed that my readings tend to be much higher after exercise, which surprised me as I thought exercise would lower the readings. I have quite a high pressure job so thats not going to help is it? I'm never sure quite what sends the readings up as I'm still new to this. Hopefully they will start coming down again soon.
 
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TooManyCrisps

Well-Known Member
Messages
535
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I'd also go with a combination of it being a combination of liver dump and stress (even if it was unperceived) regarding the crisis!

I generally see a rise in glucose levels if I'm under any type of even minor stress - as I see it my body's giving me more energy to deal with things. As @Sean012 says, all sorts of stuff can cause a rise in levels - e.g. stress, anger, upsets, pain, illness, headaches (migraines for me), activity... even changes in the weather! :wideyed: It's something we have to learn to understand and live with - diabetic life's not so simple, is it!

Robbity
It certainly isn't, @Robbity
 
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Sean01

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That's interesting, @Sean01. I've recently had a cold, which sent my readings sky high, and I've also noticed that my readings tend to be much higher after exercise, which surprised me as I thought exercise would lower the readings. I have quite a high pressure job so thats not going to help is it? I'm never sure quite what sends the readings up as I'm still new to this. Hopefully they will start coming down again soon.
Hang on in there. Work related stress is a nightmare. There are books written about work related stress and there are separate books just dealing with my business (financial services) - so I hear what you are saying. And yes, exercise sends up the blood sugar levels.