New here..would appreciate some input
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New here..would appreciate some input
| Sat, 04-03-2004 - 7:31pm |
To make a very long story short..I need to know what everyone here thinks of my situation. My fam dr suspected diabetes last Dec. Although, my biggest complaint at the time was unexplained weight gain. I was..and still am gaining about 4 lbs a month..even while dieting. I did the 4 hr glucose test in early Jan...it came back normal. He was very surprised and ordered all kinds of other tests including thyroid and adrenal. Everything was normal. Now Since Dec..I have seen a dermatoligist for a skin rash...a ears nose and throat guy for sinus infections and a gyno for menstral problems. All three asked if I was sure I was not diabetic. The gyno wanted my glucose test ordered again. The test made me VERY sick. For 36 hrs, I had a very bad headache, vommiting and extreme fatigue. My dr suggested a couple of weeks ago that I try home monitoring and a special low carb diet. I was to test first thing in the morning and then 2 hrs after a meal. My fasting number ranges between 4.2-6.1 ( to convert to american numbers x by 18) and after meal numbers were from 3.9- 10.8. I noticed that when my numbers were over 9..i would have what I best describe as "sleep attacks". Feeling as if I was drugged and HAD to sleep right there and then. The other thing I noticed was any number under 7 and I was starving. During this high protien, low carb diet I gained another 5 lbs.
Now I had to cancel my app with him on last Fri. I need to call and re book for next week. Just wonder what you all think of this? Does Type 2 cause weight gain? Could these numbers indicate type 2? Any insight would be great.
Thanks
Sue
Now I had to cancel my app with him on last Fri. I need to call and re book for next week. Just wonder what you all think of this? Does Type 2 cause weight gain? Could these numbers indicate type 2? Any insight would be great.
Thanks
Sue

mid-January, and have been fighting the idea for most of the time since then. Have been on a low carb program and have lost weight. Wouldn't do the South Beach or Atkins. I think they're dangerous. I'm really cautious about reading labels. I'm allowed 8 units (15 carbs per unit) for a day.
You'll get some good responses especially from the leaders.
Ok, here goes:
(1) A1C which measures the average BG for the last 3 months is probably what should be done to see what's going on as far as diabetes.
Sounds like the test they did was for you to drink that sugary stuff and then have blood taken. YUK!!! If you throw up, you have to start all over another day. I know. I went through that when I was first married, and it wasn't an idle threat! I made it through the first 4 hours and then blah!!! So, another day for an 8 hr was scheduled. I laid down between the tests so I wasn't tempted to vomit. You wanted to hear that, right? ;-)
(2) Yep, some people gain weight with diabetes.
(3) I complained of extreme fatigue and ended up on thyroid medicine. Wasn't ever tested for diabetes until about 1.5 years ago. They said I was insulin resistent...which I now know can be a precursor for diabetes II.
(4) It's not uncommon for someone who has undiagnosed diabetes to have recurrent yeast infections. Can't understand why my gyno let me go almost a year w/o her having a clue!
Guess she was more concerned with the strange PAP smears I was (am) having.
(5) Ranges: on the A1C below 6.5 is optimum. I tested over 11 in January 2004; so, you see I was in a wale of hurt! Had a major episode of the down in the dumps (verging on depression)in starting in November and persisting into January. Have to go for another A1C sometime soon. Want the meds I'm on (Amaryl which I've been on since January, and Glucophage XR which I just started 3 nights ago) to have a chance to work on my body. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
(6) Won't guess what's going on with you. I can only tell you what I learned in my diabetes education classes and how I've been doing. Before breakfast, the range should be 80-110 per the new numbers and 2 hours after eating it should be below 140. Am finally getting fairly close to the range before breakfast, but sometimes my post-meal is still a bit over 140...not for the last two days, though. It's been close to 120 which I haven't told the group yet.
