Gtt Results And Other Lab Results

[missy'smom]

Well I called my dr's office and am going to go pick up a meter tomorrow. They said they have a free one for me and scripts for lancets and strips. I hope it's the meter I wanted lol I can't believe my numbers were that close to being diabetic and he didn't seem to treat it more seriously. I'm in the process of getting the referral to the other endo. I probably won't be able to see her until March but if she knows what she's doing it's worth it. I'll be able to talk to her about the gluten stuff, my thyroid (get my t3 checked) and this whole blood sugar thing. I need to change my eating all over again. I've been so tired lately and sleeping a lot. Hopefully fixing my sugar will help. I really want to fix and reverse this. Hopefully my body will heal and some of these problems will resolve themselves so I can lose these last 10lbs that don't want to leave! lol

Is there a special equation for this blood sugar thing or do I just have to eat and test and go from there? Do any of you know of any iphone apps for this?

So glad to hear your news and that you can get a meter and eventually an endo visit. I want to say that I am sorry I said in my first reply that your numbers were not non-diabetic. That was a little over the top. I just feel so shocked and outraged when I feel that docs are ingnoring their patients health and I know they are often just towing the standard line, which I feel is not set up in the best interest of the patients.

So glad you are on the road to better health. Hope you are feeling much better soon.

[RollingAlong]

I agree that docs should be a little more forthcoming. If I am walking on the edge of a cliff, I'd like to know!

There is a "magic formula" for diabetics, according to Bernstein. It is a Way of Eating abbreviated 6-12-12. In other words, 6 grams of carb at breakfast, 12 at lunch and dinner. no snacks.

I think this is a way too much for you as a non-diabetic, recently diagnosed and healing celiac, whose thyroid isn't necessarily at full function. But I also think you might find the menu ideas and recipes over the Bernstein forum helpful because it is much easier to start low carb and add them back.

Another way you can start is to get an idea of how many carbs you eat at each meal now and which meal makes you feel the worst. It might be breakfast, which would not be unsual. For one thing, that tends to be a pretty carby meal and it is also the meal where most people's glucose tolerance is lowest. (The blood sugar 101 book is full of interesting trivia like that).

Anyway, if you currently eat 100 grams of carb at breakfast, you could try cutting that by 20%. That would be 20 calories fewer from carbs. You would need to replace those 20 calories with 2 g of fat (18 calories) or nearly an ounce of protein (20/4 = 5 and an ounce of meat or an egg is about 6 grams of protein.

Use your meter and also note how you feel. If you want to reduce calories, try that at another meal, but I would advise you to wait until you get the thyroid tests done and more information about your thyroid condition. (Just my opinion; I don't have an autoimmune thyroid condition, just hypo.)

In other words, cutting the carbs down too fast can also make you feel pretty weak. A slower transition gives you time to gather some data, clean out your pantry, make some plans and hopefully have a smooth transition. On the other hand, if you're feeling bad all day, you may want to speed up the transition. Your meter can give you an idea where to focus your efforts.

Be sure to keep us posted; love to brainstorm!

[Skylark]

That's great news you got the glucose meter!

I've been cutting out starches because I'm on GAPS diet. It's pretty easy to fill up if I replace my bread at lunch with a handful of nuts or nut butter on celery, and my rice or potato at dinner with some avocado or olives. I was having some reactive hypoglycemia and it's all cleared up. You have to be careful not to shy away from fats in order to feel full.

[SleepyBunny]

So glad to hear your news and that you can get a meter and eventually an endo visit. I want to say that I am sorry I said in my first reply that your numbers were not non-diabetic. That was a little over the top. I just feel so shocked and outraged when I feel that docs are ingnoring their patients health and I know they are often just towing the standard line, which I feel is not set up in the best interest of the patients.

So glad you are on the road to better health. Hope you are feeling much better soon.

