Low Blood Sugar "attacks" but no CFRD dx

R

rubyroselee

New member
Low Blood Sugar

Hey Caitlin,
<br />
<br />It happens to me all the time. It is common in people with CF. This is due to the fact that the pancreas does not work properly. It most frequently happens between breakfast and lunch for most people. This is because when you first wake up in the morning, your blood sugar is on the low side since you haven't eaten all night. Then you eat something for breakfast, which triggers your pancreas to secrete insulin. But because our pancreas doesn't work so well, it decides to secrete the insulin waaaay after the fact and ends up secreting too much insulin. So that's why we end up getting hypoglycemic. And of course, it can happen throughout the day as well, from the same effect. My A1C runs a bit high too. So, I do wonder if it's like a pre-CFRD thing. Who knows.
<br />
<br />I got a free glucose monitor and I test my sugars when I start to feel shaky. There have been times when I've tested it and it's been in the 40's - yikes! I'm going to start carrying glucose tabs around from now on. I have also taken it after eating and it seems to be within normal range for post-prandial. So I'm hoping the CFRD stays away!
<br />
<br />But I just keep food/candy on me at all times because of this. I would suggest doing that just in case you're ever in a bind and it happens to you when you don't expect it. Better safe than sorry.
 
M

MCGrad2006

Guest
Low Blood Sugar

Thanks Leah! I do usually keep food on me...haha since I am always hungry and such. How did you get a free monitor? Can you find coupons or something? I didn't think you could get them without a prescription. And it is true, I tend to get the attacks around 10 or 11 in the morning...but occasionally other times as well.
 
M

MCGrad2006

Guest
Low Blood Sugar

Thanks Leah! I do usually keep food on me...haha since I am always hungry and such. How did you get a free monitor? Can you find coupons or something? I didn't think you could get them without a prescription. And it is true, I tend to get the attacks around 10 or 11 in the morning...but occasionally other times as well.
 
M

MCGrad2006

Guest
Low Blood Sugar

Thanks Leah! I do usually keep food on me...haha since I am always hungry and such. How did you get a free monitor? Can you find coupons or something? I didn't think you could get them without a prescription. And it is true, I tend to get the attacks around 10 or 11 in the morning...but occasionally other times as well.
 
M

Mallymookcf

New member
My story is identical to yours. I too, have not been diagnosed with CFRD. i am glad you brought this thread up...u have gotten some good advice that i will take as well. Gatorade sounds like a good idea to drink during my workouts.
 
M

Mallymookcf

New member
My story is identical to yours. I too, have not been diagnosed with CFRD. i am glad you brought this thread up...u have gotten some good advice that i will take as well. Gatorade sounds like a good idea to drink during my workouts.
 
M

Mallymookcf

New member
My story is identical to yours. I too, have not been diagnosed with CFRD. i am glad you brought this thread up...u have gotten some good advice that i will take as well. Gatorade sounds like a good idea to drink during my workouts.
 
M

melx

New member
Low Blood Sugar

Hi Caitlin,
I have had the CFRD component for about 2 years now. I have been obsessive about bg checks pre and post prandial. One thing that is like clockwork for me, is the late morning low. If I am not on it with the bg check and getting the carbs in at just the right time, my bg plummets. Usually this happens between 11:00 and 12:00. Like others have said and my endocrinologist figured, it is a sluggish pancreas that shoots off a bunch of insulin a little too late. The best way for me to prevent it from happening is to get quick acting carbs in (like juice) and pair it with something like crackers and cheese (more complex carb with a little protein).
During exercise your body gobbles up a lot of those carbs for energy. So having a good amount of carbs prior to exercise is also important. And have that sports drink or juice nearby while your exercising ... just in case.
I'm glad you posted this... I thought I was the only one with this crazy situation.
 
M

melx

New member
Low Blood Sugar

Hi Caitlin,
I have had the CFRD component for about 2 years now. I have been obsessive about bg checks pre and post prandial. One thing that is like clockwork for me, is the late morning low. If I am not on it with the bg check and getting the carbs in at just the right time, my bg plummets. Usually this happens between 11:00 and 12:00. Like others have said and my endocrinologist figured, it is a sluggish pancreas that shoots off a bunch of insulin a little too late. The best way for me to prevent it from happening is to get quick acting carbs in (like juice) and pair it with something like crackers and cheese (more complex carb with a little protein).
During exercise your body gobbles up a lot of those carbs for energy. So having a good amount of carbs prior to exercise is also important. And have that sports drink or juice nearby while your exercising ... just in case.
I'm glad you posted this... I thought I was the only one with this crazy situation.
 
