Low carb but BG high. Any ideas?

[KimWheeler]

Hi. I'm T2 and my BG is going in wrong direction. Gone back on low carb 25 -35 g (only range that worked in past) but cannot get BG below 10. Most days range is 12 - 14. I do suffer from dawn effect. I'm not sure what to do . I've just bought a monitor as Dr surgery wouldn't issue one. I've been saying for last 18 months something not right exercise regularly and good healthy food choices. HBA1C up from 163 to 175. At this rate I can't see me becoming drug free. I'm 64 and been on medication since 9/2015. Can anyone suggest anything. Thank you for reading this.

 

[coby]

Hi. I'm T2 and my BG is going in wrong direction. Gone back on low carb 25 -35 g (only range that worked in past) but cannot get BG below 10. Most days range is 12 - 14. I do suffer from dawn effect. I'm not sure what to do . I've just bought a monitor as Dr surgery wouldn't issue one. I've been saying for last 18 months something not right exercise regularly and good healthy food choices. HBA1C up from 163 to 175. At this rate I can't see me becoming drug free. I'm 64 and been on medication since 9/2015. Can anyone suggest anything. Thank you for reading this.

Hi. Have you tried intermittent fasting? Or just sticking to two meals per day maybe?

 

[Member496333]

You need to convince a GP to arrange an insulin test in order to see if you are either under or overproducing. Not possible to plan a strategy without that data.

 

[HSSS]

Hi. I'm T2 and my BG is going in wrong direction. Gone back on low carb 25 -35 g (only range that worked in past) but cannot get BG below 10. Most days range is 12 - 14. I do suffer from dawn effect. I'm not sure what to do . I've just bought a monitor as Dr surgery wouldn't issue one. I've been saying for last 18 months something not right exercise regularly and good healthy food choices. HBA1C up from 163 to 175. At this rate I can't see me becoming drug free. I'm 64 and been on medication since 9/2015. Can anyone suggest anything. Thank you for reading this.

Are you sure about that hba1c number? Sounds more like a USA blood glucose reading in mg/dl rather than an hba1c in % or mmol/mol.

If it is your meter reading (blood glucose) then that depends on when in the day and when in relation to which foods, exercise etc

 

[KimWheeler]

Hi. Have you tried intermittent fasting? Or just sticking to two meals per day maybe?

I don't eat from 8pm to after 8am. Often longer. Usually 2 meals a day. Breakfast and dinner between 2pm - 5pm. Have tried smaller meals more often but no difference. Thank you

 

[KimWheeler]

Are you sure about that hba1c number? Sounds more like a USA blood glucose reading in mg/dl rather than an hba1c in % or mmol/mol.

If it is your meter reading (blood glucose) then that depends on when in the day and when in relation to which foods, exercise etc

BG is from my monitor contour next one . HBA1C is what GP nurse told me.

 

[KimWheeler]

BG is from my monitor contour next one . HBA1C is what GP nurse told me.

Meter reading on waking. In excess of 12. I have breakfast. Then usually 3 hours digging at the allotment, or heavy work around house. Currently I'm laying a new path and pressure washing, gardening for another 2 - 3 hours. Really heavy work. Then exhausted eating evening/dinner meal. Bg before after meal in 12 - 14 range. Still about 12.8 to 13.8 at bedtime about 11pm. See why I'm confused. I thought exercise would burn the carbs.

 

[KimWheeler]

You need to convince a GP to arrange an insulin test in order to see if you are either under or overproducing. Not possible to plan a strategy without that data.

What's an insulin test? I'm seeing nurse again in 2 weeks so I'll look that up before I see her. Is it the same as the glucose intolerance test they do when diagnosing diabetes? Thank you

 

[EllieM]

HBA1C up from 163 to 175.

Those hba1cs correspond to average bgs of 24.5 and 26.2 mmol/L. I'd suggest one of the following
1) The nurse has given you the wrong figures
2) There is something wrong with your meter
3) You have one of a number of blood/genetic conditions that mean your hba1c is falsely elevated.

What sort of medication are you on? With an hba1c of 175 I'd expect your GP to be reviewing your medications pretty urgently.

