• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

High morning blood glucose readings

Robin Stewart

Robin Stewart

Member
Messages
8
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I was diagnosed with Type 2 about 10 months ago,and am taking no medication,as my levels seem fine during the day.My problem seems to be that although I have"normal" readings at bedtime....I wake up with raised blood glucose readings....even though I am careful to eat nothing before bedtime.The levels usually decrease again before lunchtime ,and stay "normal" throughout the day. Any suggestions??
 
Good morning, welcome to the forum. I'm slightly confused about being diagnosed Type II and having normal BG readings. Am I right in thinking that you use diet to control your BG? By that, I mean lowering your carb intake.
It's not that unusual to have higher BG in the morning than you'd expect, it's known as The Dawn Phenomena or Liver Dumping. Diabetes.co.uk explain it very nicely here:- http://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose/dawn-phenomenon.html. Nothing to worry about unless the numbers a totally OTT.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Hi Robin, and welcome.

Exactly what are your readings, fasting, plus before and after meals?
Click to expand...
My average morning reading is about 8.2,although this sometimes reaches 10. Before meal readings averaging about 5.6 with 2 hour later readings between 7.5 and 9. My lowest pre-meal is 5.4 and lowest after meal 5.6. I have to admit to knowing very little about all this as I was told by my GP over the phone that I had type 2 Diabetes,and that I needed to go back in 6 months....which I did....and was told to come back in another 6 months.
 
graj0 said:
Good morning, welcome to the forum. I'm slightly confused about being diagnosed Type II and having normal BG readings. Am I right in thinking that you use diet to control your BG? By that, I mean lowering your carb intake.
It's not that unusual to have higher BG in the morning than you'd expect, it's known as The Dawn Phenomena or Liver Dumping. Diabetes.co.uk explain it very nicely here:- http://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose/dawn-phenomenon.html. Nothing to worry about unless the numbers a totally OTT.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply....I am a little confused myself!! I am using diet control,have a highest morning reading of 10.0....I really am not sure if that is very high??
 
The Dr didn't suggest metformin with those diet controlled morning numbers. The other numbers are ok, are you are low carb?
Have a read about metformin and have a chat with your Dr. again, I would take metformin in your situation
 
Hi Robin.

These are the NICE guidelines:

Type 2's fasting and pre-meal 4 to 7. 2 hours after eating under 8.5
Non-diabetics fasting and pre-meal 4 to 5.9. 2 hours after eating under 7.8.

Those guidelines are out of date and rather generous, so many of us try to keep under 6 for fasting and pre-meal, and 7.8 after meals. Many others strive for a lot less than that. Your day time numbers look OK to me, but your fasting level is high. Do have a read about the Dawn Phenomenon as suggested above. Do you test before going to bed? That might give you an indication of whether your liver is dumping glucose when you wake up. Also, when you do your fasting test, do you do it immediately you get up before pottering about doing other things, as this makes a difference.
 
Metformin was never mentioned to me until now! I will read up on it now.....I have always watched my carb intake in food and have tried to eat a healthy diet for some time now. I think my problems have stemmed from drinking too much wine in the past(2 bottles a day...every day) I knocked it on the head last year ,but I fear the damage was already done!
Thanks for all your help.
 
If your diagnostic HbA1c test was 53 or under, it is unlikely you will be given Metformin initially. I understand many doctors now are giving people 3 months to try diet and exercise without meds in these cases. If after 3 months you are still under the 53, then Metformin still not deemed necessary. For people with a lot of weight to lose, it is a different matter because Metformin does help with this.

My HbA1c on dx was 53. Since then it has dropped steadily. Medication has never been mentioned to me.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
If your diagnostic HbA1c test was 53 or under, it is unlikely you will be given Metformin initially. I understand many doctors now are giving people 3 months to try diet and exercise without meds in these cases. If after 3 months you are still under the 53, then Metformin still not deemed necessary. For people with a lot of weight to lose, it is a different matter because Metformin does help with this.

