Blood sugar drops after eating??

kimberlyandkeith · 03-16-2002, 12:03 AM

Ok, guys, I'm monitoring my blood sugar hardcore this week, between endo visits. I don't have my results back, so I don't currently know if I am diabetic or not... but here's the deal.

Before lunch, my bs was 72 (LOW!) Two hours later, it was only 81!!

Before dinner, my bs was 100 even, and two hours later it was only 75.

What is going on???

Kimberly

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Kimberly
22/Married for 2 years/TTC 2 years
Weights:
Jan 2001: 277
Jan 2002: 240
Current: 238
Goal: 145

Semi-diagnosed 2/15/2002
Meeting with Endocrinologist 3/13
Symptoms: Weight Issues, Skin Tags, Hypertension, Irregular Cycles, and Infertility
Currently Low-carb with some herbal remedies

kaffee · 03-18-2002, 02:48 PM

It doesn't sound like diabetes to me, but I'm not sure of your history. Are you on any sort of meds right now?

That happens to me if I take my insulin and then eat a meal with very few carbs in it. Not sure if that is what is going on with you or not.

Kathy

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Pregnant finally! EDD July 3,2002

Type II Diabetes 02/01
PCOS 05/01

"Life is 10% what you make it, and 90% how you take it."
-Irving Berlin

[This message has been edited by kaffee (edited 03-18-2002).]

MJ4991 · 03-22-2002, 04:00 PM

It sounds like Insulin Resistance to me. I have the same problem. It is very frustrating. Have they told you that you have IR? When you do, you're body produces so much insulin to keep your blood sugars normal, which they are. But when you have lots of carbs or sugar (or maybe when you just eat -period) your body is just producing too much insulin, which is causing your BS to get lower. Be very careful, as I have had some really severe episodes of hypoglycemia. Take care, and hope this helps!
~Meg

Branwen · 03-22-2002, 08:40 PM

I have the same exact thing and I am not diabetic. I'm mildly hypoglycemic. I will try to explain what is happening as best I can.

When you eat something, the nutrients are converted to glucose and go into your bood stream so your cells can be "fed". Your pancreas gets the message that you have eaten and that there is glucose in your blood and it begins producing insulin. (You can think of the insulin as the sugar's "escort" to the cell. The sugar can't get into the cells without insulin to act as a catalyst.) Anyway, the insulin escorts the sugar to the cells of the body and "says" to the cells, "We have some sugar here, let us in." In normal people, the insulin then binds with the cell's receptors and takes up the sugar. In US, for some reason the cell doesn't respond initially. The pancreas gets the message that the sugar isn't being taken up by the cells so it pumps out yet more insulin. The insulin then goes to the cell and yells this time, "HEY!" let us in! We have sugar!" And it basically brute forces the sugar into the cells. What is causing your blood sugar to DROP after eating is this: By the time your cells begin taking up the sugar, there is way too much insulin in the bloodstream so the cells end up taking in too much sugar, thus the drop in blood sugar. While this may sound like it takes a long time, in the body it can happen in a matter of a half hour to an hour. In fact, your blood sugar may not rise very much at all before your pancreas starts going nuts, over producing insulin to make sure that sugar gets taken up. (That's the way it is for me, anyway.)
One of the explanations for this insulin resistance is that we women with PCOS and Type II have a shortage of insulin receptors at the cellular level. They have discovered what those insulin receptors are made of and are doing alot of research on supplementing women with PCOS with this substance. As a matter of fact, I am at the end of a study for it and have had phenomenol results (I'm not hypoglycemic anymore).
Anyway, in a nutshell, your pancreas is working overtime to make sure everything is going ok in your body. It's actually working alittle "too well", thus the low blood sugar. The problem is that your pancreas can't keep up that pace forever and if/when it gets pooped out, you will develop Type II. (Hopeflly that won't ever happen). Ive found a few things that have really helped me TONS. Stay away from ALL refined sugar. No sodas, cookies, chocolate, etc. Low carb, but learn which carbs are good and bad. For example, get brown rice instead of white. Red potatoes instead of white, rye or wheat bread instead of white. Get a book on Diabetic diets and start following it now so you don't wind up with Type II. Also, flaxseed oil and cod liver oil aids in metbaolism because it contains Omega 3 fatty acids. Try a supplement that contains D Chiro Inositol like carob or soy lecithin. Believe me, it works! And be patient because it takes awhile to kick in. I was on it for 4 months before I noticed any results. I used to have one period every one to two years and now my cycles are exactly 30 days apart. Good Luck and I hope this helps.

~Lori~ · 03-22-2002, 09:34 PM

Actually your levels don't seem low to me. Under 65 would be starting to go low but 72-81 is normal. Be happy. If they were low you would feel it. I have had mine drop in the 40's and it is the worst feeling in the world. I feel sick, break out in a sweat and feel like if I don't do something immediately I'm going to pass out. Your levels should range between 80-140 depending on when you check them.

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Lori

Dx 07/01
Type II Diabetes 10/00
IR 09/01
Insulin 3x's daily
Pre Natal vitamins
EDD 09-27-02
lorimckenzie@earthlink.net

t_r_cabriolet · 03-22-2002, 10:44 PM

Branwen, you mentioned you were taking part in a study. Where was it and what did it involve? Where they actually testing carob and lecithin on people? Proactive Woman in the Alternative Meds page of this website has been talking about this also. What did you find out?

Branwen · 03-24-2002, 07:19 PM

The study I have been in is from Insmed Pharmaceuticals. It was a 9 month clinical trial for D Chiro Inositol and it is in pill form. They are conducting tests on it so they can get it approved by the FDA. I have been in the study for 8 months now and have had great results. Unfortunately the study will be over for me at the end of next month so I am going to begin taking soy lecithin and carob to keep the D Chiro in my system since I will no longer be able to get it in pure form anymore. I'm hoping I will be able to get a sufficient amount of the DCI from the supplements.

kathleyne · 04-24-2002, 11:46 PM

I'm really confused - my 3 hour test was 62, even though everything else was normal. That's pretty low, and it got lower as the evening went on - I ended up in the ER throwing up, shaking, etc. My question is this - what happens to the sugar when it's finally let into the cells? On my sorry body it's not coming back out, I can tell you that! It's being stored as fat. Can anyone tell me why?