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Please Help Me Understand My Blood Glucose Levels

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WorriedDude

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Dear All
I am worried about my blood sugar levels,
I am 23, Southeast Asian
Father was Diagnosed type 2
I took a routine Blood test a few weeks back, i overfasted for 18 hours before my fasting blood sugar test.
The results were 4.2 mmol/l and trace levels of ketones in the urine.
The lab expert told me i had nothing to worry about because fasting blood sugar rarely drop to this level for diabetics even when fasting.

However another expert mentioned that my lab test results are inaccurate because i was starving so much i had ketones in my urine.
I purchased my own accu-check performa and did my own tests.

Home Glucometer Tests
Fasting Blood Glucose Range : 5.2 to 6.3
1 Hour Post Prandial Range: 5.8 to 7.5
Once after a really high-carb meal my Blood sugar was 7.5 mmol/l 45 minutes post-prandial.

One morning i tested a 6.0 mmol/l, but i took another test 1 minute after and it was 5.8,
and then another 20 minutes after i tested 5.5, all in the same morning before food
Which made me curious if it is my body or the glucometer behaving strangely
My normal 1 hour post prandial range was from 5.8 to 7.2 after high-carb meals (Rice is our staple food).
Once after a really high-carb meal my Blood sugar was 7.5 mmol/l 45 minutes post-prandial.

A few days ago i decided to take on a more paleolithic diet, so i started cutting rice from my diet and have more meat and veggies instead.
The past few days my fasting sugar levels had been around

Fasting Blood Glucose: 4.3 to 4.6
1 Hour Post Prandial: 4.8 to 5.4

I have been really stressed and i have severe anxiety, so i am not sure if that will drastically alter my blood glucose levels.

My GP advises me to have an Hba1c and OGTT test from an endocrinology if i am still worried in a month time.
I admit i haven't really been taking care of my health in the past, consuming alot of simple sugars.
I have now switched to cooking my own meal with more veggies and meat.
I am remaining vigilant and monitoring my blood glucose multiple times a day while going to the gym to try and
shed some visceral fats.
 
Your blood glucose levels are not high enough to be considered diabetic or prediabetic, which is a good thing!

The best thing you can do to reduce the risk of diabetes is to avoid getting overweight.

If you have a fasting blood glucose test and an HbA1c test every year, you will be able to detect if you are developing diabetes.

I think getting an HbA1c and GTT test in a month would be a waste of time and money.
 
What you have recorded are all pretty much non diabetic levels even the 45 mins and 1 hour tests the levels you recorded after eating rice and very high carb would be regarded as normal for someone without diabetes.
 
Do let your Dr do the Hba1c test .. This will confirm one way or another and then you can move on from this. Stressing about potential health problems is not good for your body or mind.
 
Hi @WorriedDude ,

I think you should feel proud that you are taking the preventive approach and that you are asking questions and even questioning your eating habits, I think that is a great step in keeping this disease at bay and out of your life.

Although your levels look within the normal range and I wouldn't have thought (looking at them) that you are facing any problems in the present, I have a few more questions for you:

Are there any more diabetics type 2 in your family?
How old is your dad?
What's your BMI, do you have a belly or are you overweight?

The reason why I ask these things is because they all increase the risk of developing diabetes in the future. My intention is not scare you or worry you, but reassure you that you have the right to be concerned and take steps into prevention.

I was always insulin resistant but never diagnosed until I was 25, time when I started to have more problems.

Although I wasn't always obese my weight was always difficult to control since I was a kid, particularly in my belly.

I always had normal fasting blood glucose levels but it was a OGTT what confirmed my insulin resistance and therefore predisposition to diabetes.

By age 21 I already had a fatty liver, nobody ever bother pointing out any connection between that and my diabetes family history.

By age 36 I developed diabetes after years of being insulin resistant treated with metformin.

