Post medical tests: crap feeling

[shootingstar]

Some medical tests are just..uh...fun.

Right now still trying to recover from the blood glucose test where medical lab requires patient to drink pure glucose and take blood test 2 hrs. later to check for elevated blood sugar level to determine diabetes 2.

I'm still recovering even after 3.5 hrs....but though test results have not been finished, it's same old feeling when I eat too much white rice, pasta or fairly sweet dessert. This hypo feeling should pass...soon.

Wish also I was more comfortable with ordinary blood drawing tests. But I never have been. I have to look away when they do it. Often the lab technician has problems finding an arm vein for sticking in a needle. Several years ago, it was done abit incorrectly and I ended up with a huge arm bruise.

My sisters who work in various health care jobs, don't have the same psychological discomforts as I do about this test.

[Biciclista]

why on earth are they testing you for Diabetes type II?

[Becky]

"it's same old feeling when I eat too much white rice, pasta or fairly sweet dessert. This hypo feeling should pass...soon."

Or are they testing for reactive hypoglycemia?

[shootingstar]

why on earth are they testing you for Diabetes type II?

I had a false reading for diabetes 2, ie. elevated blood sugar level that indicates my natural insulin production is not kicking in at the right time to stabilize it. I don't know if I lack natural insulin production sensitivity --my layperson's explanation.

Then I got retested again and the tests indicated I was normal. Both tests were just the normal blood drawing tests, no prescribed ingestion of pure glucose.

My doctor-sister insisted that I request my family doctor for the glucose test because it is a far more accurate test for detecting diabetes II tendencies.

That was nearly 2 yrs. ago. Now I am getting the real test..because I had to insist on it. I just haven't gotten around to it because it requires staying at the lab for 2 hrs. before they draw your blood 2nd time, to compare blood sugar levels before and after glucose. Right now I have personal time during day to do this test..

Past 2 yrs., I still noticed that when I do eat alot of white rice, pasta, etc. without immediate exercise afterwards, I feel crappy and drawn-out. But now, wonder what results will be when last few months I've been cycling regularily alot more and hence, producing natural insulin to regulate blood sugar level. Usually for diabetes II people, dietary changes and regular exercise brings it under control.

I know, I don't look like a diabetes II candidate. Will find out soon.

[OakLeaf]

If you don't mind my asking -

why does your sister think you need the test? If your fasting glucose is normal, and your diet and lifestyle are such that your blood glucose is well controlled, why do you need an expensive test to tell you whether or not it's okay for you to eat piles of sugar every day?

Feel free to tell me to MYOB.


Anyway I'm sorry you feel cr*ppy and hope you get back to normal soon!

[shootingstar]

I am not sure 100% (until I know in a few days) if my fasting glucose is normal.

I'm abit lackadasial about my diet.I still have white rice, etc. just not as much and because I really don't know the real status is for me. And in winter time, when I'm not always cycling, it can pose to be a problem since I don't have an equally vigorous alternate regular sport to replace cycling. So I get crappy sensations, not really knowing for sure.

By the way, Canada's public health care system does not charge the patient for this particular test, at least not in B.C. nor in Ontario. But it must be prescribed by a doctor after diagnosis.

((But keep in mind, a Canadian resident does have to pay a flat monthly fee for health care (regardless of whether you receive health care at all) ..either individual pays or it's paid by employer as part of work benefit pkg. Payee is the provincial government's Ministry of Health where one lives. Monthly fee is very reasonable compared to what U.S. HMOs charge monthly.))

[Triskeliongirl]

From shooting star's description of how she *felt* during the test, it is very possible that the test will reveal she has impaired glucose tolerance.

But, this doesn't mean she has type II diabetes. I have a form of type I diabetes where I undersecrete insulin, but make enough insulin to maintain glucose homeostasis on a low carb diet. So, while my fasting blood sugar is good, I do poorly on a glucose tolerance test. So, if shooting star is anything like me, this test will tell her that, and then she'll know she has to pay more attention to the effect of her diet on her blood sugar levels.

[OakLeaf]

From shooting star's description of how she *felt* during the test, it is very possible that the test will reveal she has impaired glucose tolerance. ... So, if shooting star is anything like me, this test will tell her that, and then she'll know she has to pay more attention to the effect of her diet on her blood sugar levels.

Okay, not to beat this to death, but this is what I can't stand about our medical system.

"Doctor, I feel like cr*p when I eat this." "Okay, don't eat that. That'll be $800."

She already knows that eating high glycemic-index foods, without immediate exercise, makes her feel cr*ppy. What else does she need to know?

[shootingstar]

Okay, not to beat this to death, but this is what I can't stand about our medical system.

"Doctor, I feel like cr*p when I eat this." "Okay, don't eat that. That'll be $800."

She already knows that eating high glycemic-index foods, without immediate exercise, makes her feel cr*ppy. What else does she need to know?

Oak, I'm blessed to have a sibling who is family doctor in Ontario to give me off-the-record advice but there was no follow-through by my regular family doctor in British Columbia. Sister never read on paper my laboratory tests. So from the standpoint of medical ethics, I must have a trail of documented testing and follow-up instead of self-diagnosing with a sister-doctor who lives in another province.

Most patients do not have the expertise of a family member who is a doctor, to advocate on their behalf OR for an informal medical advice for next steps. So I suppose dear baby sister , is doing this..out of professional follow-through and ..concerned love for me.

Also shows how perhaps 1 doctor disagrees with an approach of another doctor.

