Is it possible?

[Guna108]

I was diagnosed on May 30th with an Hba1c reading of 80 and 9.5. I tested my bg today for the first time using the machine I bought and it read as 4. I had been fasting today (religious reasons) and am currently on 1000mg of Metformin (I have to buiild up to 2000mg over the course of a month). Could this result be possible or is the machine not working? I can see I have lost weight since my diagnosis and am on a vlcd and low carb diet , but for the last two days my eyesight has been really blurry when I try to read my lesson plans (I'm a teacher!). I really don't know what is happening.

 

[Bluetit1802]

It is possible, yes, especially as you have lost weight and been on a very low carb eating plan.

Just as a tip. If you ever get a reading that seems unexpected or unlikely, do another test straight away to try and confirm it. If they are close enough together then all is well. If they are a very long way apart, do a third test.

Your eyesight is probably blurry because your sugar levels are dropping and your body isn't used to this yet. It is very common, but it is temporary. Don't go rushing off to buy new glasses!

 

[NicoleC1971]

In short yes it is possible to have halved your blood sugars.
If you are fasting or going low calorie then your body is taking fat out of your liver and pancreas rather than you eating glucose/starch which then gets stored around your visceral organs eventually causing type 2 diabetes. This reduces your insulin resistance and helps your insulin work better in your body. Metformin is also stopping your liver from producing too much glucose (gloconeogenesis).
Blurry eyes? That's a common symptom of higher blood sugars and the eyes are quite sensitive to sudden changes in your blood glucose levels so it could settle down in the next few days (i hope!).
The question should then be are you able to continue with some form of fasting or low calorie dieting indefinitely? If yes then you've reversed diabetes. If that seems daunting, take a look at the low carb way of eating with the hope that by turning off the starch/sugat ' tap' you will keep your sugars as good as they are now.
Or you can keep taking the metformin and go back to which ever way of eating got you to your diagnosis but I think that diabetes is a dietary problem and should be resolved by diet not drugs.

 

[Caprock94]

I was diagnosed on May 30th with an Hba1c reading of 80 and 9.5. I tested my bg today for the first time using the machine I bought and it read as 4. I had been fasting today (religious reasons) and am currently on 1000mg of Metformin (I have to buiild up to 2000mg over the course of a month). Could this result be possible or is the machine not working? I can see I have lost weight since my diagnosis and am on a vlcd and low carb diet , but for the last two days my eyesight has been really blurry when I try to read my lesson plans (I'm a teacher!). I really don't know what is happening.

My eyes were blurry off and on for a week or two after dropping my levels quickly. They are back to normal now. Pretty common from what I have read here.

 

[Guna108]

My eyes were blurry off and on for a week or two after dropping my levels quickly. They are back to normal now. Pretty common from what I have read here.

I am really relieved to hear that as it is starting to interfere with my job.

 

[Caprock94]

I am really relieved to hear that as it is starting to interfere with my job.

Mine was similar to yours it sounds like. I had trouble reading documents, text messages on phone, etc. My long distance sight seemed unchanged. After a few days, I started getting periods of time when it cleared up, and then it would come back. Each day the periods of time it was clear lasted longer. Finally cleared up. The whole thing lasted less than two weeks. Hang in there!

 

[Notorious]

Hello, I am normally short-sighted but became temporarily long-sighted when I had undiagnosed type 1 and for some time after. It cleared up after about a month. I decided not to drive during that time and waited until I got my eyes tested again.

 

[pavlosn]

I was diagnosed on May 30th with an Hba1c reading of 80 and 9.5. I tested my bg today for the first time using the machine I bought and it read as 4. I had been fasting today (religious reasons) and am currently on 1000mg of Metformin (I have to buiild up to 2000mg over the course of a month). Could this result be possible or is the machine not working? I can see I have lost weight since my diagnosis and am on a vlcd and low carb diet , but for the last two days my eyesight has been really blurry when I try to read my lesson plans (I'm a teacher!). I really don't know what is happening.

The lenses in the human eye contain fluid and just like our blood that fluid contains glucose. As the concentration of glucose in the fluid changes so does the refractive index of the fluid and thus the degree to which the eye lense bends light rays passing through it. Refraction being the bending of light rays when passing from one medium (eg air) to another (eg fluid in eye lense). Rapid rises or drops in glucose levels can therefore cause blurring of vision as the eye stops focusing correctly on the retina. This is only temporary as our eye learnes to refocus correctly based on the new level of glucose / refractive ability of the eye lens.

 

[Wendy18480]

I was diagnosed on May 30th with an Hba1c reading of 80 and 9.5. I tested my bg today for the first time using the machine I bought and it read as 4. I had been fasting today (religious reasons) and am currently on 1000mg of Metformin (I have to buiild up to 2000mg over the course of a month). Could this result be possible or is the machine not working? I can see I have lost weight since my diagnosis and am on a vlcd and low carb diet , but for the last two days my eyesight has been really blurry when I try to read my lesson plans (I'm a teacher!). I really don't know what is happening.

