Glucose monitors?

Question

I bought a glucose monitor because of my concerns, symptoms and pre-diabetes. My 1st monitor fluctuated too much, I purchased a better one (Accu-check). This one does not fluctuate much, but my numbers range from 70 – 259. I test my husband and his is always around 100 mg. I went to the doctor, he did the glucose test. My self-test and lab test is totally different. Self-test 168 mg Lab test 99 mg – why is that? My concern is that if I test myself twice it gives me the same result and I test my husband and give him 100. The doctor said my symptoms are in my head. My cholesterol is at 300 and he prescribed aspirin ASPIRIN. How come I can’t get any explanation or help? I am so upset and tired of having these symptoms.

I did follow the instruction and wash my hands. I am really concerned about when I eat 1/2 a sandwhich and I get 230 mg after 2 hours

#4 sorry I mistakely wrote mg instead of mg/dl - I am not that ignorant

Answer 1

It seems to me that you have a concern that your physician is not explaining his plan for your care so you understand. Is your TOTAL cholesterol 300? Or the low density lipoproteins? You may request that your physician give you a copy of the blood test results.

Your blood tests may include:
Coronary Risk Screen – BHD #218 includes Cholesterol, Triglycerides, HDL, LDL, VLDL, Chol/HDL, Homocysteine, Lipoprotein (a), CRP, CPK
Cholesterol – Cholesterol is a wax-like substance that is produced in the liver and is also introduced into the body from dietary sources. It is transported in the blood by carrier proteins called lipoproteins that allow it to be soluble in serum and thereby transported to all parts of the body. Cholesterol, a critical component of cell membranes, is also the raw material from which all of the body's steroidal hormones are made and plays an essential role in the formation of vitamin D and bile salts. Too much cholesterol in the blood, however, can cause deposits of cholesterol inside arteries. These plaques can narrow the artery enough to block blood flow. This process known as atherosclerosis commonly occurs in the coronary arteries which nourish the heart.

Triglycerides – Triglycerides are composed of a glycerol molecule to which three fatty acid chains are attached. These high energy fatty acid chains provide much of the energy that the body's cells need to function. During times when triglycerides are not available from dietary sources the liver produces triglycerides itself. While there is no direct evidence that elevated triglycerides pose an independent risk for heart disease, they invariably accompany other major risk factors. However, it is clear that when triglycerides are elevated, HDL (the good) cholesterol levels decrease.

HDL – High-density lipoproteins transport cholesterol from the blood stream back to the liver for processing and elimination from the body. HDL makes it less likely that excess cholesterol in the blood will be deposited in the coronary arteries. Therefore HDL cholesterol is often referred to as the “good” cholesterol.

LDL (Direct) - A direct measurement (not a calculated value) of low-density lipoproteins that transport cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body. When there is too much LDL cholesterol in the blood, it can be deposited on coronary artery walls. Therefore LDL cholesterol is often referred to as the "bad" cholesterol.

The body needs both HDL and LDL, therefore the terms “good” and “bad” are not absolute.

VLDL – Very low-density lipoproteins (VLDLs) have higher lipid content and lower protein content than LDL. VLDL transports cholesterol from the liver to the body. When there is too much VLDL cholesterol in the blood, it can be deposited on coronary artery walls.

CHOL/HDL – Reports the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol and risk factor for men and women for cardiovascular disease.

Homocysteine – Homocysteine is an amino acid that is produced in the human body. It participates in essential metabolic pathways and is often converted into other amino acids for use by the body. Elevated homocysteine levels may irritate the endothelial cells lining blood vessels leading to blockages in arteries (atherosclerosis). It also can interact with blood proteins and cells making blood clotting easier than it should and can oxidize cholesterol into a more damaging form. Supplementing with folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 can help to reduce homocysteine levels in the blood.

Lipoprotein (a) – Lipoprotein (a) consists of LDL cholesterol linked by a disulfide bond to a large hepatically derived glycoprotein, apolipoprotein (a). Elevated lipoprotein (a) can potentially promote cardiovascular disease in two ways. Its apolipoprotein portion could promote an aggregation of blood factors entrapping cells, resulting in the blockage of an artery or its LDL cholesterol portion can be oxidized and impair endothelial cell function and create atherosclerotic plaque. The levels of lipoprotein (a) in the bloodstream are largely genetically determined. Estrogen replacement therapy in postmenopausal women and high dose niacin has been reported to lower lipoprotein (a) levels. Lipoprotein (a) is frequently elevated with acute as well as chronic bacterial infections.