So different from 25 years ago when I was underweight and ate 2 full bowls of white rice daily for dinner. Full of energy beans back then after such a meal. I wasn't even exercising at all except for walking alot because I didn't drive. Cycling wasn't in my life at that time.

Besides I might as well know...after 50 one can only go ...uh..hopefully very slowly downhill health-wise.

[witeowl]

Okay, not to beat this to death, but this is what I can't stand about our medical system.

"Doctor, I feel like cr*p when I eat this." "Okay, take these pills. That'll be $800."

FTFY.

My father was "diagnosed" as diabetic with a single blood test (which is against the ADA's stance). She didn't even talk about dietary/lifestyle changes and wrote him a prescription. One test, one visit. He never filled the prescription but did start exercising and eating better... and "cured" his diabetes. She later praised him for his success, but I doubt she ever admitted her lapse in judgment.

EDIT: I know, I know... There are many more good doctors than bad doctors. This is my gripe with the bad ones, which seem to be multiplying thanks to pharmaceutical incentives and lazy patients looking for quick-fixes.

[bmccasland]

Shootingstar - so for YOUR birthday we need to bake a wholegrain cake with lots of nuts and seeds, with a light glaze? Just planning for future reference. Pictures of cake with sugar icing won't mess up your blood sugar, eating it will.

Hope you feel better. Let us know the results. We'll be ready to give you lots of advice on what to eat next! Yeah, life with whatever flavor medical system you have can be loads of fun. I made a follow-up appointment with my doctor today, in 2 weeks. Used to get one in a matter of days, now it's weeks.

[sarahspins]

I have a form of type I diabetes where I undersecrete insulin, but make enough insulin to maintain glucose homeostasis on a low carb diet.

I don't mean to hyjack this thread, but I am a type 1 diabetic, and I'm not sure I understand at all what you are saying - T1 is an autoimmune disease that results in the eventual destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas (which produce insulin, so no beta cells = no insulin). While it's possible to be a T1 still producing some insulin for a while (often referred to as the "honeymoon phase" which can last anywhere from a few months to a few years) after that point most don't produce any insulin at all.. there really isn't much room for being inbetween..

Simply being insulin deficient does not make someone a type 1.. taking insulin does not automatically make a diabetic a type 1 either. Have you had antibody testing to confirm the T1 diagnosis, or is it an assumption based on a lowish c-peptide test?

[Triskeliongirl]

My colleagues and doctors who are diabetologists tell me that not all type I diabetes is autoimmune. I have been tested, and I do not produce any of the known autoantibodies, but my insulin levels, both fasting, and in response to a glucose challenge are low. I participated in a research study where my insulin sensitivity was measured, and it was found to be very good. Therefore my problem is reduced insulin secretion and not a lack of sensitivity to insulin.

The reason they call me a type I versus type II, is that the underlying defect in type I is insulin undersecretion, while the underlying defect in type II is insulin insensitivity. So, I am more like a type I than a type II (i.e. I do undersecrete insulin, but while I secrete less insulin than a normal person I make more than a full blown type I). I am not a full blown type I, because I make enough insulin to maintain glucose homeostasis as long as I am not challenged with glucose and I exercise. Nevertheless, even though I control it by diet and exercise, I was told that when asked by other health care providers I should tell them I am type I, since this effects how I would be managed in an emergency situation, etc.

I also worried this means I would progress, as you do, but I have been like this for a really long time. Since it doesn't appear to be autoimmune, there is no reason to believe it will progress. For some unknown reason my body makes less insulin than it should. But, thankfully it makes enough for me to control it with diet and exercise. When I say diet, I do have to eat an extremely low carb diet (~30g/day, using my glucose monitor to choose foods).

So, there really can be an in between. How common this is, I don't know. But it is how I am. But my story explains the power of tests. Its one thing to not eat things that make you feel bad, its another to be able to use a glucose monitor to choose what is and isn't safe to eat. It just takes the emotion out of it.

p.s. they used very sensitive radioimmunoassays to quantify the insulin in my blood every 15 minutes following a gluocose challenge, this is much more sensitive than C peptide levels, but was done as part of a research protocol, so its not a standard clinical test that can be ordered.

I don't mean to hyjack this thread, but I am a type 1 diabetic, and I'm not sure I understand at all what you are saying - T1 is an autoimmune disease that results in the eventual destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas (which produce insulin, so no beta cells = no insulin). While it's possible to be a T1 still producing some insulin for a while (often referred to as the "honeymoon phase" which can last anywhere from a few months to a few years) after that point most don't produce any insulin at all.. there really isn't much room for being inbetween..

Simply being insulin deficient does not make someone a type 1.. taking insulin does not automatically make a diabetic a type 1 either. Have you had antibody testing to confirm the T1 diagnosis, or is it an assumption based on a lowish c-peptide test?

[Triskeliongirl]

If you don't mind my asking -

why does your sister think you need the test? If your fasting glucose is normal, and your diet and lifestyle are such that your blood glucose is well controlled, why do you need an expensive test to tell you whether or not it's okay for you to eat piles of sugar every day?

Feel free to tell me to MYOB.


Anyway I'm sorry you feel cr*ppy and hope you get back to normal soon!

Because knowledge is power. My fasting blood sugars are normal too, but not when challenged with more than about 10g of CHO, which even includes fruit and starchy vegetables. How does she know her sugars are well controlled throughout the day. If she finds out she has impaired glucose tolerance through this test, whethers its due to the undersecretion of insulin (type I) or to insulin resistance (type II), she will then know she has to monitor her diet more carefully. For some of us, its not enough to just eat low glycemic foods.