Sugar levels have a yo-yo effect

July 26, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have been a Type 2 diabetic for 20 years. I have been having a lot of trouble keeping my blood sugar levels steady. They keep dropping down to 50. Two years ago, I woke up and was unable to walk or talk. My husband thought I was having a stroke and he rushed me to the ER. I wasn’t, but my blood sugar level had dropped to 30! In the last couple of months my morning sugar has been between 85 and 110, but by lunch it has dropped to between 50 and 85. What can I eat to keep my levels up?

My doctor is no help, and my nutritionist keeps telling me to eat salads and vegetables, which worsen my diarrhea. I have diarrhea every day and am unable to control it. Do you have any suggestions?
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Savvy 13-year-old diabetic takes charge

February 12, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 13-year-old diabetic. I have good control of my diabetes, but right around Christmas, I began having unreasonably high blood-sugar readings and I’m still having them now. The lowest sugar I have had since is 140, and the highest is 281.

I am not sick. I have no fever and I am not vomiting. I do not have a cough. I have checked my ketones multiple times, and they were all negative. My insulin is not expired. I even did a control test on my meter, and it came out to 101.

I asked my parents, and they believe it’s the meter. It is about 1-1/2 years old. A while ago, another one of my meters did something like this. [Read more...]

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Can stress cause diabetes?

November 7, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: On May 18, 2009, I was injured when a heavy metal door was slammed down on my head. Since then, I have suffered from severe neck pain and headaches that have caused serious sleep disruption and constant fatigue. All of these symptoms are unprecedented for me.

I have had physical therapy, an epidural steroid injection, numerous prescriptions for pain, muscle relaxers and have done home exercises recommended by my physical therapist. All provided only temporary relief, and my doctor has said I’ve reached my maximum medical improvement. Actually, there has been no improvement.

Despite my best efforts, I have had absences from work in excess of my former employer’s guidelines and, after six years, was terminated. This, of course, has resulted in financial problems.
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