[ Home | FAQ-Related Q&As | General Q&As | Answered Questions ]

Search the Q&A Archives

...a normal reading for blood glucose?Every where I...

<< Back to: diabetes FAQ: general (part 1 of 5)

Answer by Siamak
Submitted on 2/6/2004
Rating:	Rate this answer:
According to labtest online http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/glucose/test.html A fasting level From 70 to 109 mg/dL is considered normal. Above 126 mg.dl is diabetic. Optimal control range is:(100-175 mg/dL)(6-10 mmol/L) Intensive :(71-125 mg/dL)(4-7 mmol/L) Moderate:(125-200 mg/dL)(7-11 mmol/L) check https://www.icd2.com/ for a web based management program.. I started using it a month ago.. Its marvelous and accessible with a browswer and of course internet. Also learn to test smartly. Immediately before a meal and 2-3 hours after a meal. Best not to eat anything in between. Bear in mind, blood has memory.. hb1AC test shows how much in control you have been over the past three months. Irrespective of the results on any one day. My measurement on Jan 8th was 10.. Prety high.. Its 4 weeks later and I am down to an estimated 6.. But actual blood test is two months away, we'll see. Cheers and good luck.

Answer by Jen
Submitted on 8/29/2005
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
Jeff, you could be having another complication called hypoglycemia. I am insulin resistant and was just appalled at how many doctors forget about hypoglycemia. They assume all insulin resistant people will become diabetic when the research is out there that it can go either way. Now, hypoglycemics can go diabetic but not all the time. You did fine with the candy but you really need a comprehensive three or five hour glucose tolerance test to find out what side of the fence you are on and take appropriate action. Insulin resistance is also part of an entire metabolic syndrome where your body organs like liver, heart, and pancreas get heavily involved and a diet that is sensitive to the way your body utilizes foods like proteins and starches is very important. Insulin resistant people (in my opinion, true insulin resistance should not be based just a docs opinion or a couple of gluc tests...you need to be tested by a controlled test using IV and about three hours of your time to determine true IR and not another underlying disorder)respond well to drugs like glucophage and a carb controlled diet since most people with IR also present with the metabolic disorder.

Answer by leslieg
Submitted on 8/30/2005
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
Jeff, I'm brand new to this board, but I've had type 1 diabetes for just about 18 years (diagnosed at age 27), and although it sounds like you probably have type 2 diabetes (an entirely different disease), I can tell you that your reactions to hypoglycemia will vary, and that having a high average blood glucose level over a long period of time may cause you to experience symptoms of hypoglycemia when your blood sugar is actually normal (76 is normal). If you are not on insulin or any medication, your symptoms do not reflect a typical diabetic experience, in my opinion, and you should certainly seek the help of a doctor knowledgable in diabetes (there are very few, if you ask me, but they exist, and their expertise generally corresponds to the number of diabetics they have experience with). By all means seek a specialist if you can't find an answer that helps you, even if you have to pay for it yourself. Good luck!

Answer by John
Submitted on 12/22/2005
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
To put my 2 cents worth in, a normal range for a diabetic person where perhaps they aren't feeling well and test themselves would be different than a non-diabetic person worried that they might be diabetic and use someone's test kit to test themselves. The range answer would certainly be different. And then the question would be at what range should I do something about a figure that you get in testing? If I am at this low level or lower should I ingest something to raise my glucose or if I am this high then should I take some insulin... If you were undergoing one of those fasting tests or the glucose tolerance test the answer to what is normal is different too. So first determine what condition are you in when you are testing yourself and then ask the question what is normal for these conditions? Hopefully I am making some sense. In the end, ask an expert (endocrinologist) if you have this question, you probably have others too.

Answer by Milan
Submitted on 4/14/2006
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
My doctor did a test today and told me, that I should cut down on Starbucks (Americana Vente, 6 shots and 6 raw suggars) That is my early morning 0500 wake up drink with some pastry-danish? Doing it daily for approximately 6 years and out of being rather expensive, I don't drink, nor smoke, nor gamble (living in Las Vegas for 30 years), it just makes me feeling very good. My glucose level was 107 and she told me, that I was borderline. After reading other answers, 80-120 is OK. Any advice? (Starbuck coffee tastes good, but is not strong. I had one made same way in Czech repu blic last year-in real Italian place and was wired for 2 days. Any thoughts? Maybe "second mortgage?"

