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Fasting sugars

S

Sweet tea lover

Member
Messages
6
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi
I was diagnosed prediabetic 3 years ago and I changed my diet a lot, try to keep to less than 100g of carbs a day, lost just over a stone etc etc.

I do have the odd slip up as I have such a sweet tooth so to keep myself in check I have started wearing a CGM as I kept forgetting to do finger pricks.

Looking at this prediabetes forum, other people's fasting mmol seems to be much lower than mine. It's usually around 7 to 7.5 when I wake up! It goes down a bit after I've had a shower then up and down during the day but doesn't really go below 6.

I have the classic prediabetes symptoms like tingly hands and feet and blurry vision. My GP hasn't called me in for a blood test for over 6 months despite my HbA1C going up every time. In fact they don't seem to be too bothered and I can't seem to get an appointment anyway.

I feel like I'm stuck. I can't see why my figures are so high when I have changed my diet so much. Is the CGM not accurate enough? Should I go back to finger pricks ?

Sorry I'm rambling now just wondered what people's thoughts are.

TIA
 
your number is not particular high ( mine varied a lot and recently has been in the 8's) Call your Dr or surgery and ask for an appointment or if you can have a Hba1c Test done
they some times only asj for them once a year depending on your practice
good luck
 
Hello and welcome @Sweet tea lover.
The CGM will show you when there are spikes in blood glucose levels. You can use this info to determine how what you have eaten has affected those BG levels.

Finger pricking for blood glucose levels can be useful, but just gives a snapshot rather than the continuous and more complete picture that you get from GGM. Though finger pricking is also useful to check if you think the CGM is giving an unexpected reading.

Well done at reducing your carb intake. The first BG reading of the day is generally the last to be lowered, as your liver releases glucose to prepare you for the day.

Are you keeping a record of what you are eating? Maybe some more slight tweaks to your diet would help. Is that ‘odd slip’ you mention the factor that is raising your BG levels? Perhaps what the level was after those odd slips.

The ‘classic symptoms’ you have mentioned.. I would seek advice from GP. A HbA1c test would, perhaps, be best to check if there has been any increase that would take you from pre-diabetes to diabetes levels.
 
Thank you both so much for your swift responses! I didn't realise the thing about the liver raising the levels first thing. I just assumed as I woke up (starving usually!) it would be lower.

I think I'll get another blood test done but will keep wearing the CGM as I will be undisciplined otherwise.
 
for the fasting levels try not to compare your own to someone elses it can be off putting to see so many lower than yourself. instead try look at your own levels (if going up/down over period of time. each indivual is unique. it maybe worthwhile keeping your own log seperately and look for possible patterns.

finger pricks in general are a little more accurate than cgm's, saying that i find cgms are much much more useful tool to have. If your worried about accuracy with cgm you can test against fingerprick, bear in mind 10-15 lag if doing that, it usually is more closely aligned when levels are not changing rapidly and have straight across arrow for at least several minutes.

not sure which cgm your using if freestyle libre try login to their website: https://www.libreview.com/ dexcom have simular https://clarity.dexcom.eu/

lastly another consideration on the readings of cgm, they tend to work better if hydrated well ensure plently fluids (approx 6-8 glasses water a day). for some people they can tend to read a consistantly a little higher and for some others a little lower.

12+ months currently guidelines on hba1c for prediabetes. if dr's wont do and your still wanting done can get done privately at some places.

best wishes.

edit: changed hydtration sentence slightly better worded
 
Last edited:
Which CGM are you using? If it’s a libre you can look on the app and see an estimated HbA1c. It’s not completely accurate for me, but it gives a guide to where you are. If it’s high you could use that to try and convince your practice to do a blood test.

It maybe that you have to reduce your carbs further, but as others have said if you look at what you’ve eaten each meal and the resulting spike it will tell you what items are not so good for you.
 
I did the free trial of the libra and I really liked the app. When I went to order a couple it wouldn't let me do as I said I wasn't diabetic so I found another which got quite good reviews and lasts 15 days (iCan). Maybe I shouldn't have been so much of a cheapskate!
 
mard (Mean Absolute Relative Difference) is listed pretty simular. what did you prefer with the libre app? anyhow theres dexcom sample u could possibly get to save a little more, dexcom.com/en-GB/dexcom-one-plus-sample then could compare cost vs performance of each. iCan appears to have a glucose report as well which can view online that might be worth checking out might be simular to libreview's can see that at: https://sg.icancgm.com/review/
 
Sweet tea lover said:
Thank you i didn't realise they did this. Could have put it on the app though!

I will have a look at dexcom too.
Click to expand...
might be on the app hidden away somewhere check following link if its GlucoMen iCan
page 45: https://menarini-diabetes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/UM2025-EN.pdf

the dexcom link listed purely for cost saving of 10 days so wouldn't need to spend your hard earned cash nhs seem to prefer libre & dexcom cgm's.

how do the 2 reports compare? libre vs the iCan report? i presume libre is a little more polished (as bigger company) within the app but think both would contain simular detailed info overall.
 
Hi @Sweet tea lover there are things you can try to reduce your DP , although a rise in your blood sugar in the AM is completely normal, even in non diabetics with a normal blood sugar range. As already stated it’s your body preparing itself for daytime activity so your muscles have access to blood sugars for energy. If your DP decreases relatively quickly on getting up it means your pancreas’ first phase insulin release is intact and working well. This is a positive thing. One’s first phase insulin release can be the first thing to diminish when heading towards a diabetes diagnosis.

If you are still unhappy with your DP rise then eating your last meal early may help.
I had DP rises in the 10’s. I stopped eating before 5pm and that helped reduce it. Light exercise during the day, like a 30 min walk after eating, may also help reduce post prandial rises, as well as your DP . Just possibilities.

Edited just to add a link to first phase insulin release. It’s an abstract so it’s very brief.

 
@Melgar thanks for that info. That makes sense about high mmol in the morning, i just wrongly assumed it would be lower. It's all so confusing, I think I need to study the forums a bit more!

Unfortunately most nights I have no chance of eating earlier. I don't usually get in till 8pm! I will see if I can tweak things a bit.
 
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