Hi, I’m new at this diabetes stuff. In mid July of 2008 I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. My fasting blood sugar level in the 210 to 240 range. My Dr. put me on 500mg of Metformin. It helped a little but it only got my fasting blood sugar level down to around 160 to 170. It also gave me a stomach ache. Now I take 500mg of Metformin at night and 5 mg Glyburide in the morning. That seems to have helped more but I still can’t seem to get my fasting blood sugar down below 120 unless I don’t eat anything for dinner. During the day it seems to get okay. At the present time when my blood sugar gets to less than 85 I start to get the shakes. I will usually have a piece of hard candy to get it up a little.
I walk almost a mile and a half every morning on the treadmill, and watch my diet, especially the Carbs and Sugars. Usually less than 3 carb servings per meal. I am 6’1" and weigh 208 lbs. I am a little overweight. My BMI should be around 190.
Does it take time for the medications to work or should I be concerned that my fasting blood sugar level is above 120? My Dr. seems to think that it will come down with time. Does anyone have any suggestions?
It sounds to me like you and your doctor are making steady progress.
Yes, ideally, you will want to bring your blood sugars into a healthier range, but that takes time. In time, an 85 will feel healthy and stable and you won’t need to treat it like a low.
I hope some of our successful Type 2 members can give you advice about how to bring your fasting numbers into better control. Since I have Type 1, I have to rely on insulin for that, so I don’t know what to tell you.
Your forum choice is fine. Think of it as more of a “label” than a “location.” Everyone will see your discussion, type 1 or 2. And you are certainly new to this, so I don’t see why it would be a problem.
I would continue with your current regimen for now. If you feel that even with Gerri’s suggestions about low-fat and eating earlier that you cannot bring your numbers where you want them on your current treatment plan, discussing a basal insulin with your doctor would be fine. But really, that 120 is fine. It’s when the number is over 140 that your organs and nerves are affected at all - and even then, it takes sustained levels like that to do any damage. If a high fasting sugar for a few months killed us, we’d none of us be here today. Give it time, Rick. I think you’re doing great.
I don’t agree with your doctor. The only way your sugar is going to come down is with a better diet. You could exercise more, too. (I walk between 5 and 8 miles each day at close to 4 mph, just to be sure). What I mean by better diet is to completely eliminate all refined carbs (man made crap), and replace them with more natural carbs, like raw vegetables, fruits, nuts, and whole grains. The reason has to do with the nutrients in natural foods that help reduce our insulin resistance. Also, I would avoid milk completely and minimize milk products (more on that later). Don’t be afraid of fruits. I fell into that trap due to some poorly informed “experts”. Fruits are precisely what allowed me to get off the drugs completely last December 13, 2007. I take a few supplements too. I found this article recently that pretty well explains what it took me years to learn. Email me, or browse my discussions for more. Also, I’m quite active on Yahoo! Answers. I answer lots of questions dealing with type two, but in order to view them, you have to sign up and make me a contact. I do that to prevent trolls from messing with me.
If you want to join me, and get off the drugs, it’s going to take a lot of learning and effort. The reward, however, is feeling like you did 10 years before all of this started. I began this journey @ 52 years of age, 5’11" 215 pounds. I’m currently 57 and 175 lbs and enjoying life much like I did 20 years ago.
I am T2 and have been taking 180 units split in 2 a day plus byetta glyburide and Novolog R. Lantus was doing nothing for me I have used metformin and maxed it out. Did not work either. Now I take Levemir instead of Lantus, I am already taking 100 units of it. My blood sugars are in the 300’s morn and night. Nothing is helping and don’t know why. I don’t eat much anymore because I am scared to get my sugar even higher.
When is your next appointment? How long have you been on Glyburide?
With some doctors we have to be assertive. Their goals for diabetics & ours as diabetics aren’t always the same.
If you’re following the standard ADA dietary recommendations (how many carbs are in your three carb choices per meal), it’s difficult to maintain healthy numbers on this plan.
I’m Type 1 & have had better results with Levemir also, but it does seem to be an individual thing.
