Low blood sugar and CFRD?

SaltyAndSweet

New member
I am personally finding that controlling my diabetes is a super challenging job. I bet everyone is just as frustrated as me. There are sooo many variables that affect blood sugar levels. I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this thread, it is so jam packed with some great information!

One question I had was, why would the endo suggest taking an enzyme with an insulin pill? The pill is not fat, it is not protein, so why would you need to take an enzyme? I would also think that insulin in the form of shots (as much as it sucks) would be a little more predictable and affective since it doesn't have to go through our slimy digestive tract. All of a shot would be absorbed and used by the body.

I also wanted to add the two cents from what I have learned about CFRD as well. Someone mentioned CFRDers produce 2% of their own insulin. From what I have researched, that percentage would differ in each patient depending on how much damage their pancreas has had. From what I understand, CFRD is caused partially because the pancreas has become damaged due to digestive juices getting stuck within it, causing it to auto-digest. When the pancreas auto-digests, the juices that would normally be released into your digestive system, to digest food, get stuck in the pancreas causing it to digest itself. An auto-digested pancreas can be sometimes be seen on an x-ray or CT scan, as it looks different than a "normal/healthy" pancreas. (This was how my diabetes was realized by my doctors, causing them to give me a glucose tolerance test.) The damaged pancreas equals a decrease in the number of islet cells that produce insulin. There for the body is not able to make enough insulin to cover the peaks after eating carbohydrates, initially. This would get "worse" and more outside insulin would be needed to cover those peaks as the patient's pancreas becomes damaged further as CF naturally progresses.

I am not quite sure, but it does make sense to me that the amount of insulin released naturally may come in spurts and fits because things aren't working properly in the first place. Maybe it gets mixed with some mucus and our bodies can't absorb it... I'll have to look into that a little more.

Also, to add to the confusion, CFRD has an insulin resistance portion to it as well. This shows it's ugly face when we feel stress on our body. From mental stress (exams, dealing with mean people) to physical stress (infections, other illnesses). This part of diabetes would cause our base line blood glucose levels to go up.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but from a scientific view, this seems to be fairly valid.

Thanks everyone!! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 

SaltyAndSweet

New member
I am personally finding that controlling my diabetes is a super challenging job. I bet everyone is just as frustrated as me. There are sooo many variables that affect blood sugar levels. I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this thread, it is so jam packed with some great information!

One question I had was, why would the endo suggest taking an enzyme with an insulin pill? The pill is not fat, it is not protein, so why would you need to take an enzyme? I would also think that insulin in the form of shots (as much as it sucks) would be a little more predictable and affective since it doesn't have to go through our slimy digestive tract. All of a shot would be absorbed and used by the body.

I also wanted to add the two cents from what I have learned about CFRD as well. Someone mentioned CFRDers produce 2% of their own insulin. From what I have researched, that percentage would differ in each patient depending on how much damage their pancreas has had. From what I understand, CFRD is caused partially because the pancreas has become damaged due to digestive juices getting stuck within it, causing it to auto-digest. When the pancreas auto-digests, the juices that would normally be released into your digestive system, to digest food, get stuck in the pancreas causing it to digest itself. An auto-digested pancreas can be sometimes be seen on an x-ray or CT scan, as it looks different than a "normal/healthy" pancreas. (This was how my diabetes was realized by my doctors, causing them to give me a glucose tolerance test.) The damaged pancreas equals a decrease in the number of islet cells that produce insulin. There for the body is not able to make enough insulin to cover the peaks after eating carbohydrates, initially. This would get "worse" and more outside insulin would be needed to cover those peaks as the patient's pancreas becomes damaged further as CF naturally progresses.

I am not quite sure, but it does make sense to me that the amount of insulin released naturally may come in spurts and fits because things aren't working properly in the first place. Maybe it gets mixed with some mucus and our bodies can't absorb it... I'll have to look into that a little more.

Also, to add to the confusion, CFRD has an insulin resistance portion to it as well. This shows it's ugly face when we feel stress on our body. From mental stress (exams, dealing with mean people) to physical stress (infections, other illnesses). This part of diabetes would cause our base line blood glucose levels to go up.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but from a scientific view, this seems to be fairly valid.

Thanks everyone!! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 

SaltyAndSweet

New member
I am personally finding that controlling my diabetes is a super challenging job. I bet everyone is just as frustrated as me. There are sooo many variables that affect blood sugar levels. I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this thread, it is so jam packed with some great information!

