Blood Sugar Levels Negative Feedback System

Frequently Asked Questions QUESTION: Diabetes and blood sugar levels: fasting levels in pre range and random in normal range.? For those who have diabetes or experts in the area of endocrinology: I have to wait until I have health insurance for a blood draw from a vein to confirm or rule out diabetes officially. I have been using accuchek to do fasting tests and those have been in the pre-diabetes range. I have done a couple of random tests and they seem to be in the normal range- 126 and 111 consequetively (different days) withint 2 to 5 hours or so of eating. What I can’t figure out is why then is my fasting test result elevated (after at least12 hours) ? I am not on any insulin so the somogyi affect doesn’t apply. I have had increased thirst of late. Might have some other symptoms but have to wait and see if those are temporary. A lot of symptoms I don’t count because some are normal for me so they woud have to be really noticeable or extreme. I haven’t been sleeping well latelyeither. I figured at first maybe that would go away but it hasn’t. I think my health insurance starts in June sometime. I don’t want to add another pre-existing condition…want this to be covered whatever it turns out to be. ANSWER: get you health insurance girl===something is going on that isn’t right by the look of your description=good luck QUESTION: By taking in sugary foods will the blood sugar go into diabetes range? I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes but i brought down my blood sugar in 2 weeks and it is normal now in both fasting and post-pranadial tests. I would like to know if by eating too much sugary foods and soft drinks and sugary fruits will the blood sugar go into diabetes range. My father had diabetes and I am 40 years and slightly obese and live a sedentary life and I also have polycysts in my ovaries. ANSWER: Yes, it certainly can. You need to watch your diet carefully since you have been diagnosed pre-diabetes. A great percentage of pre-diabetes developes into type 2even if you are very careful, but you do need to watch your diet, it could postpone the development of the disease. I’m not saying you would develop it for sure, but you have a risk factor in your genetics, so it is still possible. Make sure to watch your diet and get some daily exercise. Being overweight and having a bad habit does not mean someone will develop type 2 because of it. 51% of type 2 diabetics were never over weight or sedentary. However, being overweight can contribute to it sometimes. QUESTION: My mom has type 2 Diabetes. What are the normal blood sugar ranges? What is acceptable (good) blood sugar levels for morning test prior to eating? 90 – 120? What is acceptable range during the course of the day? Any suggestions on recipes or meal plans that work well? I know their is no such hing as a diabetic diet but I know there are obviously things to avoid. ANSWER: My doctor wants me 80 to 120 before meals and when I wake up in the morning. QUESTION: Is my blood sugarnormal? Is it diabetes? I am very worry. I am 23 year old female, overweight with a BMI of 27.5. Both sides of my family has type-2-diabetes. My blood sugar 1 hour after meal is 124mg/dL (6.9mmol/L). I had my breakfast at 10:30 this morning (tea with milk, cheese and mushroom omelette, and 1 bun with better). Is that result normal? Or do I have pre-diabetes? What is the normal blood sugar range for 1 hour after meal? ANSWER: I’ve dealt with diabetes for 18 years (type 1, formally known as juvenile diabetes). A BMI of 27.5 does put you at risk for type 2 diabetes, which is caused from overworking your insulin cells in your pancreas and putting them into shock (type 1 is an autoimmune disease in where the cells are recognized as a virus and killed off). A blood sugar of 124 one hour after a meal seems pretty normal for a non-diabetic, but you should try testing it 2-3 hours after a meal to see if there is any change. A non-diabetic’s blood sugar after a meal shouldn’t be higher than 140(higher than 140 but lower than 200 is considered by many health professionals to be pre-diabetic; 80 is normal for fasting, sometimes even as low as 60 if you have fasted for several days). The best thing to do is to speak with your family practitioner about your concerns, they will most likely perform a fasting blood glucose test and possibly a glucose tolerance test. QUESTION: If blood sugar levels are in normal range,can you still have diabetes symptoms? Ive been checking on my blood sugar levels because i have a history in my family and because im over weight,i also have been getting these weird symptoms like; fatigue,shaky hands,some mood swings,and my eyes be feeling weird but not blurry nor out of focus they feel like they want to sink in,but i have been checking my sugar for the past week and its always in normal range,can someone give me good advise? ANSWER: Normal range blood sugar will vary throughout the day based on what you have eaten, how much physical activity you havegotten and how long it has been since you have eaten. On an empty stomach, blood sugar levels should be between 70 and 100mg/dL for a non-diabetic. However, you still not considered a diabetic until blood sugar