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What Does A Blood Serum Level Of 131 Indicate?
Question: Good morning Dr.
Call me XXXX. In January following my annual physical my Dr. informed me I was pre-diabetic. He put me on Metformin 500 mg twice a day. My history is...I'm 63 years old; 6'4" tall and in January weighed in at 297. I have been taking toporol and lipitor for 20 years and my BP is always now 120's/72-80. I've also struggled with sasonal allergies and get shots evey two weeks. I've been a long haul trucker for 10 years and am very sedentary - work just knocks me out from 4am til 7:30 every day. No history of heart problems in my family my mom lived til 89 died of pancreatic cancer, my pop until 85 died of altzheimers.
My "numbers" from blood test in January were as follows;
(After fasting from midnight til 9AM) Glucose serum 121
Lipids Cholesterol, Total 133
Triglycerides 251
HDL Cholesterol 29
VLDL Cholesterol Cal 50
LDL Cholesterol 54
Hemogloben A1c 6.5
Since January, have been cutting down on carbohydrates, changed diet to more diabetic friendly foods, prepared smaller meals, cut out as much sugar as possible, exercised 30 minutes 6 days a week walking about 1.25 - 1.50 miles a day at a 7.5% incline, have lost 23.4 pounds!
Newest blood work as of Monday shows the following numbers:
(After fasting from midnight til 9am) Glucose serum 131
Lipids Cholesterol Total 119
Triglycerides 198
HDL Cholesterol 36
VLDL cholesterol 40
LDL cholesterol 43
Hemoglobem A1c 6.0
In addition my BMI dropped from 37 in January to 34 in April!!!
I know my "numbers" have come back good. And I'm committed to loosing another 50 pounds. BUT why did my blood serum level go UP to 131? So, how do you think I'm doing and what suggestions do you have? Also, since I want to loose more weight and belly fat is it OK for me to take L-carnitine to boost my energy before exercising??
Sorry for being so long winded Doc!
YYYY@YYYY
Call me XXXX. In January following my annual physical my Dr. informed me I was pre-diabetic. He put me on Metformin 500 mg twice a day. My history is...I'm 63 years old; 6'4" tall and in January weighed in at 297. I have been taking toporol and lipitor for 20 years and my BP is always now 120's/72-80. I've also struggled with sasonal allergies and get shots evey two weeks. I've been a long haul trucker for 10 years and am very sedentary - work just knocks me out from 4am til 7:30 every day. No history of heart problems in my family my mom lived til 89 died of pancreatic cancer, my pop until 85 died of altzheimers.
My "numbers" from blood test in January were as follows;
(After fasting from midnight til 9AM) Glucose serum 121
Lipids Cholesterol, Total 133
Triglycerides 251
HDL Cholesterol 29
VLDL Cholesterol Cal 50
LDL Cholesterol 54
Hemogloben A1c 6.5
Since January, have been cutting down on carbohydrates, changed diet to more diabetic friendly foods, prepared smaller meals, cut out as much sugar as possible, exercised 30 minutes 6 days a week walking about 1.25 - 1.50 miles a day at a 7.5% incline, have lost 23.4 pounds!
Newest blood work as of Monday shows the following numbers:
(After fasting from midnight til 9am) Glucose serum 131
Lipids Cholesterol Total 119
Triglycerides 198
HDL Cholesterol 36
VLDL cholesterol 40
LDL cholesterol 43
Hemoglobem A1c 6.0
In addition my BMI dropped from 37 in January to 34 in April!!!
I know my "numbers" have come back good. And I'm committed to loosing another 50 pounds. BUT why did my blood serum level go UP to 131? So, how do you think I'm doing and what suggestions do you have? Also, since I want to loose more weight and belly fat is it OK for me to take L-carnitine to boost my energy before exercising??
Sorry for being so long winded Doc!
YYYY@YYYY
Brief Answer:
Increase Metformin
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX
Good day.
Noted your blood reports and clinical history. You have pre diabetes and your doctor rightly put you on Metformin. Your Hba1c has improved from 6.5 to 6 now. Lipids have improved as well. You have insulin resistance and this cause more amount of glucose production from liver at night when you fast. That's why your fasting sugar has gone up. Don not worry about a single value. Repeat the test. Metformin works better when the dose is 1500 to 2000 mg. You could take up the dose to 1500 mg a day. Take 1000 mg at night and 500 mg in the morning. ( if you are using a sustained release metformin, it is better to use the full dose at night after dinner). This would help to reduce fasting sugar in the morning by reducing glucose production in liver.
Metformin will also help you to lose weight in combination with exercise and diet control.
Increase Metformin
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX
Good day.
Noted your blood reports and clinical history. You have pre diabetes and your doctor rightly put you on Metformin. Your Hba1c has improved from 6.5 to 6 now. Lipids have improved as well. You have insulin resistance and this cause more amount of glucose production from liver at night when you fast. That's why your fasting sugar has gone up. Don not worry about a single value. Repeat the test. Metformin works better when the dose is 1500 to 2000 mg. You could take up the dose to 1500 mg a day. Take 1000 mg at night and 500 mg in the morning. ( if you are using a sustained release metformin, it is better to use the full dose at night after dinner). This would help to reduce fasting sugar in the morning by reducing glucose production in liver.
Metformin will also help you to lose weight in combination with exercise and diet control.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks Doctor!
But why didn't my prescribing physician up my Metformin upon reading my test results.
Would you please answer my question regarding L-carnitine?
Thanks so much.
XXXX
But why didn't my prescribing physician up my Metformin upon reading my test results.
Would you please answer my question regarding L-carnitine?
Thanks so much.
XXXX
Brief Answer:
L-Carnitine is okay
Detailed Answer:
It is fine for you to take L-Carnitine. It is a dietary supplement
Before you decide to increase the dose of Metformin, I strongly recommend to do a repeat fasting blood glucose as well as an OGTT ( Oral glucose tolerance test). However, ideally your doctor should have ordered for an OGTT when the Hba1c was 6.5% and Fasting was 121. It was better to do an OGTT before starting Metformin. OGTT will predict your chances of progression from pre diabetes to Diabetes in future.
L-Carnitine is okay
Detailed Answer:
It is fine for you to take L-Carnitine. It is a dietary supplement
Before you decide to increase the dose of Metformin, I strongly recommend to do a repeat fasting blood glucose as well as an OGTT ( Oral glucose tolerance test). However, ideally your doctor should have ordered for an OGTT when the Hba1c was 6.5% and Fasting was 121. It was better to do an OGTT before starting Metformin. OGTT will predict your chances of progression from pre diabetes to Diabetes in future.
Note: For further follow-up, discuss your blood glucose reports with our diabetologist. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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