One question I had was, why would the endo suggest taking an enzyme with an insulin pill? The pill is not fat, it is not protein, so why would you need to take an enzyme? I would also think that insulin in the form of shots (as much as it sucks) would be a little more predictable and affective since it doesn't have to go through our slimy digestive tract. All of a shot would be absorbed and used by the body.

I also wanted to add the two cents from what I have learned about CFRD as well. Someone mentioned CFRDers produce 2% of their own insulin. From what I have researched, that percentage would differ in each patient depending on how much damage their pancreas has had. From what I understand, CFRD is caused partially because the pancreas has become damaged due to digestive juices getting stuck within it, causing it to auto-digest. When the pancreas auto-digests, the juices that would normally be released into your digestive system, to digest food, get stuck in the pancreas causing it to digest itself. An auto-digested pancreas can be sometimes be seen on an x-ray or CT scan, as it looks different than a "normal/healthy" pancreas. (This was how my diabetes was realized by my doctors, causing them to give me a glucose tolerance test.) The damaged pancreas equals a decrease in the number of islet cells that produce insulin. There for the body is not able to make enough insulin to cover the peaks after eating carbohydrates, initially. This would get "worse" and more outside insulin would be needed to cover those peaks as the patient's pancreas becomes damaged further as CF naturally progresses.

I am not quite sure, but it does make sense to me that the amount of insulin released naturally may come in spurts and fits because things aren't working properly in the first place. Maybe it gets mixed with some mucus and our bodies can't absorb it... I'll have to look into that a little more.

Also, to add to the confusion, CFRD has an insulin resistance portion to it as well. This shows it's ugly face when we feel stress on our body. From mental stress (exams, dealing with mean people) to physical stress (infections, other illnesses). This part of diabetes would cause our base line blood glucose levels to go up.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but from a scientific view, this seems to be fairly valid.

Thanks everyone!! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 

SaltyAndSweet

New member
I am personally finding that controlling my diabetes is a super challenging job. I bet everyone is just as frustrated as me. There are sooo many variables that affect blood sugar levels. I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this thread, it is so jam packed with some great information!

One question I had was, why would the endo suggest taking an enzyme with an insulin pill? The pill is not fat, it is not protein, so why would you need to take an enzyme? I would also think that insulin in the form of shots (as much as it sucks) would be a little more predictable and affective since it doesn't have to go through our slimy digestive tract. All of a shot would be absorbed and used by the body.

I also wanted to add the two cents from what I have learned about CFRD as well. Someone mentioned CFRDers produce 2% of their own insulin. From what I have researched, that percentage would differ in each patient depending on how much damage their pancreas has had. From what I understand, CFRD is caused partially because the pancreas has become damaged due to digestive juices getting stuck within it, causing it to auto-digest. When the pancreas auto-digests, the juices that would normally be released into your digestive system, to digest food, get stuck in the pancreas causing it to digest itself. An auto-digested pancreas can be sometimes be seen on an x-ray or CT scan, as it looks different than a "normal/healthy" pancreas. (This was how my diabetes was realized by my doctors, causing them to give me a glucose tolerance test.) The damaged pancreas equals a decrease in the number of islet cells that produce insulin. There for the body is not able to make enough insulin to cover the peaks after eating carbohydrates, initially. This would get "worse" and more outside insulin would be needed to cover those peaks as the patient's pancreas becomes damaged further as CF naturally progresses.

I am not quite sure, but it does make sense to me that the amount of insulin released naturally may come in spurts and fits because things aren't working properly in the first place. Maybe it gets mixed with some mucus and our bodies can't absorb it... I'll have to look into that a little more.

Also, to add to the confusion, CFRD has an insulin resistance portion to it as well. This shows it's ugly face when we feel stress on our body. From mental stress (exams, dealing with mean people) to physical stress (infections, other illnesses). This part of diabetes would cause our base line blood glucose levels to go up.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but from a scientific view, this seems to be fairly valid.

Thanks everyone!! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 

SaltyAndSweet

New member
I am personally finding that controlling my diabetes is a super challenging job. I bet everyone is just as frustrated as me. There are sooo many variables that affect blood sugar levels. I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this thread, it is so jam packed with some great information!

One question I had was, why would the endo suggest taking an enzyme with an insulin pill? The pill is not fat, it is not protein, so why would you need to take an enzyme? I would also think that insulin in the form of shots (as much as it sucks) would be a little more predictable and affective since it doesn't have to go through our slimy digestive tract. All of a shot would be absorbed and used by the body.

