CFRD

TheInkDoll · Nov 23, 2006

Sue

My doctors always do the diabetes thing with me...

i have found that my glucose is always high when i'm sick enough for iv's. i, too, am always on tobra and ceftaz, or fortaz. My heart does that skipped beat thing every single time.

Good news is, it happens every time i'm sick, and... that's it. i don't have diabetes and my heart is normal.

i am willing to bet that you are fine. Don't stress about it.

i have totally been where you are at, and i came out of it with no trouble, no worries.

Just have faith. - f

P.S. When i read your post, it was like one of those things where you say, "OMG! i know EXACTLY what she's talking about." It will all be ok, you'll see.

coltsfan715 · Nov 23, 2006

Hi Sue,

I wanted to comment on a few things.

1) Your blood glucose reading of 182. Depending on whether or not you were fasting when this was taken tells alot. If you have been fasting then you sugar should be below or around 100. If you had eaten within 2 hours of having your blood drawn and glucose level checked I would not worry too much. My docs have told me that you are at risk for diabetes if your blood sugar is over 200 2 hours after eating. It takes the average persons body about 2 hours to eat - process sugars and produce insulin to lower/control your sugar level.

2) Infection can definitely cause some increase in blood sugar.

3) You may want to check and see if your IV meds are being mixed in Dextrose or Normal Saline. You should be able to ask your nurse what they are mixed in and she could tell you. If they are being mixed in Dextrose that can also increase your blood sugar. You could maybe ask your doctor to write the orders for the meds to be mixed with Saline. Both Fortaz/Ceftaz and Tobra CAN be mixed in saline - as I have been on both of those meds regularly and I am diabetic and need them mixed in saline.

4) The heart issue - You may be having an elevated heart rate due to stress or illness or a med you are taking. Tachycardia (the technical term for increased heart rate) can make you feel like you are having an irregular heart beat. I had this same thing earlier in the year (went to the ER for it) because I thought I was having a heart attack - chest pain and numbness and felt like my heart was skipping. They ran a TON of tests and diagnosed me with tachycardia.

5) Also in regards to the heart rate - are you taking albuterol more often? If so maybe talk to your doctor and ask if they can do blood work and check your potassium levels. Albuterol can leech the potassium from your blood causing you to have low potassium levels. Low potassium levels in turn can cause you to experience heart palpitations. If that is the problem maybe they can help you with that. I suggest that because out of all of the tests that I had done at the ER the only thing that came back abnormal was low potassium levels.

I hope you start feeling better and that you are abe to put your mind at ease with everything and start to recover.

Take Care,
Lindsey

coltsfan715 · Nov 23, 2006

Hi Sue,

I wanted to comment on a few things.

1) Your blood glucose reading of 182. Depending on whether or not you were fasting when this was taken tells alot. If you have been fasting then you sugar should be below or around 100. If you had eaten within 2 hours of having your blood drawn and glucose level checked I would not worry too much. My docs have told me that you are at risk for diabetes if your blood sugar is over 200 2 hours after eating. It takes the average persons body about 2 hours to eat - process sugars and produce insulin to lower/control your sugar level.

2) Infection can definitely cause some increase in blood sugar.

3) You may want to check and see if your IV meds are being mixed in Dextrose or Normal Saline. You should be able to ask your nurse what they are mixed in and she could tell you. If they are being mixed in Dextrose that can also increase your blood sugar. You could maybe ask your doctor to write the orders for the meds to be mixed with Saline. Both Fortaz/Ceftaz and Tobra CAN be mixed in saline - as I have been on both of those meds regularly and I am diabetic and need them mixed in saline.

4) The heart issue - You may be having an elevated heart rate due to stress or illness or a med you are taking. Tachycardia (the technical term for increased heart rate) can make you feel like you are having an irregular heart beat. I had this same thing earlier in the year (went to the ER for it) because I thought I was having a heart attack - chest pain and numbness and felt like my heart was skipping. They ran a TON of tests and diagnosed me with tachycardia.

