Blood sugar issues--I have some questions

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Long story short, I've started monitoring my blood sugar (occasionally, because it takes me a lot to get psyched up enough to deal with the pain--yes, I'm a big baby). This morning I woke up feeling jittery and shaky and decided to check my blood sugar before I ate anything. I'd already been up for an hour at that point. I can't eat for a little while after I wake up because even looking at food makes me queasy right away. 

 

It had been 12 hours since I'd last consumed anything but water. The first drop read my level at 117 (yes, I know is this really unacceptably high). But then I tested again with the same blood (not sure what to call that? blood from the same spot I'd already stuck), and the meter said 128. This is not the first time I've gotten readings that bounced around from the same finger stick. This is a new meter--a Bayer Contour.

 

On top of this, because I felt so awful and shaky and like I do when I have a low blood sugar, I had some juice (maybe 3 oz). Within 10 minutes I was feeling better. 

 

So here are my questions: Is it normal to have readings that change around? I actually got rid of an old meter for the same reason, but I'd used it incorrectly based on my mom's faulty instructions, so I thought I'd just compromised the meter. I didn't expect to still see changeable readings with a new, fresh one. 

 

And if my blood sugar was already so high, why did I feel so shaky, and why did juice make me feel better? Is your actual blood sugar number not necessarily related to how you're processing sugar or something? I didn't think this was the case, but I'll admit I'm not terribly knowledgeable about the nuances of managing blood sugar. I know plenty about the basics (applying what I know is a different story *sigh*). But while I work on improving my diet etc., I do wonder about these couple of things. I really don't want to buy yet another meter, but if I need to buy something more reliable, then of course I will.

 

TIA!

Edited December 9, 2015 by ILiveInFlipFlops

[DesertBlossom]

I've been told that blood sugar meters can vary by + or - 20% and still be "accurate." Dd has T1 and we test her a lot and I've seen that to be true.

[debi21]

You can feel a low blood sugar when your level is lower than your body is accustomed to (so if that's higher than normal glucose levels you can feel a low at 117) - this might be what's happening and you are usually running higher than 120-ish (a guess based on the fact that you are now checking glucose levels). Or, you can feel a low when your blood sugar is dropping rapidly at any level, although it seems unlikely that you would have a lot of insulin acting in the morning without eating anything. A third possibility is that your blood sugar was actually low, your liver dumped sugar (gluconeogenesis) to remedy that, bringing it up to 117/128  when you checked. When you feel a low blood sugar, that feeling can easily last 15-30 minutes, even after you have already increased your actual levels through food/drink.

 

As for the meter, yes, like Desert Blossom said, I've heard plus or minus 20% to be the "acceptable" margin of error.

 

 

[Jean in Newcastle]

You really need to get an A1C test done by your doctor.  It will give you an accurate reading of your bloodsugars over time. 

[Rosie_0801]

Start eating supper and keep a little something on your bedside table to kick start your appetite earlier in the morning.

 

You will get different readings doing that. The first one is the one you should pay attention to.

[Jean in Newcastle]

If you didn't eat enough protein at night, your bloodsugar could have dipped too low and then your liver releases glucose to make up for it, causing your bloodsugar to go up again.  It's called the dawn effect.