Thanks for taking time to read this. I’m new to this site and have a couple of questions. I apologize for any repetitiveness, and if the questions are already answered elsewhere, please just point me in that direction.
I’m not diagnosed yet, but have been using a meter at home and finding readings over 200 after a meal with 60-80 grams of carbs in it.
My primary concern is about a possible glucose tolerance test. I’ve never had one, and I’m short and thin and don’t usually eat a lot of carbs at once, so I’m worried that a load of carbs like that will overwhelm my system and knock me for a loop. If a few of you could tell me about your experiences with the test, I would be very grateful!
Secondly, if I eat low-carb for several days, does it make me more likely to spike after I do eat a high-carb meal?
Also, when testing at home, does drinking water affect the test results? Water with the meal–or after the meal but before the one-hour or two-hour test mark?
Thank you for this website, and thank you in advance for your help!
I"m sure others will have more insight to this than I do, but from what I understand the GTT is no longer the first thing done to make a diagnosis. I was DX’d a year ago and had only fasting blood work done. Water has no affect on BG. All carbs and some percentage of protien do convert to glucose, but water does not. No carb to high carbs typically should not make a difference in how high your BG goes, but we are all different when it comes to that.
From the readings you post here I would discuss this with the doctor and have them run some tests. I would also highly recommend that you check out “Blood Sugar 101” either online or get the book. It will clearly answer your questions and give you a good idea of what you should be doing.
The folks here at TuD are the very best to be found. There is ALWAYS some one who has been or is dealing with the sme thing. No matter what that issue is.
One question for you. What is your fasting blood sugar (FBS). Have you taken any readings when you first get out of bed and before you eat?
I had the glucose tolerance test done. They take three blood tests over a period of 2 hours (if it is ordered take a book with you as you are not allowed to leave the surgery). After the first blood test they give you a bottle of what tastes like pure undiluted sugar, horrid, and you have to drink it fairly quickly. My first blood test the result was 5.2, the nurse couldn’t get blood for the second test, but after the third test my result was 11.0!!! After the sugar drink I felt I was going to pass out, my eyes blurred, I felt faint and found it hard to stand as I was swaying. The lady who had the test the same time as me was unaffected and I have seen her since, she does not have diabetes. I can’t answer your question about eating low carb for a couple of days before the test. I have found that I eat low carb now as it keeps my bg levels low and I feel better for it.
Thank you so much, Randy! Thank you for your information and the helpful suggestions. I’ll hope I can avoid a glucose tolerance test, also. I should have given more detail. I’ve taken a lot of FBG readings, ranging from 84-112, with an average of 98. I have “Blood Sugar 101” and it is a fabulous book! I’m so grateful to Jenny Ruhl for writing it for us!
Thanks for your reply, Pastelpainter. Your experience with the glucose tolerance test is exactly the sort of thing I’m concerned about, so I’m very grateful to you for describing it.
And I’ve been eating low-carb for a month or so. It certainly does seem to keep my post-meal bg readings low. I wasn’t sure whether eating low-carb most of the time would push the post-meal bg readings after a high-carb meal even higher because of the contrast to what I’ve been eating most of the time.
Thanks again for your reply, and for your description of your experience with the glucose tolerance test.
I won’t answer your questions directly, because I’ve never had an OGTT and I certainly wasn’t thin at diagnosis.
However, I think you need to face the facts that you should be seeing a doctor for proper diagnostic testing. First, as to whether you have diabetes (I’m afraid I can guess the answer to that one) and then to determine your type (that is less obvious).
I’m afraid it doesn’t matter whether you drank lots of water, or if you rarely eat that carb load, or whether you’re skinny or rotund a person with a properly functioning pancreas and endocrine system will never see “readings over 200 after a meal with 60-80 grams of carbs in it.”
Please see your doctor.
Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia
Everything in Moderation - Except laughter
If you are healthy you should not spike like that. I have done tests with my wife and son. We all eat the same carb filled meal like chinese food. We all eat the same thing. We waited 30 minutes after eating and I reached over 200. My wife a cool and steady 78 and my son in the 80s. I tested this several times and the results have been the same. I recommend you get an a1c test done. It will cost you less than winding up at the er with really high sugars. Best to catch thing earlier than later.
Thanks so much for your detailed reply! I agree completely that something is wrong for me and I want to get it clarified. I’m afraid that I might find a GTT very difficult–hopefully not as difficult as yours was! My sympathy! So I wanted to be sure that my home testing results were as accurate as home testing can be. Then, maybe, I can get diagnosed without a GTT. And your email (and Pastelpainter’s) help me understand how challenging a GTT can be. I won’t delay getting diagnosed, and I’ll do a GTT if there’s no other choice for getting clarity, but at least now I have a better idea of what it might be like.
Thank you again for your detailed description, and best wishes,
So sorry that I didn't reply to your response before now! I thought I had. And I appreciate your taking the time to answer my questions.
Yes, I had already scheduled a visit with an endocrinologist, it was just a long way into the future at that point. Still almost two weeks in the future, now.
I was glad to know that drinking water and/or a fluctuating carb intake wouldn't really affect my numbers. I just wanted to be sure that the readings I have been taking at home to bring to the appointment with the endo would be clear from any other influences.
Thanks so much, and I have enjoyed a number of the things you have written!
