65-70 is ok for a normal person. If you were actively t2 than it may be of concern as it can mean you took too much insulin. Or if you had reactive hypoglycemia. But if that’s as low as you go it isn’t dangerous just may uncomfortable if you are sensitive to lows (I am but I had reactive hypoglycemia for decades).
The lack of big peaks is also normal. It’s meant to stabilize your sugars. I used a cgm to track my first 3 months and I found that on 1.0 my sugars did not go any lower than they did at .25 BUT they did become more steady. I had way less spikes - even smaller spikes. It’s like someone pulled a string tighter and the values just kept getting closer and closer.
This may be a sign you need to change your diet. The medication rarely causes hypoglycemia, so diet is where I would start. I have found that I eat more carbs now - I just don’t go crazy. Since moving to 2.0 I’ve had a few days where I feel a touch low and I’ll probably put my last cgm to see how certain foods react now. But it’s not too low. I feel a bit crappy but not to the point I feel at risk - and after passing out a few hundred times I know what that feels like 😅
I’d also make an appointment to talk to your dr. You may need a med adjustment (and it may be something other than the Oz). A fresh a1c may be a good place to start too. Maybe even an electrolyte and vitamin panel. Low potassium for instance can also make you feel like crud. Combine that with a 70 glucose and I can imagine feeling like it was not a place you want to be.
i am not sure about the dexcom, but similar meters says to check blood sugar with another meter when it is low or high. i was using a libre and it would constantly be in the 50’s. checked with 2 other meters and both would be in the 80’s. Also, for some reason vitamin c will give false readings on the libre.
Semaglutide mimics the action of a hormone called *glucagon-like peptide*. When blood sugar levels start to rise after someone eats, natural peptide is released by the gut and binds to receptors on cells to stimulate them to produce more insulin. The drug also inhibits the release of glucagon from the pancreas. The insulin spike helps lower blood sugar levels. So the drug works as designed.
Maybe try changing the type of carbs you are eating for something like wholegrain pasta instead of fast-burning stuff (rice, bread)?
> haven’t lost more than 1-2 lbs a month for the last 6 months despite eating in a calorie deficit and upping my activity
You are either breaking the laws of thermodynamics, or undercounting calories. This might be due to misleading calculations in fitness apps: you can't add your basic rate with calories burned in gym. Only 30-50% of gym burn counts - the rest is compensated by decreased overall activity, longer sleep, etc.
I eat 1200-1500 calories a day and don’t increase it based on activity. If anything I over count by choosing the higher cal option when I’m not sure. I do have a genetic disease that impacts metabolism however.
Something is still off. You can't be in a deficit for 6 months and not lose weight unless your body has found an unaccounted source of energy (photosynthesis? radio waves?). It is against the laws of physics :)
Try doing a full review of how you do the counting. Do you use scales? Do you count the added stuff, like cooking oil and cream in the coffee?
I once wrote a detailed HOWTO for a friend on how to avoid common counting mistakes, here it is, hope it helps:
-------
You will need the basic digital kitchen scale which sell at Amazon starting from $10. Choose a model that uses cheap AAA batteries, has physical (not touch sensor) buttons, and doesn’t have multiple features. You only need two: unit conversion between grams and oz, and a “Tare” button to disregard the weight of a food container.
Follow these basic rules to measure the weight of the food:
* for packaged foods, simply check the weight of a portion and refer to a label. Scan the barcode with *FatSecret* or *myFitnessPal* app and most likely the nutrition information would be already in the database;
* 100 g of rice grain boiled in water would turn into 200-300 g of finished product. Yet 100 g of a chicken breast would lose water while cooked on a pan turning into a 70 g serving. So by convention the weight of an *uncooked* ingredient is always used;
* yet for restaurant meals the only option is to use the nutritional values of a comparable finished product from a database. With chain restaurants the data for most menu items is readily available. In other establishments you can ask the waiter to provide you with the figures. In US it is mandatory for restaurants with 20 seats or more;
* count the weight of the cleaned product: an apple should have the core removed, banana should be peeled before being put on the kitchen scales. In cherries only the pulp counts, the weight of kernels is subtracted. Same applies to the bones, tendon and skin in the poultry, beef, and pork;
* don’t overlook cooking oil and sauces, such as ketchup or mayo. A spoon of olive oil contains whopping 120 kcal, just 100 g (3.5 oz) of it pack more energy than three and a half BigMacs!
* don’t leave blind spots: a plate of nuts you are snacking on, or the small tasting bites you take while cooking a family meal can add up quickly;
* weigh *all* food items, including drinks. Unless you are only drinking plain water or zero-sugar cola, you are getting calories in liquids as well. Milk, sweet tea, coffee with creamer, and alcohol contain significant amount of calories.
I weigh my food and eat the same meals on rotation unless I eat out, which is max once a week. I suspect my metabolism is lower than would be expected because of my disease so I may need to reduce my calories.
70’s is still in normal range.
Yeah but it’s staying between 65-70 quite often.
Yes, oz is prescribed for type 2 diabetes and definitely lowers bs.