5) Also in regards to the heart rate - are you taking albuterol more often? If so maybe talk to your doctor and ask if they can do blood work and check your potassium levels. Albuterol can leech the potassium from your blood causing you to have low potassium levels. Low potassium levels in turn can cause you to experience heart palpitations. If that is the problem maybe they can help you with that. I suggest that because out of all of the tests that I had done at the ER the only thing that came back abnormal was low potassium levels.

I hope you start feeling better and that you are abe to put your mind at ease with everything and start to recover.

Take Care,
Lindsey

coltsfan715 · Nov 23, 2006

Hi Sue,

I wanted to comment on a few things.

1) Your blood glucose reading of 182. Depending on whether or not you were fasting when this was taken tells alot. If you have been fasting then you sugar should be below or around 100. If you had eaten within 2 hours of having your blood drawn and glucose level checked I would not worry too much. My docs have told me that you are at risk for diabetes if your blood sugar is over 200 2 hours after eating. It takes the average persons body about 2 hours to eat - process sugars and produce insulin to lower/control your sugar level.

2) Infection can definitely cause some increase in blood sugar.

3) You may want to check and see if your IV meds are being mixed in Dextrose or Normal Saline. You should be able to ask your nurse what they are mixed in and she could tell you. If they are being mixed in Dextrose that can also increase your blood sugar. You could maybe ask your doctor to write the orders for the meds to be mixed with Saline. Both Fortaz/Ceftaz and Tobra CAN be mixed in saline - as I have been on both of those meds regularly and I am diabetic and need them mixed in saline.

4) The heart issue - You may be having an elevated heart rate due to stress or illness or a med you are taking. Tachycardia (the technical term for increased heart rate) can make you feel like you are having an irregular heart beat. I had this same thing earlier in the year (went to the ER for it) because I thought I was having a heart attack - chest pain and numbness and felt like my heart was skipping. They ran a TON of tests and diagnosed me with tachycardia.

5) Also in regards to the heart rate - are you taking albuterol more often? If so maybe talk to your doctor and ask if they can do blood work and check your potassium levels. Albuterol can leech the potassium from your blood causing you to have low potassium levels. Low potassium levels in turn can cause you to experience heart palpitations. If that is the problem maybe they can help you with that. I suggest that because out of all of the tests that I had done at the ER the only thing that came back abnormal was low potassium levels.

I hope you start feeling better and that you are abe to put your mind at ease with everything and start to recover.

Take Care,
Lindsey

sue35 · Nov 23, 2006

Thank you all so much for the info. I am glad that others have been where i am, that makes me feel a little calmer. I did not eat before the test which does worry me, but I am not going to worry too much about it until they retake my blood on Monday. As for the glucose tolerance test, my doctor is very hard to get a hold of and it would be impossible to track him down. Yes I know, not a good thing. Also, any type of carbonation makes me sick and throw up so it is very hard for me to keep the liquid down that I have to drink, so it always takes a couple tries.

So hopefully it was a fluke and as for the heart problem, I am on albuterol 4 times a day also (and shaking because of it) so maybe that also has something to do with it.

Happy Thanksgiving and Thanks<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

sue35 · Nov 23, 2006

Thank you all so much for the info. I am glad that others have been where i am, that makes me feel a little calmer. I did not eat before the test which does worry me, but I am not going to worry too much about it until they retake my blood on Monday. As for the glucose tolerance test, my doctor is very hard to get a hold of and it would be impossible to track him down. Yes I know, not a good thing. Also, any type of carbonation makes me sick and throw up so it is very hard for me to keep the liquid down that I have to drink, so it always takes a couple tries.

So hopefully it was a fluke and as for the heart problem, I am on albuterol 4 times a day also (and shaking because of it) so maybe that also has something to do with it.