No need to appologize. This is serious and I need to be a big girl and deal with it lol I did freak out at first but now I'm in mission mode. I'm gonna get this under control so thank you

[SleepyBunny]

Well I went to pick up the *mumbles* today I haven't thought of a name for it yet but I'm workin on it I know this may sound silly but I really wanted a Freestyle lite. 1. Because of the small sample size 2. Because it's adorable! I was afraid my free meter from my doctor's office was going to leave a hole in my finger. I showed up and she turned around and handed me a Freestyle Freedom Lite meter. I know testing your bg isn't something to get excited about but when she handed it to me I must say I was a little gitty lol I have already run a control test and was about to run an actual test and chickened out. I was starting feel weak so I figured it was time to eat. So that's my excuse for waiting longer. I have to test after "this" meal I'm so terrified! I can get scratched up by a cat and have no problems but this scares me! Can I just provoke my cat to scratch me and use that? lol (I know I can't but it was funny wasn't it?) I told you guys that after hearing about all of this I've been kinda carbo loading. Well yesterday I didn't eat as many carbs and I don't feel as tired today. Do any of you still just have a moment of weakness and just eat something full of carbs and sugar? Is it ok to do on special occasions as long as you keep it under control other times?

I got my referal to the new endo and am calling tomorrow to make an appointment.

You all mention adding fats to help balance things a little better. Are you all giving me permission to put mayonaise on everything? Cause I can do that lol

@Skylark - I really like almonds, pecans, and walnuts. I'll have to start stocking up. And when I make speghetti sauce I put a can of black olives and ground turkey in it. The funny thing is it actually taste pretty good without pasta.

@RollingAlong - I'm hypo too. I put the anitbodies tests that my endo ran but that was after being on levothyroxine for a few months so I don't know if that would have effected the results or not. Thank you for all the equations. I'll have to look at them a little at a time so my brain doesn't start smoking. I will be posting numbers on here. I would love to brainstorm with all of this too. We can all help each other with food ideas.

I have a question if any of you think you know the answer. Ok I ran the control solution but didn't mark it control. If I don't mark it control right away will I still be able to or do I have to do that right away?

[SleepyBunny]

I agree that docs should be a little more forthcoming. If I am walking on the edge of a cliff, I'd like to know!

There is a "magic formula" for diabetics, according to Bernstein. It is a Way of Eating abbreviated 6-12-12. In other words, 6 grams of carb at breakfast, 12 at lunch and dinner. no snacks.

I think this is a way too much for you as a non-diabetic, recently diagnosed and healing celiac, whose thyroid isn't necessarily at full function. But I also think you might find the menu ideas and recipes over the Bernstein forum helpful because it is much easier to start low carb and add them back.

Another way you can start is to get an idea of how many carbs you eat at each meal now and which meal makes you feel the worst. It might be breakfast, which would not be unsual. For one thing, that tends to be a pretty carby meal and it is also the meal where most people's glucose tolerance is lowest. (The blood sugar 101 book is full of interesting trivia like that).

Anyway, if you currently eat 100 grams of carb at breakfast, you could try cutting that by 20%. That would be 20 calories fewer from carbs. You would need to replace those 20 calories with 2 g of fat (18 calories) or nearly an ounce of protein (20/4 = 5 and an ounce of meat or an egg is about 6 grams of protein.

Use your meter and also note how you feel. If you want to reduce calories, try that at another meal, but I would advise you to wait until you get the thyroid tests done and more information about your thyroid condition. (Just my opinion; I don't have an autoimmune thyroid condition, just hypo.)

In other words, cutting the carbs down too fast can also make you feel pretty weak. A slower transition gives you time to gather some data, clean out your pantry, make some plans and hopefully have a smooth transition. On the other hand, if you're feeling bad all day, you may want to speed up the transition. Your meter can give you an idea where to focus your efforts.

Be sure to keep us posted; love to brainstorm!

Sometimes it seemed when I just ate a meal of a meat and vegetable that's when I would get the weakness in a few hours and that's why I went to the dr in the first place. So I guess I need to find a balance. Today I had a small piece of chicken with some green beans. Few hours later weak.

[SleepyBunny]

Sorry I keep thinking of questions after I post stuff When is the best time to test after meals? 1 or 2 hours or does it matter?

[Skylark]

@Skylark - I really like almonds, pecans, and walnuts. I'll have to start stocking up. And when I make speghetti sauce I put a can of black olives and ground turkey in it. The funny thing is it actually taste pretty good without pasta.

Have it over zucchini or spaghetti squash. Low-carb and super yummy!

Sometimes it seemed when I just ate a meal of a meat and vegetable that's when I would get the weakness in a few hours and that's why I went to the dr in the first place. So I guess I need to find a balance. Today I had a small piece of chicken with some green beans. Few hours later weak.

