Lchf Bg Rising

mazza 2

Well-Known Member
Messages
248
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi Everyone
Just wanted to ask for some advice as always. I've been low-carbing since diagnosed in January so this is my 5th month. For the last few days my BG level has risen into the 8's and 9's. I have changed nothing. I am classed as underweight now and can't afford to lose any more weight. I am on the highest dose of metformin. Has the LCHF diet stopped working for me, should I try something different. Just wondered if this has happened to anybody else. Thanks
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
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Diet only
When you say your BG levels have risen - what do you mean by BG levels? Is this just your fasting level, or what you are seeing before and after meals? When you test before and after eating, do you look at the actual rise from before to after, and has this also gone up?

What levels were you seeing before this increase?

Are you coming down with an illness?
 
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jayney27

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,643
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
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Diet only
Hi Everyone
Just wanted to ask for some advice as always. I've been low-carbing since diagnosed in January so this is my 5th month. For the last few days my BG level has risen into the 8's and 9's. I have changed nothing. I am classed as underweight now and can't afford to lose any more weight. I am on the highest dose of metformin. Has the LCHF diet stopped working for me, should I try something different. Just wondered if this has happened to anybody else. Thanks
Hi are you referring to your fasting BG reading? What is happening pre and post eating? It may be that you are unwell but no significant symtons or about to become poorly, being under the weather can raise your BG :arghh:
 

lucylocket61

Expert
Messages
6,435
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
what sort of food do you eat a day? I mean, how many carbs? does your post meal figure go up by more than 2?
 

mazza 2

Well-Known Member
Messages
248
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
When you say your BG levels have risen - what do you mean by BG levels? Is this just your fasting level, or what you are seeing before and after meals? When you test before and after eating, do you look at the actual rise from before to after, and has this also gone up?

What levels were you seeing before this increase?

Are you coming down with an illness?
Sorry, my blood glucose is normally in the high 5's or 6's when waking. The last 2 days they have been in the high 7's. I know about dawn phenomenon so am not to concerned about that. After my normal breakfast it rose to 8.3 and stayed in the high 7's. At lunch it was 7.5. I had chicken and veg and it rose to 8.3 after 2 hours and stayed in the high 7s and at bedtime it was 9.3. Today it was 7.3 on waking and has been in the high 8's all day. I've been out for a long walk, done all the usual things and it's still 8.3. Does that make sense.
 

mazza 2

Well-Known Member
Messages
248
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi are you referring to your fasting BG reading? What is happening pre and post eating? It may be that you are unwell but no significant symtons or about to become poorly, being under the weather can raise your BG :arghh:
Well, I don't feel I'm coming down with anything, but I suppose it could be. It's not just my fasting levels, it's all day, no matter what I eat or do.
 

mazza 2

Well-Known Member
Messages
248
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
what sort of food do you eat a day? I mean, how many carbs? does your post meal figure go up by more than 2?
It normally goes up less than 2 and although it still doesn't seem to go up more than 2 it's still high, e.g 7.3, 2 hours later 8.7. My diet is low carb, Breakfast might be egg, bacon, tomatoes or a small greek yoghurt and a few raspberries. Lunch - avocado and cheese or sardines and salad. Dinner is usually meat and vegetables.
 

Bluetit1802

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Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
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Sorry, my blood glucose is normally in the high 5's or 6's when waking. The last 2 days they have been in the high 7's. I know about dawn phenomenon so am not to concerned about that. After my normal breakfast it rose to 8.3 and stayed in the high 7's. At lunch it was 7.5. I had chicken and veg and it rose to 8.3 after 2 hours and stayed in the high 7s and at bedtime it was 9.3. Today it was 7.3 on waking and has been in the high 8's all day. I've been out for a long walk, done all the usual things and it's still 8.3. Does that make sense.

The actual rises you are seeing from before to after are very good.
Breakfast = high 7s to 8.3
Lunch = 7.5 to 8.3

So it strikes me those meals were not the cause. It is your base line glucose that has increased - not your post meal rises.

Unless your pancreas is playing up and suddenly secreting insufficient insulin, I suggest it may be a brewing infection with no symptoms, or a touch of physiological insulin resistance. (The liver secreting excess glucose in an attempt to ensure what there is in your blood stream is enough for the brain - NOT the same as diabetic insulin resistance), although when it happened to me a couple of years ago I didn't go anywhere near as high as you. Maybe just keep an eye on it for a few days, see if you are coming down with something, and then consider a call to your nurse? It may just resolve all by itself. Fingers crossed.
 

