Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Tracking Blood Sugar

eric.jain.name

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 81 posts

Re: Tracking Blood Sugar

#61

Post by chucknelson »

westoncb wrote: post #60
ng12 wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's troubling. Which doctors have you been speaking to? I've always gone to see endocrinologists specializing in diabetes and have never had a doctor give me overtly bad advice.

Always general practitioners. I tend to just visit them when I need a prescription now. I haven’t visited an endo since I never understood the purpose: I suppose they are more expensive and I can just use the internet. My A1c is generally high threes, so I’m not sure what else they could offer. I’ve asked general practitioners and they have never been more concrete than: endocrinologists can help you figure out which…

Wow - if you're Type 1 and have an A1C in the "high threes"...you're definitely one of those exceptional patients. Your A1C is probably better than some non-diabetics!

I could see why you have a pretty high threshold for the quality of advice you want. Not sure it's a typical experience, though.

Re: Tracking Blood Sugar

#62

Post by pimeys »

tjohns wrote: post #52
pimeys wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dexcom G5 and G6 are the best available CGM systems for type 1 diabetics. What they add over the libre is a Bluetooth transmitter over the sensor, giving values to your phone every five minutes. Used together with xDrip and AndroidAPS it can easily safe the life of a person using insulin and not waking up to a hypoglycemia, me included. Or work as a part of a closed loop system. The problem with Dexcom is the price.…

I can understand why the sensor will expire, but why does the transmitter expire? Shouldn’t it just require changing a battery?

Because of money. I know dentists who can change the battery. It is possible, but requires the right tools.

Re: Tracking Blood Sugar

#63

Post by ng12 »

westoncb wrote: post #60
ng12 wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's troubling. Which doctors have you been speaking to? I've always gone to see endocrinologists specializing in diabetes and have never had a doctor give me overtly bad advice.

Always general practitioners. I tend to just visit them when I need a prescription now. I haven’t visited an endo since I never understood the purpose: I suppose they are more expensive and I can just use the internet. My A1c is generally high threes, so I’m not sure what else they could offer. I’ve asked general practitioners and they have never been more concrete than: endocrinologists can help you figure out which…

> My A1c is generally high threes

Wait, really? Your average bg is in the low 60s? I've never heard of that before.

Re: Tracking Blood Sugar

#64

Post by ng12 »

chucknelson wrote: post #61
westoncb wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Always general practitioners. I tend to just visit them when I need a prescription now. I haven’t visited an endo since I never understood the purpose: I suppose they are more expensive and I can just use the internet. My A1c is generally high threes, so I’m not sure what else they could offer. I’ve asked general practitioners and they have never been more concrete than: endocrinologists can help you figure out which…

Wow - if you're Type 1 and have an A1C in the "high threes"...you're definitely one of those exceptional patients. Your A1C is probably better than some non-diabetics! I could see why you have a pretty high threshold for the quality of advice you want. Not sure it's a typical experience, though.

It seems dangerous to me. One unit of insulin too much and you're in diabetic coma territory.

Re: Tracking Blood Sugar

#65

Post by westoncb »

ng12 wrote: post #63
westoncb wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Always general practitioners. I tend to just visit them when I need a prescription now. I haven’t visited an endo since I never understood the purpose: I suppose they are more expensive and I can just use the internet. My A1c is generally high threes, so I’m not sure what else they could offer. I’ve asked general practitioners and they have never been more concrete than: endocrinologists can help you figure out which…

> My A1c is generally high threes Wait, really? Your average bg is in the low 60s? I've never heard of that before.

My bad, I actually haven’t checked it in a couple years because every time I went in my doctors assured me I had very good scores - one said better than they’d ever seen. So I haven’t changed my patterns and visit doctors as infrequently as possible.

I just checked my last score which was 5.8. IIRC I’ve always been between 5 and 6 since I started directing my own treatment.

Re: Tracking Blood Sugar

#66

Post by atomical »

beardface wrote: post #49
mrfusion wrote: post #41

Are there any devices that track insulin levels directly? That’s what I’d be most interested in. Folks conjecture that it’s your insulin response that causes weight gain rather than the blood sugar increase. They’re not as correlated as you’d expect! Source https://www.google.com/amp/s/optimisingnutrition.com/2015/05...

Summary: I have no citation but my understanding is that measuring insulin levels needs to be done from a blood draw, so a Freestyle Libre-type device wouldn't work. The Freestyle Libre and regular continuous glucose monitors measure glucose in the interstitial fluid under the skin - not blood. This is why the numbers can be wildly different to a blood glucose test done via finger-prick. From what I've seen while res…

Your example is someone without diabetes but referred to as a patient?

Re: Tracking Blood Sugar

#67

Post by atomical »

ng12 wrote: post #13

> The sensors worked as advertised I mean... yes. They're a prescription medical device used by Type 1 diabetics to stay alive.

This is Hacker News. There are lots of people obsessing about things that aren't a problem.

Re: Tracking Blood Sugar

#68

Post by slacka »

pjc50 wrote: post #45
mrfusion wrote: post #42

I tested my blood sugar with strips for a few days. One wierd thing I noticed for some meals is I’d be at 98 blood sugar or so before the meal but within 30 minutes after a moderate meal I’d be at 78 or so. Seemed really backwards.

Digestion uses a surprising amount of energy, this is why people tend to feel sleepy after carb-heavy meals. And diabetics need to plan carefully.

>why people tend to feel sleepy after carb-heavy meals.

No. This is well understood science. The fatigue you feel soon after eating is caused by postprandial hyperglycemia, or a “spike” in blood sugar soon after eating.[1] You can, and I have tested this after overeating carb heavy meals and that's exactly what's going on.

I'm prediabetic, so I watch this carefully as I have a family history of diabetes.

[1] https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/nutrition-exercise/nu...

Re: Tracking Blood Sugar

#69

Post by atomical »

troydavis wrote: post #7
ouid wrote: post #2

I know someone who could benefit (either psychologically or medically) from a sort of holter monitor for her blood glucose levels. Are you the person who wrote this? If so how did you get your prescription?

I’m not the author, but the author simply asked their primary care doctor for one and I know others who have done the same. Next time you’re at the doctor, just explain that you want to be proactive about health and ask for one. Make sure to get the 14-day version: https://www.freestylelibre.us/system-overview/freestyle-14-d... . It’s about $80 (cash to a pharmacy, not through insurance) and includes 2 14-day patches…

It's a waste of money and time for the average person that eats right and exercises. It borders on obsessional behavior.
Post reply on HN