Unexpected high occurred when driving alone
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juliegetshealthy
Posts: 24 Member
So I drove to my hometown today to see a play. When I got done with the play I checked my blood glucose level and it was 86. It takes more than an hour to drive home and I did not want a low, so I went through McDonald's drive through (only thing nearby and open) and got two fish fillets, no cheese/sauce/bun. I ate it and headed home. I started having trouble staying awake and did not know quite what to do. It was raining and dark. I made it home and tested my BG. It was 176 (a bit more than an hour after eating). I am trying to figure out what I should have done to counteract this problem. I am relatively new to diagnosis and have not encountered this situation before. I have been low a few times and had my lifesavers on me but not high (for me) when I couldn't lay down and sleep or get out and walk. In assessing the situation I should have gotten the grilled chicken fillet rather than the fish fillet, I was surprised to see how little protein was in that fish when I looked it up a bit ago. I also should have taken my metformin dose with that meal.
I am looking for some suggestions of some portable food that I could stick in my purse when i need to eat something and there isn't a good food choice available (there are no stores or gas stations between my hometown and until I am nearly home). I am prepared with lifesavers for a low but what do I do in the reverse situation? Thanks for any help and sorry so long.
I am looking for some suggestions of some portable food that I could stick in my purse when i need to eat something and there isn't a good food choice available (there are no stores or gas stations between my hometown and until I am nearly home). I am prepared with lifesavers for a low but what do I do in the reverse situation? Thanks for any help and sorry so long.
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Julie - I don't seem too bothered by "lows". When they happen, just eating something takes care of it. Although 179 is higher than you'd like, I don't think that it would cause symptoms like sleepiness. It seems like you would not need to "reverse" that. It just is what it is.....
You are smart to be thinking of planning ahead. I sometimes carry Weight Watchers cheese sticks (sometimes all day). I don't worry too much about no refrigeration and they are neat and easy to keep in a purse. I haven't ever tested after I eat one or two but I suspect that they would not impact my BG too much - just enough to get me less shaky. A friend of mine has a little thermal lunch bag and she keeps hard boiled eggs on hand when she has a long "adventurous" day. I also keep something like lifesavers but I don't usually need them.
Hope this helps
Toni
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I'm glad you made it home safely! This is an important conversation to have with your doctor, so that get her input on how to best treat a low blood sugar. The American Diabetes Association has guidelines here: http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/blood-glucose-control/hypoglycemia-low-blood.html Also, metformin doesn't lower your blood sugar right away; it acts more to reduce insulin resistance over time and keep your liver from producing too much blood sugar. If you haven't been to a diabetes education program, ask your physician for a referral. I think you'll find it really helpful. ~Lynn /Glucerna0
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Thanks ladies. Lots to learn.0
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I carry unsalted mixed nuts in a snack baggie in my purse at all times. They are substantial and don't need refrigeration. You can usually find them at most convenience stores too.0
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@juliegetshealthy .. 176 one hour after eating is not out of bounds ... When testing your BG after a meal the measurement needs to be at 2 hours after starting the meal ... at 1 hour, you were probably at the highest it got ...
86 BG is not unusually low either, and does not need to be treated unless you are having other symptoms of low glucose ... the target for low sugar treatment is below 70 ... that's the point you really need to treat it with some fast acting carb intake.
Here are the targets for blood glucose readings goals ...
Fasting, 70-130
2 hours after a meal, under 180
bedtime, 90-150
AIC, under 7& for a diabetic, under 5.6 means no diabetes.
Along with that, the other important blood numbers that are only available when you doctor has the blood tested are (usually 3 months to 12 months apart, depending on your case)
LDL-c (the lousy cholesterol), equal to or under 150
HDL-c (the healthy cholesterol), equal to or over 40
Blood Pressure, euqal to or under 140/80
As for the effect of drowsiness you had from the McDonalds ... i am totally not surprised. The Fish Fillet was one of my favorite sandwiches until I found out how high it is in carbs and fat from the frying and breading. Turns a good protein into a bad one. And it always made me drowsy also ... especially late at night while driving for an hour.
As for snack suggestions of portable food ... a palm full of walnuts or almonds, a small apple, a handful of grapes, an ounce of cheese (think Baby Bella or string cheese), even a glucerna snack bar.
Good luck ... we all learn as we go along this path of keeping a tight control over this disease.
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Thanks NK1112. I know my numbers weren't bad but the drowsiness was very worrisome. Good to know the info on the fish fillet (high carb and fat combining to turn it into a bad protein). I could not figure it out.0
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Just for reference, not advocating McDonald's but to their credit they have been publishing nutrition information for a while. http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/food_quality/nutrition_choices.html
Ingredients list including sauces:
http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/getnutrition/ingredientslist.pdf
Nutrition information ala standard food labels:
http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/getnutrition/nutritionfacts.pdf0 -
String cheese sticks or mini babybel cheese are easy to carry around an don't really need refrigeration, peanut butter crackers or cheese crackers are easy and can be kept in the car. Usually when I use those I don't eat the whole package, they are awfully dry. Small pieces of fruit like apples, grapes, clementines (although they require peeling) are also a handy snack to have on hand.0
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juliegetshealthy wrote: »Thanks NK1112. I know my numbers weren't bad but the drowsiness was very worrisome. Good to know the info on the fish fillet (high carb and fat combining to turn it into a bad protein). I could not figure it out.
McDonalds ... though I truly do love the taste ... makes me drowsy also. And, it was a big contributor to my ending up on MFP trying to trim down.
Good luck.0 -
@juliegetshealthy ... I've been paying closer attention since reading your post ... and guess what, I also get a grogginess about 1 hour after a meal ... I've just never paid much attention to them (the grogs) and they pass within 10 or 15 minutes. The BGC readings are not out of any healthy range either ... just the highest point after a meal. Hmmm... something I need to ask about when I see my doc.
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