Low blood sugar in morning

[DMSCOT]

I have recently been told I have diabetes so I don't know much , I am wondering why my blood sugar is low every morning when I wake up, anywhere between 3.0 and 4.5 TIA.

 

[urbanracer]

I have recently been told I have diabetes so I don't know much , I am wondering why my blood sugar is low every morning when I wake up, anywhere between 3.0 and 4.5 TIA.

Welcome to the forums. We often field enquiries from people asking why their blood sugars are high in the morning so your question is interesting and unfortunately I cannot answer it.

I would suggest though that you give forum members more of insight to your diet and lifestyle. For example what you typically eat the night before and when. Also what are your blood sugar readings throughout the day?

On what basis was your diabetes diagnosis made?

 

[DMSCOT]

Welcome to the forums. We often field enquiries from people asking why their blood sugars are high in the morning so your question is interesting and unfortunately I cannot answer it.

I would suggest though that you give forum members more of insight to your diet and lifestyle. For example what you typically eat the night before and when. Also what are your blood sugar readings throughout the day?

On what basis was your diabetes diagnosis made?

Thank you Urbanracer for your reply , I will make another post with a bit more detail this time .

 

[bulkbiker]

I have recently been told I have diabetes so I don't know much , I am wondering why my blood sugar is low every morning when I wake up, anywhere between 3.0 and 4.5 TIA.

Who told you that you have diabetes and what tests did they use to come to that conclusion?

 

[britishpub]

I have recently been told I have diabetes so I don't know much , I am wondering why my blood sugar is low every morning when I wake up, anywhere between 3.0 and 4.5 TIA.

That doesn’t look low. It’s what a non-diabetic might get depending on their diet.

I get 4.5 often in the morning.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I have recently been told I have diabetes so I don't know much , I am wondering why my blood sugar is low every morning when I wake up, anywhere between 3.0 and 4.5 TIA.

HI @DMSCOT ,

From your post, i can't tell. Have you been put on medication that restricts a liver dump? You really want to know your numbers, not just in the a.m. but before and 2 hours after the first bite of a meal too. All in all though, those morning numbers are non-diabetic, should they be occurring naturally. If they're medication assisted though, that might explain that, and then they'd be a tad too low and mean you're over-medicated.

Hope that helps,
Jo

 

[DMSCOT]

HI @DMSCOT ,

From your post, i can't tell. Have you been put on medication that restricts a liver dump? You really want to know your numbers, not just in the a.m. but before and 2 hours after the first bite of a meal too. All in all though, those morning numbers are non-diabetic, should they be occurring naturally. If they're medication assisted though, that might explain that, and then they'd be a tad too low and mean you're over-medicated.

Hope that helps,
Jo

Hi Jo Firstly what is a liver dump ? I am on medication , I take Metformin and Gliclazide twice a day. I only saw a dietician for the first time a few days ago and he said that if my numbers were low every morning then I need to change my medication . I am going to post a brief history.

 

[DMSCOT]

That doesn’t look low. It’s what a non-diabetic might get depending on their diet.

I get 4.5 often in the morning.

Hi britishpub I thought the normal was about 6, all these numbers are confusing me , especially the HbA1 numbers lol.

 

[DMSCOT]

Who told you that you have diabetes and what tests did they use to come to that conclusion?

Hi bulkbiker I was diagnosed after being unwell for several months I had a blood test and was called into Docs the next day and told to get to hospital as my blood sugar was 21, the hospital just gave me a meter to test my bloods and told to see the practice nurse at my docs for more info.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi Jo Firstly what is a liver dump ? I am on medication , I take Metformin and Gliclazide twice a day. I only saw a dietician for the first time a few days ago and he said that if my numbers were low every morning then I need to change my medication . I am going to post a brief history.

In the morning, our liver dumps stored glucose into our bloodstream. It thinks it's helping, so do forgive the little idiot: it gives us energy to start the day, before we eat. It's called Dawn Phenomenon, and all people basically have it, not just diabetics. We just don't usually process the glucose back out again efficiently. That's where metformin usually comes in; it tells the liver to cut back up to about 75% of the dumping it does. So we're all relatively high in the morning, normally. And you're.... Decidedly not.

The thing is, I have a feeling that between gliclazide and metformin you're slightly over-medicated. Everyone and their gran is high in the am, and you're low due to meds. That's not good. It could mean you go hypo while you sleep. (Do you have nightsweats? Heart palpatations that wake you around 2-3 a.m.?). In any case, do NOT go low carb while you're medicated as you are. You'll drop like a stone, from the sound of it, headed straight to the ER. Go back to your doc and discuss the levels you're seeing, because this isn't right.

 

[bulkbiker]

Hi bulkbiker I was diagnosed after being unwell for several months I had a blood test and was called into Docs the next day and told to get to hospital as my blood sugar was 21, the hospital just gave me a meter to test my bloods and told to see the practice nurse at my docs for more info.

Have you ever had anything like an HbA1c test? this is usually what is used in the UK to diagnose. A single blood glucose reading is a fairly poor diagnostic tool especially to put you on such powerful meds..