I also wanted to add the two cents from what I have learned about CFRD as well. Someone mentioned CFRDers produce 2% of their own insulin. From what I have researched, that percentage would differ in each patient depending on how much damage their pancreas has had. From what I understand, CFRD is caused partially because the pancreas has become damaged due to digestive juices getting stuck within it, causing it to auto-digest. When the pancreas auto-digests, the juices that would normally be released into your digestive system, to digest food, get stuck in the pancreas causing it to digest itself. An auto-digested pancreas can be sometimes be seen on an x-ray or CT scan, as it looks different than a "normal/healthy" pancreas. (This was how my diabetes was realized by my doctors, causing them to give me a glucose tolerance test.) The damaged pancreas equals a decrease in the number of islet cells that produce insulin. There for the body is not able to make enough insulin to cover the peaks after eating carbohydrates, initially. This would get "worse" and more outside insulin would be needed to cover those peaks as the patient's pancreas becomes damaged further as CF naturally progresses.

I am not quite sure, but it does make sense to me that the amount of insulin released naturally may come in spurts and fits because things aren't working properly in the first place. Maybe it gets mixed with some mucus and our bodies can't absorb it... I'll have to look into that a little more.

Also, to add to the confusion, CFRD has an insulin resistance portion to it as well. This shows it's ugly face when we feel stress on our body. From mental stress (exams, dealing with mean people) to physical stress (infections, other illnesses). This part of diabetes would cause our base line blood glucose levels to go up.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but from a scientific view, this seems to be fairly valid.

Thanks everyone!! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 

AnD

New member
Well, I was surprised to see this thread come back up, lol, but thanks for the additional information! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> It was a cf doctor (not one I usually see, either), not the endo, who wanted me to take an enzyme with the Prandin pill.

I am actually going to the endocrynologist for the first time on the 21st, after my clinic appt. this month, to get some options. We'll see- we don't have an endo that is familiar with CFRD yet- these are the prototypes (lol) that clinic is trying to break in right now.

My main problems seem to be in the mornings, and I suspect have to do with the normal overnight "dehydration". My typical day goes like this:

90-110 -wake up- am (usually 90's)

breakfast around 8-8:30am

high (around 170-200) until 11am- 12pm

12 pm starts dropping and will get low if I don't eat something (like lunch) by 1pm

Most of the time, I don't need another pill for the rest of the evening (depending on what I eat, of course, but it has to be a high carb load meal/snack, with candy or something)
If I do, it's usually a <i>half </i>of a .5 Prandin...and I have to be sure to eat, in 2-3 hours, with or without the pill, or I will drop into the low range- especially if I do something like vacuum, excercise, etc. in the afternoon.

Just carbs (pasta, fruit, etc.) aren't too bad on me, just straight sugar- candy, ice cream, etc. (???)

PMS week- toss everything out the window...it's all running higher, about 20-50 pts <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif" border="0"> .

I'll let y'all know how my appt. goes <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0"> .
 

AnD

New member
Well, I was surprised to see this thread come back up, lol, but thanks for the additional information! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> It was a cf doctor (not one I usually see, either), not the endo, who wanted me to take an enzyme with the Prandin pill.

I am actually going to the endocrynologist for the first time on the 21st, after my clinic appt. this month, to get some options. We'll see- we don't have an endo that is familiar with CFRD yet- these are the prototypes (lol) that clinic is trying to break in right now.

My main problems seem to be in the mornings, and I suspect have to do with the normal overnight "dehydration". My typical day goes like this:

90-110 -wake up- am (usually 90's)

breakfast around 8-8:30am

high (around 170-200) until 11am- 12pm

12 pm starts dropping and will get low if I don't eat something (like lunch) by 1pm

Most of the time, I don't need another pill for the rest of the evening (depending on what I eat, of course, but it has to be a high carb load meal/snack, with candy or something)
If I do, it's usually a <i>half </i>of a .5 Prandin...and I have to be sure to eat, in 2-3 hours, with or without the pill, or I will drop into the low range- especially if I do something like vacuum, excercise, etc. in the afternoon.

Just carbs (pasta, fruit, etc.) aren't too bad on me, just straight sugar- candy, ice cream, etc. (???)

PMS week- toss everything out the window...it's all running higher, about 20-50 pts <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif" border="0"> .

I'll let y'all know how my appt. goes <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0"> .
 