levels following an overnight fasting are above 126mg/dL. Let’s say that your blood sugar level on an empty stomach or after an overnight fast is around 115mg/dL. You may assume that you have diabetes – since it is above the high range or “normal” – but you do not. Rather you have what called pre-diabetes or IFG (impaired fasting glucose) and sometimes known as IGT (impaired glucose tolerance). QUESTION: what is the normal range of blood sugar levels in a women without diabetes? ANSWER: If the woman is not pregnant, then her normal fasting (before breakfast) blood sugar level should be 70 to 99 ml/dL. Within 2 hours after she eats (called the postprandial level), her blood sugar level should not exceed 120. At no time during the day should her blood sugar level exceed 140.During pregnancy, a woman’s blood sugar level can fluctuate by trimester. QUESTION: What is the normal random blood sugar range? My family have diabetes history. My father and my younger brother have diabetes. Today I checked my random after taking 3 normal size cups of Tea within 2 hrs of span before going test. My Sugar level shows 125 mg% Is this worry figure? or it is normal or high? please help me ……. ANSWER: Random Blood Glucose Test: Random blood Glucose test gives your blood sugar at any time in a day. Normal random blood sugar level should be less than 200mg/dl. If your random blood glucose level is between 140mg/dl to 200mg/dl then you will have pre-diabetes. Seems that you are fine. Good luck. But you must maintain a healthy diet and exercise. At least 30 minutes a day. A good way to judge what you are eating is a Glycemic Diet . Heres a website for 2,480 food s. It gives their index and load. Remember a random test is as accurate as a fasting. It will determine if you havediabetes. A hba1c is not for diagnosing diabetes! Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test This test is not for diagnosing diabetes, but it shows you how well you have controlled your sugar in last 2 or 3 months. Normal value is less than 7%, however if it is more than 7 then you and your doctor should think of changing your treatment of diabetes. Always Remember, your blood glucose measurement alone is not enough to differentiate between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Your doctor may do some other tests to find out which type of diabetes you have. QUESTION: I am feeling like a loser.. I can’t keep my blood sugar in the normal range. I have Lupus, Diabetes, etc? What can I do, I see a nutritionist and my docs often but I am stuck in a slump. I do take insulin and oral meds. ANSWER: We ride that roller coaster. It’s so hard. I feel like a bad parent when I hear that other parents only check their diabetic child 4 times a day, they don’t get up in the middle of the night, and they’re always in theirtarget range. Makes me wonder what I’m doing wrong. Hell, I’ll just say it… It makes me jealous! But our Endo assured us that we’re doing everything right, some people are just more carb and insulin sensitive than others. She’s only 5, so there’s a chance she’ll outgrow it (not the diabetes of course, the sensitivity factor), but with every year that goes by it looks less and less like that will happen. It got better when we went on the pump. Doesn’t go away but it improves a lot. We’re in the appeals process for one of those Real Time BG monitors. She’s definitely a candidate in this regard and I’m told they’re wonderful for leveling the BG levels. I look forward to sleeping a whole night! QUESTION: Type 2 Diabetes: Blood sugar level reducing from above 300 to 150 – 180 range? Over the last 2 years I have been losing weight, almost 25 pounds, my waist reduced by almost 2 inches, and during this period started feeling very tired during all day. Finally I visited my family primary carephysician in Oct 2010. After lab test I realized that I had type 2 diabetes condition, with my blood sugar levels about 286 ( after lunch). Primary care physician referred me to a endocronologist, who wanted to put me on insulin ( a dose of 16 ) straight away. I did not like the idea. My reason was that, now that I know the cause of what is going wrong in my body, I need to give myself a chance to do all that is possible to redress the situation for a couple of months, and at that stage re-assess and take the decesion to get on to insulin. It has been two weeks since I started making changes to my life style like switching to low glycemic foods ( of below 40 ), and exercising on a daily basis at a medium level, and checking my blood sugar using ONE touch Ultra2 on a daily basis ( at least 8 to 10 times) to understand the increase and decrease in blood sugar levels in response to my eating times, excercise, stress etc. The other big change I have brought about is to give up battles inmy mind which I dont need to fight, out of all the changes this has proved to be tough and is still proving to be tough. To my surprise and happiness, Im seeing my blood sugar levels dropping as a result of my above efforts. During the course of my monitoring I realized that there is a upper cap of my blood sugar in 320s and lower cap in early 200s. This was before 2 weeks. Since the time I have been eating low glycemic breakfast lunch dinner, lots of water, excercise at least once a day ( 40 minute brisk walk), my blood sugar levels have gone down to a range of 114 to 197. Since the last 4 days there has been only once instance when my blood sugar went above 200. My early morning reading i.e. fasting reading is still high it is averaging about 130 – 140 over the last 10 days, my after meal reading is average between 155-175. 