Fasting blood glucose vs daily low

[MimT]

Newbie question:

I've had a finger prick monitor for three days now and am curious about something. My fasting blood glucose first thing in the morning has been 5.3, 5.6 and 5.7 mmol/L. However during the day it has dropped to lows of 4.6, 5.1 and 5.0 mmol/L on each of the three days, which is up to 0.7 mmol below the fasting. (The measured highs were 8.2, 8.2 and 7.2 respectively.)

I'm curious to know how common it is for blood glucose to drop below the morning fasting level reading during the day. Could this be the "dawn effect" that's been mentioned? Or is it a normal fluctuation after digesting a meal?

 

[MrsA2]

I think its normal.
Your fasting may, or may not, be your lowest of the day.
During the day your body will draw upon its glucose depending on need eg activity, stress, food, fasting.
And "lows" in the 4s and 5s aren't serious lows, they are just normal fluctuations .

 

[catinahat]

5.3, 5.6 and 5.7 mmol/L. However during the day it has dropped to lows of 4.6, 5.1 and 5.0 mmol/L

For some of us the fasting levels are quite often the highest we see, however the accuracy of the equipment available to us (+/- 15%) makes it impossible to draw any meaningful conclusions from such small variations. Most of your readings, certainly those between
5.1 and 5. 7 will fall within the accepted margin of error and can essentially be considered the same level of blood sugar.

 

[MimT]

Your fasting may, or may not, be your lowest of the day.

For some of us the fasting levels are quite often the highest we see, however the accuracy of the equipment available to us (+/- 15%)

Thanks for your replies. (I've now done a bit more reading and am starting to understand more about the role of the liver vs the pancreas in blood glucose at different times of the day and night.)

I'm not too concerned about my readings so far and am using them to adjust my diet. The 8.2 highs were from breakfast (with one followed shortly after by a few hours of 4.6/4.7 before coming back above 5). I hate to change my morning routine because I'm on autopilot for an hour or so when I wake up - ha ha. Still, I'm experimenting to see if I can get rid of the morning high to low