AnD

New member
Well, I was surprised to see this thread come back up, lol, but thanks for the additional information! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> It was a cf doctor (not one I usually see, either), not the endo, who wanted me to take an enzyme with the Prandin pill.

I am actually going to the endocrynologist for the first time on the 21st, after my clinic appt. this month, to get some options. We'll see- we don't have an endo that is familiar with CFRD yet- these are the prototypes (lol) that clinic is trying to break in right now.

My main problems seem to be in the mornings, and I suspect have to do with the normal overnight "dehydration". My typical day goes like this:

90-110 -wake up- am (usually 90's)

breakfast around 8-8:30am

high (around 170-200) until 11am- 12pm

12 pm starts dropping and will get low if I don't eat something (like lunch) by 1pm

Most of the time, I don't need another pill for the rest of the evening (depending on what I eat, of course, but it has to be a high carb load meal/snack, with candy or something)
If I do, it's usually a <i>half </i>of a .5 Prandin...and I have to be sure to eat, in 2-3 hours, with or without the pill, or I will drop into the low range- especially if I do something like vacuum, excercise, etc. in the afternoon.

Just carbs (pasta, fruit, etc.) aren't too bad on me, just straight sugar- candy, ice cream, etc. (???)

PMS week- toss everything out the window...it's all running higher, about 20-50 pts <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif" border="0"> .

I'll let y'all know how my appt. goes <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0"> .
 

AnD

New member
Well, I was surprised to see this thread come back up, lol, but thanks for the additional information! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> It was a cf doctor (not one I usually see, either), not the endo, who wanted me to take an enzyme with the Prandin pill.

I am actually going to the endocrynologist for the first time on the 21st, after my clinic appt. this month, to get some options. We'll see- we don't have an endo that is familiar with CFRD yet- these are the prototypes (lol) that clinic is trying to break in right now.

My main problems seem to be in the mornings, and I suspect have to do with the normal overnight "dehydration". My typical day goes like this:

90-110 -wake up- am (usually 90's)

breakfast around 8-8:30am

high (around 170-200) until 11am- 12pm

12 pm starts dropping and will get low if I don't eat something (like lunch) by 1pm

Most of the time, I don't need another pill for the rest of the evening (depending on what I eat, of course, but it has to be a high carb load meal/snack, with candy or something)
If I do, it's usually a <i>half </i>of a .5 Prandin...and I have to be sure to eat, in 2-3 hours, with or without the pill, or I will drop into the low range- especially if I do something like vacuum, excercise, etc. in the afternoon.

Just carbs (pasta, fruit, etc.) aren't too bad on me, just straight sugar- candy, ice cream, etc. (???)

PMS week- toss everything out the window...it's all running higher, about 20-50 pts <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif" border="0"> .

I'll let y'all know how my appt. goes <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0"> .
 

AnD

New member
Well, I was surprised to see this thread come back up, lol, but thanks for the additional information! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> It was a cf doctor (not one I usually see, either), not the endo, who wanted me to take an enzyme with the Prandin pill.

I am actually going to the endocrynologist for the first time on the 21st, after my clinic appt. this month, to get some options. We'll see- we don't have an endo that is familiar with CFRD yet- these are the prototypes (lol) that clinic is trying to break in right now.

My main problems seem to be in the mornings, and I suspect have to do with the normal overnight "dehydration". My typical day goes like this:

90-110 -wake up- am (usually 90's)

breakfast around 8-8:30am

high (around 170-200) until 11am- 12pm

12 pm starts dropping and will get low if I don't eat something (like lunch) by 1pm

Most of the time, I don't need another pill for the rest of the evening (depending on what I eat, of course, but it has to be a high carb load meal/snack, with candy or something)
If I do, it's usually a <i>half </i>of a .5 Prandin...and I have to be sure to eat, in 2-3 hours, with or without the pill, or I will drop into the low range- especially if I do something like vacuum, excercise, etc. in the afternoon.

Just carbs (pasta, fruit, etc.) aren't too bad on me, just straight sugar- candy, ice cream, etc. (???)

PMS week- toss everything out the window...it's all running higher, about 20-50 pts <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif" border="0"> .

I'll let y'all know how my appt. goes <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0"> .
 

AnD

New member
Oh, I forgot to say, I think mine is related to pancreatitis (JMO, of course- I've got to ask my dr. if that was probably it), since I am plenty plump, with only taking enzymes with greasy meals and the meal that I take my vitamin with, and my vitamin levels were fine (without enzymes) for 20 years, until I had a bad bout of pancreatitis.

