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How do I get my fasting levels down ?

J

jay_london

Well-Known Member
Messages
51
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi All,

Circa 8 weeks since diagnosed and low carbing has done wonders for me like most people.

It’s the morning numbers that I can’t get down which hover in the mid 6’s.

Seems like no rhyme or reason for this.

Any thoughts on what I can I try ?

As some background, my A1c was 58 on diagnosis and I go back in a month to see how things are.

Apart from the mornings, I’m between 5 and 6 most days - so I think this is good

Appreciate any tips, happy weekend and wish me luck on my first 24 hour fast tomorrow
 
Looks like you have dawn phenomenon, a perfectly natural thing. Your liver is chucking out glucose as you wake or just before to get you going in the morning (it happens in non diabetics too but their bodies deal with it) It’s often the last reading to normalise. Here’s a bit more about it:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose/dawn-phenomenon.html
 
Thanks a lot Rachox - good to know it’s the last to normalise, keeps my motivation going
 
Do you test before you go to bed?
What time do you finish your last meal in the evenings, and do you eat before bed?
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Do you test before you go to bed?
What time do you finish your last meal in the evenings, and do you eat before bed?
Click to expand...

Heh Bluetit,

My last meal is at 6.30 and will be low carb, today was a salad with grilled fish and a handful of nuts.

I sleep around 11 everyday and numbers are typically mid 5, today’s reading was 5.2
 
jay_london said:
Heh Bluetit,

My last meal is at 6.30 and will be low carb, today was a salad with grilled fish and a handful of nuts.

I sleep around 11 everyday and numbers are typically mid 5, today’s reading was 5.2
Click to expand...

That all sounds just fine. Quite honestly, you aren't rising that much by morning. It isn't anything to worry about. It is perfectly normal at the moment. Your liver is dumping glucose to get you going when you wake up. If this didn't happen to each and everyone of us, we would die! It just so happens that as a T2 our bodies don't clear this dumped glucose as fast as they would on a non-diabetic. There really isn't a great deal you can do. It will improve, I promise you. With numbers like you are seeing it may not take long, and meanwhile mid 6s are nothing at all to worry about. Morning fasting levels are usually the last to come down, and can be unpredictable. All sorts can affect them - disturbed night, dreams, full bladder, and also the time you test. The best time is as soon as you get out of bed and wash your hands, before doing anything else.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
That all sounds just fine. Quite honestly, you aren't rising that much by morning. It isn't anything to worry about. It is perfectly normal at the moment. Your liver is dumping glucose to get you going when you wake up. If this didn't happen to each and everyone of us, we would die! It just so happens that as a T2 our bodies don't clear this dumped glucose as fast as they would on a non-diabetic. There really isn't a great deal you can do. It will improve, I promise you. With numbers like you are seeing it may not take long, and meanwhile mid 6s are nothing at all to worry about. Morning fasting levels are usually the last to come down, and can be unpredictable. All sorts can affect them - disturbed night, dreams, full bladder, and also the time you test. The best time is as soon as you get out of bed and wash your hands, before doing anything else.
Click to expand...

Many thanks for your detailed response, this is really encouraging. I’ve been over obsessive about these numbers. Will continue on with what I’m doing as it seems to be having the desired effect.

The low carb diet has been easier to adapt to than I expected, although I did have my first craving for a baguette today
 
jay_london said:
Hi All,

Circa 8 weeks since diagnosed and low carbing has done wonders for me like most people.

It’s the morning numbers that I can’t get down which hover in the mid 6’s.

Seems like no rhyme or reason for this.

Any thoughts on what I can I try ?

As some background, my A1c was 58 on diagnosis and I go back in a month to see how things are.

Apart from the mornings, I’m between 5 and 6 most days - so I think this is good

Appreciate any tips, happy weekend and wish me luck on my first 24 hour fast tomorrow
Click to expand...
Took a good 6 months of ultra low carbing before mine settled down and I still get the odd blips..even after 2 1/2 years.
 
@bulkbiker - thanks for the insight on timeframe, looks like I’m going in the right direction, just need more patience.

Hit a 5.2 just now which is the best I have had.

Interestingly my dinner yesterday was slightly bigger than usual in prep for the 24 hour fast. Will need to see if that is significant as well as rechecking at 8 which is when I normally do my first bloods
 
jay_london said:
@bulkbiker - thanks for the insight on timeframe, looks like I’m going in the right direction, just need more patience.

Hit a 5.2 just now which is the best I have had.

Interestingly my dinner yesterday was slightly bigger than usual in prep for the 24 hour fast. Will need to see if that is significant as well as rechecking at 8 which is when I normally do my first bloods
Click to expand...

Just as an example of the unpredictability of FBG readings. Yesterday mine was 4.8. This morning it was 6.0. So you can see how unreliable a marker it can be. The best marker for how you are doing in general is the reading before evening meal, if you haven't been snacking all afternoon, of course. ;)
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Just as an example of the unpredictability of FBG readings. Yesterday mine was 4.8. This morning it was 6.0. So you can see how unreliable a marker it can be. The best marker for how you are doing in general is the reading before evening meal, if you haven't been snacking all afternoon, of course. ;)
Click to expand...

Ah OK, thanks will take this on board, my pre dinner is usually mid 5’s and I’ve noticed that I never get to 7 post meal.

Hopefully this is a good sign. I caved on my 24 hour fast at around 2 today and 2 hours later was at 5.4.

Also just hit a milestone of 10% weight loss from 80kg to 72kg

Feeling good about this right now, but naturally not getting complacent.

Cheers,

Jay
 
bulkbiker said:
Took a good 6 months of ultra low carbing before mine settled down and I still get the odd blips..even after 2 1/2 years.
Click to expand...
This is exactly what Dr.Phinney has to say. The answer to insulin resistance and poor fasting blood glucose is to eat more fat and go ultra low carb. It is lower carb for some than others to reach this personal threshold.
D.
 
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