Another slightly freaked out newbie

New Haven Neil

Well-Known Member
Messages
126
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
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Arrogance, awkward people
Ah, my weekly and monthly average is 6.4, the 5.4 refers to my '2 hours after' figure. I now only do 1 or 2 tests day as I can control what I eat and what results it causes. My last A1c was 5.9%/41.
 
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JulianneG

Member
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14
OK, I'm having weirdness going on and I can't explain it. I'm fasting until at least lunchtime most days to try and get it back under control, it's what I was doing before my holiday and it was working well, there weren't unexplained big spikes. My first reading of the day was always higher, but not crazy high. However, now I'm eating very low carbs and fasting I'm experiencing big swings when I do eat and this morning my fasting reading was 9.2! That's the highest morning reading I've ever had and I ate very little yesterday. Today I did eat, not huge amounts and virtually no carbs until dinner, which had a modest amount of carbs in it. Two hours later I'm reading at 8.5 and I could feel it was high before I tested. I don't understand what's going on, when I was eating more (and with more carbs at every meal) my BG wasn't doing big swings up and down like this. Any ideas anyone? I can feel weight is still coming off, I lost another pound last week and surely that has to be a good thing? Very confused.
 

New Haven Neil

Well-Known Member
Messages
126
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Arrogance, awkward people
No matter what I eat (or don't...) my waking BG is generally between 6 and 7, or a bit more. Dawn effect, I don't know, but there it is, every day. Later it can be much lower even after eating breakfast, but early mornings are an issue for some reason. So I accept it as it is, my last A1c was 41, so I'm OK, it's just 'how I am'. Infuriating though!
 
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JulianneG

Member
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14
Neil, I had a re-read of Dr Fung's book and the dawn effect, but to be honest I can't get a clear idea of whether it's actually a good sign or not. Reading over 9 scares me as that's nerve damage territory.
 

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,867
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I found that eating two meals about 12 hours apart is the best option for me. The low calorie low fat diets I have been on, I suspect, cause my lever to panic easily and start to throw out glucose.
 

New Haven Neil

Well-Known Member
Messages
126
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Arrogance, awkward people
Neil, I had a re-read of Dr Fung's book and the dawn effect, but to be honest I can't get a clear idea of whether it's actually a good sign or not. Reading over 9 scares me as that's nerve damage territory.

I do get the odd reading 10 or 11 if I have been naughty, but it passes in an hour or two - generally I'm 6 or so after eating. I haven't read Fung, maybe I should. Ahhh, had some wholemeal spaghetti tonight, 8.8. No more of that then!
 

New Haven Neil

Well-Known Member
Messages
126
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Arrogance, awkward people
Sometimes I just don't get it - 3.4 yesterday evening before eating, lowest I have seen and allegedly impossible when not on meds of any kind. 9 after with no carbs other than a small pitta bread! This condition continues to confound and freak us out.
 
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Flora123

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,078
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Sometimes I just don't get it - 3.4 yesterday evening before eating, lowest I have seen and allegedly impossible when not on meds of any kind. 9 after with no carbs other than a small pitta bread! This condition continues to confound and freak us out.

A pita bread would out be up in the 9s or higher too. Did you have any alcohol? I’ve had a 2.7 after a drink... or two!
 

New Haven Neil

Well-Known Member
Messages
126
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Arrogance, awkward people
I find wholemeal pitta to be OK, usually! I hardly drink alcohol, and certainly not mid-week so that wasn't an issue.
 
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JulianneG

Member
Messages
14
It's so weird, things that are OK one week are so NOT OK NOW!!!! I think my liver and pancreas are playing fast and loose with me! I've cut out grains altogether now, fruit is a rarity and porridge is long gone. I was OK with all those things to start with, but now they'll spike. The weight is falling off me and I feel great, so must be doing something right. I've bought a few diabetic friendly cookbooks (bit concerned about Tom Kerridge's idea of low carb though, he uses honey and gravy granules in a few of them) and I've loaded up on low carb alternatives, so I'll be able to change it up a bit. The whole family is going much lower carb now too, I've got a huge bag of food sitting in the kitchen that I'm just not allowing now, especially in lunchboxes.

So anyway, I'm no longer a freaked-out newbie, I feel I've started to get a handle on things now, even if I do get the odd '***?' moment, I'm putting it down to my liver doing it's thing and putting everything gradually to rights. I'm absolutely determined to beat this condition and as I spend most of my day in either the normal range or the pre-diabetic range - without meds - I think I'm doing OK. I'll be dodging about on other threads now and leaving this one in the archives for other newbies to find, so much good advice has been given and I thank all of you for pointing me in the right direction and explaining the confusing and conflicting things around this condition.
 

mojo37

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,443
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
It's so weird, things that are OK one week are so NOT OK NOW!!!! I think my liver and pancreas are playing fast and loose with me! I've cut out grains altogether now, fruit is a rarity and porridge is long gone. I was OK with all those things to start with, but now they'll spike. The weight is falling off me and I feel great, so must be doing something right. I've bought a few diabetic friendly cookbooks (bit concerned about Tom Kerridge's idea of low carb though, he uses honey and gravy granules in a few of them) and I've loaded up on low carb alternatives, so I'll be able to change it up a bit. The whole family is going much lower carb now too, I've got a huge bag of food sitting in the kitchen that I'm just not allowing now, especially in lunchboxes.

So anyway, I'm no longer a freaked-out newbie, I feel I've started to get a handle on things now, even if I do get the odd '***?' moment, I'm putting it down to my liver doing it's thing and putting everything gradually to rights. I'm absolutely determined to beat this condition and as I spend most of my day in either the normal range or the pre-diabetic range - without meds - I think I'm doing OK. I'll be dodging about on other threads now and leaving this one in the archives for other newbies to find, so much good advice has been given and I thank all of you for pointing me in the right direction and explaining the confusing and conflicting things around this condition.

Even if you are leaving this post let us" not so newbies " know how you are getting on :)
 

Millie74

Well-Known Member
Messages
217
Hi just read all of this thread. Recently diagnosed with hba1c of 96 in Jan. It was 56mmol in August on low carb. I only got meter today. I tested at 9am. It was 2 hours after one dulco gusto flat white coffee. It was 7.0. I waited to lunch to eat as trying intermittent fasting to lower further. I had omelette and half avocado. Was 5.9 2 hours after meal. This is good I think? It’s just the 7.0 not great? Is this correct. I didn’t eat any breakfast. I take 2000mg metformin. I was put on In addition as was told haven’t met my target of 48. Came off it as made me anxious and had side effects. I’ve got 3 mths to get it down. What should my morning target be? I am guessing omelettes are allowed and a good choice?
 

Millie74

Well-Known Member
Messages
217
Hi just read all of this thread. Recently diagnosed with hba1c of 96 in Jan. It was 56mmol in August on low carb. I only got meter today. I tested at 9am. It was 2 hours after one dulco gusto flat white coffee. It was 7.0. I waited to lunch to eat as trying intermittent fasting to lower further. I had omelette and half avocado. Was 5.9 2 hours after meal. This is good I think? It’s just the 7.0 not great? Is this correct. I didn’t eat any breakfast. I take 2000mg metformin. I was put on In addition as was told haven’t met my target of 48. Came off it as made me anxious and had side effects. I’ve got 3 mths to get it down. What should my morning target be? I am guessing omelettes are allowed and a good choice?

Sorry that should read put on Jardiance in addition