A small piece of chicken and green beans is no fat, unless you ate the chicken skin or put a generous dab of olive oil on the beans. Also, maybe you just need to eat more frequently.

[missy'smom]

Go ahead and enjoy your mayo! Maybe check the label for sugar content. Some fats keep us satisfied and can give us energy. We need some. The worst thing you can do is to eat high or fast acting carbs and no or low-fat.

I had forgotten about spaghetti squash-it's "low-carb" and good with pesto too, or cinnamon and "butter", or with a bit of crumbled bacon on top.

[SleepyBunny]

Ok I worked up the guts to do it. I tried on my forearm first just cos I was so chicken. I wasn't exprecting what I got. An hour after eating a salad with chicken, carrots, flax seed and dressing and an apple my forearm tested at 63. So I thought it couldn't be right and tested on my index finger and it read 62. This probably explains why I don't feel 100% better after eating. I felt weak and that's why I ate dinner early. And now I feel like I could eat a little more but I'm at work and don't have anything. Any thoughts on this? Maybe my gtt was wrong and I'm supposed to eat a lot of carbs and sugar yes?

[SleepyBunny]

What does squash taste like?

[Skylark]

Ok I worked up the guts to do it. I tried on my forearm first just cos I was so chicken. I wasn't exprecting what I got. An hour after eating a salad with chicken, carrots, flax seed and dressing and an apple my forearm tested at 63. So I thought it couldn't be right and tested on my index finger and it read 62. This probably explains why I don't feel 100% better after eating. I felt weak and that's why I ate dinner early. And now I feel like I could eat a little more but I'm at work and don't have anything. Any thoughts on this? Maybe my gtt was wrong and I'm supposed to eat a lot of carbs and sugar yes?

No wonder you feel weak at 62. My understanding is that if you can settle down the insulin by eating lower carb everything will level out better. Maybe missy'smom can tell you more. My own blood sugar is certainly much better between meals since I've been grain and starch free.

Spaghetti squash has a very mild flavor sort of like acorn squash but not as sweet. You take the seeds out, cut it in half, and bake it like any winter squash. Then use a fork and run it along the length of the squash and the inside comes out in strands.

[SleepyBunny]

Have it over zucchini or spaghetti squash. Low-carb and super yummy!

A small piece of chicken and green beans is no fat, unless you ate the chicken skin or put a generous dab of olive oil on the beans. Also, maybe you just need to eat more frequently.

I always put olive oil on my chicken before I cook it but I'm sure that's not enough. I'm not afraid of fat I'm afraid of calories. I really don't want to go back to the weight I was. I just gotta learn how to balance all of this. But like you said balancing my sugar should help with weight loss. *fingers crossed*

Go ahead and enjoy your mayo! Maybe check the label for sugar content. Some fats keep us satisfied and can give us energy. We need some. The worst thing you can do is to eat high or fast acting carbs and no or low-fat.

I had forgotten about spaghetti squash-it's "low-carb" and good with pesto too, or cinnamon and "butter", or with a bit of crumbled bacon on top.

You don't have to tell me twice I'm gonna have to buy one of those restaurant size jars of mayo I have a few salad dressings I love but I checked and they are either fat free or low fat. I like a good amount of dressing on my salad so I figured this was good so I don't end up over doing it. I need to find a source of fat to add into all of this. After a while I even stopped adding my dairy free butter to my potatoes because of the soy. I was just putting sea salt. But now I figure a little soy is ok. I heard soy can be bad for the thyroid. I also heard conflicting things about iodine so my salt doesn't have iodine. I probably need more of that too

No wonder you feel weak at 62. My understanding is that if you can settle down the insulin by eating lower carb everything will level out better. Maybe missy'smom can tell you more. My own blood sugar is certainly much better between meals since I've been grain and starch free.

Spaghetti squash has a very mild flavor sort of like acorn squash but not as sweet. You take the seeds out, cut it in half, and bake it like any winter squash. Then use a fork and run it along the length of the squash and the inside comes out in strands.

I would love to try spaghetti squash. I've never had any kind of squash before so this should be interesting I try to stay away from grains for the most part but I find if I go to the store after work and I'm hungry I'll buy some rice chips lol When it comes to cookies or chips I end up eating most of them right away. I guess cos I feel deprived sometimes and they taste so good.

