Diabetics and vaping.

[dannyv45]

I asked this question over a year ago and am asking again to get an idea if there has been any new or previously unknown findings on this topic.

Does vaping affect diabetic blood levels? My main concern is VG as it is a sugar based vegetable glycerin. Any comments as to it being good or bad for diabetics. My main concern is that my A1C has been at 7.2 and I can not seem to get it down. My diet hasn’t changed and with my present diet I was always able to control my A1C. Since I started vaping it’s gotten higher and harder to control.

My doctor suspects it may be caused by vaping but concludes there’s just not enough information available to confirm this.

Any and all comments are welcome.

 

[LeftHandBlack]

Im a type 1 diabetic and have been vaping for a year and 6 months. It hasnt influenced my A1C or daily blood sugar readings so far. Although there probably is sugar in E juice the 8 to 10 drops of fluid that is consumed at a time isnt gonna contain enough carbs to make a difference. If you drank a 30ml bottle maybe 10 to 20 carbs might be in there. Ive had two diabetic check ups with my RNP since I started vaping and the only noticeable difference is my blood pressure has dropped since I stopped smoking and started vaping. Maybe a coincidence who knows?

 

[dannyv45]

My doctor said that vaping is the best alternitive to smoking so he is pleased with that. Ive been googling this subject and come up with 90% positivity when compared with smoking. All I can find that affects blood sugar is the Nicotine but that affect is a fraction of real cigs so I'm not really getting a handle with what's going on. Now from what I've found an AIC of 7.2 is not really that bad for a diabetic although idealy it should be under 7 but my doctor insist I must get it under 5. But from what I've read 5 seems to low and between 6 and 7 is good so I'm getting mixed signals from my research and what my doctor wants. This is confusing and I'm not sure what to believe. He's increased my meds to twice the dose of what I was on 3 months ago and am waiting on blood results to see if there is an improvement. My pin stick read between 100 and 120 which have been pretty much the norm. If my A1C hasn't improved then I'm totally lost as to what to do. I don't want my doctor to conclude it must be the vaping and tell me to stop. My wife and family are convinced it's the vaping and are all over me about it so I'm trying to get a handle on this whole situation.

 

[LeftHandBlack]

Ive been type 1 for going on 11 years and my A1C has always been 6.4 at the lowest to 7.4 the highest. The RNP that I see specializes in Diabetics and says my blood sugars are excellent and where they should be.

 

[Hoosier]

Do you have the ability to switch out all VG and go to PG for a 28 day period?

 

[dannyv45]

All PG irritates my throat and causes me to constantly hack and cough and produces a constant dry,itchy, scratchy throat. So that would be difficult. I've gone to 60PG/40VG which I find tolerable. My normal vape has been 80VG/20PG.

I see your point and will try a flavorless mix of all PG and at least vape that until it gets intolerable and alternate to a 60PG/VG40 change up to try to reduce the VG consumption.

 

[Hoosier]

I'd be interested if there is any difference in switching. I have the opposite of diabetes and I have not noticed any difference between all PG or mostly VG for me.

 

[GT86]

I can't really say about it affecting A1C or any long term effects but I wanted to know if there were any immediate effects. One day at work about 2 hours after eating I checked my blood glucose (don't remember the exact number) and it was about where it should have been for 2 hours after eating. I went out and chain vaped like crazy for about 20 minutes then waited about 5 minutes and checked my glucose again. It had dropped about 5 points (which it should have in 25 more minutes after eating). So I concluded that there wasn't enough sugar in vapor to show an immediate response to my blood glucose.
I know that's not a scientific test and I should probably run it a few more times but was just throwing out what I have observed.

 

[dannyv45]

It's hard to gauge because My regular sugar levels have been normal at 100 - 120 and I haven't noticed any varition between vaping and not vaping. The wild swings in blood sugar I've been able to link directly to a cause like eating something I shouldn't have. This happens not very often because I do watch my diet but the holidays will do you in. But that doesn't explain the A1C which is the reading over a set amount of time which is 3 months in my case. My A1C has been 7.2 - 7.4 over the last year.

 

[RonJS]

Looking at tables such as..

http://www.elviradarknight.com/diabetes/a1cnumbers.html

or plugging in your stick numbers of 100-120 here...

https://www.accu-chek.com/us/glucose-monitoring/a1c-calculator.html


...it would seem your A1C should be below 6 and not above 7 ?

Ron

 

[dannyv45]

Just took it and it's 127. Could my one touch be off that much. It's 3 years old batteries are 6 months old?

 

[GT86]

Just took it and it's 127. Could my one touch be off that much. It's 3 years old batteries are 6 months old?

