My Blood Glucose Meter Said What?

A Blood Glucose Meter is an important tool for diabetics and anyone with glucose issues. I have been struggling with hypoglycemia and finding a glucose meter that is close to accurate has been a challenge. I can't imagine trying to figure out an accurate dose of insulin using a glucose meter as many diabetics do on a daily basis. 

I wore a Dexcom meter for a week, which I found very informative. I could never quite catch my highs and lows on my glucose meter. Plus, the Dexcom consistently read lower than my meter. 

I recently spoke with a representative of a glucose meter company who told me that their meter could read as much as 20 points higher than actual. The problem with that is for diabetics, they may over medicate a high number and for hypogylcemics, they could be much lower than they realize, leading to coma or death. 

The photo above shows my two meters and the numbers they gave me when I tested at the same time. The meters were 11 points apart! That is a huge difference. I find that the meters I have tried never read really low, even the Dexcom (calibrated with my meter) read lower than my meter.

Have you had trouble finding an accurate glucose meter? What have you found to solve this issue? Recommendations on good glucose meters? Let me know!

Drink Up! It's Time For Glucose Tolerance Test

Yuck! Drink quickly, I was told at the start of my recent Glucose Tolerance Test. This gross orange liquid is suppose to give the doctor a good idea on my hypoglycemia symptoms I have been having. I had to show up fasting, eating nothing for the past 12 hours. A blood draw was done prior to the drink. After drinking the substance, I had my blood drawn every hour for three hours. Three hours of sitting can be excruciating for someone as active as me. 

I was concerned at first with the drink since it had dextrose (corn) in it. For those of us with food allergies, it is tough to know you are eating/drinking an allergen. I never knowingly eat anything I am allergic to (no cheats), because I feel much better not eating them (and the symptoms of doing so are no fun at all). However, in order to get an accurate reading and get enough glucose in my system, I agreed to drink it, despite the upcoming days of brain fog, headaches, and bloating. I need to find out what is going on!

By hour two, my blood glucose was so low, the nurse had to treat it. Out came my Glukos for a quick boost. Three gummies later and a blood draw 15 min after hour two's draw, I was back up to normal range. Hour three's reading was ok as well and I was sent on my way. Still waiting on specific results and instructions from my doctor. 

A note: If you are having hypoglycemia symptoms and taking the Glucose Tolerance Test, be aware that if you have been treated during the test, you will crash hard afterwards. I barely made it to lunch before I was shaking and sweating. My glucose monitor said I was LOW. My lunch got me back up to the 70s, but I find I function best in the mid 80s to mid 90s. That way, if I have a dip, I am not at 70 or lower.

I am so ready to figure out what is going on with my hypoglycemia and will update. Anyone else having extreme hypoglycemia symptoms? Please share your experiences. 

PLAY: Glukos Energy Products

I have struggled with low blood sugar for a while. I find it very difficult to manage while playing my sport. Having balanced blood sugar is crucial for any athlete. As an athlete with food allergies, I have had a hard time finding glucose tablets that are corn free. Most are filled with dextrose (a corn derivative).

Then, I found a product called Glukos! Glukos makes Energy Gummies (my fav), Bars, Gel, Tablets, and Powder. I always carry the Glukos Gummies in my golf bag in case I have a low out on the course. They are easy to eat and come in three flavors: Orange, Fruit Punch, and Lemon. They enable you to recover faster, making them perfect for diabetics and athletes, alike.

Glukos are gluten free and contain no high fructose corn syrup, caffeine, or artificial sweeteners. It does contain glucose and electrolytes like potassium, which are great for balancing blood sugar and fueling your body to succeed. So whether you are training for an Ironman, running a marathon, playing in a soccer game, teeing it up in a golf tournament, or just trying to keep your blood sugar in check, try out Glukos.

Glukos
http://www.glukosenergy.com/