Anyone else puzzled by GD?

d78 · August 2011

Hi! I'm new around here, and have been lurking, but haven't posted yet. This seems like such a helpful board!

So I've worked with a dietitian before, taken nutrition classes, kept up with the latest in fitness & nutrition in magazines...

But since being diagnosed about 2 weeks ago, I feel so confused. I've been testing BS for about a week and a half and I've never gone over the amount of carbs "allowed," yet my post-meal numbers for lunch & dinner have often been high. I made the realization after a couple days that I do need to make sure I am careful of my fat & protein intake as well.

I feel like I'm doing what I can, but it's not good enough. If I could start over again, I'd be logging what I eat (my dietitian said not to worry about it, just to count carbs) so I can pay closer attention to what is bad for me.

It just seems like so much of this is trial and error and I don't know how long the doctor will let me try. I faxed my numbers in today, and am waiting to hear if they are concerned.

This is stressful! Anyone else in a similar boat? I see lots of people here with high fasting numbers, but not as many with high post-meal numbers. :-

Amanda&EricB · August 2011

Sometimes even when you eat within the allowed carb amounts, your numbers might still be high. Some foods process differently. What kinds of meals are you eating?

d78 · August 2011

I think the fact that different people process things differently is what's so puzzling to me! How do you figure out what you can/can't process correctly in such a short amount of time?

For lunch, one my my friends who had GD suggested chicken salad, so I tried that on a whole wheat wrap, with veggies, and a FiberOne brownie (all of which combined are under my carb goal of 45-60 grams).

For dinners, we don't eat the same thing every night, but I try to do chicken, shrimp or beef, a side such as a small potato/corn on the cob, and veggies. My after-dinner numbers tend to be better than my after-lunch numbers, though.

I think I also wish that someone (dietitian or doctor) had explained to me that even though I'm under my allotted carbs, that there's a chance that some foods will just spike my sugar. This is so confusing!

Wow, I'm such a WOTter! I'm sorry!

MrsT624 · August 2011

My after meal numbers are the ones I have trouble with and my fasting numbers are fine. Everyone is so different as to what spikes your sugars. For example, I can't have milk, but other dairy is fine. It is unfortunately not an exact science. Do the best you can!

Amanda&EricB · August 2011

Corn and potatoes are both nothing but starch, which equals sugar. I would avoid those for sure.

Yeah it's kind of a pain to try and figure out. I would just try different things and record the reactions. I've done that, in my own log. But seriously, one day I had a PB&J sandwich, two days later I had it again and my number was COMPLETELY different. Weird!!!

mcintyr1 · August 2011

i just had a meeting with my dietitian today and asked about this very thing, and she said that even if i ate the same thing day in and day out my numbers would vary because of my hormones, stress, or activity level.

it's maddening.

memali26 · August 2011

You could eat the same three meals and same three snacks every single day and still have number that are all over the map. Unfortunately, GD isn't just about the food choices - hormone levels, stress levels, hydration, adequate sleep all play a part. GD is just a difficult thing to understand, and it can be incredibly frustrating. All you can do is try your best. Keeping a food log is really helpful at first because there will be some foods you'll find work better than others, but even those "miracle" foods might trip you up once in a while. Hang in there, it's temporary and survivable

cecilia1898 · August 2011

GD is definitely frustrating when you do everything that you're told to do and still get tripped up. Will you keep a food log from here on out? I was surprised to see that some of my highest numbers were from meals I thought were harmless.

ceelee4 · August 2011

It's totally confusing and puzzling!! Just yesterday I was telling my Mom that I noticed a difference in my numbers after eating a relaxing meal. If I am out with friends or family and having a good time, I swear my numbers are better. How crazy is that?! But other posters mentioned stress so maybe my stress levels are lower on those occasions so my sugar is good. I don't know. It's hard to figure out.

d78 · August 2011

Thanks everyone! I'm going to log everything & see if it gets better! I'm so relieved to know I'm not alone, though! :-)

littlekeller · August 2011

d78:
I think the fact that different people process things differently is what's so puzzling to me! How do you figure out what you can/can't process correctly in such a short amount of time?
For lunch, one my my friends who had GD suggested chicken salad, so I tried that on a whole wheat wrap, with veggies, and a FiberOne brownie (all of which combined are under my carb goal of 45-60 grams).
For dinners, we don't eat the same thing every night, but I try to do chicken, shrimp or beef, a side such as a small potato/corn on the cob, and veggies. My after-dinner numbers tend to be better than my after-lunch numbers, though.
I think I also wish that someone (dietitian or doctor) had explained to me that even though I'm under my allotted carbs, that there's a chance that some foods will just spike my sugar. This is so confusing!
Wow, I'm such a WOTter! I'm sorry!

Make sure you are not eating under your carb goal. You are to eat between 45 & 60 carbs for that meal. If you do not eat enough, your blood sugar may go down too low and you body will overcompensate for the sugars. The biggest thing I have learned so far, is that is to keep you sugars stable (not too high or too low). Hope that makes sense.

kristin172429 · August 2011

Lessons I have learned in my short time with GD:

- ALWAYS match your carb with proteins. Anytime I don't, my number is higher.

- Eat all of your allotted carbs for that meal.

- Watch how much fat you are eating - the fattier a food is, the more it impacts the way your body processes the sugar. I find higher fat = higher blood sugar.

- Choose high fiber carb options - the fiber helps your body process the food slower, which helps regulate your blood sugar and prevent spikes.

- Exercise! I walk or exercise 10-15 minutes after every meal. If I miss it, I can see a number around 20 points higher than when I don't. I am supposed to get at minimum 30 minutes a day, but I really find that breaking it up really helps maintain my blood sugars as opposed to doing it all at once.

I keep a log that captures all of my blood sugar readings, meals, insulin, exercise, and any notes (like if I was sick or didn't sleep, etc). I'm happy to share a copy of what I do if that helps. I can be a little hyper-organized at time, so it might be overkill for others. Send me a PM if you would like a copy - I can send you the blank log (I have a Mac, so it's a numbers file, but should work in excel, too) and I can also send you a sample week of what I have.

Anyone else puzzled by GD?

Re: Anyone else puzzled by GD?

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