hi I have posted quite a few times regarding my hba1c going from 42 to 35 with a very low carb diet. I wasn’t convinced of the result but my doctor doesn’t want to repeat it yet he said we can in 6 months. I stopped testing and then decided to start again to see what would come up. I’ve had morning fasting numbers between 5 and 5.5 and whether I eat breakfast or not they just keep climbing! If I don’t have breakfast it can climb to 7 before coming down again! And if I have breakfast it doesn’t make it come down any faster and all my breakfasts are very very low carb! Then the pattern seems to be mid afternoon numbers come down more in normal range and then after lunch and dinner they seem ok. It does seem odd to me or does this mean I am likely to develop diabetes either way? It’s this climbing of numbers in the morning that is worrying me surely it shouldn’t keep climbing especially if I’ve eaten!
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No longer prediabetic but strange numbers
- Thread starter gowest12
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Read about the dawn phenonomen
Some find eating a little protein first thing or a low carb breakfast helps - try both and see how you do?
www.diabetes.co.uk
Some find eating a little protein first thing or a low carb breakfast helps - try both and see how you do?
Dawn Phenomenon (Liver Dump)
Dawn phenomenon is the term given to an increase in blood sugar in the morning caused by the bodys release of certain hormones. It is a relatively common phenomenon amongst diabetics.
www.diabetes.co.uk
Yes I have heard of this but I’m not really convinced I’m not diabetic though as my last hba1c was 35 done 3 weeks ago and before that it was 42 and I was told I was prediabetic so I did everything I could to go as low carb as possible but this pattern of high climbing numbers in the morning was the same with my hba1C of 42 shouldn’t it have improved if my HBA1c lowered?? I’m finding it hard to believe im actually not diabetic as I see diabetics posting way better numbers than mine! I’ve heard of dawn phenomenon but isn’t that just when you wake up?? Mine will just carry on rising whether I eat or don’t eat it’s not good at allRead about the dawn phenonomen
Some find eating a little protein first thing or a low carb breakfast helps - try both and see how you do?
Dawn Phenomenon (Liver Dump)
Dawn phenomenon is the term given to an increase in blood sugar in the morning caused by the bodys release of certain hormones. It is a relatively common phenomenon amongst diabetics.
HSSS
Expert
No it’s not just when you wake up. It’s whenever you haven’t eaten for a while. The name merely reflects the most common time of day this happens at.
Also if you are eating very low carb you can have what’s known as physiological insulin resistance. Not pathological and not a problem. Also known as adaptive glucose sparing. https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/fasting-blood-glucose-higher
Also if you are eating very low carb you can have what’s known as physiological insulin resistance. Not pathological and not a problem. Also known as adaptive glucose sparing. https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/fasting-blood-glucose-higher
Lamont D
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- I do not have diabetes
Just what are you having for breakfast?
Do you test straightaway after waking?
What is your morning drink?
Mine is black tea, no milk, nowt else!
Have you had a cold, stressed, worried about something other than the rising numbers?
Do you test straightaway after waking?
What is your morning drink?
Mine is black tea, no milk, nowt else!
Have you had a cold, stressed, worried about something other than the rising numbers?
For breakfast I had 2 boiled eggs some cottage cheese and some sliced cucumber. Yes I test as soon as I wake this morning it was 5 I then had breakfast about an hour later and I checked after eating it was 6.7! So from 5 to 6.7 is a big jump with virtually zero carbs. I don’t understand and I just checked now it’s 5.9 before lunch this doesn’t look like a hba1c of 35! I don’t know if I should try to get one done privately. I haven’t had a cold or anything but I am concerned about these numbers I am on my period at the moment not sure if that contributes to anything. I’m in perimenopause also. I cannot believe that hba1c of 35 is correct at all
Also I have coffee with almond milk as my drink
Yes it does.
An hba1c of 35 corresponds to an average BG of around 6. You have some readings below and some above, makes perfect sense.
Last edited:
ajbod
Well-Known Member
You don't know what happened in the hour between waking reading and breakfast. That could be when your liver dumps to get you going, so your pre meal reading might have been over 6 anyway.
Lamont D
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From 5mmols to 6.7mmols is not a big jump.
5.9 is within normal levels, and that is good, and as @Antje77 has said within the hba1c parameters.
Being perimenopause and monthly will skew your bloods, just as infections, anxiety, stress will also do.
However, a couple of points mmols either way should not be construed as something totally too much when controlling blood glucose levels. As you do have a tendency towards prediabetes, and your control will be the ability to cope with the carbs you eat. Being in and just above with your fasting and pre meal, your two hours, if under 2mmols of your pre meal, is what you should be looking for.
Some of us only test around meals.
Only if your pre meal reading, has a tendency to rise week to week or month to month, trends should be shown in readings to be in and around, just above normal. If it does go too high, that is the time to avoid what is causing the spikes.
Hope I haven't confused you more!
Have a look at what is in the milk you drink. For the same reason that I have to avoid certain ingredients, especially in so called healthy food.
Best wishes.
Mrs HJG
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Your HbA1c looks great to me - I went from 129.5 to 36.6 in 3 months by going low carb, so not sure why you think 42 to 35 is not to be trusted; your waking numbers and morning rises, food or not, are very similar to mine, all in non-diabetic range.
Have you tried the free 14 day Libre trial? It may put your mind at rest to see what is going on, but bear in mind that it is not 100% accurate, it is almost best to ignore the 'numbers' and look at the spikes and dips after eating, through the night and when you have been active.
I also suggest you check out the @glucosegoddess on instagram or her book on Amazon 'Glucose Revolution' - she also has a new book coming out to help people (diabetic or not) with BG spikes, the graphs, science and diagrams may also work for you depending on how you like to learn things.
Have you tried the free 14 day Libre trial? It may put your mind at rest to see what is going on, but bear in mind that it is not 100% accurate, it is almost best to ignore the 'numbers' and look at the spikes and dips after eating, through the night and when you have been active.
I also suggest you check out the @glucosegoddess on instagram or her book on Amazon 'Glucose Revolution' - she also has a new book coming out to help people (diabetic or not) with BG spikes, the graphs, science and diagrams may also work for you depending on how you like to learn things.
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As an experiment I tested to see how long DP would continue if I didn't eat anything. It was still rising after seven hours when I got bored and stopped checking.
You're not diabetic. Your numbers are fine. Your problem is your anxiety, and maybe it would be better if you stuck to your earlier resolution not to fixate on tests.
Oh really the dawn phenomenon you tested?? So it kept rising if you didn’t eat anything as that’s what I’ve noticed but i thought if I was back in normal numbers that would have gone away but maybe not.
HSSS
Expert
Everyone has it to some extent. It’s whether it’s too much or for too long that varies. It does generally improve with normal levels but often lags behind sometimes by some time. You are likely in normal numbers judging by the blood glucose readings you’ve provided so far. Are you suggesting you are seeing DP in your readings?
