I have a female friend who has been getting some low and high numbers. Some are in the 400 to 500 range and she can take it again in a few minutes and it is, as low as 70. Here is what is strange, she found out that, the more she eats the lower her numbers go. One night her BG reading was around 145 and she was craving some junk food real bad, so she ate a bowl of ice cream and a large piece of cake and some cake icing with a spoon. One hour later her reading was 80. She is now scare to eat, for fear of going too low with her levels. Bread will keep her levels the same, but fruit will cause a pretty low BG reading. Does any one have any idea what is going on with her. She is about 25 years old and slim and fit, and no family history of diabetes. She is getting the run around with the Doctor she is seeing, he does not think she has a problem. I have told her to get a second Doctor to go over her log that she has started. Thanks for any input that you folks may have.
Mike

Sounds like she is "hypoglycemic" and definitely needs to get a second opinion.
If a doctor gives the runaround it is time to seek help elsewhere.

You also might want to suggest she search the net for a hypoglycemic diet.

Frequently, hypoglycemia can lead to diabetes, as the bodies of hypoglycemics actually produce too much insulin in response to eating carbs, and the beta cells eventually can wear out. The way to prevent this from happening is to follow a fairly low-carb diet. A person with hypoglycemia should also NEVER eat carbohydrates without also eating some protein.

To diagnose hypoglycemia, she will need a glucose tolerance test, but even before diagnosis, she can start eating better. She also should ask for a referral to a registered dietician for advice on hypoglycemic food plans.

Ruth

Mike,

So-called "Reactive Hypoglycemia" results in big swings in the blood sugar level. Rising blood sugar after eating is followed by a low blood sugar several hours later. The process works something like this :

After eating, the blood sugar level starts rising. This triggers the release of stored insulin (phase 1 insulin response) and the production of more insulin (phase 2 insulin response) so that glucose in the blood can enter the cells where it is needed.

Normally, this would mean that the blood sugar level will not rise rise much before the action of insulin pulls it down again. But with reactive hypoglycemia, inadequate phase 1 insulin response means that the blood sugar level keeps rising. This causes a substantial phase 2 insulin response. And excessive insulin production causes the blood sugar to drop to a very low level several hours after eating.

This is why eating a lot of carbohydrate that quickly becomes glucose in the blood can cause a low blood sugar. This is what could be happening here. Tests done during a 5 hour glucose tolerance test would show how high the blood sugar level goes after a glucose load, and how low it drops afterwards.

Cheers,

Mark ;)

Her Doctor gave her a Glucose Tolerance test, her fasting number was 99, her second number was 174 (after the drink) and he stopped the test at that point. I now believe the Doctor had Hyperglycemia on his mind and not Hypoglycemia, when he stopped her test. If he let the test go all the way, he probably would have discovered her numbers dropping even more. Right? I will pass this information on to her. Thanks.
Mike

.... her fasting number was 99, her second number was 174 (after the drink) and he stopped the test at that point. .... If he let the test go all the way, he probably would have discovered her numbers dropping even more. Right?

Yes. I am surprised that the doctor stopped the test. And you didn't say how long after the glucose drink the 174 reading was obtained. But it sounds like your friend has impaired glucose intolerance.

The way to minimise the low blood sugars is to avoid carbohydrate loads that cause the blood sugar to go up in the first place. Anything that has a lot of added sugar. And the white foods - rice, pasta, bread etc - all push blood sugar up very quickly. Minimising consumption of these foods should reduce the severity of hypos.

Cheers,

Mark

I have had the same test done before. It would have been 1 hour after the flat soda tasting drink that her reading was 174. They usually take blood a total of 4 times, an hour apart.
Mike