rising glucose readings in the morning

[mikeill]

I recently started intermittent fasting to try to get control of this diabetes. I eat only between 13.00 and 19.00, usually 2 meals and a snack all low carb stuff.
generally my glucose has dropped slightly but one thing quite noticable has occurred. I wak at 6 am immediately test, I get 5.5, I test half hour later and get 6,2 then at 10 am (still fasting) I read 7.2, at 11 still 7.2 but by 12 back down to 6.2 at 13.00 down to 4.8.
First of all i want to point out that getting tested at the doctors clinic for fasting levels can only be done after 8am by which time my test results will be above 7. My doctor says this is too high but does not want to know what my own test result was at 6am. he says that is irrelivent!
Secondly, if it is my liver dumping Glucogin then why does it suddenly drop back within limits just before a meal time. Surely my liver has no idea I am about to eat!!!
I also wonder why my liver would start raising my levels when I was 5.5 (still on the high side of normal I beleive). I have on occasion set my alarm for 3 am and tested around 6 but never below that level. could it be that I suddenly drop below 4 between 3 and 6 am and what I measure at 6 am is actually due to the liver dumping dawn effect?
Can anyone make sense of this?

 

[ButtterflyLady]

Have you had an HbA1c test done and what was the result?

 

[Libbaloo]

It does seem strange that Fasting blood tests at doctor will be from 8am when dawn phenomenon could have happened. Quite a vital result if levels exceed normal or Pre-D ranges leading to a formal diagnosis. Most phlebotomist / Nurse appointments are in normal working hours when we have been up and about for some time and getting to the clinic or surgery. Lots of activity, unlike a waking Fasting test when we could still be in bed!.

 

[mikeill]

Have you had an HbA1c test done and what was the result?

Yes I have had two, one last yera that was 6.1 and one in January which was 6.9, I must admit though that over Christmas and new year I did not watch my diet at all and ate a lot of cake, chocolate, etc.etc. so think the HbA1c may have been high due to about a month of reckless eating and drinking. I am due another test next week and hope it is within normal range.

 

[mikeill]

It does seem strange that Fasting blood tests at doctor will be from 8am when dawn phenomenon could have happened. Quite a vital result if levels exceed normal or Pre-D ranges leading to a formal diagnosis. Most phlebotomist / Nurse appointments are in normal working hours when we have been up and about for some time and getting to the clinic or surgery. Lots of activity, unlike a waking Fasting test when we could still be in bed!.

Well the lab and clinic only open at 8 am so even if I am first in the door my blood will be taken at least 2 hours after i have rissen from bed and the dawn effects I am seeing will certainly have set in.Hence I always read a fasting high. Like I say, my actual overnight fasting result taken at 6am is close to normal but my doctor does not want to know anything about that.
I beleive he has no answer so prefers to just fob me off with the not important routine!!!

 

[ButtterflyLady]

Yes I have had two, one last yera that was 6.1 and one in January which was 6.9, I must admit though that over Christmas and new year I did not watch my diet at all and ate a lot of cake, chocolate, etc.etc. so think the HbA1c may have been high due to about a month of reckless eating and drinking. I am due another test next week and hope it is within normal range.

Since your 8am lab FBG is so different to your 6am home FBG, I think HbA1c is a more reliable indicator of how you are doing. I think in pre-Ds it should be done every 6 months at least, and preferably every 3 months. Next time he wants to bother with a lab FBG you might want to suggest he orders an HbA1c instead. The UK guidelines allow for either, and in some countries (like NZ) most doctors prefer HbA1c. It's much more reliable, except in certain types of diabetes where glucose tolerance testing is better.