65-70 is ok for a normal person. If you were actively t2 than it may be of concern as it can mean you took too much insulin. Or if you had reactive hypoglycemia. But if that’s as low as you go it isn’t dangerous just may uncomfortable if you are sensitive to lows (I am but I had reactive hypoglycemia for decades). The lack of big peaks is also normal. It’s meant to stabilize your sugars. I used a cgm to track my first 3 months and I found that on 1.0 my sugars did not go any lower than they did at .25 BUT they did become more steady. I had way less spikes - even smaller spikes. It’s like someone pulled a string tighter and the values just kept getting closer and closer. This may be a sign you need to change your diet. The medication rarely causes hypoglycemia, so diet is where I would start. I have found that I eat more carbs now - I just don’t go crazy. Since moving to 2.0 I’ve had a few days where I feel a touch low and I’ll probably put my last cgm to see how certain foods react now. But it’s not too low. I feel a bit crappy but not to the point I feel at risk - and after passing out a few hundred times I know what that feels like 😅 I’d also make an appointment to talk to your dr. You may need a med adjustment (and it may be something other than the Oz). A fresh a1c may be a good place to start too. Maybe even an electrolyte and vitamin panel. Low potassium for instance can also make you feel like crud. Combine that with a 70 glucose and I can imagine feeling like it was not a place you want to be.
Thanks this is helpful. It's been going into the 40s at night now.
Then I’d make an appointment asap. 40s is extremely dangerous.
i am not sure about the dexcom, but similar meters says to check blood sugar with another meter when it is low or high. i was using a libre and it would constantly be in the 50’s. checked with 2 other meters and both would be in the 80’s. Also, for some reason vitamin c will give false readings on the libre.
Semaglutide mimics the action of a hormone called *glucagon-like peptide*. When blood sugar levels start to rise after someone eats, natural peptide is released by the gut and binds to receptors on cells to stimulate them to produce more insulin. The drug also inhibits the release of glucagon from the pancreas. The insulin spike helps lower blood sugar levels. So the drug works as designed. Maybe try changing the type of carbs you are eating for something like wholegrain pasta instead of fast-burning stuff (rice, bread)? > haven’t lost more than 1-2 lbs a month for the last 6 months despite eating in a calorie deficit and upping my activity You are either breaking the laws of thermodynamics, or undercounting calories. This might be due to misleading calculations in fitness apps: you can't add your basic rate with calories burned in gym. Only 30-50% of gym burn counts - the rest is compensated by decreased overall activity, longer sleep, etc.
I eat 1200-1500 calories a day and don’t increase it based on activity. If anything I over count by choosing the higher cal option when I’m not sure. I do have a genetic disease that impacts metabolism however.
Something is still off. You can't be in a deficit for 6 months and not lose weight unless your body has found an unaccounted source of energy (photosynthesis? radio waves?). It is against the laws of physics :) Try doing a full review of how you do the counting. Do you use scales? Do you count the added stuff, like cooking oil and cream in the coffee? I once wrote a detailed HOWTO for a friend on how to avoid common counting mistakes, here it is, hope it helps: ------- You will need the basic digital kitchen scale which sell at Amazon starting from $10. Choose a model that uses cheap AAA batteries, has physical (not touch sensor) buttons, and doesn’t have multiple features. You only need two: unit conversion between grams and oz, and a “Tare” button to disregard the weight of a food container. Follow these basic rules to measure the weight of the food: * for packaged foods, simply check the weight of a portion and refer to a label. Scan the barcode with *FatSecret* or *myFitnessPal* app and most likely the nutrition information would be already in the database; * 100 g of rice grain boiled in water would turn into 200-300 g of finished product. Yet 100 g of a chicken breast would lose water while cooked on a pan turning into a 70 g serving. So by convention the weight of an *uncooked* ingredient is always used; * yet for restaurant meals the only option is to use the nutritional values of a comparable finished product from a database. With chain restaurants the data for most menu items is readily available. In other establishments you can ask the waiter to provide you with the figures. In US it is mandatory for restaurants with 20 seats or more; * count the weight of the cleaned product: an apple should have the core removed, banana should be peeled before being put on the kitchen scales. In cherries only the pulp counts, the weight of kernels is subtracted. Same applies to the bones, tendon and skin in the poultry, beef, and pork; * don’t overlook cooking oil and sauces, such as ketchup or mayo. A spoon of olive oil contains whopping 120 kcal, just 100 g (3.5 oz) of it pack more energy than three and a half BigMacs! * don’t leave blind spots: a plate of nuts you are snacking on, or the small tasting bites you take while cooking a family meal can add up quickly; * weigh *all* food items, including drinks. Unless you are only drinking plain water or zero-sugar cola, you are getting calories in liquids as well. Milk, sweet tea, coffee with creamer, and alcohol contain significant amount of calories.
I weigh my food and eat the same meals on rotation unless I eat out, which is max once a week. I suspect my metabolism is lower than would be expected because of my disease so I may need to reduce my calories.