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Confused by morning readings

L

LorraineM72

Member
Messages
8
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi all,

This is my first post after being diagnosed in November. I've been following LCHF since the first day of diagnosis and have just had my first follow up test where my BG levels fell from 7.3 to 6.6. I was quite happy with this and have been allowed to continue trying to reduce further by just diet, but my query is in relation to my morning levels and what the best thing is to do to bring them down.

I'm type 2 and decided very early on that I did want to test my own levels, so test almost every morning when I get up. My levels are almost always, without fail at their highest in the morning before eating. I've read about the morning phenomenon, which I just find confusing in itself, but I wondered if anyone else has had this and what they do to bring it down / stop it happening in the first place? I did wonder whether getting up and exercising very first thing might help, but I've also had an issue previously when I did a very vigourous work out and it sent my levels through the roof!

Any advice would be very gratefully received!

Thanks

Lorraine
 
Fasting bg levels really depends on what you’ve eaten the night before.

Are you on any medication?
 
No, no medication. I don't usually eat until around 8/8.30 most evenings, but generally limit dinner to meat and veg/salad.
 
Hi and welcome,

Morning fasting is unpredictable, and usually the last level to come down. You are right about the dawn phenomenon. It is a natural occurrence. Everyone has it, including non-diabetics. Our liver dumps glucose from its store to increase the glucose in the blood stream so the muscles can use it for energy when we start the day. In normal healthy people the pancreas secretes insulin which clears this dumped glucose and pushes it into the muscles. In T2 when we have insulin resistance, the secreted insulin can't do its job efficiently so the glucose takes a long time to clear. Not only that, but the liver is likely to continue to dump for several hours because our insulin isn't able to tell it to stop. To be honest, there is very little we can do.

We can stop it from getting worse during the course of the morning by not eating carbs at breakfast. Fats and/or protein will help. Exercising is not normally a good plan.

The dawn phenomenon is made worse if we are stressed or have a disturbed night. A lot of people on here that suffer with restless nights often don't bother to do the morning test as it is so unpredicatable.
 
Hello and welcome. I am one of those people who do not take a fasting reading. This is for two reasons, I suffer with disturbed sleep and I take three drugs that are reported as raising blood glucose. The rise seems to impact my fasting levels rather than my pre/post prandial levels so there is little I can do to improve them.

I have read here that it takes some members months to see their fasting levels fall to a better level so give it time and it will happen. Please note that it has little to do with what you eat the night before, it is much more to do with Insulin Resistance and a naturally occurring function that is meant to happen.

I usually have a creamed coffee soon after waking to stall the rise in levels. Good luck and well done on your progress so far.
 
LorraineM72 said:
did wonder whether getting up and exercising very first thing might help, but I've also had an issue previously when I did a very vigourous work out and it sent my levels through the roof!
Click to expand...

Yep, exercise will make things worse for most people, not better. I also find it's worse if I don't eat than if I eat. As a type 1 my only weapon is insulin, and the only thing I've found that combats the dawn phenomenon is to pump as much of it in me as possible to get through the morning!
 
Good morning! Thank you so much for your replies and the advice re exercising. I just know by the way I feel this morning that it's going to be high, but it seems I'm not doing anything wrong to make it worse, or missing a trick to sort it out, What a weird condition this is!
 
LorraineM72 said:
Good morning! Thank you so much for your replies and the advice re exercising. I just know by the way I feel this morning that it's going to be high, but it seems I'm not doing anything wrong to make it worse, or missing a trick to sort it out, What a weird condition this is!
Click to expand...

Have patience. It will come down once you have got your insulin resistance sorted. Glad you realise it isn't anything you are doing wrong. You just need to ride it out, and do your best to stop it continuing throughout the morning. If you can do that you are doing all you can .
 
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