Bit confused...

[SheilaCanning]

Hiya, I'm hoping for a bit more advice, please.

Newly diagnosed with Type 2 hbA1c of 7.7 and told the diabetic nurse I'd like to try to control it with diet and exercise before going on to medication and she agreed to give me three months to lose 1 stone and get the sugar levels down to 6.7 which I feel is doable. Read a lot of posts here and read the blood sugar diet and began self testing and low carbing 3 weeks ago. I'm eating between 750 and 1,000 calories a day and about 50g of carbs. I have lost 6 pounds in 3 weeks (and am surprised it's not more to be honest.) I'm walking a couple of miles a day (about 7,000 steps.) I'm also not eating from 8 pm until about 11 am - so about 15 hours fast.

Last week my first blood sugar reading of the day was 6.4, 7.1 7.2 7.4 6.3 6.1 6.7
It would go up just a little after breakfast (greek yogurt and chopped nuts) and then down again. Pre evening meal was
5.9. 5.3. 5.8. 5.9 6.2 5.6 6.0

This week, my first readings have been 7.8. and 8.5. The 8.5 this morning after I went for a 2 mile walk (I wondered if changing the time would help.) Last night after dinner my reading was 7.00 and the night before 5.8 so what on earth is happening? How do I go to bed with 5.8 and yet hit 8.5 this morning?

I have to say it's a bit demoralising. I am doing EVERYTHING I can to get better. I do feel more clear headed which is such a relief! I just want to get healthy.

 

[ianpspurs]

Hiya, I'm hoping for a bit more advice, please.

Newly diagnosed with Type 2 hbA1c of 7.7 and agreed with the diabetic nurse I'd try to control it with diet and exercise before going on to medication and she agreed to give me three months to lose 1 stone and get the sugar levels down to 6.7 which I feel is doable. Read a lot of posts here and read the blood sugar diet and began self testing and low carbing 3 weeks ago. I'm eating between 750 and 1,000 calories a day and about 50g of carbs. I have lost 6 pounds in 3 weeks (and am surprised it's not more to be honest.) I'm walking a couple of miles a day (about 7,000 steps.) I'm also not eating from 8 pm until about 11 am - so about 15 hours fast.

Last week my first blood sugar reading of the day was 6.4, 7.1 7.2 7.4 6.3 6.1 6.7
It would go up just a little after breakfast (greek yogurt and chopped nuts) and then down again. Pre evening meal was
5.9. 5.3. 5.8. 5.9 6.2 5.6 6.0

This week, my first readings have been 7.8. and 8.5. The 8.5 this morning after I went for a 2 mile walk (I wondered if changing the time would help.) Last night after dinner my reading was 7.00 and the night before 5.8 so what on earth is happening? How do I go to bed with 5.8 and yet hit 8.5 this morning?

I have to say it's a bit demoralising. I am doing EVERYTHING I can to get better. I do feel more clear headed which is such a relief! I just want to get healthy.

Hi @SheilaCanning. Firstly, well done for agreeing to try diet, exercise and testing. Secondly really good news that you have seen results in both weight loss and the pre evening meal levels. As for the concern about morning - fasting - levels this may help to reassure you https://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose/dawn-phenomenon.html. Best wishes and we all find this hard to deal with early on.

 

[zand]

It's probably dawn phenomenon. Your liver is clearing out its excess glucose stores for you to use as energy when the day begins. It's actually a good thing as it means your liver is working better. It may take a few weeks for your morning BGs to come into line, but rest assured you are on the right track.

 

[SheilaCanning]

Hi @SheilaCanning. Firstly, well done for agreeing to try diet, exercise and testing. Secondly really good news that you have seen results in both weight loss and the pre evening meal levels. As for the concern about morning - fasting - levels this may help to reassure you https://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose/dawn-phenomenon.html. Best wishes and we all find this hard to deal with early on.

Thank you, that is reassuring. I will plod on!

 

[SheilaCanning]

It's probably dawn phenomenon. Your liver is clearing out its excess glucose stores for you to use as energy when the day begins. It's actually a good thing as it means your liver is working better. It may take a few weeks for your morning BGs to come into line, but rest assured you are on the right track.

Ah, thank you! I like your spin that it's actually good news and shall endeavour to think of it that way from now on!

 

[VashtiB]

Hello and welcome,

I remember finding out about dawn phenomenon and feeling such relief.

Well done!

 

[Goonergal]

This week, my first readings have been 7.8. and 8.5. The 8.5 this morning after I went for a 2 mile walk (I wondered if changing the time would help.) Last night after dinner my reading was 7.00 and the night before 5.8 so what on earth is happening? How do I go to bed with 5.8 and yet hit 8.5 this morning?

As others have said, it’s likely dawn phenomenon.

Reading your post I wondered exactly when you’re testing. Is it immediately before and then 2 hours after first bite? That’s the way you’ll really understand the impact of specific foods on your blood sugars.

FBG - the first one in the morning - is often the last one to drop, so if you’re getting good pre and post meal readings I wouldn’t worry about it too much. It can become a distraction. In fact if ever anyone needed to ‘ration’ testing for some reason (cost/sore fingers), that’d be the one I’d suggest dropping first.

Finally you’ll likely see fluctuations in your readings as you experiment - don’t worry if it’s not a consistent downward trend. I know when I first started testing I’d be taken by surprise every now and then when having dropped say from the 7s into the 6s fairly consistently, then I’d suddenly have a spell back in the 7s. Stress, illness and all sorts of other things can impact, so if you know that you’re consistently eating foods that help manage your blood sugars and the overall trend is in the right direction, don’t get disheartened by the odd anomaly.

 

[Geordie_P]

Ah, thank you! I like your spin that it's actually good news and shall endeavour to think of it that way from now on!

Zand has it right- no spin required! You're on the right track, and the dawn phenomenon should reduce as you continue. Your progress actually looks really encouraging, and you should just keep on doing what you're doing. It's really very good.

 

[SheilaCanning]

As others have said, it’s likely dawn phenomenon.

Reading your post I wondered exactly when you’re testing. Is it immediately before and then 2 hours after first bite? That’s the way you’ll really understand the impact of specific foods on your blood sugars.

FBG - the first one in the morning - is often the last one to drop, so if you’re getting good pre and post meal readings I wouldn’t worry about it too much. It can become a distraction. In fact if ever anyone needed to ‘ration’ testing for some reason (cost/sore fingers), that’d be the one I’d suggest dropping first.

Finally you’ll likely see fluctuations in your readings as you experiment - don’t worry if it’s not a consistent downward trend. I know when I first started testing I’d be taken by surprise every now and then when having dropped say from the 7s into the 6s fairly consistently, then I’d suddenly have a spell back in the 7s. Stress, illness and all sorts of other things can impact, so if you know that you’re consistently eating foods that help manage your blood sugars and the overall trend is in the right direction, don’t get disheartened by the odd anomaly.

Yes, I'm testing before I first eat and then 2 hours after for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It does seem to be very up and down but I'm sure I'm headed in the right direction. 6's and 7's mainly with an occasional unwelcome 8!

Thanks so much!