Confusion About Morning Sugar Levels

[dwelldon]

I am confused to what is going on with my blood sugars, particularly in a morning. Generally my levels at between 6am and 7.30 are above 7.5 and no matter what I do they don't seem to change.

I am currently taking statins and glipizide 15mg both of which I'm not happy about but my HB1AC was 60 last time so the doctor tells me I need to keep taking.

I follow a low carb diet and regularly excercise more than most and I feel that I am fitter now than I have ever been.

My confusion lies with the fact that most of the rest of the time my blood sugar is 'normal' levels. Through my experimenting I have found the following;

1. 20mins excercise, typically on a bike can bring my sugars down by 2 to 5 point, although on occassions this goes up, why I don't know.

2. I have tried fasting periods and that seems to bring my sugars down on a morning into the 6.5 range but again not that signficant.

3. I am on my 3rd type of drug to lower sugars after side effects like stomach cramps and aching muscles, previously I was taking metaformin and another one that escapes me.

Being extremely thin, 10st 4lbs and fit I find that the lack of information out there for my frame with T2 is shall we say poor and doctors don't seem to get it.

Has anyone had similiar experiences and / or have any ideas that I can try. I am worried that my levels are too high and that I am running out of things to do.

ta in advance

 

[Terrytiddy]

Hi @dwelldon it is frustrating with morning Bg levels. It could be what's called the "Dawn Phenomenon" Its where your liver dumps glycogen into your system to help you start the day. Test last thing at night and take your meter to bed with you and if you wake at say 3/4.00 am do a test then. You can then do another at your normal time to see what the results are.

 

[Guzzler]

Are you aware that statins can raise blood glucose levels?

As for fasting levels, these can takes months to show improvement and generally are the last levels to fall. This is down to insulin resistance and in my experience there is little one can do about them except to carry on improving overall diet/bg levels. Patience is the name of the game with FBGs.

Excercise is a funny one. Some people say that to avoid a liver dump during/after excercise it makes a difference if they eat something but this is quite individual so you could try a few experiments.

 

[dwelldon]

Are you aware that statins can raise blood glucose levels?

As for fasting levels, these can takes months to show improvement and generally are the last levels to fall. This is down to insulin resistance and in my experience there is little one can do about them except to carry on improving overall diet/bg levels. Patience is the name of the game with FBGs.

Excercise is a funny one. Some people say that to avoid a liver dump during/after excercise it makes a difference if they eat something but this is quite individual so you could try a few experiments.

Yes I am aware, just been to the doctor actually and he has taken me off the meds. As they seem to cause me too many issues.

Going to see what happens over next month or two and see if levels go up or down.

Will have to experiment more

 

[Guzzler]

Yes I am aware, just been to the doctor actually and he has taken me off the meds. As they seem to cause me too many issues.

Going to see what happens over next month or two and see if levels go up or down.

Will have to experiment more

Best of luck.

 

[Sirmione]

A morning reading of 7.5 isn't a disaster it took me a while to get my morning readings down from the low 8s to the low 6s and sometimes lower BUT for an HbA1c of 60 mmol/mol you would probably be averaging a blood glucose level of about 9 m,ol/L which makes me wonder if you have unexpected carbs hiding your in diet. Every persons diabetes is different, how our blood glucose levels react to different foods is different.

 

[dwelldon]

That is my last HBA1C from feb, compared to the average over the last 90 days. Although higher, it would seem I am coming lower, not due my next HB1Ac until end of October due to being taken off the medication

mj

 

[Sirmione]

An average blood glucose level of 7.6mmol/l indicates your lab results are likely to have an HbA1c in around 46% which is just into the green zone. If your daily average is now lower and still going down you are going to get your HbA1c properly into the green zone.

 

[rab5]

It might help if you can tell us what you are eating

 

[Sirmione]

This conversion chart is probably one of the best tools on this website, just remember it is only a rough and ready prediction of your HbA1c from the average blood glucose reading.

 

[dwelldon]

Typically I eat things like that is taken from my daily record I keep so appologies if the formatting is wrong

Mackerel /Chicken WW / VEg curry
Smoothy / chicken salad
Coffee Pizza / Chicken with Veg
Skyr chicken brocolli chinese
porridge chicken / veg fish pie
Mackerel / Chicken Salad Mexican Wraps
Porridge Chicken Pie and Veg
Skyr / chicken salad /Mackerel
Coffee Ham Salad Chicken Stew
Skyr Chicken Stew Chicken Pie / Veg
s/egg brocolli / Peas / chicken white wine Steak and Sweet Potato Fries
Coffee Ham Salad Brocolli Rice / mince
Greek Yoghurt Fish and Mushy Pea prawn salad
Smoothy Pizza Chicken / Veg
Tea Chicken / Veg Chicken / Veg / Skyr
Skyr Chicken Salad Fish and Veg
S/Egg Mince and Brocolli rice Chicken Stew

 

[Sirmione]

Wraps :-(
Rice :-(
Pizza :-(
Pie :-(

Anything made from any grain cereal has to be in very controlled portions -- starchy carbohydrates are delayed action sugars.

Also carefully check the sugar content of all yoghurts.

 

[HSSS]

Porridge, scotch eggs, sweet potato too I’m afraid. Anything pre prepared check labels, carbs hide everywhere

 

[dwelldon]

Wraps :-(
Rice :-(
Pizza :-(
Pie :-(

Anything made from any grain cereal has to be in very controlled portions -- starchy carbohydrates are delayed action sugars.

Also carefully check the sugar content of all yoghurts.

Rice is broccoli rice not actually rice. I only eat Greek yogurt so low sugar. Pies and pizza generally don't put my sugar up. Wraps I only have 1, other than that I do pretty well.

 

[dwelldon]

Porridge, scotch eggs, sweet potato too I’m afraid. Anything pre prepared check labels, carbs hide everywhere

Porridge is fine, never raises my bloods checked a lot. Sweet potato too is fine.

 

[HSSS]

Wow that’s a lot of generally high items you don’t spike with. Can I just ask when you’ve checked them are you just checking at 2hr or at 2,3,4 or even 5 hrs? I was lead to understand some things have a delayed spike I might miss if I only check once. Maybe you’re just very lucky.

 

[dwelldon]

Wow that’s a lot of generally high items you don’t spike with. Can I just ask when you’ve checked them are you just checking at 2hr or at 2,3,4 or even 5 hrs? I was lead to understand some things have a delayed spike I might miss if I only check once. Maybe you’re just very lucky.

Yes, I know. I tested all sorts of times just make sure. My doctor calls me his diabetic enigma because he can't understand how my sugar levels are normal most of the time.

Its really frustrating tbh and leaves me wondering if I have something else wrong at times.