 

[DMSCOT]

Ok going to post a bit more info about myself . I first became unwell at the beginning of Sept 18 I had a virus that floored me and as that past I got an awful thirst and began drinking fresh orange by the litre , I was drinking at least 3 litres during the day and I would take 2 litres to bed with me and would be drinking that during the night. Needless to say I would be running to the bathroom maybe every 15 mins ! I began losing weight and over 3 months I lost 3 stone which actually did not bother me too much as I was overweight due to taking steroids. I did visit my Doc several times but she was not that worried as she thought it was down to me having COPD and thought that and the medication I was taking was causing my problems. It was at the beginning of Dec that I had a blood test and the next day I got a phone call to go into my Docs which I did and was told to go to hospital as my blood sugar was sitting at 21 which was lower than it was the day before . So after a couple of days in hospital I was given tablets Metformin and Gliclazide I went home and saw the practice nurse but I don't feel I have got a lot of info from either of the nurses in the practice , just got app for the nutritionist in Jan but ended up in hospital with bad chest . At this point I started to get worried because my feet were going numb / pins and needles plus one of my arms as well , again I felt I was getting no help or info from nurses apart from another app made to see nutritionist and a app with Dr for a general info session with other people who have been told they have diabetes. Part 2 to follow lol

 

[DMSCOT]

Part 2 I saw the nutritionist a few days ago and he basically told me everything I was eating had to go ! So I am finding to hard to find stuff I want to and can eat and as I said I don't have a lot info about diabetes , am finding it confusing and am quite scared about the numbness I am experiating. As I said my blood sugars are low in the morning and I don't know why, I like to have a sandwich before I go to bed , just cheese or ham , I was told I don't need to have that but I want it lol. will shut up for now .

 

[bulkbiker]

Sounds like it would be very useful for you to get all your test results printed out and share if you are happy to.
Did the "nutritionist" give you any advice on what you should be eating?
Your morning blood sugars are low/normal probably down to the medication you are taking.
Has anyone ever given you a diagnosis of what they think you have?
"diabetes" can cover a multitude of conditions the treatment of which can vary quite dramatically.. It would be very useful if you (and your healthcare team) know what they were trying to treat you for!

 

[DMSCOT]

Have you ever had anything like an HbA1c test? this is usually what is used in the UK to diagnose. A single blood glucose reading is a fairly poor diagnostic tool especially to put you on such powerful meds..

I think I must have done as the nutritionist mentioned a figure of 68 when I asked why I had to wait 3 months before seeing the nurse again, he said they had to wait that long to get a proper reading .

 

[DMSCOT]

In the morning, our liver dumps stored glucose into our bloodstream. It thinks it's helping, so do forgive the little idiot: it gives us energy to start the day, before we eat. It's called Dawn Phenomenon, and all people basically have it, not just diabetics. We just don't usually process the glucose back out again efficiently. That's where metformin usually comes in; it tells the liver to cut back up to about 75% of the dumping it does. So we're all relatively high in the morning, normally. And you're.... Decidedly not.

The thing is, I have a feeling that between gliclazide and metformin you're slightly over-medicated. Everyone and their gran is high in the am, and you're low due to meds. That's not good. It could mean you go hypo while you sleep. (Do you have nightsweats? Heart palpatations that wake you around 2-3 a.m.?). In any case, do NOT go low carb while you're medicated as you are. You'll drop like a stone, from the sound of it, headed straight to the ER. Go back to your doc and discuss the levels you're seeing, because this isn't right.

Sounds like it would be very useful for you to get all your test results printed out and share if you are happy to.
Did the "nutritionist" give you any advice on what you should be eating?
Your morning blood sugars are low/normal probably down to the medication you are taking.
Has anyone ever given you a diagnosis of what they think you have?
"diabetes" can cover a multitude of conditions the treatment of which can vary quite dramatically.. It would be very useful if you (and your healthcare team) know what they were trying to treat you for!

I was just told I have diabetes type 2 and that I will always have it. I have a feeling if I asked for all my test results I would be told I don't need to know all that and it is only useful to them lol

 

[bulkbiker]

I was just told I have diabetes type 2 and that I will always have it. I have a feeling if I asked for all my test results I would be told I don't need to know all that and it is only useful to them lol

Well that could ell be the case but they are your results and no-one else's...it would also assist you greatly to monitor your condition as only by testing can we see progress(or not of course). Your result will be your baseline.
If your HbA1c was indeed 68 then that's not so bad .. mine on diagnosis was 87 mmol/m the last 5 I have had have all been below 30 mmol/m and my condition has been marked as "diabetes in remission" by my doctors.
So much for always having it!

Edit to add that has been achieved with no medication.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I was just told I have diabetes type 2 and that I will always have it. I have a feeling if I asked for all my test results I would be told I don't need to know all that and it is only useful to them lol

Thing is... A doctor is there for you. You're paying them (or your insurance is) to help you take care of your body. So if someone stonewalls you when you ask for results, you might want to remind them of that little fact; you're employing them. It doesn't happen often that a doc responds the way you fear they will, but you have a good point to make. They're in a business.

And yes, you have T2. And it will always be there. I've been in the non-diabetic range for 2 years now. And this weekend, I forgot I can't have cookies. Duh! I just popped a sugar-based pavlova-ish treat that came with my coffee into my mouth, and my husband thought I was chocking when he saw my eyes pop out, as I realised what I'd done. But I wasn't going to spit it out either.... (Hey, it tasted GOOD!). So... Two years of low carb and poof, a mouth full of sugar. And yeah, I did notice it did something to my bloodsugars. I may have excellent HbA1c's and fingerprick test numbers, but if I stray, my numbers will go up. And that's for life, even if I do improve my insulin resistance. But I can avoid complications, so my kidneys are fine, as is my liver and cholesterol, I don't have everlasting infections anymore and the feeling in my extremeties is excellent. Plus, I'm not tired all the time anymore either. So yeah, it can slip my mind for a second that I'm a T2.... But I am pretty vigilant usually. And that keeps me happy & relatively healthy (have enough other things going on as well. ). So while it is a T2-for-life kind of deal... The progression of the condition is up to you. Take control of it now, so it won't control your quality of life later.

 

[DMSCOT]

Thanks for all your replies. x