I like your GPs attitude and willingness to test you in a months time, however if you do it while low carbing (as you say you are eating veggies and meats no carbs paleo style) you might influence your results for a positive outcome in the same way your fasting before test showed ketones in your body and a low BG. So your risk will seem reduced because your won't be eating as many carbs.

Keeping control of your weight and carb consumption are great ideas, keeping healthy and fit in general is great for everyone but even more important for people with high risk factors.
 
Dear All,

I really appreciate your helpful and encouraging replies.

I do have a belly that i have developed since early this year. I weigh in at 66.5 KG and am 169 tall. BMI is 23.3
That is what prompted me to re-evaluated my lifestyle.
It is no excuse, but I went on a binge earlier this year following my father's death from end-stage liver cancer. I had really let myself go. Last year, i was in fact quite fit and thin living in australia, walking alot and eating fresh produce.

In my immediate family, only my father was diabetic.

I think regardless of the end diagnosis, it is better to diet and exercise like I am already diabetic, than letting myself spiral further into poor diet and lifestyle choices.
 
Hi,

Well done on being pro-active about your own health. However, you have no immediate worries. Your levels are quite normal. Carry on eating sensible food with less rice. No need to cut it out completely. Exercise regularly (walking is excellent). If your doctor is willing to give you an HbA1c test in a month, then there is no harm in this if it will reassure you, but with levels like yours, both fasting and post prandial, I doubt there is anything to worry about at the moment.
 
Yes, Whatever The future diagnosis, this has really been a wake-up call,
I just applied for a gym membership and is trying to make it a daily mission to do at least 45 minutes of cardio and resistance training.
 
I would put the meter in the cupboard, enjoy life, you are 23 and maintain a healthy fulfilling lifestyle. If you want a rough and ready check watching your waistline is probably the best thing to do.
 
WorriedDude said:
Dear All,

I really appreciate your helpful and encouraging replies.

I do have a belly that i have developed since early this year. I weigh in at 66.5 KG and am 169 tall. BMI is 23.3
That is what prompted me to re-evaluated my lifestyle.
It is no excuse, but I went on a binge earlier this year following my father's death from end-stage liver cancer. I had really let myself go. Last year, i was in fact quite fit and thin living in australia, walking alot and eating fresh produce.

In my immediate family, only my father was diabetic.

I think regardless of the end diagnosis, it is better to diet and exercise like I am already diabetic, than letting myself spiral further into poor diet and lifestyle choices.
Click to expand...

Your BMI is within healthy range, so are your BGs. Think yourself healthy and make sure you stay that way whatever way suits you best, the belly will go and you will be fine. You don't have to be a diabetic to make good lifestyle choices :)
 
I guess i have been overly worried the past weeks, I still check my Blood Sugar 3 times a day and will continue to do so.
I am trying to figure out how different diets affect my blood glucose and try to maintain it at a healthy level whilst balancing exercise plans to try and bust my belly as soon as i can.



Otherwise, i think i am feeling calmer and more rational about the entire situation now.


Once Again I really appreciate all the help you all have given me.
 
Hey,

Those levels are all completely normal.

To me reading this and your other posts I get a sense that your are experiencing is health anxiety, general anxiety and stress/grief. I've suffered from it in the past and know how debilitating and awful it can be.

My advice, for what it's worth.

1) Eat a low carb diet, plenty of lean meats, fish, greens, fats.
2) Cardio exercise at a high intensity, this combined with the above diet will help you reduce your waist line, exercise is also a great way to deal with anxiety.
3) If you're not already, request the help of a medical professional, talk therapy and a low dose SSRI/beta blocker can work wonders.

It sounds like you've had a rough time of late, I went through similar things when my mother was left in an unresponsive vegetative state following a severe night time hypo, her death and the fall out from the trauma of that really did a number of my well being.

The best advice I ever got on anxiety was to simply ignore it, understand you can't be harmed by it, observe it. It's a temporary stress response and it will pass eventually.

The Linden method is fantastic for dealing with anxiety. Well worth a look.

Good luck with it all.

A platitude and a half, but time heals all buddy.
 
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