High Readings First Thing

Hello and welcome,

It could be a liver dump, otherwise known as Dawn Phenomenon. There are hundreds of threads about this on the forums. If you use the search box you will find them.
Basically it is your liver dumping glucose in your blood stream in times of fasting, stress, exercise, illness etc to stop you going too low, and is quite natural. It is your liver looking after you. It happens to everyone, including non-diabetics.
You may have more idea if it is a liver dump if you test at bedtime and see how big a rise you get.

Morning readings are the hardest to get down, early days, give it time. It may help to eat a small snack just before bed time.

ceearr said:

Can anybody explain to me why my first reading in the morning is about 8.5 when during the day I have managed to get it to between 5.5 and 6.5. I was only diagnosed two months ago and have gone on a very low carb diet and have been going to the gym 3 times a week. I have a DSN appointment in August, but would like to know if anyone else has this problem and what do they do about it.

Many thanks

Click to expand...

I'm exactly the same. Been diabetic for 10 yrs, never taken any drugs or treatment for it - just plenty of exercise, low carb diet & lost 3 stone. My pre bkfst readings are usually the highest of the day. They used to be 6.4 to 7.6 before the 800 cal. diet; now they are in the range 5.8 to 6.8. My other readings range from 4.6 to 6.8. I asked my doc. about it - he didn't seem too worried (I'm not quite sure why not). Nothing has changed with my general health ever since I was diagnosed ie no obvious symptoms of diabetes, other than the blood readings; & I'm more than happy with them !

ceearr said:

Can anybody explain to me why my first reading in the morning is about 8.5 when during the day I have managed to get it to between 5.5 and 6.5. I was only diagnosed two months ago and have gone on a very low carb diet and have been going to the gym 3 times a week. I have a DSN appointment in August, but would like to know if anyone else has this problem and what do they do about it.

Many thanks

Click to expand...

ceearr said:

Can anybody explain to me why my first reading in the morning is about 8.5 when during the day I have managed to get it to between 5.5 and 6.5. I was only diagnosed two months ago and have gone on a very low carb diet and have been going to the gym 3 times a week. I have a DSN appointment in August, but would like to know if anyone else has this problem and what do they do about it.

Many thanks

Click to expand...

Yup, its a real pain and a hard one to solve. I got up several nights to track the blighter - it started at 3.30am and rose to 8.0 by 7am. What I finally settled on was a protein(cheese) snack before bed (a glass of red with it works even better). During the day I do not have any real problems as I help out the 500mg metformin ER with a solid exercise routine and mediterranean style eating.
All the best.

Hi. I have the same issue. Can anyone explain how a late night snack helps to lower the morning bgl please?

Hi, I've also had the same issue and I do peak fasting as recommended by Dr Mercola on his website,, together with LCHF, I'm type 2 and don't eat for 3 hours prior to bedtime and miss breakfast to enable at least 16 hours fasting most days, to enable recovery time for my internal organs. Although morning readings are higher, I have come off medication and my HbA1C test has returned my levels to the normal range. I know that everybody is different and I need to keep a check on what I'm doing, but long may the changes and results continue.

Izz....... I would be very happy with your readings
I'm type two for 20 yrs and been very high for last year.
My morning readings are over 20.0.
Make me feel very tierd
Waiting to see nurse to up my insulin.
Good luck.......Maddy.

QUOTE="Notwithstanding, post: 1209313, member: 267916"]I'm exactly the same. Been diabetic for 10 yrs, never taken any drugs or treatment for it - just plenty of exercise, low carb diet & lost 3 stone. My pre bkfst readings are usually the highest of the day. They used to be 6.4 to 7.6 before the 800 cal. diet; now they are in the range 5.8 to 6.8. My other readings range from 4.6 to 6.8. I asked my doc. about it - he didn't seem too worried (I'm not quite sure why not). Nothing has changed with my general health ever since I was diagnosed ie no obvious symptoms of diabetes, other than the blood readings; & I'm more than happy with them ![/QUOTE]

Happy hippy· Regular
NewIzz....... I would be very happy with your readings
I'm type two for 20 yrs and been very high for last year.
My morning readings are over 20.0.
Make me feel very tierd
Waiting to see nurse to up myinsulin.
Good luck.......Maddy.



Reply
#84m ago

The more I read about diabetes the more I realise the less is understood about it, the Dawn Phenomenon is what it says on the label a phenomenon, the best guess is it is a hang over from mankinds hunter gatherer roots, the body releases stored glucose to provide energy for the mornings hunt.

ceearr said:

Can anybody explain to me why my first reading in the morning is about 8.5 when during the day I have managed to get it to between 5.5 and 6.5. I was only diagnosed two months ago and have gone on a very low carb diet and have been going to the gym 3 times a week. I have a DSN appointment in August, but would like to know if anyone else has this problem and what do they do about it.

Many thanks

Click to expand...

There are a lot of factors but one that rarely gets mentioned is that when you haven't eaten for 8 hours [first thing in the morning] alpha cells in the pancreas are producing more glucogen than they would at other times of the day because when you eat, hormones are released by the stomach that suppresses alpha cell glucogen production for up to 8 hours after eating. Glucogen causes the liver to release glucose & so the more glucogen, the more glucose that is released by the liver. On top of that, adrenalin [morning boost] also causes extra glucose to be dumped by the liver in the morning. Of course all this extra glucose is only significant if as a type 2 you are unable to produce enough extra basal [background] insulin to control what the liver is releasing. In my experience most GP's have insufficient knowledge where diabetes is concerned & indeed even specialists focus on what is usually the problem in their experience, rather than scientifically attempting to diagnose the extent that insulin production has been impaired in type 2 patients. You will be told that Metformin & exercise will both help reduce insulin resistance & they do BUT with high fasting levels because of insufficient insulin, these will only help after having broken that fast & raised glucose levels to the point that bolus insulin [released in response to eating] is produced.

It's quite normal and natural to get higher morning levels due to liver dumps/dawn phenomenon (as already explained) and can happen to everyone diabetic or non-diabetic alike.

Often when you've got good general control of your glucose levels (e.g. your pre and post meal ones), you'll find your morning ones (automatically) come down too. But they're under your liver's control not yours so are hardest to attempt to manage. They shouldn't be thought of as a major issue as they're not likely to have any significant impact on your overall average levels or your HbA1c results.

Robbity