A couple of hours after my 62 reading my friend gave me a few jelly beans. Sugar! A few hours after that I tested before I ate and it was 74. Kinda weird that it went up when I felt so hungry. I ate some scrambled eggs, refried beans and a couple real corn tortillas. A figured a good amount of protein and some carbs. I tested an hour later and it was 117. I feel full and happy. Hopefully I won't have any reactions to any of it. The only thing that sucks besides the pain was having to stick my finger more than once cos not enough blood came out and then getting a strip error for taking too long. So now I only have one strip left. Guess I'm making a trip to the pharmacy tomorrow and the bank to fill out a loan application for the strips lol

[missy'smom]

No wonder you feel weak at 62. My understanding is that if you can settle down the insulin by eating lower carb everything will level out better. Maybe missy'smom can tell you more. My own blood sugar is certainly much better between meals since I've been grain and starch free.

Yes, that's my experience as well. I had nice stable BG on low carb.

I don't think your ogtt was a fluke. My Bg is that way. I can get mild lows but go really high too.

83 is perfectly normal, 60 something is a bit low. I'd feel yucky and weak at that. Even 70 something finds me feeling it. One thing you can do is used a measured dose of glucose to bring your BG up and not overdo. You could get dextrotabs from the pharmacy and take just one if your BG is low, until you figure out how to balance your meals to avoid it, if that's possible. Some diabetics use sweet tarts or smarties instead of the glucose tablets but that requires some self-control and knowing how many and sticking with a set dose.

Bunny your testing results are interesting. Keep testing and see what happens. I would have liked to see what your 2 hr number was after the second meal with the beans, eggs and tortillas, if your BG went up still as the food was digested.

Testing will help you get a good balance. Maybe you could have had a bit more carb with the salad. Your BG went up because of the jelly beans. My results probably would have been similar. Sometimes it takes a bit to get up from a low.

For me, things like being cold lower my BG and I end up mildly hypo.

You mentioned too that you don't eat breakfast, so I am wondering if that chicken meal was your first of the day and prior to it you were hypo and didn't realize it and the meal didn't give you enough carbs to bring your BG up. If you think that might be, then maybe add a little more carb, not all sugary and refined

I used to regulary go hypo in the early a.m. sleep, felt uncomfortable and tossed and turned and finally started waking myself up and testing.

[RollingAlong]

"mission mode" - I like that!

fat is your friend!

I really like spaghetti squash. It also freezes well so I can cook once, eat many...

[SleepyBunny]

Yes, that's my experience as well. I had nice stable BG on low carb.

I don't think your ogtt was a fluke. My Bg is that way. I can get mild lows but go really high too.

83 is perfectly normal, 60 something is a bit low. I'd feel yucky and weak at that. Even 70 something finds me feeling it. One thing you can do is used a measured dose of glucose to bring your BG up and not overdo. You could get dextrotabs from the pharmacy and take just one if your BG is low, until you figure out how to balance your meals to avoid it, if that's possible. Some diabetics use sweet tarts or smarties instead of the glucose tablets but that requires some self-control and knowing how many and sticking with a set dose.

Bunny your testing results are interesting. Keep testing and see what happens. I would have liked to see what your 2 hr number was after the second meal with the beans, eggs and tortillas, if your BG went up still as the food was digested.

Testing will help you get a good balance. Maybe you could have had a bit more carb with the salad. Your BG went up because of the jelly beans. My results probably would have been similar. Sometimes it takes a bit to get up from a low.

For me, things like being cold lower my BG and I end up mildly hypo.

You mentioned too that you don't eat breakfast, so I am wondering if that chicken meal was your first of the day and prior to it you were hypo and didn't realize it and the meal didn't give you enough carbs to bring your BG up. If you think that might be, then maybe add a little more carb, not all sugary and refined

I used to regulary go hypo in the early a.m. sleep, felt uncomfortable and tossed and turned and finally started waking myself up and testing.

Why do you say my reults are interesting? Is that good or bad?? I've been feeling more awake without the chips and stuff I'm going to start loading a bunch of snacks and take them to work so I can snack more frequently and keep things balanced.

"mission mode" - I like that!

fat is your friend!

I really like spaghetti squash. It also freezes well so I can cook once, eat many...