M

melx

New member
Low Blood Sugar

Hi Caitlin,
<br />I have had the CFRD component for about 2 years now. I have been obsessive about bg checks pre and post prandial. One thing that is like clockwork for me, is the late morning low. If I am not on it with the bg check and getting the carbs in at just the right time, my bg plummets. Usually this happens between 11:00 and 12:00. Like others have said and my endocrinologist figured, it is a sluggish pancreas that shoots off a bunch of insulin a little too late. The best way for me to prevent it from happening is to get quick acting carbs in (like juice) and pair it with something like crackers and cheese (more complex carb with a little protein).
<br />During exercise your body gobbles up a lot of those carbs for energy. So having a good amount of carbs prior to exercise is also important. And have that sports drink or juice nearby while your exercising ... just in case.
<br />I'm glad you posted this... I thought I was the only one with this crazy situation.
 
L

LeneSouthAfrica

New member
Low Blood Sugar "attacks" but no CFRD

Insist on the fasting 2hr glucose test which checks if your sugars are in the normal range 2 hours after drinking a set amount of glucose. A random glucose test (which tests once) or the Hb A1c (which gets an average over 3 months) alone is not enough to rule out CF diabetes. You need the 2hr test to be sure!!

Our diabetes is not typical, for many reasons e.g. the pancreas may still make some insulin (but too little, or too late). Your 'average' blood sugar may be in normal range but that does not mean it's not skyrocketing and crashing every day. The 2hr test will detect if it has gone too high and is not returning to the correct level after 2 hours. This is important to know because every time you eat you may be putting your body through this strain. The reason that you won't yet have a low after 2 hours is that it is a massive amount of glucose they give you to drink and your body is still trying to process it. Healthy people are able to do in 2 hours. Diabetics aren't.

In healthy people it is normal that sugars go slightly up and down during the day after eating, but both the highs and lows stay inside the healthy range. In CFRD the highs go outside the healthy range, and this can cause the crash because your body does not like high sugars and tries to fix it by sending a continuous message to the pancreas that it must make more and more insulin until suddenly it's too low. That is why LOW blood sugar can also be a clue that diabetes is present.

Eating/drinking sweet stuff when you get a low is not a long term solution, because all those highs are still there. A small bit of fast acting insulin with meals may be needed to stop those highs from happening, which will in turn give you less lows.
 
L

LeneSouthAfrica

New member
Low Blood Sugar "attacks" but no CFRD

Insist on the fasting 2hr glucose test which checks if your sugars are in the normal range 2 hours after drinking a set amount of glucose. A random glucose test (which tests once) or the Hb A1c (which gets an average over 3 months) alone is not enough to rule out CF diabetes. You need the 2hr test to be sure!!

Our diabetes is not typical, for many reasons e.g. the pancreas may still make some insulin (but too little, or too late). Your 'average' blood sugar may be in normal range but that does not mean it's not skyrocketing and crashing every day. The 2hr test will detect if it has gone too high and is not returning to the correct level after 2 hours. This is important to know because every time you eat you may be putting your body through this strain. The reason that you won't yet have a low after 2 hours is that it is a massive amount of glucose they give you to drink and your body is still trying to process it. Healthy people are able to do in 2 hours. Diabetics aren't.

In healthy people it is normal that sugars go slightly up and down during the day after eating, but both the highs and lows stay inside the healthy range. In CFRD the highs go outside the healthy range, and this can cause the crash because your body does not like high sugars and tries to fix it by sending a continuous message to the pancreas that it must make more and more insulin until suddenly it's too low. That is why LOW blood sugar can also be a clue that diabetes is present.

Eating/drinking sweet stuff when you get a low is not a long term solution, because all those highs are still there. A small bit of fast acting insulin with meals may be needed to stop those highs from happening, which will in turn give you less lows.
 
L

LeneSouthAfrica

New member
Low Blood Sugar "attacks" but no CFRD

Insist on the fasting 2hr glucose test which checks if your sugars are in the normal range 2 hours after drinking a set amount of glucose. A random glucose test (which tests once) or the Hb A1c (which gets an average over 3 months) alone is not enough to rule out CF diabetes. You need the 2hr test to be sure!!
<br />
<br />Our diabetes is not typical, for many reasons e.g. the pancreas may still make some insulin (but too little, or too late). Your 'average' blood sugar may be in normal range but that does not mean it's not skyrocketing and crashing every day. The 2hr test will detect if it has gone too high and is not returning to the correct level after 2 hours. This is important to know because every time you eat you may be putting your body through this strain. The reason that you won't yet have a low after 2 hours is that it is a massive amount of glucose they give you to drink and your body is still trying to process it. Healthy people are able to do in 2 hours. Diabetics aren't.
<br />
<br />In healthy people it is normal that sugars go slightly up and down during the day after eating, but both the highs and lows stay inside the healthy range. In CFRD the highs go outside the healthy range, and this can cause the crash because your body does not like high sugars and tries to fix it by sending a continuous message to the pancreas that it must make more and more insulin until suddenly it's too low. That is why LOW blood sugar can also be a clue that diabetes is present.
<br />
<br />Eating/drinking sweet stuff when you get a low is not a long term solution, because all those highs are still there. A small bit of fast acting insulin with meals may be needed to stop those highs from happening, which will in turn give you less lows.
 
