Confused about blood sugar numbers

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strategicchibi
strategicchibi Posts: 38 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I failed two readings on my three hour glucose tolerance test. They gave me a diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes.

There were some issues before the test. I was up until 5 am, having a severe argument that lasted all night. I fasted for 14 hours instead of 8. I had neglected to eat any carbs the day before, and had a chromium deficiency from neglecting prenatals for a couple months.

I went to a class for GD and got my glucose meter. Following their recommendations in diet gave me low readings, and made me feel like I was starving. So I began eating normally again, and felt much better. My average blood glucose for this month is 93 mg/dL.

Eating normally gives me healthy blood glucose readings for a non-diabetic. I am sedentary and don't exercise for the most part.

Out of confusion and curiosity, I drank a regular pepsi (much to my dismay, because HFCS makes me sick to my stomach), and tested after 45 minutes, one, and two hours. My results: 114mg/dL, 102mg/dL, and 98 mg/dL respectively.


Researching further suggested I eat a cup of white rice for dinner, and test after that. I ate two cups of cooked white rice, and tested after 45 minutes, 118 mg/dL. After an hour, 101 mg/dL.


So...what gives? Faulty meter? Or botched test?

Replies

  • leahraskie
    leahraskie Posts: 260 Member
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    I think when they did a hematocrit on me they said being stressed or nervous can cause weird blood sugar levels.


    Not eating carbs and chromium deficiency shouldn't effect your blood sugar results for higher, they should be lower than normal if anything. Blood sugar meters are less accurate than the tests that they perform at the hospital, the differences can be substantial.
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
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    I go in for my one hour glucose test next week, so I'll be interested to see what insight people here might have. I would be talking to the doctor, and asking to be retested, but I don't have any other suggestions for you. I hope you are able to get it figured out, and start feeling better soon.
  • strategicchibi
    strategicchibi Posts: 38 Member
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    Thank you! I was tested twice during pregnancy, passed the first with flying colors, and I think I borderline failed this time around. I don't recall my numbers.
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
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    Thank you! I was tested twice during pregnancy, passed the first with flying colors, and I think I borderline failed this time around. I don't recall my numbers.

    It seems unusual they'd do the gtt if you passed the first test. Did they start finding glucose in your urine?
  • strategicchibi
    strategicchibi Posts: 38 Member
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    Not eating carbs and chromium deficiency shouldn't effect your blood sugar results for higher, they should be lower than normal if anything. Blood sugar meters are less accurate than the tests that they perform at the hospital, the differences can be substantial.

    Actually, pregnant women on the paleo or other low carb diets ring up as having GD when they take the 3 hour GTT.
  • strategicchibi
    strategicchibi Posts: 38 Member
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    Thank you! I was tested twice during pregnancy, passed the first with flying colors, and I think I borderline failed this time around. I don't recall my numbers.

    It seems unusual they'd do the gtt if you passed the first test. Did they start finding glucose in your urine?

    I meant they did the 3 hour test twice. I was spilling sugar into my urine in the second trimester, but my 3 hour test was perfect the first time I took it. This last one seems really strange.
  • leahraskie
    leahraskie Posts: 260 Member
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    Not eating carbs and chromium deficiency shouldn't effect your blood sugar results for higher, they should be lower than normal if anything. Blood sugar meters are less accurate than the tests that they perform at the hospital, the differences can be substantial.

    Actually, pregnant women on the paleo or other low carb diets ring up as having GD when they take the 3 hour GTT.

    That's really strange since carbs turn into glucose, and low carb would in turn cause lower blood glucose. Something to do with pregnancy hormones potentially?
  • strategicchibi
    strategicchibi Posts: 38 Member
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    I just ate a very bad amount of gummy worms, (they're my vice) probably three servings worth. This was probably about 57 grams of sugar. Tested after an hour. 169 mg/dL.
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
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    Thank you! I was tested twice during pregnancy, passed the first with flying colors, and I think I borderline failed this time around. I don't recall my numbers.

    It seems unusual they'd do the gtt if you passed the first test. Did they start finding glucose in your urine?

    I meant they did the 3 hour test twice. I was spilling sugar into my urine in the second trimester, but my 3 hour test was perfect the first time I took it. This last one seems really strange.