jayney27

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,643
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Well, I don't feel I'm coming down with anything, but I suppose it could be. It's not just my fasting levels, it's all day, no matter what I eat or do.
Sorry @mazza 2 i’m not an expert in any of this, my initial thought was maybe illness related but as you aren’t aware of anything going on maybe this isn’t the reason. Are you worried about anything? Stress can impact on BG too, I try not to let things get to me if I can help it and I do try to treat myself as often as I can with relaxing things like a pedicure, facial, massage, I appreciate not everyone can afford to do this but I do think it helps to have some me time, another way I do this is to use my Pranamat, same benefits as having a massage but delivered in a very different way, I love it. Failing that a nice bubble bath, candles, square of 90% chocolate also works wonders.
Hope you find an answer to your question and sorry I can’t help with anything more constructive, take care and hopefully in a few days you will come back to say things are settling down :)
 

mazza 2

Well-Known Member
Messages
248
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
The actual rises you are seeing from before to after are very good.
Breakfast = high 7s to 8.3
Lunch = 7.5 to 8.3

So it strikes me those meals were not the cause. It is your base line glucose that has increased - not your post meal rises.

Unless your pancreas is playing up and suddenly secreting insufficient insulin, I suggest it may be a brewing infection with no symptoms, or a touch of physiological insulin resistance. (The liver secreting excess glucose in an attempt to ensure what there is in your blood stream is enough for the brain - NOT the same as diabetic insulin resistance), although when it happened to me a couple of years ago I didn't go anywhere near as high as you. Maybe just keep an eye on it for a few days, see if you are coming down with something, and then consider a call to your nurse? It may just resolve all by itself. Fingers crossed.
That makes sense. I'll see what happens over the next few days and let you know. Thank you for your help
 

maglil55

Expert
Messages
6,506
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
Well, I don't feel I'm coming down with anything, but I suppose it could be. It's not just my fasting levels, it's all day, no matter what I eat or do.
Mine usually rise a couple of days before any symptoms appear. Sometimes it is nothing too much. In fact I've just had a few days where I started with achy limbs (so just took paracetamol) , then got a slight cough and a sore throat. I wasn't feeling horribly unwell but knew I was a bit 'off' as the BGs went to similar levels to yours. They have almost sorted themselves again but I always get DP back when I've felt 'off' and that takes about another week to disappear.
As @Bluetit1802 says , wait a few days and see if it sorts itself out. I tend not to fret about it now.
 

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,845
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
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Diet only
metformin reduces the ability of the liver to release glucose, so perhaps after five months your liver is now overflowing.
I had to stop Metformin and the statin I was on after about 5 weeks and so it is only conjecture, and my dislike of Metformin.
 

lucylocket61

Expert
Messages
6,435
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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I dont know how old you are, but peri or post menopause is a time when blood sugars can go a bit haywire irregularly.
 

mazza 2

Well-Known Member
Messages
248
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Mine usually rise a couple of days before any symptoms appear. Sometimes it is nothing too much. In fact I've just had a few days where I started with achy limbs (so just took paracetamol) , then got a slight cough and a sore throat. I wasn't feeling horribly unwell but knew I was a bit 'off' as the BGs went to similar levels to yours. They have almost sorted themselves again but I always get DP back when I've felt 'off' and that takes about another week to disappear.
As @Bluetit1802 says , wait a few days and see if it sorts itself out. I tend not to fret about it now.
Thank you. I hope it settles down again. I'll let you know
 

mazza 2

Well-Known Member
Messages
248
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
metformin reduces the ability of the liver to release glucose, so perhaps after five months your liver is now overflowing.
I had to stop Metformin and the statin I was on after about 5 weeks and so it is only conjecture, and my dislike of Metformin.
I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. If metformin reduces glucose, then shouldn't my blood sugars be lower. Or are you saying that my liver has stored all the glucose that it's not releasing and now it's decided to release it all. Sorry, still learning lol
 

mazza 2

Well-Known Member
Messages
248
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I dont know how old you are, but peri or post menopause is a time when blood sugars can go a bit haywire irregularly.
Well, you should't ask a lady how old she is lol, but I'm 55 and past the menopause.
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
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@mazza 2 If this is PIR (physiological insulin resistance) one way to stop it is to please your body by eating a little more glucose. Just a little. A few extra grams of carbs would do it. I don't know how low carb you are, but this phenomena happens on very low carb diets.
 

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,845
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. If metformin reduces glucose, then shouldn't my blood sugars be lower. Or are you saying that my liver has stored all the glucose that it's not releasing and now it's decided to release it all. Sorry, still learning lol
I suspect the latter - though it is good in a way as diabetics tend to store glucose as fat rather than the 'normal' route of glycogen - if you are storing glucose as glycogen and your liver is now overflowing with it that is a sign of returning normality.
 

mazza 2

Well-Known Member
Messages
248
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
@mazza 2 If this is PIR (physiological insulin resistance) one way to stop it is to please your body by eating a little more glucose. Just a little. A few extra grams of carbs would do it. I don't know how low carb you are, but this phenomena happens on very low carb diets.
That sounds a good idea. I will try that, maybe not at breakfast but maybe for lunch. Thanks for that suggestion.