Lately it seems I have frequent episodes of feeling like my blood sugar is high but when i test myself my readings are good (below 150). I get that horrible unquenchable thirst, headache, fatigue, bathroom visits & racing heart - I actually feel just like I did before I was diagnosed!! But I’ll test myself and I’ll be something like 135. The way I feel, I’m expecting my bs to be near 400.
I’ve used the control solution to make sure my meter is correct and its spot on.
It’s strange and somewhat worrisome. Has anyone else experienced this? Any ideas?
Becca: This can happen for many reasons. For one, if you typically run low (say less than 80 and spike up to 150 it can feel like being 250 or above. Our bodies are creatures of what we our bodies are not dependent on the exact number.
My doctors call them phantom high’s and phantom low’s. The key is to test
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I agree with Rphil. I will also add heat and stress add onto that for me. It seems at work I get that feeling a lot more. I also feel high when I’m in the heat and in control. Hang in there. You’re definitely not alone
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This can happen to me if I’ve been low a lot. The “Normal” will feel high. I usually only can tell that I’m high when I’m super high–like 350 or 400, because that will often precipitate blurry vision. The fix for all of this is test. Or, save yourself time by washing your hands, then test.
Out of curiosity…how long has it been since you were diagnosed? The three months since I have been diagnosed has been crazy. At first I was getting a little low at night and I don’t get the dawn phenomenon like most people get. My job is stressful and I feel nerve pain at work…where I feel completely normal at home. I am still sing a lot of hair but not as bad as before. I also am starting to feel a little more energetic so it’s not all bad. I used to feel weird every time I injected. Lightheaded? Still do. It’s so weird sometimes and each day seems to be getting better. But it’s been about three months and still have some weirdness about it.
Well, I was first diagnosed in September as type 2 and put on metformin (which did nothing for me) then diagnosed as type 1 in January. I just started insulin 4 weeks ago - very small dose of lantus (5 units). Since September I’ve been very careful about what I eat but I’m virtually starving and recently started eating a more regular diet. Surprisingly, my bs levels have not spiked very high at all so I think my remaining beta cells have decided to do their chores (much unlike my children). It’s been a crazy 10 months for me too. I’m really hating this honeymoon stage. I should be thankful for being able to produce my own insulin but its making it so difficult to manage. As a type A personality with a control issue, I just want it to end so I can control it better! Gah!
I have a couple rugrats too. =) that is a really small dos good job. For me…I like that I’m still producing insulin. I have only had one low at night. Otherwise still in range…most of the time. I snuck a lite ice cream today. Will have to start buying the low sugar low carb stuff which is fine. I recently was switched for no apparent reason from levemir to Landis. I’m on day 3 and I actually really like it. We are very active and out hiking with the kids geo caching. Sugars were normal. Did you get on short acting yet? That really helped me. I don’t need much at all but it helps a ton.
I was diagnosed with LADA about 3 months ago and immediately put on Lantus and Metformin. I ate less than 50 carbs a day to get/keep my postprandial readings down for the first month. Once I stated eating more carbs (~45/meal) and taking Amaryl, my numbers stayed down, but I felt like I was low all the time. Like you, I would test and usually find it in the 100-140 range. After a few weeks, the low feeling went away. I imagine that, as many previous posters suggested, it was my body readjusting to more normal glucose levels after being sky high for at least six months (and probably even longer.)
Justin, are you on insulin yet?
Quigley, how much insulin are you on? Are you on any mealtime insulin?
Just 15 units of Lantus at night. No meal time yet.
Hey Justin. I was wondering how you are doing. We were dxd the same time. Sounds like you are doing well. Becca…I was on 10 units of Levemir morning and night and 2-4 units Novolog for meals. I switched to Lantus three days ago and used Novolog tonight for the first time. Which is weird. So I still split 10 units at morning and 10 at night. I think I’ll see how it goes because I might go down at night anyway since I wake up in the mid 70s. Not sure why but changing to Lantus has changed my units. I’ll see how it goes. I started Lantus when I started a 10 day vaca from work so maybe that I’m not stressed has a lot to do with it.
I started Novolog yesterday. I’m confused because the doc said; test before a meal. If I’m over 150 take 5 units of novolog. If I’m under 150 then no novolog. I thought there was some carb to insulin ratio and so its confusing to me. For example, yesterday before I ate lunch I tested at 134. Ok, so, no novolog according to doc’s instructions. Ate my lunch and an hour and a 1/2 later was 260. 3 hours later was 200. I don’t want to be hovering around in the 200’s (its not extremely high but its higher than where I feel comfortable). I’m still taking januvia, metformin and Lantus at night.
Are you doing a carb to insulin ratio?
My endo suggested 1:20 ratio with carbs. I have found some foods this works…others I need some tweaking but what I use for the most part. I’m thinking your doc doesnt want you to go low but spiking that high is uncomfortable. I was told to be at least 70. I’ll be completely honest with you Becca…I hear what my doc says but don’t follow 100 percent. I know my body so do what I know needs to be done. You were 134…you know if you eat a meal it will be spiking to 200. Start small and if you feel comfortable…have 3 units or what you are comfortable with. You will quickly learn how much you need and at what ratio. Obviously you have tried what your doc said…just a little tweaking for your situation. Good luck. I’m still learning and tweaking things everyday. 
Are you taking any oral meds? I might stop taking mine. I’ll ask the doc first but if I can get the same control with insulin then I’d rather just do that. I don’t like taking oral meds of any kind (I feel the less the better) so if I can get off the metformin and januvia that would be great.
I’ll have to continue my cholesterol med and my low dose cymbalta for fibromyalgia but that’s it. Strangely enough, the better control I have over my bs, the better my fibromyalgia gets!! Yahoo!
Nope. I take some vitamins is all. Never been on oral meds. I take vitamin d and e. I hqve also found turmeric is beneficial for me as well. I hate pills too. Haha. Kind of funny I hate needles too. Don’t be discouraged when you start taking fast acting. I’m still learning what works and what doesn’t and your body will react differently to things. I like to know but some days I do amazing and other days are WTF! But month three is going great so far. I had beautiful think hair…it’s only now not falling out as much. It sucks but one day at a time. Did you ever get that problem?. 
And congrats on better control of your bs. That is a great feeling isn’t it? Keep up the great work.!!!
I agree, I often have times I swear I am running a bit on the high side, and test and be perfectly fine, and times I feel perfectly fine and test and be high or low. I don’t think you can always go entirely on how you feel…but obviously if you feel off the important thing is to test. Testing is far more accurate than how you may feel.