Happy Thanksgiving and Thanks<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

sue35 · Nov 23, 2006

Thank you all so much for the info. I am glad that others have been where i am, that makes me feel a little calmer. I did not eat before the test which does worry me, but I am not going to worry too much about it until they retake my blood on Monday. As for the glucose tolerance test, my doctor is very hard to get a hold of and it would be impossible to track him down. Yes I know, not a good thing. Also, any type of carbonation makes me sick and throw up so it is very hard for me to keep the liquid down that I have to drink, so it always takes a couple tries.

So hopefully it was a fluke and as for the heart problem, I am on albuterol 4 times a day also (and shaking because of it) so maybe that also has something to do with it.

Happy Thanksgiving and Thanks<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

NoExcuses · Nov 23, 2006

Glucose tolerane test isn't carbonated. I think it might have been in the past, but I just did one a few months ago and its like drinking syrup. So you should be ok. But even if your doc is difficult to get a hold of, your attending will be able to order a glucose tolerance test. There's just no sense in speculating when you can get an answer!

NoExcuses · Nov 23, 2006

Glucose tolerane test isn't carbonated. I think it might have been in the past, but I just did one a few months ago and its like drinking syrup. So you should be ok. But even if your doc is difficult to get a hold of, your attending will be able to order a glucose tolerance test. There's just no sense in speculating when you can get an answer!

NoExcuses · Nov 23, 2006

Glucose tolerane test isn't carbonated. I think it might have been in the past, but I just did one a few months ago and its like drinking syrup. So you should be ok. But even if your doc is difficult to get a hold of, your attending will be able to order a glucose tolerance test. There's just no sense in speculating when you can get an answer!

sue35 · Nov 24, 2006

That makes me feel so much better that it isn't carbonated. I did the carbonated one and threw up three times! Hopefully after the holiday I can get this all sorted out. Thanks!

sue35 · Nov 24, 2006

That makes me feel so much better that it isn't carbonated. I did the carbonated one and threw up three times! Hopefully after the holiday I can get this all sorted out. Thanks!

sue35 · Nov 24, 2006

That makes me feel so much better that it isn't carbonated. I did the carbonated one and threw up three times! Hopefully after the holiday I can get this all sorted out. Thanks!

Fruity · Nov 25, 2006

Tell them to put the drink on ice. It makes it a lot easier to go down. I just went through phlebotomy training, and so I also know that if you throw up, they can't do the test that day. They shouldn't be doing it if you throw it up. It messes up the entire test because it's no longer a measured dose of glucose. Easily gives false positives. By the way... have they done a 2 hour post porandial. it should have been the first step in your process of diabetes testing. they would have drawn your blood, had you eat a meal and then drawn your blood again after two hours and checked the levels. Perhaps because they got the "high level" on the meter they went straight to glucose tolerance test, but I was just curious.

Good luck, and be well. I hope you don't have to go through the process of diabetes. I am on the edge myself, or so they say. So I am trying to avoid that train crossing. My thoughts are with you.

Ceci

Fruity · Nov 25, 2006

Tell them to put the drink on ice. It makes it a lot easier to go down. I just went through phlebotomy training, and so I also know that if you throw up, they can't do the test that day. They shouldn't be doing it if you throw it up. It messes up the entire test because it's no longer a measured dose of glucose. Easily gives false positives. By the way... have they done a 2 hour post porandial. it should have been the first step in your process of diabetes testing. they would have drawn your blood, had you eat a meal and then drawn your blood again after two hours and checked the levels. Perhaps because they got the "high level" on the meter they went straight to glucose tolerance test, but I was just curious.

Good luck, and be well. I hope you don't have to go through the process of diabetes. I am on the edge myself, or so they say. So I am trying to avoid that train crossing. My thoughts are with you.

Ceci

Fruity · Nov 25, 2006

Tell them to put the drink on ice. It makes it a lot easier to go down. I just went through phlebotomy training, and so I also know that if you throw up, they can't do the test that day. They shouldn't be doing it if you throw it up. It messes up the entire test because it's no longer a measured dose of glucose. Easily gives false positives. By the way... have they done a 2 hour post porandial. it should have been the first step in your process of diabetes testing. they would have drawn your blood, had you eat a meal and then drawn your blood again after two hours and checked the levels. Perhaps because they got the "high level" on the meter they went straight to glucose tolerance test, but I was just curious.

