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What Causes Dropping Of Blood Sugar Levels After Having Coffee Or Soda?

Posted on Mon, 6 Jun 2016

Question: I have consistantly high morning glucose levels but my oral glucose tolerance test is normal as well as my a1c at 5.1.
The other strange thing is that if i wake with blood sugar in the 120-130 range but then drink a sweet coffee or soda, my sugar drops down to 90-100 within 15 - 20 min.
Ive searched for information as to what could cause this and cant find answers.
I wonder if only eating once a day could cause this.
I only eat 1 large meal at dinner and then end up falling asleep.
Could this cause higher morning blood sugar levels?

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (15 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
What is the regular sugars

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I am Dr Mittal.
I have read your message .
I think I can help you.
First, I would like to consider the fasting sugars.
Can you tell me what are your regular fasting sugars.
When do you take them.
Do you take anything before them.
I would like to help you find the best solution for your problem. Best of luck. Dr Mittal.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Saumya Mittal (9 minutes later)

120 to 140, noramlly in 120's.
My oral glucose and A1C are normal.
I also notice if i shower before i test i will be around 100 for morning glucose.

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (3 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
need specific values

Detailed Answer:
How are you testing your blood sugars?
What were the values of OGTT?

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Saumya Mittal (32 minutes later)

Fasting - 123
Post prandial - 30 min - 153
Post prandial - 1 hr - 14
Post prandial - 2 hr - 1042

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Possibly IGT

Detailed Answer:
I don't think you have entered the values correctly.
Please check them.
Otherwise, the values are quite suggestive of impaired glucose tolerance.
This is a condition between XXXXXXX diabetes and normal.
You basically need to watch your diet.
And keep a watch on your sugars.
Let me know the correct values.
Dr Mittal

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Naveen Kumar

Follow up: Dr. Saumya Mittal (29 minutes later)

Ye, it was entered wrong.
The correct values are
Fasting - 123
Post p 30 min - 135
Post p 1 hr - 159
Post p 2 ht - 107

During the day at any given time my glucose is never over 105 but because i dont eat its usually
Between 70-90.
Like i said, only high at all is in the morning.
I also wonder why a shower drops my blood sugar around 20-30 points in the morning. Shower in the evening doesnt do that.
s

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (1 minute later)

Brief Answer:
IGT

Detailed Answer:
yes
this is IGT
Lack of calory intake is allowing you to remain in normal sugar range during the day/
Be aware, it can result into hypoglycemia.
So be careful.
I am not sure how to explain the drop in sugar, except that the activity reduces the sugars

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Naveen Kumar

Follow up: Dr. Saumya Mittal (21 minutes later)

What is igt

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (14 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
IGT

Detailed Answer:
I would refer you to my prior response.
IGT or impaired glucose tolerance is a level of sugar between normal and XXXXXXX diabetes.
Best of luck.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Naveen Kumar

Follow up: Dr. Saumya Mittal (3 hours later)

This doesnt seem to make sense.
When i do eat breakfast or lunch during the day my blood sugar still doesnt go above 120's.
I could understand the A1C but not when having normal post prandials 1 & 2 hours after i eat.
I also have post prandial after dinner of around 110-120.
Could only eating once per day at night affect my morning readings?
Ill also mention that hypoglycemia runs in my family but no one has ever been hyperglycemic
.

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Possible nocturnal hypoglycemia

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for the last bit of information.
That explains everything.
You might be developing nocturnal hypoglycemia.
This is the commonest at night.

So a low food intake will predispose you to hypoglycemia at night.
There is a phenomenon where the low sugars are always followed by high sugars due to the action of compensatory hormone Glucagon.

So that's why your morning sugars are high.

When you become active in the morning, these sugars are used up in your morning activity and come back to normal- that explains why your morning bath brings down the low sugars but not the other baths.

Also explains the dietary variations in sugar- when you eat, the body produces insulin again. This brings glucagon in check. So after breakfast your sugar drops. The other sugars at lunch and dinner follow normal trend because there is no glucagon to be countered.

It also explains why your HbA1C is still low.

I think you are developing nocturnal hypoglycemia.

Will be happy to help you regarding any further doubts in this regard..

Best of luck, Dr Mittal

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee

Follow up: Dr. Saumya Mittal (1 hour later)

Funny you say that. I have noticed my sugar has been in the 70,s several times in the evening before i eat and it doesnt really go over 110 even after i eat. I also have noticed that in the morning when my sugar is high, if i drink a large soda with glucose levelat 129, my glucose actually drops down to around 100 within 15 - 20 min.
This is only in the mornings.
It seems to be a more agressive response to sugar first thing in the morning as opposed to an impared response. During the day my sugar doesnt spike with what i eat and i do drink sodas during the day so if my response to glucose was impared im thinking my A1C would still show it.
evening is when my readings are always lowest.

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (8 hours later)

Brief Answer:
It's hypoglycaemia. Not IGT. Current information adds to it

Detailed Answer:
I think you are getting confused between my earlier suggested diagnosis and the current one.
I think now that this is the response to hypoglycaemia at night. The gradual reduction in sugars that you have informed adds to it.
l am not considering IGT further.
Best of luck.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Deepak

Follow up: Dr. Saumya Mittal (5 hours later)

Last night my glucose level before eating was 69 at 7:00 p
Fasting glucose - 126 this morning

m

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (2 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
3am sugar

Detailed Answer:
I think you should test 3am sugar.
it's a little bothersome.
but will help.
and I sincerely think that you should stop skipping meals.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Deepak

Follow up: Dr. Saumya Mittal (1 hour later)

I have and its normally around 80-90.
The sugar dump happens between 6:00am to 7:00am,

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (0 minute later)

Brief Answer:
Insulin levels?

Detailed Answer:
Have you ever tested insulin levels?

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Saumya Mittal (42 minutes later)

No, what are we looking for? What are you thinking?
I took another glucose reading today after fasting reading. I drinking a soda at 7:30 and a few hours later im at 100.
This is all so weird.

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (16 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Needs insulin test

Detailed Answer:
First I think you should concentrate on eating food rather than drinking soda.
Second , I am thinking it may be hypoglycaemia. And the most common cause of hypoglycaemia is increased insulin secretion.
So I think you should check insulin level.
Best of luck.

Note: For further follow-up, discuss your blood glucose reports with our diabetologist. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Deepak