Don't ever be afraid to ask questions here. Someone is sure to have some insight, had the experience, will give resources, etc. Oh, by the way, if it turns out to be diabetes, go get DIABETES II, THE FIRST YEAR. It's a book for newbies like us. I've had it for almost a week, but was apprehensive about starting it for fear that I'd become obsessed and compulsive again about the diagnosis. It was suggested by another board member. I read about 5 chapters today. They're reallly short.
There's a lot of really good information on this board. Both the leaders have diabetes.
If it turns out to be diabetes, let me know, and I'll give you some websites. The first one should be www.diabetes.gov.
Good luck...keep us informed, ok?
What about sugar swings? My levels were anywhere from 3.9 to 10.8. I watched it drop at one point from 6.6-3.9 in 35 mins AFTER eating cereal and a banana. Another time 4 hrs after eating 1 slice of pizza ( I ran out of test strips) it was 10.8. Is this normal for someone who does not have a blood sugar disease? I am so confused.
Hi Quincy -
The basic premise of your understanding of the insulin resistance is correct in the basics.
Blueliner4
(aka The Pixie Princess)
Yes, you are understanding it correcly. You dump the insulin. Your body doesn't use what you're producing. You got it!
Boy, I have no good explanation for the erratic numbers. Maybe MaryFrances can give you a better answer. I think she's insulin resistent as well as diabetic like me. She had a whole lot more experience.
Good luck to both of us!
:-)
Hi Sue, welcome to the board. I am one of the community leaders for this board who has been a type 1 for over 28 years and on a insulin pump for over 6 years. I am no doctor or even in the medical profession, but I will share with you my thoughts on what you are experiencing.
To me it seems you are at the border of having insulin resistance in meaning that some times your pancrease kicks outwhat insulin it needs to just not all the time. I really do suggest that you have your HbA1c checked and not a fasting done to see where you stand on that. I know it is much easier to tell from that than fasting since it gives you a run down on how your blood sugars have looked for past 3 months. I am curious to know what your HbA1c is since I did not even see you mention that other than your blood sugars. Also do check your blood sugar when you begin to feel funny to see what is going on, because I have a big feeling it is high when you feel tired and just want to sleep right then. It is one of the big signs of high blood sugar to get very sleepy tired and just want to sleep. Also do call to re-schedule your appointment with the doctor since it is very important to stay on top of things. Do request that you have a HbA1c done so that way you know how your blood sugars have looked for the past 3 months, which you may be surprised by the result.
As for weight gain, I do know that gaining weight can cause a person to become a type 2 diabetic since so many who are over weight tend to get diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, but that does not mean everybody is over weight that gets diagnosed as type 2 since there is also those who have the insulin resistance affecting them. So it really does vary from one persons diagnosis to anothers. I think my co-cl will be able to be of much more help than myself with having more experience with type 2 than myself. I do hope you will keep us all informed of how you are doing and what you find out. Take care and do have a fabulous day!
Denise
Mom to
I did manage to catch 3 sugar crashes with my home monitor. The first one..I tested right before breakfast..but after 2 coffees. My number was 6.6. I ate a bowl of cereal and a banana and started laundry. I became very ill with the symptoms of hypoglycemia which I something I have suffered from for years. I tested right away and my number was 3.9. 35 mins had passed since I tested 6.6 So my numbers stayed within the normal range..they just slid very fast. The other times were quite similar. Oh! Another time I tested 2 hrs after dinner..my number was 10.0...an hr later I was starving...I mean starving...I decided to check again and see what was going on...6.0. I have learned alot doing this home monitoring. I'm just not sure what it all means.
I do beleive that maybe sometimes I make enough, not enough or too much. My numbers seem to be all over the place. Oh! My numbers also drop quite quickly after exercise. I swim 2x a week...and treadmill everyday. My numbers can drop again in the 3s or 4s from the 6s or 7s in an hr.
The wait for an endo is 12 months. Plus, my dr said he couldn't refer me cause the lab says I'm fine.
What a mess.