3. questions: 1. What should I do to reduce my early morning i.e. on fast without food or water reading ? I want to bring it down to around 75 to 85. 2. I havereduced carbs which has helped a lot, and switched to salads and meat. But body also needs carbs. What are the best sources of carbs in my context? 3. I have observed that even though my blood sugar is less than 140 ( which is the standard for after meal) or in specific between 120 and 140, I feel some level of dizziness, and also some head ache early in the morning. Is this because of the reason that my blood sugar levels are coming back to normal after a long time i.e. I might have been in the 200s and early 300s for a long time, and over the last couple of weeks due to changes made to food and excercise it is being in the range of 130s – 180s ?? Is my body in the process of getting adjusted to the new relatively low blood sugar levels ? What are the symptoms we should expect when blood sugars are coming down to relatively low level from higher levels? Thanks in advance. OTN Just want to add that my urine still smells sweet and is yellow in color. At what stage can I expect this toreduce. Note that when my blood sugar level is less than 150, the sweet smell in the urine goes down and the urine color is also light. My early morning fasting reading is the issue here. It is averaging around 150 to 160 over the last 2 weeks i.e. since I started taking low glycemic foods, excercise daily. Im quite sure it must have been much higher earlier. I want to tackle this area first, please suggest. What and when should I be eating the evening before to get my early morning readings to around 120 which is my first goal, before trying for 90. Im not on any medication. My readings during the day i.e. after breakfast, lunch, dinner currently are 150 to 160 before , and 2 hours later they settle at the same i.e.150-160 or go a little lower into 140s. It is obvious that I should be tackling my early morning readings first. ANSWER: You seem to be on the right track.. But you never mentioned if you are taking Metformin. Here’s the Key: There are 4 key steps to controlling glucoselevels : 1) EXERCISE- Walking is fine but Nordic Walking is Great. Exercise also lowers Glucose levels , lowers Cholesterol and lowers Blood Pressure. Google it.Exercise is Non-Negotiable !!!Thats why it is Number 1 on the list. 2) Knowledge- This is a great site for info diet- A low carb diet is in order. I can’t count carbs so I use Mendosa’s Glycemic Index Diet. Great for the whole family. 3) Meds. Metformin to start. Never , ever take Actos or Avandia. They may kill you. Bone fractures, heart problems and what diabetics really don’t need is that they change Bone Stem Cells to Fat Cells. 4) Diet- A low carb diet is in order. I can’t count carbs so I use Mendosa’s Glycemic Index Diet. Great for the whole family. My fasting is 96 and HBA1C is 5.2. There are no miracles, just attitude and dedication. If you have depression , treat it . Because when depressed you don’t take care of yourself properly. Take care TIN QUESTION: Why is 70-120 the “normal” blood sugar range is it can changeso much? Diabetes runs pretty heavily in my family and all my life I was told, from my family and doctors, that normal blood sugar was 70-120. 70 should be when you’re fasting, and 120 should be after a really big meal. Then when I started showing a lot of the symptoms of diabetes, my dad tested my blood sugar 5 hours after I ate and it was 140. So he took me to the doctor and even though all my levels were pretty high, she said I was normal. What I don’t understand is why they would set a limit, and then say something that much over it is still “normal”. Especially that long after eating, and it wasn’t even a big meal. It was just a sandwich. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy that she said it was normal. I just don’t understand the ranges. I’ve tested my levels fastingas well and they were almost always 99 or 100 or higher. I think the lowest I ever got was 97. The highest fasting was 111. My moms doctor told her that anything above 90 was prediabetic. Is that true? ANSWER: Ihave worked with diabetics for about 9 years, after 5 hours and a BS of 140, is not normal. I agree you need a H1c, that will let you know if you are diabetic or prediabetic, either way your sugar should be down after 2 hours of eating, go ahead a cut out juices, regular sodas, to many carbs and sugars, Please see another doctor, Internal Med, or Endo. Good Luck!! Also just your sugar in the morning before you eat. QUESTION: Is the normal range for blood sugar between 4 and 6? No, I don’t suffer from diabetes but am wondering whether someone who has a severe case – let’s say, readings in double digits – has a different “normal” range. ANSWER: It sounds like you are in Canada or England or another