I think my AC1?A1C? (darn it!) was 7.1 (7.<i>something</i>), which is what got me a OGTT ordered.

It almost seems like my pancreas is just slow- my sugars will come back down on their "own", at 3 hours, but then drop low, at 3-4 hours, when I wasn't taking the Prandin (a couple of weeks between my OGTT and my clinic appt.). If I didn't need a few extra calories, I could control it with diet, if I really wanted to (I did when I was pregnant and had Gestational Diabetes). But, I think my extra "padding" helps keep me healthy, and, on the flip side, if my sugars get high, I lose weight, so...*sigh*
 

AnD

New member
Oh, I forgot to say, I think mine is related to pancreatitis (JMO, of course- I've got to ask my dr. if that was probably it), since I am plenty plump, with only taking enzymes with greasy meals and the meal that I take my vitamin with, and my vitamin levels were fine (without enzymes) for 20 years, until I had a bad bout of pancreatitis.

I think my AC1?A1C? (darn it!) was 7.1 (7.<i>something</i>), which is what got me a OGTT ordered.

It almost seems like my pancreas is just slow- my sugars will come back down on their "own", at 3 hours, but then drop low, at 3-4 hours, when I wasn't taking the Prandin (a couple of weeks between my OGTT and my clinic appt.). If I didn't need a few extra calories, I could control it with diet, if I really wanted to (I did when I was pregnant and had Gestational Diabetes). But, I think my extra "padding" helps keep me healthy, and, on the flip side, if my sugars get high, I lose weight, so...*sigh*
 

AnD

New member
Oh, I forgot to say, I think mine is related to pancreatitis (JMO, of course- I've got to ask my dr. if that was probably it), since I am plenty plump, with only taking enzymes with greasy meals and the meal that I take my vitamin with, and my vitamin levels were fine (without enzymes) for 20 years, until I had a bad bout of pancreatitis.

I think my AC1?A1C? (darn it!) was 7.1 (7.<i>something</i>), which is what got me a OGTT ordered.

It almost seems like my pancreas is just slow- my sugars will come back down on their "own", at 3 hours, but then drop low, at 3-4 hours, when I wasn't taking the Prandin (a couple of weeks between my OGTT and my clinic appt.). If I didn't need a few extra calories, I could control it with diet, if I really wanted to (I did when I was pregnant and had Gestational Diabetes). But, I think my extra "padding" helps keep me healthy, and, on the flip side, if my sugars get high, I lose weight, so...*sigh*
 

AnD

New member
Oh, I forgot to say, I think mine is related to pancreatitis (JMO, of course- I've got to ask my dr. if that was probably it), since I am plenty plump, with only taking enzymes with greasy meals and the meal that I take my vitamin with, and my vitamin levels were fine (without enzymes) for 20 years, until I had a bad bout of pancreatitis.

I think my AC1?A1C? (darn it!) was 7.1 (7.<i>something</i>), which is what got me a OGTT ordered.

It almost seems like my pancreas is just slow- my sugars will come back down on their "own", at 3 hours, but then drop low, at 3-4 hours, when I wasn't taking the Prandin (a couple of weeks between my OGTT and my clinic appt.). If I didn't need a few extra calories, I could control it with diet, if I really wanted to (I did when I was pregnant and had Gestational Diabetes). But, I think my extra "padding" helps keep me healthy, and, on the flip side, if my sugars get high, I lose weight, so...*sigh*
 

AnD

New member
Oh, I forgot to say, I think mine is related to pancreatitis (JMO, of course- I've got to ask my dr. if that was probably it), since I am plenty plump, with only taking enzymes with greasy meals and the meal that I take my vitamin with, and my vitamin levels were fine (without enzymes) for 20 years, until I had a bad bout of pancreatitis.

I think my AC1?A1C? (darn it!) was 7.1 (7.<i>something</i>), which is what got me a OGTT ordered.

It almost seems like my pancreas is just slow- my sugars will come back down on their "own", at 3 hours, but then drop low, at 3-4 hours, when I wasn't taking the Prandin (a couple of weeks between my OGTT and my clinic appt.). If I didn't need a few extra calories, I could control it with diet, if I really wanted to (I did when I was pregnant and had Gestational Diabetes). But, I think my extra "padding" helps keep me healthy, and, on the flip side, if my sugars get high, I lose weight, so...*sigh*
 
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