Gone back on low carb 25 -35 g

Is that per meal or per day? If per meal then you might want to try going down a bit more but honestly I agree with @Jim Lahey that it might be worth asking your GP for a cpeptide test to see how much insulin you are producing.

Good luck.

 

[Resurgam]

As a plain ordinary type 2 eating under 40 gm of carbs a day I see normal numbers on the meter, and get almost normal Hba1cs - I suspect that you are not an ordinary type 2 and your GP should be investigating.

 

[Member496333]

What's an insulin test? I'm seeing nurse again in 2 weeks so I'll look that up before I see her. Is it the same as the glucose intolerance test they do when diagnosing diabetes? Thank you

An insulin test - fasting is probably the easiest and cheapest - will determine if you are under or overproducing insulin. This data is absolutely critical to deciding any course of therapy. If you are underproducing then you’d likely need to consult with an endocrinologist to investigate the cause. If you are overproducing then not much will put a dent in your problems other than even further carbohydrate restriction and maybe intermittent fasting to accelerate the burn-off of glucose in your system.

We can’t offer medical advice so the first port of call has to be discussing it with your GP. Sadly he/she will probably not reciprocate on the subject of insulin testing. If this happens there are ways and means to get tested privately and then we may be able to offer further opinion on how you might progress.

 

[Fenn]

I had exactly the same, low carb stopped working, very frustrating when you know you are doing right but it’s not working.

What I had was a C-Peptide test, this measures how much insulin you are producing, in my case it seems I wasn’t making any or very little, I had been taking insulin for years before the test but it explained a lot.

I hope you get some answers, best of luck.

 

[KimWheeler]

BG is from my monitor contour next one . HBA1C is what GP nurse told me.

Oops Just re-read my notes just ignore the 1 in front of the HBA1C. Sorry

 

[KimWheeler]

An insulin test - fasting is probably the easiest and cheapest - will determine if you are under or overproducing insulin. This data is absolutely critical to deciding any course of therapy. If you are underproducing then you’d likely need to consult with an endocrinologist to investigate the cause. If you are overproducing then not much will put a dent in your problems other than even further carbohydrate restriction and maybe intermittent fasting to accelerate the burn-off of glucose in your system.

We can’t offer medical advice so the first port of call has to be discussing it with your GP. Sadly he/she will probably not reciprocate on the subject of insulin testing. If this happens there are ways and means to get tested privately and then we may be able to offer further opinion on how you might progress.

Thank you.

 

[Jo123]

Hi, that must be very frustrating. If it were me I would want to be checked that I'm not type 1.
What are you actually eating?

 

[KimWheeler]

Hi, that must be very frustrating. If it were me I would want to be checked that I'm not type 1.
What are you actually eating?

All meats, fish, lots of veg, cheese and cream not milk,. Counting carbs to keep me in 25 -35 range. If calorie counting I'm around 900 - 1000. No bread, chocolate, potatoes, rice or pasta until my figures come down.

I have been wondering about Lada 1.5 but I'm carrying weight around my middle so I'm ruling that out.

My ex has just suggested exercise after eating. But with what I'm already doing I'm exhausted.

 

[KimWheeler]

Thank you for all your help. HBA1C should have read 63 - 75 . I should say that my anger flashes from 0 to 100 in a millisecond, I fall asleep after eating. I'm eating off a small plate as GP only talks about porton control. I did think of asking if he wants a letter from my 84year old mum to verify this information! (I do live with her) I really think my medication isn't having any effect. I'll ask about the test Jim suggested and ask about 1.5 . Think I'll put it in writing to attach to my Dr's notes. That way they might get round to taking it seriously.

 

[LittleGreyCat]

What medication are you on?

 

[KimWheeler]

What medication are you on?

I was on sitalgliptin a year ago but moved to another part of the country and was put on alogliptin. I've never felt well on it!

 

[lcarter]

I was on sitalgliptin a year ago but moved to another part of the country and was put on alogliptin. I've never felt well on it!

Just want to say you’re not alone, I am the same except my bloods are higher. I’m on Metformin but I’m going to tighten control massively to under 20g of carbs and see that helps but honestly I’ve been walking and keeping around 50g. Just going to try and lower mine.