It very well could be off. I have 3 different meters and I don't trust any of them. I checked them against each other for about a week, checked my glucose with each of them from the same drop of blood 2 or 3 times a day and got pretty consistent results. One was usually 30 to 40 points higher than the lowest one and the third was right in the middle. So which one is accurate? Logic would say the one in the middle but it could be the high one, or the low one. I don't know so I don't trust any of them. The test solution they give you is useless because the range of it is so wide how can it measure with any accuracy? All it can do it tell you if the meter is working.
It's like using a non-calibrated multimeter to check resistance on sub-ohm coils, would you trust it?
Sorry for the rant but it really bugs me that something so important as checking glucose level and we have no way of getting a calibrated meter that we can trust.

 

[dannyv45]

I'm going to ask my doctor for a recommendation for a decent meter and ask for a few different models. The last prescription I got from my doctor for a meter my insurance wouldn't pay for and the insurance co mailed me this peace of sh...... It came in a non descript bubble mailer with all the parts just flopping around inside the package. No manufactures name or model number on it and I was just told it takes one touch strips I was surprised it even turned on. This is BS.

 

[Nermal]

I use the Freestyle Lite meter and strips. I've found it much more consistent than an Accutouch I was crowded into by insurance. It's old, but I haven't replaced it. I don't think absolute accuracy is as important as the difference between before eating and after. That is, I've learned that bacon, eggs, and one carb are much better than French toast, even with a sugar free syrup. Anyway, it does look like the cost of the Freestyle meter has dropped from about $100 to something under twenty without or without prescription. As King Gillette discovered, you can give away the razor and make your money from the blades. For anyone over 65, you should know that Medicare gives pretty good coverage on test strips - after a rather staggering deductible. I think the strips are covered under Part A, not B as I would have expected.

Back to the question: In the past year of vaping and much reduced smoking, my a1C dropped from 8.2 to 7.5. I'm happy about that, but don't want to claim it to be a result of vaping. Could be coincidence, or just a change in my own diet.

 

[LeftHandBlack]

Looking at tables such as..

http://www.elviradarknight.com/diabetes/a1cnumbers.html

or plugging in your stick numbers of 100-120 here...

https://www.accu-chek.com/us/glucose-monitoring/a1c-calculator.html


...it would seem your A1C should be below 6 and not above 7 ?

Ron

Not exactly. A1C is an average of your 6 months blood sugars. On average us Diabetics check blood sugar reading about 5 times a day. Usually before meals your blood sugars will be in the lower of the spectrum and go up after eating until the insulin takes affect and start working. Lots of things influence blood sugar the main being activity and diet.

 

[RonJS]

Just took it and it's 127. Could my one touch be off that much. It's 3 years old batteries are 6 months old?

It could be off. Some devices have the ability to check calibration.

Then again, it could be other things too. For instance I have high blood sugar reading first thing in the morning.

(see Managing Morning Blood Sugar Highs - Diabetes Center - Everyday Health )

After I vape a bunch, have some coffee and something to eat, a stick test a 1/2 later sometimes shows my level 20-40 points lower than it was when I first woke up with an empty stomach.


Ron
Type 2
6.8 A1C

 

[ian91]

I am a type 2 diabetic and have been vaping 60PG/40VG for 14 months. Have not had any adverse effects on my blood sugar. I chain vape as well.

 

[RonJS]

Not exactly. A1C is an average of your 6 months blood sugars.

Thanks!

I'll have to straighten out those folks over at The American Diabetes Association...

A1C and eAG: American Diabetes Association®

"The A1C test gives you a picture of your average blood glucose (blood sugar) control for the past 2 to 3 months. "

Ron

 

[GT86]

It could be off. Some devices have the ability to check calibration.

Then again, it could be other things too. For instance I have high blood sugar reading first thing in the morning.

(see Managing Morning Blood Sugar Highs - Diabetes Center - Everyday Health )

After I vape a bunch, have some coffee and something to eat, a stick test a 1/2 later sometimes shows my level 20-40 points lower than it was when I first woke up with an empty stomach.


Ron
Type 2
6.8 A1C

Thanks for the link Ron. That is interesting, I get high levels in the mornings at times. Not real high, just higher than what I thought they would be at that time. I always just brushed it off as I don't trust my meter. I guess I need to start paying closer attention to it.

 

[GT86]

I'm going to ask my doctor for a recommendation for a decent meter and ask for a few different models. The last prescription I got from my doctor for a meter my insurance wouldn't pay for and the insurance co mailed me this peace of sh...... It came in a non descript bubble mailer with all the parts just flopping around inside the package. No manufactures name or model number on it and I was just told it takes one touch strips I was surprised it even turned on. This is BS.

Danny, most manufacturers give away meters for free, check their websites and they usually have a rebate or they will just send you one. They just want to sell strips, and we all know how expensive they can be. That's where my skepticism comes in, if they are just giving away meters so they can sell strips, how good can the meters be?
I found which strips my insurance would cover then went and found a meter I liked from that manufacturer and got one for free. I got my other 2 for free also but I have to buy the strips, I just wanted something for backup and to have one at work.