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Highest blood sugar is morning fasting reading?!

M

MrsGnu

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15
Hello

I am new to this forum having found it via the low carb thread. I am type 2 (diagnosed 1997) and despite being well controlled for a number of years am now struggling following an unexpected pregnancy, which led to me taking lots of insulin and now weighing 3 stones more than I did before I got pregnant. My baby is now 4 months old, and I haven't yet managed to get back in control, although I was very well controlled with the insulin during my pregnancy.

Before starting low carb last week my typical fasting bs was 14.4, rising to 19-22 2 hours after meals. I was taking 120mg of gliclazide twice a day, 10mg of Byetta twice a day and 2g of slow release metformin in the evening.

Having followed the low carb diet for a week I have now stopped taking the gliclazide and my sugars are down to 8-9 two hours after meals (still high but getting there) but my morning fasting reading is 9-10, and is the highest reading of the day. I have tested my sugars last thing before bed, reading 7.4 but then still 9.9 the next morning.

I'm confused. Can anyone tell me why this should be so, and what I can do to tackle the morning readings? I'm trying to avoid more medication if I can, as I know if I can lose the extra weight my control will be so much better.

Thanks for your help
Jo
 
Hi Mrs Gnu,
It is probably the Dawn Phenomenon.

Try this site,
bloodsugar101.com/ and go to the link, "Why is my blood sugar highest in the morning"?


Catherine.
 
Better still, no travelling involved. Read it here !

DAWN PHENOMENON
Everyone, diabetic or not, exhibits some Dawn Phenomenon. It is a natural part of our bodies' circadian rhythms. Some have said it is the way our ancestors had the strength to rise and slay a wooly behemoth for breakfast.

Since most of us fast while sleeping, with teenagers a possible exception, our bodies use stored energy during sleep. The body uses all three macro-nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) to store energy.

The most easily used is the storage medium of carbohydrates, called glycogen. Glycogen is made from glucose, and is stored in the liver and muscles. Since it is basically nothing more than a complex matrix of glucose, it is easy for the body to store and use, something the body does all day long. The technical term for the act of creating and storing glycogen is glycogenesis. When the body calls for the conversion of glycogen back to glucose it is called glycogenolysis.

Another macro-nutrient that is available to be converted to glucose is protein. Most of us think of our protein as being stored in muscle, but the body has protective mechanisms to make muscle wasting its last choice. One of the most useful and readily available sources of protein storage is in blood components, i.e., albumin (plasma). The body uses a process performed in the liver to convert amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, into glucose. The name for this process is gluconeogenesis, literally "the creation of new glucose".

So, what does all this have to do with a high fasting BG? Overnight, usually between 4am and 11am, your body releases some hormones. These are Growth Hormone (GH) from the anterior pituitary gland, cortisol from the adrenal cortex, glucagon from your pancreatic alpha-cells, and epinephrine (adrenalin). These hormones cause an increase in insulin resistance, raising your BG. In addition, these hormones trigger glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis, adding stored or new glucose to your bloodstream.
 
Any idea why others of us don't get this dawn phenomenon then? Just curious. Or does it happen further down the line? Obviously not due to tight control as you say everyone gets it, diabetic or not.
DG
 
DG.

I very rarely get it either, It all depends if your body has enough fuel to start your day or not.

If I get up with a 4.6 reading, then immediately have your breakfast there would be no DP as you are are fuelling your body yourself. It only comes in to play if you get up and then do exercise say, or eat nothing for some time, then it would kick in. If you go low in the night it would probably kick in earlier.

Later in the day this process becomes known as a 'liver dump'. Same process, just different time of the day.
 
I have a similar problem (I'm T2 diet controlled). Pre-meals I'm typically in the 5s. My 2 hour post-meal readings are typically in the 6s. I'm relatively happy with that. However, my fasting level is typically 7.0 to 7.2 and I'd dearly love to get it down. Tried a number of different bedtime snacks but that doesn't seem to do the trick.
 
Cliff2 said:
I have a similar problem (I'm T2 diet controlled). Pre-meals I'm typically in the 5s. My 2 hour post-meal readings are typically in the 6s. I'm relatively happy with that. However, my fasting level is typically 7.0 to 7.2 and I'd dearly love to get it down. Tried a number of different bedtime snacks but that doesn't seem to do the trick.
Click to expand...


Do you know what the Bg level is immediately before bedtime. Might be high, in which case it would have a knock on effect in the morning. However, just to confuse things.......if it is low then during the night the DP would kick in elevating the morning levels. Simple isn't it...... :wink:
 
Thanks, Cugila
I usually test at 8 and then get 2 mugs of tea and start work in bed (not exactly strenuous exercise!) and have brekkies at half nine. But I guess the 2 cuppas (which have milk) are doing the refuelling needed. I hope not to start "spoiling" my figures with dumps but am prepared for something to go wrong soon (how pessimistic is that!). I shall just be grateful for a smooth start to this db life. And in the lull, am experimenting with new foods and asking about things like liver dumps.
DG
 
Cliff2 said:
I have a similar problem (I'm T2 diet controlled). Pre-meals I'm typically in the 5s. My 2 hour post-meal readings are typically in the 6s. I'm relatively happy with that. However, my fasting level is typically 7.0 to 7.2 and I'd dearly love to get it down. Tried a number of different bedtime snacks but that doesn't seem to do the trick.
Click to expand...

I'd gladly swap your BS readings for mine Cliff. I'd be over the moon with 7 or less consistently
 
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