Since you’re taking a lot of Levemir & rapid acting for meals, are you comfortable that your doctor told you how to properly dose your Novolog? Timing of it is important, too.
The best way many have found to contol BG is by reducing carbs. 300’s–scary. There are many discussions here on low carb eating. Please check out Jenny’s site www.bloodsugar101.com. It’s wonderful. Jenny knows her stuff!
Yeah I do the low carb thing. My sugar will be in the 300’s even on empty. Actually higher when on empty. This started happening since the med change. Lantus did not do well with me in the morning and caused weight gain. Now I am on Levemir for a week now and already taking a 100 units a day and in the 300’s . I don’t know what to do. Feel like giving up.
Does your doctor think this is related to the med change? As a Type 1, I don’t know much about oral meds. Have you had your thyroid levels tested? When thyroid is out of whack it makes control that much harder. Of course, the other thing is that you’ve got some infection brewing. Dental problems are the worst culprits for high BG & not something we can often feel like the flu.
I’ve had highs on empty, too. Must be my liver dumping more glucose.
If you don’t mind me asking, how many carbs per meal & how much Novolog to cover it?
Jenny’s site talks about the more unusual forms of diabetes. Perhaps there’s something there that relates to your situation.
You are like me a few years ago. Sounds like you should be on insulin a slow basal and a fast acting one. Low carb and a lot of exercise to prevent weight gain and I think you should do fine. Your BG have been much too high for much too long that why your body goes hypo at 85. In time as you bring your BG into the normal range you will be fine at that level. Forget the orals meds you will never do well on them. Get insulin quickly as your high BG will kill your pancreas completely which takes the diabetes from being a fun disease to your worst nighmare.
I was diagnosed with Type 2 four years ago. My doctor first wanted me to try exercise and diet. When things didn’t get into line, he put me on Metphormin. I started out on 1000 per day. Then he upped it to 1500. At first, my blood sugar got down to about 160 during the day and fasting blood sugar was around 190 in the morning. Recently, he added Glyburide (3.0 mg) to my medications and upped my Metphormin to 2000. The results?
The addition of Glyburide dropped my blood sugar down to normal levels During the day, My blood sugar will fluctuate from 120 down to 70 before meals, from 190 down to 130 after meals, and from 110 down to 80 in the morning. I have down other things to greatly contribute to the success of the lowering of my blood sugar.
I exercise at the gym a minimum of three times per week. I eat at the same time (more or less) every day. Instead of snacking all of the time, I eat more smaller meals to refrain from snacking all of the time and giving me the opportunity to spread out my medications throughout the day. I also do not eat anything (with the exceptions of a few crackers or a piece of candy if my blood sugar is too low) a few hours before I go to sleep. Refraining from eating a few hours before you go to sleep will greatly affect the effectiveness of your medications. That, and taking the medications at about the same time each day.
I admit that it was very hard at first. I made the mistake of taking a dose of Glyburide (1.5) and Metphormin (500) at breakfast, then the same at lunch, and Metphormin (1000) at dinner. (What my doctor prescribed.) I quickly saw my average blood sugar drop from 220 to 70! I nearly passed out from the low blood sugar that I hardly eperienced up to that time. What saved me was constant monitoring of my blood sugar (like 6 times or more per day) until I found out what worked for me. For me, I take a dose of Metphormin before breakfast, a dose of Glyburide right after breakfast. I do the same at lunch, however I eat breakfast much earlier so there is a least a 5 hour separation of time between doses. At dinner, I take 1000 Metphormin. I hardly experience hypoglycemia and my body is reaping the benefits of running with normal blood sugar.
It is my goal to lose more weight so I am within my BMI. (I am overweight by 15 lbs), Also, I am going to refine my eating habits where I am eating out less, preparing more food at home, and sticking to foods that are NOT processed. (Like the microwave dinners.) A few friends I know with Type 2 have gotten off of the drugs by diet and excercise. Because Glyburide only “works” for the first one or two years of usage, it is my goal to be off of the drugs by the end of this year.
And you are certainly new to this, so I don’t see why it would be a problem.