Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes High Blood Sugar Level After Weight Loss?
Question: I am 49 years old and I have recently lost 30 lbs through walking and doing Weight watchers. I am going through menopause and have had all of the symptoms come on and I am dealing with them. I recently was having slight tingling sensations in feet after walking so I decided to do a glucose reading. It was high. I did a fasting next morning it was 106. About 2 hours after I ate it was 254. I decided to go for blood work. I had it done today. My question is why is my sugar acting so wacky esp after I lost weight? The Dr. said trace of protein and glucose in urine so I know they are going to put me on meds. Oh yeah and my blood pressure was very high. I have never had problems with blood pressure either. White coat syndrome I guess. Could menopause be causing all of this?Why was my sugar higher after I exercised? Shouldn't that make it go down?
Brief Answer:
Hello
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Good day.
You seems to have Type 2 Diabetes. By the time Type 2 Diabetes is diagnosed, around 60% of insulin producing beta cells in our pancreas is already lost and the rest is dying out faster. Insulin is required for blood glucose to be metabolised by body.
Usually, type 2 diabetes starts atleast 4-5 years before it is detected. This explains why your blood sugars are elevated even after losing weight. There is no enough insulin left to reduce blood glucose. However, in addition to exercise, if you control the diet well, the blood glucose will considerably reduce. With out reducing carbohydretes, exercise alone can not reduce blood glucose efficiently.
You menioned about fasting and post meal glucose. Did your doctor order for an HbA1c ? Ths will give an idea of your average blood glucose control in last 3 months.
Exercise can partly reverse the process. It will still work in your case, in association with medicines.
In the absence of Insulin, exercise alone will not work in most cases of established type 2 Diabetes. But exercise has many other good effects, like reducing blood pressure and cholesterol and it maintains good heart health.
Menopause alone will not increase the risk of diabetes. However, most women gain weight during menopause which may indirectly contribute to development of diabetes and hypertension.
In the presenec of proetin in urine, blood pressure also need to be controlled tightly.
One other thing to monitor is your cholesterol profile. It is extremly importnt to control diabetes, bloood pressure as well as cholesterol to reduce the chances of long term complications.
You must get an eye check up done as well.
Regards
Binu
Hello
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Good day.
You seems to have Type 2 Diabetes. By the time Type 2 Diabetes is diagnosed, around 60% of insulin producing beta cells in our pancreas is already lost and the rest is dying out faster. Insulin is required for blood glucose to be metabolised by body.
Usually, type 2 diabetes starts atleast 4-5 years before it is detected. This explains why your blood sugars are elevated even after losing weight. There is no enough insulin left to reduce blood glucose. However, in addition to exercise, if you control the diet well, the blood glucose will considerably reduce. With out reducing carbohydretes, exercise alone can not reduce blood glucose efficiently.
You menioned about fasting and post meal glucose. Did your doctor order for an HbA1c ? Ths will give an idea of your average blood glucose control in last 3 months.
Exercise can partly reverse the process. It will still work in your case, in association with medicines.
In the absence of Insulin, exercise alone will not work in most cases of established type 2 Diabetes. But exercise has many other good effects, like reducing blood pressure and cholesterol and it maintains good heart health.
Menopause alone will not increase the risk of diabetes. However, most women gain weight during menopause which may indirectly contribute to development of diabetes and hypertension.
In the presenec of proetin in urine, blood pressure also need to be controlled tightly.
One other thing to monitor is your cholesterol profile. It is extremly importnt to control diabetes, bloood pressure as well as cholesterol to reduce the chances of long term complications.
You must get an eye check up done as well.
Regards
Binu
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you so much for the information. The Dr. told me after the results of this test are given the next test will be the HbA1c test. After that they will set me up with a nutritionist to help me with a diet plan. I also have another blood pressure appointment in a week so they can recheck it. They are also checking my cholesterol levels. I am so glad that I did a glucose test at home or I would never have even found out about this. It just happened so fast. I hope I caught it in time that it didn't do a lot of damage.
I get an eye exam every year. My eyes were fine last year. I am soon due for another checkup. Thanks again!
I get an eye exam every year. My eyes were fine last year. I am soon due for another checkup. Thanks again!
Brief Answer:
Hi
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Good to know that your GP is doing things in proper chanel. I feel you are in safe hands. Please continue exercise and diet control.
Please remeber that initial years of diabetes are the golden years. This period is so crucial that body will remeber the good effects of diabetes control ( For more information, please read " METABOLIC MEMORY" and " LEGACY EFFECT" ).
And it is extremely important to control cholesterol and blood pressure as well.
You are welcome to ask more questions. But i f you have no other questions, you may please close the query.
WISH YOU GOOD HEALTH
Regards
Binu
Hi
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Good to know that your GP is doing things in proper chanel. I feel you are in safe hands. Please continue exercise and diet control.
Please remeber that initial years of diabetes are the golden years. This period is so crucial that body will remeber the good effects of diabetes control ( For more information, please read " METABOLIC MEMORY" and " LEGACY EFFECT" ).
And it is extremely important to control cholesterol and blood pressure as well.
You are welcome to ask more questions. But i f you have no other questions, you may please close the query.
WISH YOU GOOD HEALTH
Regards
Binu
Note: For further follow-up, discuss your blood glucose reports with our diabetologist. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