Answer by John
Submitted on 10/3/2006
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
Jeff, this answer comes over two years too late, but you would be helped greatly by some recent journals on endocrinology our an internet search on "LADA" or "Type 1.5 Diabetes". You may benefit from also looking up a couple of blood tests "C-Peptide" and "Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase Assay". These can tell respectively the degree to which your pancreas still produces insulin and if, as often happens, your insulin resistance is (by means yet unknown) begun morphing into autoimmune beta-cell destruction in the pancreas (i.e. basically, Type 1 diabetes). Be careful in getting these tests. The C-Peptide test can also be used to check for hypOglycemia, in which case, you fast prior to the test. If you're using it to check for pancreas function however, you should do exactly the opposite. Good luck. John

Answer by ilex
Submitted on 3/16/2007
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
Regarding insulin resistance, I doubt you have that. A normal non diabetic FBS is 75-115mg/dl. For an insulin dependant diabetic endocrinologist don't expect perfect range. So, they give us leeway. If we pop up with a FBS of 130, most doctors will leave it alone. That's also true with the HGBA1C, normal non diabetic is 6.0-6.6, there are very few insulin dependant diabetics that can maintain that level. So, they consider "us" IDDM'sunder good control if we can get to 7 or less. We all also have "thresholds" in which our bodies determine how low our blood sugars can do before we start feeling "stupid." Those with low tolerance will feel low blood sugar affects long before those with high tolerances. Not every body is the same. There is also the FBS which is done on a fasting basis, then there is the 2 hour PP (post prandial). For non diabets, the 2 hr. pp should not exceed 140mg/dl, however, as much as they would like to see an IDDM come up with the same results, this is very unlikely, our 2 hour pp will exceed 200mg/dl if insulin is not given. And after a hypoglycemic event, you will feel "airy" you will have tachycardia (rapid heart beat) numb lips, double vision, and most times get a headache, this is all a part of being diabetic. New studies have found that IDDM'swith extremely low blood sugars are at a much higher risk for strokes at this time, so try and not let your blood sugars get below 50-60 or you may just be looking for more problems. Also some medicines may give you incorrect results on your meter at home, if you are anemic and have a low hemaglobin or hematocrit, or a higher than normal hematocrit this can affect a blood sugar in the reverse. Watch your meter for use, dirty, watch the humidity, watch the expiration of your strips. Sooooo much to be aware of!

Answer by Nursey
Submitted on 3/26/2007
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
I didn't answer your question as to what to do. You can increase your protein intake, decrease your carbs and exercise. Watch the sugar intake (which are carbs). One idea for a meal is 4 oz of chicken, lettuce salad and veggies. You could have a small potato with that also. Remember, corn and peas are starchy veggies and those turn into carbs which turn into sugar. Eating the candy bar was ok, but that just put you in the swing. You need to follow with a peanut butter sandwich, or some other type of protein to sustain you. The candy bar brought your sugar level up, but it can also drop your sugar quickly. You can also visit with your doctor or speak to someone from the American Diabetes Association. They are wonderful and have all kinds of information.

Answer by Gnat
Submitted on 5/19/2007
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
Jeff, What did your doctor tell you about diabetes? My understanding of diabetes is that a person cannot properly metabolize glucose, and therefore, his or her blood glucose is at an abnormally high level most or all of the time. If you had a blood sugar of 76, without taking insulin, then I do not believe you have diabetes (Diabetes involves high blood sugar). I myself have had problems with low blood sugar, like yourself. If you don't eat a proper balance of slow-acting carbohydrates, protein and fat, and are prone to low blood sugar, then you will have a habit of getting low blood sugar and feeling shaky. I pretty much try to cut out sugar because I don't like the drops in blood sugar that you also experience. I would encourage you to read up for yourself about how diet and exercise can help you regulate your blood sugar; both of these things help just as much for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) as for hyperglycemia (high blood sugar).

Answer by Bob
Submitted on 5/20/2007
Rating: Not yet rated	Rate this answer:
There seems to be a big difference of opinion among doctors as to what blood sugar should be. As I understand it, there is one standard for non diabetics and another for diabetics. Jeff if my blood sugar was 76 I would be totally out of it. You did exactly the right thing using the candy to bring your sugar level up. My daughter is diabetic and gets sick if it gets down to 90. Myself I can feel it when I am getting down close to 100. You need to follow the sugar with protein so that your blood sugar will get back up to normal levels. I would suggest that you get some glucose tablets to carry with you for such an emergency. You can get them at the pharmacy. You sound like what my doctor called prediabetic. When I was prediabetic I could keep it in control with diet but had trouble with it crashing now and then so I always carried hard candy. Then I suddenly went from pre to full blown and am now on insulin. I hope this was of some help to you. My doctor told me that a general rule of thumb was that of a morning before you eat your blood sugar should be around 110 or less. Two hours after eating it should be in the 120 to 140 range.