part of the world where this IS the normal range for blood sugar. No, double digits are NOT normal, if you live where the scale used is the mmol/L scale. (on this scale, hypoglycemia or low blood sugar is around 3.3 and under, normal fasting blood sugar ranges from 4 to 6, and normal post mealranges from 6 to 8). If this person’s blood sugar is going above 7.8 AFTER meals, then he or she is getting permanent nerve damage, eye damage, and possibly kidney and heart damage too. There is no exception. Numbers in the teens and twenties is called uncontrolled high blood sugar, or uncontrolled diabetes. They are just making excuses. It may be what they are used to, but it is NOT normal in any way. Now, when you are first diagnosed, it can take a few weeks to get down to normal numbers, because you can’t lower your blood sugar too fast safely. However, if this person has had diabetes for more than a few weeks, then they need to get real and get control. QUESTION: What is the normal blood sugar range?? Please serious questions only, and if you pass the range just once does that mean you have diabetes?? ANSWER: The normal range is 80 to 120 just before meals for diabetics. You shouldn’t be over 200 1 hour after eating,. I wouldn’t worry about the range just once, but if you areconcerned about being diabetic, there is a test you can ask your doctor to do called the HbA1c blood test which tells your average range for the last three months, QUESTION: what is a normal blood sugar for someone with hypoglycemia? As you have probably figuared out I have hypoglycemia. I don’t have diabetes. I would like to know the too high, too low, and normal blood sugar ranges thank a bunch. ANSWER: The normal blood sugar level for someone who was hypoglycemia is 70 to 110 upon waking(fasting) and after meals it should be about 70 to 140. This is because you are not diabetic. QUESTION: What are the “normal”, (non-diabetic) blood sugar ranges, before and after meals? I have diabetes II, and want to use diet and exercise to improve my health. My doctor doesn’t spend much time answering my questions, and I can’t get a straight answer about the normal ranges for blood sugar for non-diabetics, which I want to compare to my own, to see how far off I am (rather than just pulling outpills or insulin to normalize my blood sugar levels. If I find a particular food or activity makes my condition worse, I want to modify my activity level, or food choices. I want to take control of my condition, not just be lazy and take pills. I am 62, and have diabetes II. I am not significantly overweight (only 20 lbs). I want to take control of my own health, and use diet and exercise to improve my health. I know how my blood sugar reacts when I eat certain foods, but would like to know what the ranges are for “normal”, non diabetics, (before meals, 2 hours after, etc.) so that I can have a goal to work towards. I can’t seem to get a straight answer on this. My doctor said to use insulin “temporarily”, then later said that most people have to stay on it once they start. I know other diabetics whose blood sugar levels are much worse (double what mine are), who don’t use insulin, (though significantly overweight, and inactive) and while I want to improve my condition, I don’t want todo anything stupid, and make my condition worse. If I have the “normal” range as a goal, and can see how certain foods or activities effect me, I can attempt to modify my food choices and activity level to improve my health. ANSWER: I just received this information that you are asking for from my nutritionist last week. People without Diabetes Fasting – 70-100 2 hours after meal – 70-120 People with Diabetes: Ideal Fasting – 80-120 2 hours after meal – 100-140 People with Diabetes: Target Fasting – 80-140 2 hours after meal – 100-160 I am a T2, diagnoised 2 months ago. My doctor set these goals for me. Fasting – less than 105 2 hours after meals – less than 130 QUESTION: Can a pre-diabetic person go back to a normal blood sugar level? I am pre diabetic because usually my fasting blood sugar ranges from 90-115. I am thin and tall.21 yrs old, female. My mom has diabetes, so my chances of getting diabetes is high. If I keep doing exercises and not eat heaps of sweets, will I be able tohave a normal blood sugar level without being pre diabetic again? Is there a risk for a pre diabetic person to develop diabetes when pregnant? ANSWER: Focus your attention on a low glycemic index diet. Google for it. Healthiest way to eat there is, and essential for diabetics. Since you’re already thin and exercise, not much else you can do there. If you’re gonna get diabetes, well, you’re just gonna get it. Check your blood sugar maybe once a month, fasting, and 2 hours after eating a meal with some sugar in it. Should be <90 and <140. Higher than that, see your doctor. Pregnancy often causes blood sugar problems. QUESTION: Normal blood sugar range? For a 17 year old girl(5’6/ 140lb) what would be considered normal blood sugar levels when I wake up since I wouldn’t be eating, an hour after I eat, 2 hours and 3 hours, I just want to know before I go see a doctor. My dad has diabetes and I think I’m getting symptoms of it other than losing weight…I have to go to the bathroom