June 2, 2004
Other, Type 2
Question from Peoria, Arizona, USA:
About three years ago, my doctor diagnosed me with type 2 diabetes. the symptoms started about six months before I was scheduled for bariatric (gastric bypass) surgery because my weight was totally out of control. I was put on Glucophage and did just fine. After my bypass surgery and a 100 pound plus weight loss, all my symptoms disappeared and I stopped taking the Glucophage. I was fine up until a few months ago, when I have noticed that at the beginning of my menses, I have a day or two when I cannot get my blood sugar much above 70 mg/dl [3.9 mmol/L]. It doesn’t matter what I do, eat or don’t eat. Is there any correlation between a woman’s period and glucose levels, or is it just coincidence that those days I am symptomatic? I have no other problems the rest of the month as long as I eat correctly. I am really stumped.
Answer:
I cannot correlate your low sugars with your menstrual period. Directly before bleeding, progesterone levels are high and have been the source of concern for the cause of insulin resistance that would raise blood sugars, not lower them.
JTL
