Got my Codefree meter Wednesday so just been doing fairly random testing. One thing I have noticed very quickly is that for the first test when I get up has been 9.1 & 7.8 but tests at about 4pm were 6.2 & 5.8 (both about 2 hours after eating). Other posts seem to suggest lower readings in the mornings.
Not worried just curious. Trying to avoid going on meds and have lowered carbs and upped the exercise in last few weeks.
Congratulations on your efforts. To explain your higher fasting bgs, you might want to look at what you are eating for dinner, and when. Is your last meal of the day at 4pm? Once we are horizontal our digestions tend to slow down, so that if you are eating a big meal too near to bedtime that might be one explanation. Some of us including myself find that our bodies handle carbs worse at dinner and breakfast, which leaves lunch as the biggest meal of the day - not very convenient! Alternatively, if your last meal of the day is at 4pm, it is possible that your body doesn't like your fasting for so long, and you might get a better fasting reading in the morning by eating a little something before bed. It's a matter of experimenting. You could search for the "dawn phenomenon" where many of us have discussed this.
I suggest increasing your testing for a while. You will have a better idea what is going on if you test immediately before meals, and after meals at 1 hour and 2 hours. Theoretically, a normal person's bg rises in the first hour and has gone down again by hour 2. However, delayed stomach emptying (a common complication of diabetes from which I suffer) and a large and/or rich meal can all cause a later rise and, therefore, a later fall. Or bg can go up and then not come down for hours. So it is a good idea to test at 3 hours and maybe even 4. The aim is to see how much your bg rises and how soon it falls back to its pre-meal level. Once your bg has fallen back to its pre-meal level, you don't need to test again until just before your next meal.
You say you want to avoid meds, and many people feel as you do. However personally I have chosen to take the maximum dose of Metformin as it is considered a trusted and benign drug. IMO keeping my bg as low as possible is absolutely vital, and my number one priority. I am eating very low carb but my bg levels are still not what I want, so I am glad to take Metformin as well.