A LOT moreand I get shaky and my fingers tingle etc.. Thank you ! ANSWER: Normal Fasting Blood Sugar A normal fasting blood sugar (which is also the blood sugar a normal person will see right before a meal) is: 83 mg/dl (4.6 mmol/L) or less. Many normal people have fasting blood sugars in the mid and high 70 mg/dl (3.9 mmol/L) range. Though most doctors will tell you any fasting blood sugar under 100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol/L) is “normal”, there are several studies that suggest that testing with a fasting blood sugar in the mid 90 mg/dl (5 mmol/L) range often predicts diabetes that is diagnosed a decade later. Post-Meal Blood Sugar (Postprandial) Independent of what they eat, the blood sugar of a truly normal person is: Under 120 mg/dl (6.6 mmol/L) one or two hours after a meal. Most normal people are under 100 mg/dl (5.5 mmol/L) two hours after eating. Others may give you higher numbers, but don’t we want to catch diabetes in it’s earliest stage? Take care Tin QUESTION: Normal Blood Sugar Range..? Isit normal if i ate alot of sugar last night and in the morning my blood pressure was 11.7 … i’ve never been diagnosed with diabetes and it doesn’t run in the family.. ANSWER: 11.7mmol/L is very abnormal. The body should be able to respond to you eating alot of sugar. You need to go to the doctor. It’s very easily managed. If led unmanaged then you WILL have hear problems, eye problems (leading to blindness), feet problems (that will lead to amputation), stroke, kidney failure, impotence and many other issues. Diabetes does not run in my family either. I have type 1. Seriously it’s so important to seek medical advice, it’s so easy to manage and I have no restrictions on my life at all. I just have to watch my diet (which just means i eat healthy). Good luck! QUESTION: Mega-doses of vitamin C cause my blood sugar to spike (from 180 to 230) Is this OK? I don’t have diabetes. Normally my blood sugar ranges from 100 to 120. I get intravenous vitamin C twice per week, and it helps my healthsubstantially. But I’ve been checking my blood sugar the past weeks with an at-home monitor and my blood sugar spikes and then slowly goes back down to normal over a 6-9 hour period. Are these levels something I should be concerned about? Is there damage being caused to my cells at this level? The blood sugar spikes occur immediately after the IV (intravenous) vitamin C, but then the blood sugar slowly goes back to normal over the next few hours. The blood sugar spikes occur immediately after the IV (intravenous) vitamin C, but then the blood sugar slowly goes back to normal over the next few hours. ANSWER: Silly question, but why are you checking your blood sugar at home if you don’t have diabetes??? Do you have a family history? Regardless, what is *likely* happening is that the megadoses of vitamin C are interfering with your blood glucose meter. This can and does happen. Most meters will be affected from mega doses of certain substances in the blood, and that can affect results,usually making them higher than they really are. As you pee out the excess vitamin C (which happens quickly within the day as it is a water soluble vitamin), this effect would disappear. To me, this sounds like what *may* be happening. But no one but your doctor could tell you for sure. You should also call your meter company, as they would know if your meter may be affected by large doses of Vitamin C. Again, many are. Also, a home meter is not accurate enough to diagnose diabetes. If you think something else is going on (and it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor), you need to schedule an appointment with a medical doctor to run the proper tests. I’m not sure if you are seeing an MD for your current therapy. But that is who you should talk to. QUESTION: What is a normal range for Fasting Blood Sugar for a 1 yr old? My son just turned 1 and he’s 34 lbs. He was just tested for diabetes and thyroid because of his rapid weight gain. Both results are borderline. I’ve checkedreading 25 years ago? I’ve heard a ton of people say this. Is is because of insulins getting better? Please elaborate. Also, what was a normal, common blood sugar range around 25 years ago? I know it varies from person to person but I keep hearing how much easier diabetes is to control nowadays (and I can tell you it is! ) and I was just wondering how bad it really was years ago. Thanks for reading! ANSWER: diabetes 25 years ago was terrible even 15 or so years ago it was bad, blood testing machines took on 2 or more minutes, i have that that now takes 5 seconds. Insulin has also improved greatly, while still in use most diabetics have moved away from insulin that was from Pigs, to insulin thats been grown via bacteria that have been genetically modified, this means that you don’t have to wait 20min before eating so the insulin can start to take affect. Not to mention things like Pumps etc now As for control naturally it would of been higher an HBA1c being round the 13 mark with thatnow being considered (at least by my doctor) terrible QUESTION: diabetes diagnosis sugar level range? hello my doctor told me im diabetic because my fasting blood glucose level was 10 is this a normal blood sugar? ANSWER: No it isn’t, or he would not of course have said it.6mmoles is normal and a sugar as high as 10 is diagnostic. QUESTION: what are the normal range for gestational diabetes? I have been tested positive with gestational diabetes a couple of days ago and have been monitoring my blood sugar level at home. My fasting blood sugar showed 81mg/dl and 125 mg/dl an hour after i had my breakfast. Is this normal? ANSWER: QUESTION: what is the normal range for a blood sugar fasting test? I have an exceeding? strong family history of diabetes. As my grandmother died of complications of it with a stoke, my mother is going blind because of it and has gone into comas and all, my auntie is very sick from it and is almost at deaths door, all my uncles have it, and all developed it overthe age of 40, and I will be 40 soon. I was told I am borderline. and that anything under 5 is normal, as my was a bit over that. I am not obese or fat, and I asked a nurse today if i exercise regularly and eat well can I prevent it and she said with my family history as strong as it is I might not have any controll over it. It seems to be going higher each year bit by bit whether I watch what I eat or not, whether I exercise or not. Please help. and again I want to ask what is the normal range and the beginning of borderline debetes on what level? Thank you all and God bless. by the way my mother said at my age she had a lower blood sugar level then what I do now. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr flkn what about type 1 dibetes? raju I am from aussie land and our tests are different to yours we do not use the same scale. so I do not understand what level you are talking aobut, sorry. ANSWER: Sounds like you are talking about a A1C test. For a non-diabetic normal is considered to be <6.0. In the United States (and pretty much world-wide) the standard is either: < 7.0 according to the American Diabetes Association or < 6.5 according to American Endocrinologists Association. I personally subscribe to the < 6.5 theory. Also, you mentioned you are an Aussie. There is a guy named Alan S from Australia who is the resident expert (also a Type 2) on the American Diabetes Association blogs. Go to their website and look for some of his posts, he usually puts links to his web pages in his posts and they contain a ton of accurate and realistic information. GOOD LUCK! QUESTION: I have recently been experiencing concerns as it relates to elevated blood sugar reading? My morning blood sugar reading range from 111-143 are these ranges normal for a person that have yet to be dx with diabetes? My most recent reading after eating (watermelon) was 244. Should I be concern and see a Dr.? Oh by the way I am on a diet (Jenny Craig) for appx 1 year ANSWER: Hi! If your morning blood testis fasting, it is slightly too high for a non-diabetic person, in a non diabetic it shouldn’t rise above 100 ideally. 244 after eating is certainly far too high for a non-diabetic, that indicates that your body is definitely struggling with the simple sugars, such as those found in fruits, etc. My guess would be that you are certainly borderline or pre-diabetic, if not diabetic. The best thing that you can do is see your GP for a glucose tolerance test, which will tell the doctor immediately if you are diabetic or not. Also, you mention you are on a weight loss diet, it sounds as if your sugars are definitely too high for a calorie controlled program. Definitely see your doctor, and he or she can also advise you on the most suitable diet, both to help your sugar control and to assist weight loss. Good luck, I hope everything goes well for you. QUESTION: Symptoms of diabetes/weird blood sugar levels, but tests clear? I wonder if anyone can shed any light on my strange problem… Everyyear at about this time, the same thing happens. I get really intense sugar/carb cravings that nothing seems to subdue; I also get really thirsty and have to go to the loo more often. I usually end up putting on weight – every year for the past 3 years I’ve lost half a stone between summer and winter, but gained it again during the spring because I get SO hungry. What I eat doesn’t seem to make any difference – I eat a healthy diet that contains plenty of fruit+veg (almost always get 5 a day) and is generally low in fat and sugar, but not obsessively so – I don’t deny myself treats here and there. I’m 5’6 and 9st 12lb at the moment which is right in the middle of the healthy weight range, but I’ve put on 3lb in the past 2 weeks and I know it’s due to eating a bit too much, but it’s been because I’m really, really hungry, and if I don’t eat something I feel all shaky and dizzy. I’ve tried everything – wholegrain bread, rice, pasta etc to try to release energy slowly; I don’t have muchin the way of sweets/chocolate, I eat slowly, drink plenty of water… so I haven’t got a clue why it happens. I also bloat up like a football if I commit the ultimate crime of having anything in the way of potatoes or non-wholegrain carbs – I had a white bagel earlier and now I look like I’m six months pregnant! It goes down again by morning, but it’s really uncomfortable and makes toning up a nightmare as my stomach stretches a good few inches every day – it also makes