Blood sugar levels and weight loss

AZ Sunrises · 11-07-2010, 12:32 PM

My fasting blood sugar levels have always been in the normal range. I was always between 93-98 any time it was tested. The glucose tolerance test showed me peaking at normal levels...and then really crashing. (Obvious insulin resistance causing excess release into my system.)

I've found myself feeling "off" (extremely irritable, prone to tears, etc.) for several months. I also noticed that I was craving garbage when that happened...and that if I gave in, the moodiness dissipated.

For grins and giggles, I bought a blood glucose monitor. Yesterday, my fasting blood sugar was at 71. Today, I was at 75.

Has anyone else had their glucose numbers drop like that as a result of weight loss? I know that insulin/sugar levels are supposed to improve, but that just seems like a LOT to me.

boots · 11-08-2010, 07:12 PM

Your body "handles" sugar a lot better without the extra weight on you. I'm not sure I understand the direct correlation, but I found the difference to be dramatic between my second and third pregnancies.

Also, just eating regularly and healthy can help your body "adapt" and handle the sugar more healthily. Something else I did better on my third pregnancy vs my first pregnancy (I'm a gestational-pre-diabetic)

For instance, eating the same number of carbs at the same times every day, will help your body control and keep your sugar levels lower and healthy.

On my second pregnancy when I was about 20 lbs heavier, very small amounts of carbs would drastically shoot up my blood sugar, and my fasting levels were higher. (in the 90s)

On my second pregnancy, I was 20 lbs lighter and ate "regularly" (same time every day and the held consistent the number of carbs I ate) my blood sugar levels for fasting were in the 70s and every now and then the 80s.

It makes a big deal.

Rana · 11-15-2010, 01:44 PM

Yes! It happens to me. I have PCOS and when I wasn't taking care of my diet and exercise, my A1C would be elevated (it monitors sugar levels in your blood for the last three months). Now, I can take a glucose tolerance test and have it appear normal. The weight loss, good diet and exercise make my body act "normal" unless you've seen the previous test results.

Justwant2Bhealthy · 11-15-2010, 09:20 PM

Yes, that happened to me too; my BSL's came down with healthier eating in the 5.3 - 5.7 range for a long time; but when I was on Metformin, sometimes it would go down into the 4.7 to 4.9 range and possibly lower, and that made me feel sick: dizzy, light-headed, shakey, and so forth. After a few years, I weaned myself off the MET becuz of this. I would wake up in the middle of the night (3 am; called the DAWN SYNDROME) feeling so dizzy I thought I might pass out.

Now, as long as I eat regular (including a small carb snack in the evening), my sugars stay more balanced. If I try to cut back too much, then I start to get that woozy feeling again ...

RoseRodent · 11-16-2010, 04:14 PM

Medical normals are made up from the averages of thousands of people. Within those averages there will be some people who are at both of the extreme ends. I have a naturally very low blood glucose, not sure what it is in standard US measures but in mmol/l it comes out as 3.1 normal blood sugar and 4.5 after meals. I've just always had those kinds of readings.

Another thing that nobody likes to mention is that the accuracy tolerance for home blood glucose meters is quite crazily huge, and some brands read higher than others in general. I thought my BG had shot up when I changed from Bayer to Accu-Chek until someone finally told me that Accu-Chek generally always read higher! Maybe you have the kind of meter that shows quite low readings?

pattynelson · 11-26-2010, 08:02 AM

Hello there!

You are actually not the only one experiencing this type of issue. Some even have a more abnormally-low blood sugar levels compared to you.

Anyway, a good relief for this problem would be this: whenever you feel faint and dizzy (a sign of hypoglycemia), it would be good to use your glucometer to check if your assumption is correct. If yes, then it's time to load up on the glucose. Take in any of these: 5 or 6 spoons of table sugar, a glass of soda, or one hard candy. This will help raise your blood glucose levels just in time prior to your next meal.

Hope this helps!

fatmad · 12-03-2010, 09:17 PM

I think overdoing the glucose when having lows causes swings that aren't healthy. A glass of juice and a piece of cheese and lying down for a bit is good. More important is eating small frequent meals to keep sugars stable. I had severe hypoglycemia at times before I finally became pre-diabetic. I still have lows if I don't eat properly. But I do atkins now and have very stable sugars. I wish I had lost the weight before this happened, but I am glad that it happened and made me get my act together. Good luck to you for balancing things before it gets to that point. I suspect that the weight loss has lowered your insulin resistance so you are much healthier already. Good for you.