What is.......

We were talking about this last week...blood glucose levels....

So, as Doug suggested, I did get a blood glucose monitor.  I searched ebay and found one for $5 brand new, however I called my dad to see what kind he has (because diabetes runs heavily on my dad's side) and he said he had two of them and for me not to buy one.  So he sent it to me and it arrived yesterday. 

So my question is this..what is normal, too low or too high levels?  I am sure everyone is different but I just wanted to know.  Now prior to WLS, I never had a "sugar" issue...lol  My levels were always fine.  As they are now.  I took my level last night before I went to bed and it read 84.  I called my dad and he was like well obviously you don't have a "sugar" problem. 

So what is the "norm" or too low or high or too high???

Have you talked to your doctor about this?  You want your levels to be below 100 some scales say 130.  Now you need to take this in the am before eating then about one hour after each meal and usually right before bed.  I must have missed your message last week about glucose levels so if you don't mind tell me have you been diagnosed with diabetes?

Hey Apple, no i haven't been diagnosed with diabetes...Doug had a post last week i think talking about blood glucose levels and if we had ever had issues with them being too low.  he had an episode where he was too low and he felt weird and had to immediately get something sweet to bring it back up.  He was stating that as WLS patients we can have VERY low readings and need to monitor it periodically.....

I can't give you a 'scale' off the top of my head...but I too come from a long line of diabetics and 84 is good! 
OK so I just Googled...it says normal is in the 70-150 range.

http://www.isletsofhope.com/diabetes/symptoms/normoglycemia_ 1.html

Stacee...I think the above link has some good information about blood sugar levels.  (You really can't tell much from a one-time reading...)

I think the levels 2 hours after your meals is a very informative number, and is the number my doctor was always most interested in.

have you had your hemoglobin A1c checked?

Glucose, the primary energy source for human and animal cells, is a type of sugar that travels through the bloodstream. Glucose enters your body whenever you eat carbohydrate foods. Glucose levels are regulated by insulin and glucagon. Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas and released into the bloodstream when glucose levels rise.

Normal glucose levels fall between 70 and 150 mg. Levels typically are lower in the morning, and rise after meals. Blood sugar levels falling consistently above 150 are indicative of hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar. Chronic low levels, falling below 70, characterize hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia is a potentially fatal condition. Symptoms of this condition are lethargy, impaired mental functioning, irritability and loss of consciousness. Persistent hyperglycemia results in diabetes mellitus, which is the most common disease related to blood sugar regulation failure. Diabetes can cause eye, kidney and nerve damage.

A blood glucose test measures the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. Reasons for testing glucose levels are to check for diabetes, to monitor treatment of diabetes, and to check for hypoglycemia. There are several different types of glucose tests. The 'fasting blood sugar' test checks glucose levels after an eight-hour fast and is often the first test performed when checking for diabetes. For this test, levels have to fall between 70 and 99 in order to be considered normal. The 'two-hour postprandial blood sugar' test measures glucose levels two hours after eating a meal.

Normal glucose levels for this test fall between 70 and 145. Random blood sugar testing checks glucose levels randomly throughout the day, regardless of meal times. If levels vary widely, there could be a problem. Blood sugar levels should be between 70 and 125 in order to be considered normal for random testing.

Thanks LaVerne!!!!  VERY good info.

Just to add in addition to what LaVerne has posted...a BG of 126 is now considered Pre-Diabetic.  The standards from the ADA have changed in the last few years.  Some people have a reaction to BG at 70 so that is just "baseline" information.  Although you are not diabetic (hyperglycemic) you could be infact hypoglycemic (suffering from low blood sugar).  Either condition can prove deadly if not properly treated.  When you have an episode like you mentioned before, take your BG reading.  That will determine what action/s you need to take at that time.  If you have a reading under 70 typically you should try to get in 12-15 grams of a quick acting carbohydrate (high sugar source) as well as eat when you reach above that 70 mark so that means you will need to consume the "sugar" and then take another reading 15 minutes after you have ingested the "rescue" food. 

This may sound crazy as well but if you take your reading before excercise and it shows that you are already at a level close to 70...you should probably eat a complex carb before your routine as to not have a drop in BG after you are done.  As always, talk to your doctor about your concerns.  Go there well equipped with your BG readings and diary of activity and that should soothe any concerns that you have.

I hope this was helpful.

Thanks sweet peachey princess!  all of it was very very helpful.  I was just alil concerned cuz it was low, i wasn't feeling back but that was about an hour or more after i ate dinner....