Good luck, and be well. I hope you don't have to go through the process of diabetes. I am on the edge myself, or so they say. So I am trying to avoid that train crossing. My thoughts are with you.

Ceci

mare · Nov 26, 2006

The best indicator for diabetes is the A1C test or Glycohemoglobin. I am diabetic now, but hey I am 52 years old. The Dr has monitored my A1c for years and it was normal until one year ago. Yes, your glucose does go up when you are sick, stress on your body by sickness causes that. And some meds do also. Prednisone is the biggie for glucose going up. I am also a lab tech.When I was finally labeled as a diabetic I had been sick and my glucose was close to 400. Dont stress the under 200 numbers. You have to take into consideration when you ate. Fasting glucoses should be under 100.
I know inject long acting insulin once a day and the short acting insulin as needed. Insulin needles are not the same as having your blood taken or IV put in. In fact you mostly dont even feel it. For normal folks weight gain is an indicator, but CFers are different as we dont absorb our foods the same way. On a good note. I now notice that when my glucose is high my lungs are flare-ing up, and when the antibiotics are working, my glucoses are better. Just one more personal indicator I use to stay ahead of the trials and tribulations of CF. Of course you have to follow a diet. But it really has been no big deal. Don't worry. Ask to get your A!C when you have your other regular blood work.

mare · Nov 26, 2006

The best indicator for diabetes is the A1C test or Glycohemoglobin. I am diabetic now, but hey I am 52 years old. The Dr has monitored my A1c for years and it was normal until one year ago. Yes, your glucose does go up when you are sick, stress on your body by sickness causes that. And some meds do also. Prednisone is the biggie for glucose going up. I am also a lab tech.When I was finally labeled as a diabetic I had been sick and my glucose was close to 400. Dont stress the under 200 numbers. You have to take into consideration when you ate. Fasting glucoses should be under 100.
I know inject long acting insulin once a day and the short acting insulin as needed. Insulin needles are not the same as having your blood taken or IV put in. In fact you mostly dont even feel it. For normal folks weight gain is an indicator, but CFers are different as we dont absorb our foods the same way. On a good note. I now notice that when my glucose is high my lungs are flare-ing up, and when the antibiotics are working, my glucoses are better. Just one more personal indicator I use to stay ahead of the trials and tribulations of CF. Of course you have to follow a diet. But it really has been no big deal. Don't worry. Ask to get your A!C when you have your other regular blood work.

mare · Nov 26, 2006

The best indicator for diabetes is the A1C test or Glycohemoglobin. I am diabetic now, but hey I am 52 years old. The Dr has monitored my A1c for years and it was normal until one year ago. Yes, your glucose does go up when you are sick, stress on your body by sickness causes that. And some meds do also. Prednisone is the biggie for glucose going up. I am also a lab tech.When I was finally labeled as a diabetic I had been sick and my glucose was close to 400. Dont stress the under 200 numbers. You have to take into consideration when you ate. Fasting glucoses should be under 100.
I know inject long acting insulin once a day and the short acting insulin as needed. Insulin needles are not the same as having your blood taken or IV put in. In fact you mostly dont even feel it. For normal folks weight gain is an indicator, but CFers are different as we dont absorb our foods the same way. On a good note. I now notice that when my glucose is high my lungs are flare-ing up, and when the antibiotics are working, my glucoses are better. Just one more personal indicator I use to stay ahead of the trials and tribulations of CF. Of course you have to follow a diet. But it really has been no big deal. Don't worry. Ask to get your A!C when you have your other regular blood work.

sue35 · Nov 26, 2006

I thought that losing weight was an indicator of diabetes. no?

Also, I didn't eat anything before hand...I am getting retested on Monday, keeping my fingers crossed!

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