I decided to check my blood sugar with a glucose meter after fasting. It was 7.0. I checked it again right away and it was 6.2.
I then checked it 2 hours after eating and it was 5.8?
Why would my level be higher while fasting?
I am going to the Dr. to get an actual blood test. I’m worried that I have diabetes.
7 mmol/l = 126 mg/dl
6.2 mmol/l = 111.6 mg/dl
5.8 mmol/l = 104.4 mg/dl
IANAD. Generally, mine is tested after a minimum 12 hour fast. I would guess that 5.8 two hours after a meal is quite fine. When I was diagnosed with diabetes it was 8.1 after a 12 hour fast. Now it is below 6 after losing a fair bit of weight (nearly 30%) and taking metformin.
For me, the target is 90 to 130 mg/dl two hours after a meal. Your numbers are a bit high, but not frighteningly so. Yes, see a doctor - I suspect you might be pre-diabetic. There are a lot of things you can do to stave-off a full-fledged diagnosis of diabetes, possibly forever, with a bit of discipline, knowledge, and good fortune. Indeed, you might just be scaring yourself.
Won’t give tips or tricks just yet - See your doc first.
The numbers can be high if you are dehydrated. Drink plenty of water before the doctor’s appointment.
I have hypoglycemia, so I test my blood sugar with a glucometer, usually when I get the shakes, to make sure it’s a sugar crisis, and not something else (I once had fever chills I mistook for sugar shakes). I usually have blood sugar below 60 when I have the shakes.
I also test when I have a headache, and sometimes it is low, but not shaking low, like 75. Rarely, it is a little high, like 130. When ever that happens, I drink 8 ounces of water, wait 30 minutes, test again, and it is normal after that-- under 110.
Also, almost always makes the headache go away.
My wife is Type 1 and she wears a CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor). It’s a Dexcom G5, and it is small and unobtrusive on her abdomen. It transmits her glucose levels to her smart phone via Bluetooth, and then using the additional Dexcom Share app, I receive that data on my smart phone, remotely via cell and wi-fi. And that is great!
It really helps for her hypoglycemic moments, and I can always check on her any time, 24-7-365.
If it can work for anyone I strongly recommend it.
Your meter may be broken.
I don’t know the exact medical specifications (it varies based on what you eat) but I was under the impression that 2 hours after eating, blood glucose below 140 was considered normal, 140-200 was prediabetic, and 200+ was diabetic. Those are all mg/dl figures.
You said yours was 104 two hours after eating.
Either way, I’d try a different meter.
Without the handicap of knowing anything about blood sugar regulation I would speculate that eating might cause your system to produce insulin in order to consume sugar. It may have dumped too much insulin into your system and overshot a little.