Question on Insulin/Sugar levels

eww · 06-09-2008, 07:26 PM

Ok so my dr nonchalantly told me I'm testing insulin resistant for the first time ever today. Surprised? You could say so. And now I'm trying to figure out how bad it is. The numbers he gave me are as follows. My insulin is 243??? But my sugars aren't bad at 4. Confused? Definitely. I've tried looking up stuff in the Newbie road map and normal ranges but I seem to be reading it wrong, or remembering it wrong because it says "70" is good. Which cannot be real. Or the same measuring system or something. I'm in Canada so maybe that's the issue? Anyway. Some help interpreting would be good. Thanks.

Monarch · 06-11-2008, 11:32 PM

It is really confusing at first. Was the 4 a result of an A1C test? Did your doctor tell you to start testing your blood sugars daily? If so, a normal fasting glucose(first thing in the AM) is under 105. 2 hrs after a meal blood sugar should be under 140. 70 is on the lower side I would say above 80 is better. Personally when I am at 70 I feel shakey.
I hope I answered your questions!

~Sandra · 06-11-2008, 11:42 PM

4 is a fabulous fasting number. 4-6 is great, 6-7 is impaired glucose tolerance and 7 and up is diabetic. There are calculators online that do the US/Canada conversion. Let me do a search for you.

eww · 06-11-2008, 11:42 PM

4 was using the measurement system mmol/L. I'm not sure of the test name. It was a random glucose/insulin test. They were supposed to be testing prolactin levels and threw a bunch of other things in as extras. The dr tld me that I'm insulin resistant. It was a shock because I'd never tested IR before, though I'd always felt very sick doing OGT tests, and I have always (since I can remember) had AG (the brown thick patches of skin). He didn't say much, just that it was part in parcel with the PCOS and that my Endo should up my met from 1000mg to 2000mg when I see him next. I'm wondering if I should be testing blood glucose?? Should I cut out all bread/pasta/rice?? Even if it is whole grain?? Should I jump up and down like a child having a temper tantrum because I don't understand what it means??? The dr of course didn't have time for many questions and shooed me out the door. Pfft.

eww · 06-11-2008, 11:44 PM

Um. but the 4 wasn't after fasting. It was not even an hour after a big bowl of spaghetti... So... I dunno what that means.

~Sandra · 06-11-2008, 11:45 PM

4mmol/L = 72mg/dl

Um. 4 is still fabulous. I never see 4's and I'm on insulin!

eww · 06-11-2008, 11:50 PM

It's not too low?
And how is it possible to make too much insulin, but have a fine glucose reading? And is that bad?

JosieFB · 06-12-2008, 01:06 AM

A person that is insulin resistant has to make more insulin than normal people to bring their glucose down after eating. Your body does not respond to the insulin right away, your glucose stays high, so your pancreas pumps more insulin. If you are not a Type II diabetic, your pancreas will finally make enough insulin to bring down your glucose, but now you have excess insulin in your body which can cause hormonal problems, weight gain and acanthosis nigracans. The excess insulin still in your body may cause your glucose to drop too low, and make you feel hungry, shaky and tired.

eww · 06-12-2008, 03:13 AM

Yeah, I get the hunger, tiredness and the shakes. My boyfriend calls it "Zombie Erinn". It generally happens once a day, some days are worse than others. I think I'm going to request a glucose monitor and start testing.

So is that hypoglycemia? Or reactive hypoglycemia (I've been doing a lot of reading

) when you have too much insulin in your system and not enough glucose? Is that common? I'm sorry I'm asking what probably seem like dumb or obvious questions, but I'm brand new at this. I was always told I didn't have a problem. Thanks for all the responses. It really helps to know that no, I'm not the only one with the problem. I have asked several pharmacists and they were like "Does that mean you're diabetic? Are you sure??" lol.

Saille · 06-15-2008, 06:17 PM

Blood Glucose Conversion

U.S. value = UK / Canadian value times 18 (mmol/L x 18 = mg/dl).
U.K./Candian value = U.S. value divided by 18 (mg/dl / 18 = mmol/L).

In a person without diabetes, blood sugar is typically between
80 and 110 mg/dl.

Blood Glucose Conversion Chart (mg/dL-mmol/L)

mg/- mmol/-mg/--mmol/-mg/---mmol/--mg/--mmol/
-20---1.1---130---7.2---225---12.5---340---18.9
-30---1.7---135---7.5---230---12.8---350---19.4
-40---2.2---140---7.8---235---13.1---360---20.0
-50---2.8---145---8.1---240---13.3---370---20.6
-55---3.1---150---8.3---245---13.6---380---21.1
-60---3.3---155---8.6---250---13.9---390---21.7
-65---3.6---160---8.9---255---14.2---400---22.2
-70---3.9---165---9.2---260---14.4---410---22.8
-75---4.2---170---9.4---265---14.7---420---23.3
-80---4.4---175---9.7---270---15.0---430---23.9
-85---4.7---180---10.0--275---15.3---440---24.4
-90---5.0---185---10.3--280---15.6---460---25.6
-95---5.3---190---10.6--285---15.8---480---26.7
-100--5.6---195---10.8--290---16.1---500---27.8
-105--5.8---200---11.1--295---16.4---520---28.9
-110--6.1---205---11.4--300---16.7---540---30.0
-115--6.4---210---11.7--310---17.2---560---31.1
-120--6.7---215---11.9--320---17.8---580---32.2
-125--6.9---220---12.2--330---18.3---600---33.3

eww · 06-16-2008, 10:06 AM

So 72 IS low then?!

Saille · 06-17-2008, 12:04 AM

There are different schools of thought as to what is low and what isn't. Anything over 70 is NOT low for me; for me going under 70 is when I start to get low.

eww · 06-17-2008, 12:56 AM

Ah. Thanks.

eww · 06-25-2008, 12:57 PM

OK. So I wqent to my Endo yesterday and he said I wasn't IR. My fasting glucose was 4.4! But he didn't even test my insulin levels!! He said there was no reason to up my met. And my next appointment is in 6 months. Ugh. I'm just so frustrated with this. If something is WRONG I want to understand it and FIX it!!!! Sorry about the rant guys. I'm just so frustrated.