GTT results, prediabetes???
 

I had a GTT yesterday. My fasting BS was 97. An hour later, it had jumped to 144. At 2 hrs. it was 77 and 3 hrs., 73. Do you think these numbers are high enough to have caused my neuropathy?

Well--
 

--by most lab reference ranges for glucose tolerance testing, you would not be diagnosed with impairment. Generally, at one hour one is allowed a glucose level below 170, and at two hours, below 140, before one is diagnosed with impaired tolerance.

The lowering of the numbers into the seventies, though, given you started at 97, does imply a certain degree of reactive hypoglycemia--not severe, but something to watch, as this can sometimes be a precursor to diabetes. The implication is that your body overreacted a bit to the small glucose challange by overproducing insulin, driving your blood sugar levels somewhat below your fasting state. This overproduction signals a degree of insulin resistance--yoru body needed to produce more insulin to drive glucose into your cells, and it somewhat overproduced. It would have been interesting to see what your insulin levels were at fasting, 1 hour, two hours, three hours . . .my take on this is that your system is still compensating fairly well, but it might behoove you to take some steps to even out your readings and forestall future trouble, such as eating smaller meals more frequently and balancing carbs/proteins/fats at each.

I'm not a doctor, but this doesn't immediately look like enough glucose dysregulation to cause severe neuropathy symptoms (but everybody is an individual). Has there been any other recent testing that might provide some insight?

Thanks so much, glenntaj. I was confused and thought my blood sugar should not go over 140 at any time during the GTT. I think my fasting is too high but I don't know how to bring it down. I am underweight, exercise daily, and try to eat a balanced diet. One problem I have is very low iron stores so I am suppose to take iron along with Vit. C on an empty stomach 3 times a day. That makes it harder for me to eat smaller more frequent meals.

I am not sure and am no expert but not to be too personal how underweight are you? I ask because I used to be and I often got odd bloodwork results. It can also send levels of varing things high such as many underweight people have high cholesterol. How is your liver enzymes?

I am 5' 3" and 105 pds. so don't feel like weight loss would help my fasting blood sugar level. I do have high cholesterol . It's 269 but my HDL is 81. I cannnot take statins, they give me horrific muscle pain. My liver enzymes have always been in the 20's till my last blood work and they were 40.

There is always the possibility--
 

--of endocrine problems beyond those of the insulin/glucose cycle; those involving the adrenals, the thyroid, the parathyroid . . .but you don't seem to have many indications of these (at least from you've written so far--and I'm not an expert in these areas).

The low iron stores, the cholesterol, and the underweight aspect bring two other possibilites to mind, though. The first is neuropathy through hypertriglyceridemia--hereditary high levels of triglycerides that are not affected very much by diet in those with the condition. This is not a well-researched area, but there are some reports of it. The second is the possibility of neuropathy due to nutrient malabsorption--of vitamin B12, B1, B6--and this can stem from a number of factors, but you definitely should be checked for celiac/gluten sensitivity, which can ITSELF cause neuropathy through direct autoimmune cross-reactivity with nerve components. Getting some triglyceride and Vitamin D levels would also be a good idea (have you had B Vitamin levels done?).

All my vitamin levels were excellent. I am on a B12 supplement and I believe my level was over 1000 on my last test. My Vit. D was good also. I was checked for celiac disease and it was negative. My trig. level is actually very low. It usually runs around 19 but was 23 on my latest blood work. I did test positive for ANA antibodies but I really dont have the symptoms of lupus. I have an appointment with a rheumotologist but it is several months away.
Thank you , gleentaj for all your suggestions. I had to insist that my doctor do the celiac blood test and the gluocose tolerance test. I read on this site how important both of these tests are. I appreciate everyone's advice. I have learned valuable information from reading this message board.

Hi elsie,

I have some of the same problems as you.

recently my endocrinologist did a 2 hour glucose and insuling study. If I remember correctly my numbers were as follows:

fasting glucose 87
2 hour glucose 140 :eek:
fasting insulin 10
2 hour insulin 152 :eek:

Doc dx me as glucose intolerant and insulin resistance and called it metabolic syndrome. She put me on low dose of metformin

Diabetes does run in my family and I did have a thryoid problem until I had it removed.

On another note my blood tests also showed me as iron deficient or iron anemic. I too tried the supplements and boy did they upset my gastro system.

