Individual Variation

Everyone with diabetes is different. You may find certain blood sugar responses that seem unique to you. Here are some ways individuals vary:

• People with type 2 diabetes have individual differences in how much insulin they produce, how quickly (or slowly) it is released after eating, and how well their insulin works.
• Absorption and individual response to the oral medications differs person to person.
• How fast insulin is absorbed varies person to person, particularly the long acting insulin.
• Your blood sugar level affects your response to insulin. For example, a blood sugar level of 300 requires more short-acting insulin to correct than does a blood sugar of 200.
• Some people have unusually fast or slow digestion leading to blood sugar peaks at different times than expected.
• Effect of exercise varies. When you ate last, when you took your pills or insulin, time of the day, and how fit you are affects blood sugar response.
• Stress affects people differently, many experience hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) as a result of stress while some people experience hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) as a result of stress.
• Certain medical conditions and drugs may also affect diabetes control.

Blood sugar testing allows each person with diabetes to learn how their body responds to food, exercise, medication and other factors outlined above. When you see a pattern or an unexpected blood sugar change occurring at the same time of day, several times after a specific food, medication or activity, then you can begin taking steps to correct it. Your diabetes healthcare team can assist you in making better sense of your blood sugar control.

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