Endocrinology-Diabetes Questions Blood Sugar

Why are my blood sugar levels fluctuating so much?

I have been a diabetic for the last 2 years. I have been taking precautions and my medication on a regular basis. However, I see my blood sugar levels fluctuating a lot. What is the reason for this?

4 Answers

Blood sugars fluctuate in people without diabetes, but that fluctuation is more pronounced in people with diabetes. The cause is multifactorial, and depends on the kind of food you are eating, the portion size particularly carbohydrate-reach foods, the amount of exercise you are doing, the water consumption, other physical activity and stress levels just to include some of the causes. Other medications can cause higher sugar fluctuations such as steroids. Illnesses or infections can also cause higher sugar readings.
Blood glucoses can fluctuate for many many reasons, what you eat, how much you move, whether you have a small or big intercurrent illness (A cold etc). Emotions have a particular big influence on your blood glucose. I suggest you make a dairy an write what you eat, what physical activity you have, how many hours of sleep you are getting, and how are your emotions (depressed, anxious, calm etc...) after a couple of weeks look at your diary and your glucose. You might find the factor or factors.
Important to keep consistent dietary habits -- low carbohydrates and drink plenty of water.
There can be many reasons for this fluctuation and you need to take your blood sugar tests to the Dr. to look for patterns. We all (I have had diabetes for 25 yrs) have fluctuations. The more we have the more this tells us that we have fewer & fewer insulin producing cells and are depending on external medicine that can never duplicate what a few little beta cells in the pancreas can do. Some of this we can fix, some we cannot with present tools though we are getting better. Here are a few of the causes of fluctuation: medication not matching the food intake & exercise, wrong medicine, timing of the medication, mood changes, hormonal changes (like menstrual cycle). Not knowing what medication you are on or what type of diabetes you have, I can't give you specific help. If you are taking insulin a couple of things that can be helpful: an insulin pump can smooth out some of these, continuous glucose monitor can also, the new ultra-long acting insulins (Tresiba & Trajeo) will smooth out fluctuations as well. You need to see a Dr. who knows how to read BS records, and understand patterns of fluctuations to help you with this problem. It can get better so good luck.