Should my blood sugar be this low?

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glassyo
glassyo Posts: 7,598 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Back story: Diagnosed as prediabetic last April. Still prediabetic last September.

I SUCK at being prediabetic and this is mostly about not being regular with blood sugar testing.

Now the question.

I've pretty much lost control of my eating since the holidays. Come girl scout cookie time, I'm not even joking when I say I've polished off whole boxes of tagalongs and those lemon ones (thank god there are only 12 cookies in those) in one sitting. Carbs at one time with the tagalongs were 99 and 90, I think, for the lemon ones.

I was curious and tested my blood sugar like a few hours after each and it was 103 after the tagalongs and 84 after the lemon ones.

How is that even possible???? Even with the exercise I do when coming home from work beforehand, shouldn't it be higher?

Using the control solution on my monitor says it's within normal range, test strips not expired, I've finally figured out how to get a good drop of blood...

Any ideas? I don't WANT it to be higher but there's definitely something I'm not understanding here.

As always, please and thank you in advance. 😀

Replies

  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,618 Member
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    glassyo wrote: »
    Back story: Diagnosed as prediabetic last April. Still prediabetic last September.

    I SUCK at being prediabetic and this is mostly about not being regular with blood sugar testing.

    Now the question.

    I've pretty much lost control of my eating since the holidays. Come girl scout cookie time, I'm not even joking when I say I've polished off whole boxes of tagalongs and those lemon ones (thank god there are only 12 cookies in those) in one sitting. Carbs at one time with the tagalongs were 99 and 90, I think, for the lemon ones.

    I was curious and tested my blood sugar like a few hours after each and it was 103 after the tagalongs and 84 after the lemon ones.

    How is that even possible???? Even with the exercise I do when coming home from work beforehand, shouldn't it be higher?

    Using the control solution on my monitor says it's within normal range, test strips not expired, I've finally figured out how to get a good drop of blood...

    Any ideas? I don't WANT it to be higher but there's definitely something I'm not understanding here.

    As always, please and thank you in advance. 😀

    Please ask your doctor these questions. Anyone here would just be speculating, and could lead you into making dangerous decisions with your health.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,925 Member
    edited March 8
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    The basic ingredients make a difference when it comes to digestion, or what you ate a few hours before. Basically there too many factors and unless you track this a few times and under the same circumstances your not going to be able to say, even then it's not reliable or desirable. What your not understanding imo and what is a given, eating food like that will do the exact opposite for your health concerns. Also 84 is in the normal range and not a low number. Basically what's happened is the one cookie was metabolized quicker than the other, that's it, and not to be diagnosed as one being better than the other, because your n:1 was an example of how not to eat and control blood glucose levels considering your borderline diabetes.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,652 Member
    edited March 8
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    @glassyo am I misremembering or do you not have additional medical conditions--ones related to the speed of passage of food through your body?

    A quick search says that the condition I believe you have CAN affect blood sugar levels.

    And your setup is definitely complicated enough where doctor / registered dietitian -- maybe even one who also deals with diabetes education -- could/should be enlisted to consider your n=1 history as a whole?
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,454 Member
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    IMO, you need to get to your doctor and possibly a Registered Dietitian to help you sort this out.

    In the meantime, throw out any Girl Scout cookies you have in your house. Good luck.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,652 Member
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    Thought gastroparesis. So "offside" for me 🤣
  • Corina1143
    Corina1143 Posts: 2,933 Member
    edited March 8
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    I know absolutely nothing about diabetes, blood glucose, etc.
    Years ago when I told my dietician type 2 diabetes runs in our family and I want to avoid it, she told me to never eat anything sweet without 7 grams of protein. Maybe it doesn't take much protein.
    The "glucose goddess " says eat veggies first, then protein, then carbs to avoid glucose spike. If you had cookies after lunch, maybe that helped.
    A question. Like I said, I know nothing. But doesn't the spike come 20-30 minutes after you eat sugar?
    The "glucose goddess " also says walk or be active 10 minutes after eating. We're you active?
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,598 Member
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    Corina1143 wrote: »
    I know absolutely nothing about diabetes, blood glucose, etc.
    Years ago when I told my dietician type 2 diabetes runs in our family and I want to avoid it, she told me to never eat anything sweet without 7 grams of protein. Maybe it doesn't take much protein.
    The "glucose goddess " says eat veggies first, then protein, then carbs to avoid glucose spike. If you had cookies after lunch, maybe that helped.
    A question. Like I said, I know nothing. But doesn't the spike come 20-30 minutes after you eat sugar?
    The "glucose goddess " also says walk or be active 10 minutes after eating. We're you active?

    I've come across the glucose goddess in my internet travels and picked up the meal sequencing thing. Usually. :)

    I also found this in my internet travels:
    Reactive hypoglycemia is symptomatic, and occurs due to an abnormally rapid rise in blood glucose after eating, followed by an equally steep crash. It occurs repeatedly in affected individuals, and is considered a prediabetic state.

    At least that almost makes sense and would be an answer.

    The 7 grams of protein advice is interesting. One of the things I wondered was macro percentages with the sequencing and if it matters.

    You're supposed to test blood sugar 2 hours after starting eating . My doctor prescribed once in the morning and then after dinner.

    I've been thinking of buying an at home a1c test to keep an eye on things since they're going back to testing once a year.

    Was I active? I have a desk job so not at work since the boss was there but once I got home...I don't work out hard...just long. I either walk outside or do walking dvds or just pace while watching a tv show.

    LOL my questions always seem so dumb once I walk away from them for a bit.

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