me reluctant to eat any lunch some days in case it happens and I look pregnant for the rest of the day! Last year as soon as I felt it happening again I went to the doctor because I was sure something must be wrong, and I fitted most of the symptoms of diabetes, but my blood sugar levels came back as totally normal and he couldn’t suggest anything – all he did was tsk at me for putting on a bit of weight – REALLY helpful!! So does anyone have any idea what this could be, and also why it always happens at the same time ofyear? It does seem strange, but for me it’s a very real problem and if there’s a way I can stamp on it, I’d be very grateful. PS – anyone suggesting acai berries or any other weird supplements gets growled at loudly! ANSWER: I agree with you about the acai berries and colon cleanse scams – they should be severely chastised and REPORTED for a violation of community guidelines. Now, about your problem – have you ever though about what’s called ‘circadian cycles’? Other things that can cause you to want to eat more is perhaps a lack of sunlight (this is a real medical condition) causing you depression. It’s quite possible that you have your seasons a little mixed up, biologically speaking. Another item of interest might be that you are allergic to one or some of the foods you are eating. You would need to keep a very detailed journal of the foods you ate, how they reacted in your body, any stress or other possible outside factors, then share them with your doctor. This might take a fewmonths to do to establish a direction for them to pursue. QUESTION: Is a blood sugar level of 6.4 considered borderline diabetes? My sister told me that the doctor told her that her blood sugar is up and is 6.4 and he told her to cut out a lot of soft drinks as she drinks a lot and a lot of sweet foods. I am worried as I think this might be borderline diabetes. There is no family history is diabetes in my family that I know of but she does drink a lot of soft drinks. Is this a high number or just within the normal to high range ? Any suggestions appreciated ! ANSWER: If it was fasting it falls into “glucose intolerance”. If your sister follows the docs advice there is a good chabce it will come down into the normal range. regular exercise helps too. If people with glucose intolenace don’t modify diet & exercise then there is a real chance of becoming diabetic. If she is overweight then weight loss helps too. QUESTION: fasting blood sugar of 105 is that normal? i am a 28 yr old male whois in good shape i took my blood sugar this morning and yesterday and it was 105.the nurse said that is in normal range.she was new.is this true or due i have diabetes. i was tested in march and it was 94. my dr nurses says i am in range is this true please answer? ANSWER: She’s right. Lab guy is wrong. There is a range of normal, and each medical facility will have a policy for normal range that is consistent to but not necessarily identical another. Normal range can be called 70-110, or 80-100, etc. 94 is good and so is 105. If you ever have surgery, your doc will want to keep a tight control on blood sugar, because the stress of surgery can make it go up, and it causes poorer healing….so there are many factors that determine “normal.” The nurse was right. You do not have diabetes, and you do not have pre diabetes according to the multitude of medical information available. Now if you consistently creep up or stay on the high side of normal, you may one day qualify as pre-diabetic.Those lab guys rarely take into account the clinical picture, because they are not taught to. Nurses are and do. QUESTION: what is the normal range for a non fasting glucose number? I have read lots of information about fasting glucose numbers in reference to diabetes however I cant find nearly as much information on the normal range for non fasting numbers. I got my blood sugar tested several weeks ago a couple hours after a standard meal and it was 99. Can anyone tell me if 99 is in the normal range for glucose (blood sugar) numbers while not fasting, and am I out of the woods for diabetes? Thanks ANSWER: A random blood test for glucose would not normally go above 140 mg/dL in a non-diabetic person. You can never be “out of the woods” for developing diabetes, especially if you have the genes passed down from your parents, grandparents, etc., nor if you carry a lot of adipose fat (fat around the stomach area), your mother suffered with gestational diabetes, you were over 9 pounds inweight at birth, you live a sedentary lifestyle, you smoke, or if you’re one of the following ethnic groups: African-American, Native American, Inuit, Hawaiian, Asian (these particular ethnic groups are more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus). QUESTION: Would a blood sugar level of 9.8 mean that the person would have diabetes? I understand the normal range is between 4-7 and my nans was 9.8 which I consider to be high, she has high blood pressure and is on medication for that. Many thanks xx ANSWER: That could be a normal level if she had eaten or had something sweet to drink recently. Diabetes can not be diagnosed by one blood glucose reading it would have to be several readings taken at different times of the day