Ask the Diabetes Educator Archive

10/3/05

Q:
10 years ago while being pregnant with my 2nd child, I had gestational diabetes. I still keep an eye on it even though I have not been diagnosed with diabetes. I started testing myself and I find that my glucose level doesn't really go much higher when I eat. It never goes above 125(1 hr after eating) but does go below 80 at times (especially when fasting). According to the strip levels, these fall into the normal range. Should I be concerned with the not much of a change in the levels when I eat? Example today: Morning (fasting) 99; 1 hr after lunch 98.

A:
99 is one step away from a diagnosis of "pre-diabetes". Going below 80 may be too low for you, causing hypoglycemic-like reactions. My best suggestion to you is to get whatever assistance you need to make sure your food intake is well-balanced. This means whole foods, appropriate protein at each meal, minimal refined foods: guidelines similar to what you may have been given to control your gestational diabetes.