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If Diabetic Does Glutening Effect Your Sugar Control?


ravenwoodglass

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ravenwoodglass Mentor

I am getting over a glutening and am (at this point) diet controled diabetic. I unwisely ignored their CYA statement and even though I started to react right away, my tummy was growling before I finished the first cup, I continued to drink it for 3 days so I got myself pretty good. I am now over the worst of it but have noticed that my BS has been higher for the last few days. Morning reading more than after meals. Do any of you other folks see a problem with control when you've been glutened? On a more humerous note, my little dog turns out to be a good glucose meter. He is obsessed with licking my feet when my sugar is elevated. <_<:D Unfortunately I think that most likely means the circulation is more impaired than I realize. :(


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skbird Contributor

That's interesting about your dog. I've heard some dogs can smell cancer... interesting stuff.

Is this the Egyptian Licorice stuff? That's odd, I drink that sometimes to no problem. Hmmm....

I'm not diabetic, but hypoglycemic, and when I'm glutened my blood sugar gets wacky. I think it has to do with your adrenals getting affected plus liver function going overtime (processing "poison" and not being able to regulate your sugar well).

Common, I think. My hypo symptoms are a zillion times better when I'm not being glutened.

Stephanie

ravenwoodglass Mentor
That's interesting about your dog. I've heard some dogs can smell cancer... interesting stuff.

Is this the Egyptian Licorice stuff? That's odd, I drink that sometimes to no problem. Hmmm....

I'm not diabetic, but hypoglycemic, and when I'm glutened my blood sugar gets wacky. I think it has to do with your adrenals getting affected plus liver function going overtime (processing "poison" and not being able to regulate your sugar well).

Common, I think. My hypo symptoms are a zillion times better when I'm not being glutened.

Stephanie

Yea that was it. I know others drink it and apperantly have no problems which was why I kept saying "no it can't be' and kept drinking it. It is my typical gluten reaction though, muscles, joints, brain fog, depression, C then D today. I am very sensitive to CC though which is why I usually avoid stuff that has a risk of it. Maybe I got the box that was first off the line after a tea with barley. Lucky me.

Thanks for answering the sugar question. I am hoping it's just the gluten. I really don't want insulin yet. I think I'll just do lots of sticks for the next couple of days and if numbers stay high then I'll give the doctor a call.

DonnaF Newbie

I too am hypoglycemic and my blood sugar is very hard to keep within safe limits when I've been glutened. Dangerously low sugar was what landed me in the hospital and started me on the path to finding out I was Celiac in the first place.

I have read, btw, that dogs can sense sugar fluctuations in people (like cancer).

ravenwoodglass Mentor
I have read, btw, that dogs can sense sugar fluctuations in people (like cancer).

I hadn't read about the sugar but have read of dogs trained to detect cancer and also seizures so it makes sense. I wonder if I taste sweet when my sugar is high and that is why he licks, not that I am going into pretzel mode to check myself. :D

2kids4me Contributor

My son is diabetic and yes, gluten affects his BG - whacky readings, unknown highs.

Any damage to the body that results in inflammation (like gluten's affect on the gut) causes all sorts of chaos in the finely tuned thing we call physiology. Stress hormones are releasesd, white blood cell counts go up, blood flow to the area is increased ........and all of this action taken by the body to deal with inflammation requies blood glucose to provide the energy so it "calls for more sugar" - causing ups and downs in readings.

In a non diabetic - the pancreas secrets more insuiln at times of stress (physical or emotional) - it happens without our knowledge. In the diabetic - it screws up our control and we have to adjust insulin, pills pr diet to compensate

penguin Community Regular

I'm not diabetic either, but I am hypoglycemic. If I get glutened my blood sugar gets totally out of whack. It's like I can't eat enough to keep it up.


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Guest Doll
I am getting over a glutening and am (at this point) diet controled diabetic. I unwisely ignored their CYA statement and even though I started to react right away, my tummy was growling before I finished the first cup, I continued to drink it for 3 days so I got myself pretty good. I am now over the worst of it but have noticed that my BS has been higher for the last few days. Morning reading more than after meals. Do any of you other folks see a problem with control when you've been glutened? On a more humerous note, my little dog turns out to be a good glucose meter. He is obsessed with licking my feet when my sugar is elevated. <_<:D Unfortunately I think that most likely means the circulation is more impaired than I realize. :(

I TOTALLY notice! When I'm glutened, my BG drops fast and by LARGE amounts. I become VERY insulin sensitive, which is very bad for me as I am extremely sensitive to begin with. I normally have to change my carb to insulin ratio from 1 unit: 15 grams of carbs to 1:45 for up to 3 days afterwards. It's like my body goes into shock. I'll keep getting low (hypoglycemia) all day.

Before I was dx with Celiac I kept having unexplained lows, but that was due mainly to not absorbing any food. I would eat 20 cookies ( :blink: ) and drink a can of Coke, and I would STILL be just at a normal level. :o

As we have assumed you are a slowly developing Type 1 (LADA), make sure you are not simply needing insulin now. If you are having any prolonged highs, you need insulin. You don't want damaging high blood sugars, and starting insulin sooner can prolong your good control and make it easier for longer. It's called extending the "honeymoon" period.

elye Community Regular

Fascinating how we're all so different...and frustrating, too, because it's impossible to detect a definite effect across the board. My blood sugar shoots up after I've been glutened and takes a substantial amount of regular insulin to bring down. Extra motivation to stay on the gluten-free diet!

sparkles Contributor

Type 2 diabetis here. My blood sugars stabalized after I was diagnosed. I take 10 mg of glipizide at night and diet controls the rest. I know that if I am glutened and I get really sick and my blood sugars usually bottom out. I think that is strange as is the fact that my bs have always been higher in the am (in spite of 10 - 12 hrs of no food). My doc was more concerned over the celiac disease and felt that if I stayed on gluten-free diet my bs would stay well within limits. That has happened. Before going gluten-free, my 3 month test (HG.... something... can't remember right now) were usually above 7 and closer to 7.5, even sticking to diabetic diet. After going gluten-free, they have consistently remained between 6 - 6.5. I am not sure if the relationship is just that when you are sick, your bs go a little nuts, or if the gluten creates havoc with bs. I know that gluten did before I went gluten-free as I was unable to control bs even staying on the diabetic diet. I have gone crazy trying to combine the two diets so I just really follow gluten-free diet and keep my carb intake at 11-12 daily. (1 carb = 15 grams of carb). I am overweight and find losing weight almost impossible....but am beginning to accept that this just might be how it is going to be.

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