to be sure of a correct diagnosis. If she is showing any of the symptoms of diabetes get her doctor to check her levels. If she had handled something like an apple or orange it may have been a false reading. Different countries use different measurements in theuk as a diabetic I am told to keep my levels between 4 – 10 so it was slightly high but not to bad QUESTION: Blood Sugar Levels / Diabetes unsure / Comfirmed with Epilepsy? Confirmed with Epilepsy and have recently changed meds due to the side effects. My blood sugars have been weird lately, last but two reading was 3.2 and after a seizure on Thursday had one taken in the ambulance which was 9.0 and then about 3/4 quarters of an hour later in hospital which wsa 8.8. These would have been about 4+ hours since my last meal. I have an appointment, week on Tuesday, for an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, Insulin Test and Pro Insulin Test. I have also noticed that round about meal times, I can go weird – what I can describe as my auras I get with my Epilepsy. I realise that you are not medical experts and everyone is different, but what is the normal BS range for a non diabetic? Thanks if you can help Andy ANSWER: Your elevated glucose levels could be causes by stress from the seizures. Your3.2 is on the low for most people. Wonder if you’re hypoglycemic and it’s contributing to your seizures? QUESTION: What are the ranges for blood sugar numbers before & after a meal? I may have TYPE 2 diabetes. ( I have an appointment next week with Doc) I had a blood test done(by Doc) and my count was 130. ( I fasted for 12 hours BUT I took my liquid methadone before I got tested) I’m not sure if that effects the count?? Anyway, I bought a test kit and did some testing yesterday. Before I ate dinner, my count was 122, (time 6:00) I ate supper, had a Special K snack bar, tested blood (time 7:20) was 130. Ate 3 more bars (yes, I eat ALOT of ‘em) tested blood (time 8:10) was 399. Waited 20 minutes, tested again, 192. That was last night. I KNOW I am not doing the testing procedure right, I just wanted to get an idea. Anyway, this morning I tested and it was 107. BUT, I also woke up 3 times in the night and ate granola bars. Is that common for diabetics?? Waking up in the middle of thenight and craving sugar?? I do that every night!! I know theres alot here, I was just hoping that someone could tell me if this resembled a diabetics count or am I normal?? ANSWER: Great site to go to for info is diabetes.org. For a diabetic the after meal peak should stay below 180 (some sites say 160). Watch the carb intake. I’m assuming 4 Special K snack bars are very high in carbs. QUESTION: What number is considered to be high blood sugar? What range is normal? whats high? they are telling me I have gestational diabetes and everytime take my blood sugar it’s 96, 89, 84, 114…these all seem normal to me, so what is considered high? ANSWER: Anything over 180 is considered hyperglycemia, but if you eat a proper diet given to you by the nutritionist you can keep your numbers down without the need for medication. QUESTION: checking blood sugar levels..(with gastational diabetes)? i m almost 35 weeks preg and diagnosed with gastational diabetes… i m checking my blood sugar every dayhave. By the way normal blood sugars are around 75 – 85 (that’s where non diabetics usually are). I just checked Amazon for his book and they have it for only .79 (normally .99). This is for his latest book. You can also purchase his older books, they have valuable information in them as well. I hope this helps. Ollie G QUESTION: I can’t stop testing my blood sugar and I don’t have diabetes? My aunt was recently diagnosed with diabetes and it scared me. There has not been anyone in my family with diabetes until she got it out of the blue. She exercises, eats well and still had it which showed me it can hit anyone. I’m 23-years-old, overweight and because of her diagnosis now fear I have diabetes. I work in a hospital, so I asked my boss if I could borrow a meter. He complied so I tested my blood sugar throughout the weekend. Yesterday my fasting blood sugar was 88. I tested 5 minutes later and my fasting blood sugar was 94. I tested again about an hour later, still fasting, and myblood sugar was 104. I used the control solution each time and, according to the solution, the meter was always reading correctly. Today when I woke up I tested my fasting blood sugar and it was 94. I tested about five minutes later and my fasting blood sugar was 90. Then, I tested again about ten minutes later and fasting and it was 101. I am going to start a diet and exercise program because I want to lower my risk of diabetes. My questions are, is there anything wrong with these numbers since they fall within the “normal” range and is it normal for numbers to jump around like this. And, how can I stop myself from testing all the time? It’s like I’m addicted to testing, I know I don’t have diabetes (my numbers after eating are never even above 140) and my fingers are starting to hurt from testing I shouldn’t even be doing. How can I stop this? ANSWER: I used to have terrible anxiety that I was going to have a heart attack, until I educated myself about the heart. Your numbers moving