Fasting level of 6.1

[Tanz93]

Hello Guys,
So I have not been diagnosed with prediabetics or diabetes, however almost everyone on my dad's side has diabetes. So I like to tests every now and again to be sure that I am still doing okay. During the day my levels are quite normal - between 4.9 and 5.7. However I have noticed that in the mornings before eating they are quite high. Yesterday and today was 6.1. I tested around 08:30. Is this normal or should I worry? I had pizza last night and tested when going to bed and was 6.7. Test was done just after 00:00.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hello Guys,
So I have not been diagnosed with prediabetics or diabetes, however almost everyone on my dad's side has diabetes. So I like to tests every now and again to be sure that I am still doing okay. During the day my levels are quite normal - between 4.9 and 5.7. However I have noticed that in the mornings before eating they are quite high. Yesterday and today was 6.1. I tested around 08:30. Is this normal or should I worry? I had pizza last night and tested when going to bed and was 6.7. Test was done just after 00:00.

A fasting blood sugar can be a bit deceptive. In the morning, your liver dumps some glucose to give you energy to start the day. Dawn Phenomenon happens to everyone, you don't have to be diabetic or prediabetic for that to occur. What matters more is what your blood sugars do after a meal, and the results you're quoting do not indicate any problem with insulin sensitivity/resistance. Also, you were relatively high for the other numbers you mentioned after pizza... Well, pizza is very carby, which makes blood sugars go up, and fatty, which means it takes longer for the spike to come down. So that they're 6,7 hours later would be normal. (I'd be seeing double digits if I ate the same, so you're doing wonderfully.)

When there's T2 in the family you're wise to keep an eye on things, though an annual HbA1c through your GP might be a little more cost-effective at this point, as strips can be expensive. And though we can't diagnose one way or the other on here... You're perfectly fine. For which I offer my heartfelt congratulations! Should things change at any point though, you know where to find us. You're always welcome with questions, for yourself, your family members, whatever. We're right here.

 

[EllieM]

Welcome to the forums @Tanz93
Generally many diabetics (and prediabetics) find their fasting reading is relatively high, because of the dawn phenomena where your liver pumps out glucose first thing in the morning. So I don't think many doctors would diagnose on the basis of a slightly high fasting blood sugar, they prefer an hba1c, which is a measure of your average blood glucose over the last 3 months.

Also, a couple of individual slightly high readings are neither here or there, but

Given your family history, if I were in your position I'd be getting regular (yearly at minimum) hba1c tests to make sure that you weren't in diabetes or prediabetes territory.

Are you watching your carbs at all? Most of the diabetics and prediabetics on here who push their levels into remission do so by reducing the carbs in their diet to a level their bodies can cope with. (And as a T1, pizza is pretty lethal for my bg levels, I suspect it probably isn't much better for T2s.)

But congrats on investing in a meter, which will let you know if you have an issue long before the doctors do.

 

[NicoleC1971]

Hello Guys,
So I have not been diagnosed with prediabetics or diabetes, however almost everyone on my dad's side has diabetes. So I like to tests every now and again to be sure that I am still doing okay. During the day my levels are quite normal - between 4.9 and 5.7. However I have noticed that in the mornings before eating they are quite high. Yesterday and today was 6.1. I tested around 08:30. Is this normal or should I worry? I had pizza last night and tested when going to bed and was 6.7. Test was done just after 00:00.

Pizza is a food that gets digested more slowly so it is possible that you had a delayed reaction to the carbs because the fat got dealt with first.

It is good to be aware of diabetes as you have a genetic risk but there are other indicators to keep an eye on. Blood sugars are the last indicator that your body isn't coping well with carbohydrates. Prior to that stage your body will be over producing the hormone insulin and you become deaf to the insulin trying to cram energy into your cells. Either you will have very easily expandable fat cells and gain fat all over and/or your fat cells won't be able to expand any more and your body will store that energy around your liver and pancreas. In the latter case you may still be slim but have a little belly yet eventually your body can't store this excess glucose in the form of fat and then you will see it in your blood sugar levels. That's the diagnosis bit yet the process will have been going on for a while in your body.

The risk factors other than a close relative having it are:

• Ethicality - Afro Carribean and South East Asian people
• Sex - males more prone to storing fat around the organs
• High blood pressure - another sign your body isn't dealing well with carbs
• Waist size - greater than 30 (F) or 35 (m) but less for the above ethniciites
• Or see your blood test results to see what your triglycerides are in relation to your hdl c (the latter should be higher than the former).

Anyway this is a long answer but I think you need to think of it as something that is entirely preventable rather than your genetic destiny as that is only a small part of the modifiable risk factors. Diet takes care of blood pressure, waist size and triglycerides even if you can't do anything about your sex or paternity!