CRP – C-reactive protein is released by the body in response to acute injury, infection or other inflammatory stimuli. As a marker of systemic inflammation, CRP is a powerful predictor of first and recurrent cardiovascular events.

CPK – Also known as Creatine Kinase (CK), CPK is an enzyme catalyzing the breakdown of phosphocreatine to phosphoric acid and creatine. CPK is a measure of the breakdown of muscle tissue (muscle wasting). It is very likely that CPK will be elevated if blood is drawn a day or two after a weight bearing workout. However, CPK could also be elevated in cases of severe catabolism where skeletal muscle is being broken down to provide glucose to the brain and in cases of heart wasting where something is attacking heart tissue. Any elevated CPK result is automatically reflexed to a myocardial branch fraction at no additional charge to rule out heart muscle wasting.

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Have you calibrated your glucometer?
http://www.accu-chek.com/us/rewrite/content/en_US/2.1:10/article/ACCM_general_article_2353.htm
You can phone the ACCU-CHEK Customer Care Center at 1-800-858-8072. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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Do you have high blood pressure? Do you monitor it at home?

Statistically, 54% of Americans are overweight and only 10% follow a regular exercise program.


What is your BMI?
http://www.halls.md/body-mass-index/bmi.htm

Body Mass Index (BMI)
The BMI is recognised as the easiest and best way to determine the optimum body weight and to assess the risks associated with overweight. The BMI accounts for differences in body composition by defining the level of adiposity according to the relationship of weight to height, thus eliminating dependence on frame size. The BMI can be calculated by using the following formula:
BMI = Weight (in kilograms) divided by Height (in metres)

This index has the best correlation with body fatness for adults and allows the definition of underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity:
BMI CLASSIFICATION
19 and less = Underweight
19 – 25 = Normal weight
25 – 30 = Overweight
30 and above = Obese
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Mass_Index

What is your waist to hip ratio?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waist-hip_ratio

Current recommendations for a healthy diet are fat 25 - 30%, protein 10 - 15% and carbohydrate 55 - 60%.

Do you exercise regularly?
According to the American Medical Association, your maximum heart rate is approximately 220 minus your age. Your target heart rate is generally between 50 and 75 percent of your maximum heart rate. This is your ideal heart rate to reach during aerobic exercise like brisk walking or jogging.
http://www.justmove.org/fitnessnews/healthf.cfm?Target=/hartrates.html

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

You need to speak to a certified diabetes educator who can teach you how, and more importantly when, to test your blood sugar. It's obvious you don't know what you're doing because the readings are not in milligrams - abbreviated "mg". In actuality, you probably do NOT have diabetes - I do - I've had it for twelve years - and I'm one of those diabetes educators.
You might also stop worrying about your cholesterol - new research is telling us that cholesterol levels may have less to do with heart disease in some people than previously thought. And aspirin is thought to be a viable medicine in the prevention of heart attack, so your doctor was quite correct in prescribing an aspirin a day.

Answer 4

I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but have you followed the directions on when to test your glucose levels? The manual that comes with the monitor will suggest the best times to test your levels, and if you're not following the guide, this may result in such a wide array of values that you're getting.

Answer 5

You are under the limit of 109 (fasting), so it's good, even 125 would be ok,... if you do it (test) after eating it jumps to "ABOUT" mid 150's, 70 - 100 is "ABOUT" normal after an 8 hr fast, don't wig out if it's 117, you're milage may vary.

Answer 6

you need to test yourself at the same times daily, once in the morning before you eat, once at noon before you eat, and once at night before bed. These results (taken for at least a week) can then be shared with your doctor. If you doctor is not responsive to your concerns you need to find another doctor.
blood sugars change alot throughout the day, the most important one being the first one in the morning before you eat, and it should be less than 100. the one before noon will be higher, and will indicate if you are eating the right things for breakfast. and the one at night will determine if you will have enough blood sugar to get you safely through the night. no blood sugar will remain constant at any given time.