Should I Be Concerned?

[Mark_Fails]

I would appreciate the thoughts of you knowledgeable people.

Diagnosed T2 back in July and on 2000mg Metformin/day. Testing 2/3 times / day and I have good medical support

Managing well; first post diagnosis HBa1C was 6.9, lost almost three stone and pushing to reach my target weight of under 12st, which is just inside my BMI, but still another 3 pounds to go. Here's the problem.....

Over the weekend I had a reading of 3.8 which gives me the concern as it's below the magic 4.0.

Curcimstances were:
* Test taken around 17:00; previous had been a 'fast' at about 06:30, of 6.6.

* Food intake up to then was apple and banana at about 08:30 and same again around 12:00.

* Round of golf in the afternoon and then a test when I got home, before tea.

*Normal reading under similar circumstances atthat time would be high 5's.

* I felt absolutely fine, with no effects that I could notice, but had a banana to be on teh safe side.

So.....

Should I worry?

Did I eat the wrong things?

Not eaten enough food?

I thought it was impossible for T2/Metformin to go below 4.0. Obviously not, so is this typical?

Thanks for any advice

Mark

Any advice welcome.

 

[AlisonM]

While hypos may be rare for people on Metformin, they aren't impossible and it may be that you hadn't had enough fuel for the amount of activity that day. Having said that 3.8 isn't a major hypo and I wouldn't worry about it. Next time you're going to have a busy day like that, take a snack along with you and do an extra test from time to time, that should help head off any problems.

Congratulations for getting things under control so well.

 

[Mark_Fails]

Thanks for such a prompt reply Alison. What I was thinking but that's the beauty of this forum; always someone to ask, who is knowledgable and understands 🙂.

 

[yorksman]

Getting into the 3s is something that happens even without medication.

It's generally not a problem but worth mentioning to the GP. Having lost weight and got some sort of diet which suits you, it might be that your medication needs now to be reduced. I am on diet and exercise alone but notice that, occasionally, I am 3.6 - 3.8 but, when I do have very low readings, they are usually 4.3 - 4.5. It may be natural variation, it may be meter inaccuracy (plus or minus 10%), it may be sample variability (eg. too much interstitial fluid squeezed out).

Given your success at losing weight, I would have thought the GP would like to see how you react to a reduction in metformin.

That 4.0 by the way is less 'magic' and more 'guesstimate'. There is a lot that is not known about diabetes and these things are not that precise.

 

[trophywench]

LOL

You aren't actually CLINICALLY hypo until you hit 3.3 or below - at that point your brain and nervous system WILL definitely be affected.

Non diabetics can go low! It's rare, but not eating a lot then doing hefty physical stuff, yep. Often people think it's their BP, and that made them feel a bit shaky - but anyway tend to stop and have a cuppa and a biscuit or whatever and voila, it cures it. You know when people go out on the pop, then near chucking out time, they get the munchies and head for the nearest food outlet ? - that's because their BG has dropped and if you tested em, they'd be low.

But they wouldn't drop below 3.3 under all likely circumstances - not unless they were taking some 'hypoglycaemic agent' eg Gliclazide or insulin as the two prime contenders.

So they make the rules for us taking these drugs, to include a margin of error, cos really when you have got these things in your body and can't remove em once they are there, you need to correct it before it gets to be a Real Problem.

And that's where the (mythical actually, but it serves it's purpose) rule of 'Four is the floor' comes into it.

Just for safety's sake.

And no - you most likely hadn't eaten enough to do that walk! No protein or fat whatsoever and that just ain't healthy, balanced diet type eating.

 

[Mark_Fails]

Once again. thanks very much everyone. Good clear information and advice; well taken. You nevr stop learning here.

Yes, the 'balanced diet' advice is also well made and noted. Thanks.

 

[PhoebeC]

Trophywrench I'm glad you mentioned the food, if your exercising even just golf a non D should have something first. Can't except your body to doors with the normal in it. You wouldn't go on a long trip without extra fuel or you would need the AA.

It's all a balancing act food/exercise/Meds fun stuff 🙂

Sound like your doing well though, July is no time at all x