B

blindhearted

New member
Low Blood Sugar "attacks" but no CFRD

I have not read the above stuff, so forgive me if I repeat anything.

I have periods of time when my blood sugar tends to drop fequently. My CF Dr is just keeps a check on my HBA1C. Normal Range is 4.3-6.0 (this is off the reference on my last blood work). My Dr gets concern when it goes past 7.0.
The lowest mine has dropped as low as 55. When it drops I get flushed/hot feeling, shaking, weak, black spots in my vision. I usually keep Glucose tablets in my purse just incase I am on the road and dont have anything.

If you sugar is dropping when u work out, it makes since. Your body uses sugar when it is active and stressed, which is what exercise does to the body. My sugar usually drops when I am stressed out (like exam time when I was in school) or when I am sick (which is stress on the body). I dont know what the best thing to do for keeping it up while exercising. Probably drinking Gatorade or Poweraid while exercising instead of regular water. It's best to eat a meal but if you cant I know eating something with Peanut Butter (protein helps keep your blood sugar up, I usually keep PB & Honey nabs around) and drinking Orange Juice (helps get it up quick) is better for you than just candy. When u eat just candy or chocolate it will spike your blood sugar back up but will not keep it up causing it to drop again.
 
B

blindhearted

New member
Low Blood Sugar "attacks" but no CFRD

I have not read the above stuff, so forgive me if I repeat anything.

I have periods of time when my blood sugar tends to drop fequently. My CF Dr is just keeps a check on my HBA1C. Normal Range is 4.3-6.0 (this is off the reference on my last blood work). My Dr gets concern when it goes past 7.0.
The lowest mine has dropped as low as 55. When it drops I get flushed/hot feeling, shaking, weak, black spots in my vision. I usually keep Glucose tablets in my purse just incase I am on the road and dont have anything.

If you sugar is dropping when u work out, it makes since. Your body uses sugar when it is active and stressed, which is what exercise does to the body. My sugar usually drops when I am stressed out (like exam time when I was in school) or when I am sick (which is stress on the body). I dont know what the best thing to do for keeping it up while exercising. Probably drinking Gatorade or Poweraid while exercising instead of regular water. It's best to eat a meal but if you cant I know eating something with Peanut Butter (protein helps keep your blood sugar up, I usually keep PB & Honey nabs around) and drinking Orange Juice (helps get it up quick) is better for you than just candy. When u eat just candy or chocolate it will spike your blood sugar back up but will not keep it up causing it to drop again.
 
B

blindhearted

New member
Low Blood Sugar "attacks" but no CFRD

I have not read the above stuff, so forgive me if I repeat anything.
<br />
<br />I have periods of time when my blood sugar tends to drop fequently. My CF Dr is just keeps a check on my HBA1C. Normal Range is 4.3-6.0 (this is off the reference on my last blood work). My Dr gets concern when it goes past 7.0.
<br />The lowest mine has dropped as low as 55. When it drops I get flushed/hot feeling, shaking, weak, black spots in my vision. I usually keep Glucose tablets in my purse just incase I am on the road and dont have anything.
<br />
<br />If you sugar is dropping when u work out, it makes since. Your body uses sugar when it is active and stressed, which is what exercise does to the body. My sugar usually drops when I am stressed out (like exam time when I was in school) or when I am sick (which is stress on the body). I dont know what the best thing to do for keeping it up while exercising. Probably drinking Gatorade or Poweraid while exercising instead of regular water. It's best to eat a meal but if you cant I know eating something with Peanut Butter (protein helps keep your blood sugar up, I usually keep PB & Honey nabs around) and drinking Orange Juice (helps get it up quick) is better for you than just candy. When u eat just candy or chocolate it will spike your blood sugar back up but will not keep it up causing it to drop again.
 
J

jbrandonAW

New member
Low Blood Sugar

I have the same issues. I have steriod induced diabetes, but I have actually been able to lower my A1C in the last 4 months. I do not however have diabetes and if I take my metformin when not needed my blood sugars have gotten down into the 50's - it was while I was weaning off steriods.

I notice that if I eat something like cereal for breakfast then I normally have blood sugar issues the whole day -BUT if I stick to something like oatmeal, my blood sugars stay closer to 120 the whole day.
 
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