Thank you for posting this, I'm having the same trouble with my eyes having just started a Keto diet, blood sugar is dropping but eyesight is OK for distance but blury for close reading. Good to know it will improve in time.

Best wishes xx

 

[Guna108]

Thank you for posting this, I'm having the same trouble with my eyes having just started a Keto diet, blood sugar is dropping but eyesight is OK for distance but blury for close reading. Good to know it will improve in time.

Best wishes xx

I hope all goes well with your keto diet and eyes too. x

 

[LittleGreyCat]

@Guna108 well done with your weight loss and improved BG levels.

Can I make a small plea, though: could you be more specific in your topic title?

"Is it possible" doesn't help anyone to understand what you are asking, nor to find the thread in future if looking for a similar question.

Massive improvement in BG level - is it possible?

Now that would paint much more of a picture.

 

[Guna108]

@Guna108 well done with your weight loss and improved BG levels.

Can I make a small plea, though: could you be more specific in your topic title?

"Is it possible" doesn't help anyone to understand what you are asking, nor to find the thread in future if looking for a similar question.

Massive improvement in BG level - is it possible?

Now that would paint much more of a picture.

OK. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Guna108]

I just tested my BG again. I have had one diet bar and one shake today and tested nearly 3 hours after having the diet shake and it was 6.8 so could the 4 from yesterday (when I fasted all day) have been an error on my meter? I am not yet up to the full dose of Metformin. Would this be an expected level coming from 9.5 on May 30th on a low carb vlcd?

 

[Guna108]

In short yes it is possible to have halved your blood sugars.
If you are fasting or going low calorie then your body is taking fat out of your liver and pancreas rather than you eating glucose/starch which then gets stored around your visceral organs eventually causing type 2 diabetes. This reduces your insulin resistance and helps your insulin work better in your body. Metformin is also stopping your liver from producing too much glucose (gloconeogenesis).
Blurry eyes? That's a common symptom of higher blood sugars and the eyes are quite sensitive to sudden changes in your blood glucose levels so it could settle down in the next few days (i hope!).
The question should then be are you able to continue with some form of fasting or low calorie dieting indefinitely? If yes then you've reversed diabetes. If that seems daunting, take a look at the low carb way of eating with the hope that by turning off the starch/sugat ' tap' you will keep your sugars as good as they are now.
Or you can keep taking the metformin and go back to which ever way of eating got you to your diagnosis but I think that diabetes is a dietary problem and should be resolved by diet not drugs.

@NicoleC1971
My plan at the moment is to do the low carb vlcd until my first 3 month check up and then try to go up to 800 calories like in the '8 week Blood Sugar diet '. After that I don't know, but I would imagine something like the 5:2 diet might work for me. I can't see myself on the 3 shakes for more than 3 months.

 

[1spuds]

Looking forward to the diet experts' here advice....

 

[Veryanxious]

I just tested my BG again. I have had one diet bar and one shake today and tested nearly 3 hours after having the diet shake and it was 6.8 so could the 4 from yesterday (when I fasted all day) have been an error on my meter? I am not yet up to the full dose of Metformin. Would this be an expected level coming from 9.5 on May 30th on a low carb vlcd?

Depends what you had in the shake that gave you reading of 6.8.
If you fasted complete day then checked Blood glucose at night it could be 4.

 

[Guna108]

Depends what you had in the shake that gave you reading of 6.8.
If you fasted complete day then checked Blood glucose at night it could be 4.

It was an Exante diet shake (a ready made commercial one). Yes, I did the fasting test in the evening. My level was 9.5 two weeks ago so I am hoping I am on the right track.

 

[Bluetit1802]

It also depends what your activities were in that 3 hour period.

 

[Guna108]

It also depends what your activities were in that 3 hour period.

@Bluetit1802 Sitting down mostly, teaching.

 

[LittleGreyCat]

I just tested my BG again. I have had one diet bar and one shake today and tested nearly 3 hours after having the diet shake and it was 6.8 so could the 4 from yesterday (when I fasted all day) have been an error on my meter? I am not yet up to the full dose of Metformin. Would this be an expected level coming from 9.5 on May 30th on a low carb vlcd?

I think the 4 could have been perfectly valid.

When I have fasted for 2 days or more I can get readings around 4 and I think my pancreas is probably in a worse state than yours.

People with diabetes can get low readings.
Those not on insulin and other BG lowering medication should be thankful.

Those on insulin or other glucose lowering medication trying to avoid hypos should be wary.

If in doubt repeat exactly what you did on the day you tested 4 and see what you test at the same time of day.
I think you are (quite understandably) worrying too much.