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Prediabetes High fasting blood glucose rates

JuliaAR

Well-Known Member
Messages
57
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Hi,
Just had my blood results after 3-4 months on the LCHF diet and I'm a bit confused. My HbA1c was 6.1 which translates to an average of 109 mg/dl (a bit higher actually than last time at 6.0). However my fasting glucose count was way higher at 131mg/dl. This was taken at 8.30am. The last time it was down to 110 (at 9.30am) from an original 142 (at 8.30am).
I have noticed from self testing that my morning glucose readings are often the highest of the day (between 98-126). Could this be dawn phenomenon? During the rest of the day they normally stay at around 90-110 before meals and are never higher than 125 1hr-2hrs after meals.
I do get really hyped up whenever I go to see medical personnel as I have had very negative medical experiences and I wondered if this had anything to do with getting high fasting readings at the blood clinic from adrenaline rushes.
I have tested my monitor and it is giving accurate readings +- a few mg/dl and doing a quick average of the readings I have taken myself the Hb1Ac of 6.1 seems to tally.
Does anyone have any advice on these high fasting glucose readings? Am I just white coat hypertensive/hyperglycemic or could I have dawn phenomenon?
 
It sounds like Dawn Phenomenon to me from what you say about self testing. As for blood clinic readings, you have to factor in the fact you were up, out of bed, showered, rushing about, travelling to the clinic, plus stress. These can all affect our blood glucose levels. So a mixture of both most likely.
 
Absolutely agree with @bluetit.
My morning fasting readings vary daily, and they vary A LOT.

I have always thought it absurd that the medical profession even measures such a rapidly moving target.
At different times of the morning, and at different levels of stress, activity, sleep deprivation and recent dietary management, I can have a fasting level of below 6mmol/l (less than 120 in your units) and above 10mmol/l (approx 180 in your units).

Then as soon as I eat a proper LC breakfast, my bg will get into the low 6s and stay there until lunch. In my case the fasting reading is nothing to do with dietary management of diabetes, and all to do with stress hormones - and I can't be the only person who experiences this.
 
Same situation as me. My HBA1C has varied 5.8-6.1 over the last 12 months, my during the day levels actually seem to have come down slightly, but my fasting levels have gone way up and are now near diabetic levels.
 
My surgery has stopped using fasting blood glucose tests completely, including for diagnostic purposes. They just use the HbA1c, both on non-diabetics and diagnosed diabetics.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
My surgery has stopped using fasting blood glucose tests completely, including for diagnostic purposes. They just use the HbA1c, both on non-diabetics and diagnosed diabetics.
Click to expand...
Interesting, I was wondering that. So if you could prove to your surgery you had a consistent diabetic fasting level, but the rest were prediabetic or normal (ie .like me) what would they do? would they just rely on your A1C result or ask you to take an OGTT ?
 

That's why you use a food diary!
It would show all your levels from fasting, pre meal and one hour, two hours readings.Throughout the day.
The normal routine is to take a blood glucose reading to see if you are unusually high at that time with the symptoms you describe.
Then book you a hba1c blood test. Then if they need to a OGTT!

I find it absurd that even took a prognosis/diagnosis from morning fasting tests because of dawn phenomenon. My surgery has stopped them for my missus as well!
 
My surgery push for an OGTT as the decider.
They refused to diagnose on more than 2 high fasting readings and a borderline HBA1c, insisting that the Fasting told the true story.

I actually think that none of them tell the whole story, and everything should be assessed individually and on a personal medical history and current medical status basis, but that doesn't really fit in with the way the NHS Tick Box culture works at the moment...
 
My surgery just do HbA1c tests for health checks on non-diabetics, and for all those aged 40 plus who accept the health check invitation. If the result is suspicious, a second HbA1c test is done a couple of weeks later to confirm the first. They probably also do the OGTT if circumstances warrant it. Fasting BG tests were stopped a year or two ago.
 
Wow lots of thoughts! Thank you so much for answering my query. So it seems that I have a possible combination of dawn phenomenon and stress/nervous adrenaline glucose rush. Is there any way to stop the liver from dumping glucose into my bloodstream at dawn or should I just ignore these readings and concentrate on the rest of the day?
I think I will abandon the fasting blood tests as they don't seem to be reflecting the true story for me and just stick with the HbA1c testing for the overall picture as the fasting results are pretty depressing!
Hope you all had a great low carb Christmas. My dinner was fantastic. Tried the recipe for alternative mince pies from this site but made with apple and cranberries sweetened with Stevia and cinnamon and cranberry sauce made with spices and Stevia from the dietdoctor.com site. Definitely recommended.
Happy New Year to you all!
 
I would definitely recommend the low carb alternatives on this site!
And yes, ignore your morning fasting blood glucose tests and concentrate on the pre and post prandial testing.
I have to control my hormonal response to foods, the only way I know is to go very, very low carb, in other words be in ketosis.
A ketogenic lifestyle can be very good for you, if your body can adjust to it.
You may not need to, reducing your carbs and your weight if you need to, may be enough to get your blood glucose levels down to near normal levels.
 
JuliaAR said:
Does anyone have any advice on these high fasting glucose readings?
Click to expand...

Impaired fasting glucose is the first sign of beta cells dysfunction. We can no longer produce sufficient insulin to keep glucose level < 5.0 mmol. (90mg/dl). This is likely because the pancreas/liver is already clogged up with fats cells.

Having light early dinner or no dinner will help to improve it over time.
 
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Hi all,
Thanks again for your insights and thoughts. I will keep testing pre and post prandially as Lamont D suggests so that I can work out which foods to avoid and see how it goes until my next HbA1c. Will let you know how I get on.
 
How about putting an alarm on and testing in bed immediately on waking at say 5am, it should not be as affected by the Dawn phenomenon?
Also an average of what it is over ten days at a specific time say 0730 should perhaps indicate a better more accurate result?
We tend to know our average if we test periodically in an am. I knew mine jumped up at least 0.5 when I took Atorvastatin for a week.
Derek
 
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