But I recently started a prescription once a day iron supplement called repliva. Much more gentle and only once a day. And it has vitamin C in it.

Shelley, I use the slow fe over the counter iron. It is time released and gentle on my stomach. My level was 17 so I hope I can get it up but have heard it can take a while. I will ask about the prescriptioin iron on my next doctors visit. It sounds like a better option with the vit c and only once a day.
I wish I could figure out a way to get my fasting BS down. 97 is almost to the prediabetic level. I feel like I eat a healthy diet now but am going to try and cut out more carbs. Does anyone know how many carbs I should eat per day?
I'm sorry you were diagnosed with metabloic syndrome and hope the metformin brings your numbers in line.

HI. Elsie:

What is your family background? Do any of your parents, grandparents or siblings have diabetes??

Thanks. Melody

Hi elsie,

when you say your iron was at 17, was that the ferritin number or that % aborbsorption? I think my last ferritin number was 24 and % saturation was 14% which is low. But it was improved from the 18 and the 10% where is was.

Again my iron issues are more related to heavy periods. But here is another thought for you. Are you on birth control pills? Sometimes those can affect your sugar readings. And if you have heavy periods you might be estrogen dominant which sometimes goes hand in hand with sugar issues.

I have to say the prescritpion iron is nice once a day because I dont have to worry about taking it too close to my calcim or around milk product etc. Definitely google and read up on it.

Melody, My father was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 83. His brother had it also at an older age. There is no history of diabetes in my mother's family.
Shelley, 17 is my ferritin number. I have no idea about the absorption. I am not on birth control pills. I am having the problem of having to separate my calcium from the iron and it's such a pain. I will definitely read up on repliva.
Thanks.

Elsie:

When I entered the Accord program at Cornell Hospital (it's a Cardiovascular study program in which they track woman with type 2 diabetes), I remember asking the doctor about diabetes.

Now I have Type 2. (due to my previously being morbidly obese, most of my adult life).

The doctor asked me "does anyone in your family have diabetes?
I answered" "well, my grandmother got it when she was 75, and my father (his mother),got it when he was 78". I have one cousin who is now 75 and he got it when he was 50 years old.

Her response: "oh, you have a genetic predisposition to it" I said "really?" I then said "but they got it when they were old, not young, and they had type 2". She said 'doesn't matter, it's genetic and you are predisposed to getting it and the fact that you are morbidly obese, well that didn't help that fact".

She wasn't being unkind, just factual. Now I have no idea if other doctors would agree with her or not.

Take for example, the fact that most of my family has cancer. My mother, my grandmother, my aunts, my uncles. They all had some form of cancer. Many of my cousins have had some sort of cancer.

Both parents smoked, I never did. All this means is that, if I do carry a gene or whatever, that I (luckily) didn't give that gene any triggers. Well, to the best of my knowledge anyway.

It's a very complicated subject, the subject of genetics.

You can be a healthy person, but if you have recessive genes, well, whatever triggers those genes (and we don't have all the answers yet), well we just have to go about our daily life, and do the best we can do.

In my case, I self medicated with food, didn't listen to any of my doctors when I was younger, and ate myself to death. Well, I developed diabetes.

God knows what would have happened if I smoked 3 or more packs like both my parents.

Sometimes I feel like a walking time bomb, given the fact that so many of my family members have had this type of cancer, or that type of cancer.

But as Dr. Oz said on Oprah. Genetics is 30% of our health.

God, I hope he's right.

Even though I didn't pay attention to my health all those years ago, when I hit my 50's I woke up, and followed my own program.

You are doing all you can do to increase your chances toward bettering your health. I give you a lot of credit.

Most young people don't go to doctors, don't give a hoot about their metabolic numbers, supplements, etc. I only wish I did this when I was 24.

But as they say, better late then never.

So keep doing what you are doing, eat a balanced diet, take whatever you need to take, drink lots of water, don't use any artificial sweetners, watch the red meat, eat your veggies, and don't smoke.

Enjoy the glass of wine now and then. They say it's really good for the heart. That is, if it doesn't inflame your neuropathy. I can't do this.

Enjoy life to the best that you can.

I think...
 

you should have a serum insulin level drawn on fasting.

You cannot exercise/walk, or doing anything physical before the test.

There are researchers that claim all people over 40 have some degree of
insulin resistance.

This comes with aging and you can control it, slow it down with supplements and life style changes.

But the GTT only tells one bit of the story.