Thanks I sometimes am on a mission or in "the zone" lol I bought a big spaghetti squash and am going to make some "pasta" with sauce ground turkey and olives. I'll freeze most of it so I'll have quick meals. I'm going to feed some to my husband and see what he thinks

[SleepyBunny]

Ok I tested about 3 times today. For lunch I had some Singapore Street Noodles from PF Changs. I could live off of those It's rice noodles, chicken, shrimp and I tell them to substitute their veggies and just put broccoli. Sooooo good I tested about 2 hours after and my bg was 87. No spike yay! Then for dinner I had a turkey burger patty, 4 small potatoes with sea salt and carrots cooked in butter (fat! ) with season salt. I tested an hour later and my bg was 108. For dessert I had some apple with crunchy peanut butter. I tested an hour after that (2 hours after dinner) and my bg was 93. So I had a few more apple slices with peanut butter. I feel a little full now

i probably shouldn't have eaten the second set of apple slices, but they were so good with the peanut butter

I don't know how some of you test more than once! I've already tested on 4 of my fingers and it's only been 2 days I'm running out of places lol

[missy'smom]

5 fingers on each hand X 3 sites on each finger X 2 hands = plenty of test sites!

Interesting=neither good nor bad, just not what I would expect, but that's why it's better to test! These things are not predicatable, even for the docs.

[RollingAlong]

Your 2 hour #'s from Wednesday look good and I am so glad to hear that you are feeling a bit better.

Next time, how about a set of 1 hour #'s? That's 1 hour from the first bite of the meal or snack.

thanks!

[SleepyBunny]

Oops I was testing from the end of the meal lol I keep trying to test an hour after and then I get busy and forget. I'm wokring on it though The spaghetti squash was good. It was drowning in sauce so even if it tasted bad I couldn't tell which is good to me lol Thank you for the encouraging words

[Skylark]

Glad to hear you liked the spaghetti squash as a "sauce holder". It doesn't really have a very strong flavor on its own.

If I'm around the house trying to remember something in an hour, I set the oven timer.

[missy'smom]

Oh, yeah! I HAVE to set a timer. No way can I mange not to. I bought a little one that is a kitchen timer for the hearing impaired so I can switch it to no sound and a flashing light or vibrate when I am out in church etc. It does sound too for at home. There is one on the meters but I wanted the no sound option and setting the timer on the meter frustrates me. My separate timer has buttons that are easier to push and set.

[SleepyBunny]

Yeah I've always been picky when it comes to vegetables but I'm trying. Don't really have much of a choice now lol My husband liked the squash too. I found a recipe where you make it with garlic and shrimp so I'll have to try it and let you all know how it comes out

Well last night I had a meal of battered cod, some small potatoes and peas. Also a few drinks a couple of hours before that Well I tested an hour after eating and it was 107. Today for dinner I had some chicken and potatoes and an hour later it was 101. Just tested again and it was 93. So I don't get all of this. My numbers seem to be fine. Why would the test show what it did? I'm just trying to understand it all. Sorry about all the potatoes. I know I shouldn't be eating so many but I'm weak lol

[missy'smom]

Bunny, that's why it's a good idea to rotate testing times, to see if you catch and highs or lows. Now it seems you've got a bunch of good 1 hrs. you can consider moving on to a round of 2 hrs. Your Ogtt. showed that BG barely budged at 2 hrs. when it is supposed to go down more than it did. Food is different sometimes. Digestion may slow it not giving much of a peak at hr 1 but sometimes it catched up at hr 2 or 3 as more of your meal gets digested. The other thing you could do it pick 1 meal and do both a 1 hr. and a 2 hr. test on that meal, then you can see what the patterns are.

So you have 2 experiment choices:

Do a round of 2 hrs. for a couple meals a day.

OR

Do a 1 and 2 hr. for 1 meal a day(depending on your strip allotment)

Be sure you are testing 1 hr. and 2 hrs. out from the first bite

Also have the meals you tested so far covered all the forms of carb you plan to eat? all the fruits, grains etc. It may be that potatoes work well for you in the portion that you are consuming. It may be that other things impact you more. It is generally said that waxy potatoes are better than baking potatoes and mashed may impact more because they are easily digested.

It's hard to know what is going on without knowing what your diet used to be and what it is now-what all changes you've made, but seems like you're on the right track!

[RollingAlong]

other possible variables -

the amount of exercise you've gotten recently (not just that day)

the time of day you eat the carbs. You may handle more at dinner.

Stress such as a cold or emotional upset.

It really is a puzzle and a very individual one!