My HbA1c on dx was 53. Since then it has dropped steadily. Medication has never been mentioned to me.
Click to expand...
Believe it or not I have never heard of HbA1c...I was told that I had a fasting reading of 7.2 and that 7.0 was the point where I was classified as having diabetes 2......after reading a little I assume that he meant my blood glucose level.It would appear that some GPs think we are best left to control things ourselves until things get out of control?
 
Are you certain the blood test you had didn't include an HbA1c? It is highly unusual for a doctor to give a definitive diagnosis of type 2 without one. Why not ring the surgery receptionist and ask. She will be able to access your computer records and tell you if your tests included this, and if so what the result was. If it turns out you haven't had one, then I suggest you go hot footing back to the surgery and ask for one. A fasting glucose test on its own tells you very little.
 
What are your bloods saying about your liver and have you had specific tests.
I don't see a problem with taking met now, it can't be taken with alcohol and its good for fatty liver
 
Robin Stewart said:
I have always watched my carb intake in food and have tried to eat a healthy diet for some time now. I think my problems have stemmed from drinking too much wine in the past(2 bottles a day...every day) I knocked it on the head last year ,but I fear the damage was already done!
Thanks for all your help.
Click to expand...
Well done on knocking the sauce on the head, a wise move, I stopped 7 years ago now and it means that there's one less thing to be taking into account. You seem to have things well monitored and it's fair to say that the carb thing is individual, we're all different. I stopped eating bread/past/potato/rice a year ago and stopped taking Gliclazide/Januvia (both for diabetes) and the dreaded Atorvastatin (cholesterol) 6 months ago, so I'm down to about 80gms of carb a day and quite happy that I don't have to take three extra tablets and don't have to contemplate taking insulin, which had been a possibility a year ago.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Are you certain the blood test you had didn't include an HbA1c? It is highly unusual for a doctor to give a definitive diagnosis of type 2 without one. Why not ring the surgery receptionist and ask. She will be able to access your computer records and tell you if your tests included this, and if so what the result was. If it turns out you haven't had one, then I suggest you go hot footing back to the surgery and ask for one. A fasting glucose test on its own tells you very little.
Click to expand...
I will call them in the morning to find out ....it is possible that I was told,but it certainly did not register with me if I was!
 
jack412 said:
What are your bloods saying about your liver and have you had specific tests.
I don't see a problem with taking met now, it can't be taken with alcohol and its good for fatty liver
Click to expand...
Two of the readings were raised ,but nothing too bad...and they are reducing with each test,and nearing "normality"
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Are you certain the blood test you had didn't include an HbA1c? It is highly unusual for a doctor to give a definitive diagnosis of type 2 without one. Why not ring the surgery receptionist and ask. She will be able to access your computer records and tell you if your tests included this, and if so what the result was. If it turns out you haven't had one, then I suggest you go hot footing back to the surgery and ask for one. A fasting glucose test on its own tells you very little.
Click to expand...
My HbA1c reading on 8th October 2013(when I was diagnosed)was 47....seemingly my GP only gives this info. out to those who ask for it.
 
At least you know now, and he should have told you, and told you what it means. That puts you in the pre-diabetic group, but very close to the cut off point. At 48 you are diabetic. It may be that you have crossed that line now. I suggest you ask for another HbA1c test. If it confirms you are now diabetic, your GP should put you on the Care Pathway whereby you have more frequent tests and reviews, are allocated a nurse, and appointments sorted for eye screening and foot checks.
 
Robin Stewart said:
My HbA1c reading on 8th October 2013(when I was diagnosed)was 47....seemingly my GP only gives this info. out to those who ask for it.
Click to expand...

That's not untypical - I'd never heard of HbA1c until I was diagnosed and came on here either. For something that we are expected to manage ourselves to a large degree this 'need to know' attitude can be very frustrating. If you ask the receptionist for printouts of all your results there is some useful information in there for those who are prepared to look into it a bit.
 
Back
Top