    Ah, I see. Well, I can't say about the likelihood of a false positive, but it sounds possible. The reason it could be positive now after an earlier negative, and why they retested you, is that beginning in the third trimester, the placenta produces a hormone that interferes with the proper response to insulin.

    I would still see about getting retested, but it won't help unless you follow the carb recommendation for the day before, and the specified hours of fasting. I would also try for the best night of sleep you can get the night before.
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
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    I just ate a very bad amount of gummy worms, (they're my vice) probably three servings worth. This was probably about 57 grams of sugar. Tested after an hour. 169 mg/dL.

    That's not a terrific reading. I'd recommend you stop the sugar doses until you talk to your doctor about all of this. I imagine you're at the stage of two-week intervals? I'd also guess you haven't been in this week, because I imagine you'd have talked to them about all of this.
  • strategicchibi
    strategicchibi Posts: 38 Member
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    I've been coming in every week, and they saw a few of my numbers before. I've been waiting on more test strips and went crazy testing all day. I go in tomorrow.

    It's not a terrific reading, but it's not the reading my stepfather with type 2 diabetes would get. He'd probably keel over from the amount of sugar.
  • ralksd
    ralksd Posts: 3
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    Had GD years ago, now a type 2. Your glucose going to 169..you have GD. A non-diabetic could eat a case of gummy bears and would produce enuf insulin to handle. (their glucose would not rise that high.)
    Good news...once you deliver, it will go away..immediately.
    the bad news, you are more than likely to become diabetic later in life. A healthy (eat right, exercise) lifestyle may hold it off for a very long time...but heredity, and your own system may catch up with you.

    Is this 1st pregnancy? If so, it probably will not return for a second. (Mine didn't) When I found out I was pregnant for 2nd time, I immediately went on DB diet, never became DB with that pregnancy.:smile:
  • strategicchibi
    strategicchibi Posts: 38 Member
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    So based on my results, I don't need to do anything special other than not eat 60 grams of sugar in one sitting, like a normal human being.
  • ralksd
    ralksd Posts: 3
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    Sounds like your numbers are fine when you eat normal (healthy). What did MD say about diet? Did they want you to track carbs or sugars (fasting, two hours after meals,etc). Doesn't sound like they gave you DB meds....so that makes you diet-controlled.

    I'm certainly not an MD, but would advise you follow their instructions. Just stay informed....such as, sugars may get worse with pregnancy , so keep tracking them. Fasting (when you get up) and two hours after meals give the most accurate info.

    Good luck!

    Kathy
  • strategicchibi
    strategicchibi Posts: 38 Member
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    They gave me a huge carb limitation, which after awhile I've been blatantly ignoring because it made me extremely hungry. So even when I eat unhealthily, my numbers are fine. It's just when I consume massive quantities of corn syrup that I get high readings.

    I sound like a really irresponsible pregnant lady, not at all...just hungry and stressed out by all this lol
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
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    They gave me a huge carb limitation, which after awhile I've been blatantly ignoring because it made me extremely hungry. So even when I eat unhealthily, my numbers are fine. It's just when I consume massive quantities of corn syrup that I get high readings.

    I sound like a really irresponsible pregnant lady, not at all...just hungry and stressed out by all this lol

    You are going to need to talk to your doc about all of this, and follow the recommendations you're given. If the doc doesn't change things, I'd ask for a referral to a Registered Dietician. Do go trying to decide for yourself what you need. There's too much at stake.
  • strategicchibi
    strategicchibi Posts: 38 Member
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    Two hours after the gummy worm incident left me at 125 mg/dL.

    I plan on talking to the doctor about this, because at this point, I really want an answer to my confusion. I'll follow their dietary guidelines as long as I get enough food in my system for my daughter and myself, which their initial diet recommendation did not fulfill. I was miserable.
  • strategicchibi
    strategicchibi Posts: 38 Member
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    Thank you to everyone who replied and gave me some insight on this situation. I've been obsessing over it because my readings would indicate that I'm healthy when apparently I'm not.
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
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    Two hours after the gummy worm incident left me at 125 mg/dL.

    I plan on talking to the doctor about this, because at this point, I really want an answer to my confusion. I'll follow their dietary guidelines as long as I get enough food in my system for my daughter and myself, which their initial diet recommendation did not fulfill. I was miserable.

    That's good. I hope they're able to help you feel better.

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