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Confused by readings

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Wendy Miller

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I was diagnosed as Type 2 six months ago and have made quite a few changes by eating much more sensibly and walking daily and have lost some of my excess weight, so I am doing something right I think:). I am somewhat confused by some of my readings tho. (I have to take mine before breakfast and before my evening meal). Why is it that some evenings I eat nothing after my dinner and go for my walk and my reading is 6.9 the following morning, and another evening when I have eaten after my dinner I then get a reading of 5.2 the following morning? I can't seem to make sense of it. Just as an experiment I took it before bed the other evening and it was 5.7 and the following morning it was 6.8 having had nothing but water in the night. It's a bit disappointing to get a high reading when I have made a conscious choice not to snack.
 
The only way to test your bgl is just before, and two hours after the meal, whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner to get better eating levels.
 
Wendy Miller said:
Just as an experiment I took it before bed the other evening and it was 5.7 and the following morning it was 6.8 having had nothing but water in the night. It's a bit disappointing to get a high reading when I have made a conscious choice not to snack.
Click to expand...

Most T2s find that their fasting reading is the last one to come down when they use diet to moderate their levels. This is because of something called the dawn phenomenon, when your liver pumps out sugar (glycogen) first thing in the morning to help you get through the day. Unfortunately your liver does not know that you are carb intolerant so your blood sugar goes up....
 
Congratulations on the weight loss and also on those readings. While the 6.8 was higher than you may like at least it is still ion the right range- definitely doing something right.

I agree completely with @EllieM it is quite likely that what you are experiencing is the dawn phenomena. Are you testing at other times? I also find that if I eat more carbs than normal or have alcohol my readings the next day can be higher than usual.
 
DP is the most likely cause

I get it... I start work at 4am so wake up about 03.45 most days and I can see on my cgm that I rise most from about 3am

I tend to just my overall day on my Pre bed level

I don't have breakfast so I see a drop in level 45mins or so after getting up so I consider this a good fasting reading

Even on a pump lime I am now every morning my readings are slightly different


It sounds like you are doing the right things and weight loss etc is all good so the best thing to judge how you are doing will be your next hba1c...
 
Bg can also be affected by:
  • Sleep, or lack of it
  • Exercise, intensity and duration, or lack of it
  • Stress
  • Hormones
  • And more.
Food is only a part of the picture but is the easiest to monitor and control, and has the most effect
Don't worry if bg moves . Just aim to keep it in a certain range and expect ups and downs within that
 
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