Sudden BG rise!

I am rather confused!

My A1C has always been around 40.

For a number of weeks now, I have experience a steep rise in BG levels in the mornings which I know is generally explained and described as the Dawn Phenomenon. But the rate of the rise has, for me, been quite shocking! The other day it rose to as much (for me), as 11.1, and I cannot understand why it has so suddenly risen so high on fairly consecutive days for the past few weeks.

I tried upping my Levemir to 5 units (from 4), at night, but that has made no difference at all. and I do not think that I am underestimating the need for Novorapid when it comes to dinner either.

So, that was one thing.

But now I am finding that suddenly my BG levels throughout the day are generally quite a bit higher - for no reason that I can think of.

Today I did both a finger prick test and a libre reading - and the results were identical (given I know that there is time lapse to the libre result) at 8.9. Yesterday I did a similar twin test, and the result was similar. It is clear then that the readings are pretty accurate.

Wondering whether any of the insulins were 'off', I took a Levemir vial from a different batch, and a Novorapid from a different batch. But this action has made no difference either.

My glucose averages have been:
In the last 7 days = 7.1;
last 14 days= 6.7;
last 30 days= 6.7;
last 90 days= 6.6;

So clearly, things are changing for reasons unknown to me!

I know that BG levels can fluctuate and change over time, and it may just be that that is what is happening according to somebody's laws.....but it is rather troubling as generally I do try to make sense of things that happen.

I do not think it is due to any infection as to start with, as I said, the sudden change began with high morning rises, and did not seem to affect the daily readings, and this general rise in BG levels has simply followed on from that....?

Does anyone have any theories or suggestions?

Thank you in advance!

Juicyj said:

Hello @LionChild

Yes sounds like you're discovering the 'no rhyme or reason' part of diabetes. Despite being well, having good insulin, no weight changes, changes in medication, circumstances, this is what happens with diabetes. It's our ability to adapt and manage that really comes to the fore when it's not playing game.

There are so many instigating factors to consider when dealing with diabetes, at this time of year temperature changes can influence BG levels too, changes in activity levels, stress are also other factors to consider. DP can have a lingering effect too, when I get DP I find I have to tackle with both low carb food as soon as I wake and a correction to keep levels below 10 mmol/l, if not I am up against it till lunchtime which is tiring. Also this time of year brings a onslaught of viral infections too which can take time to emerge but BG normally gives us an idea that we are fighting them.

What's so important with diabetes care is how we manage/correct/adjust to these changes, as long as you know how to manage then that's the important part.

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Thank you Juicy! Yes that seems to be the case - as I can find no explanation for this, and it has been so very sudden. As you say, it can be exhausting. I have also been very depressed in general in recent weeks, and maybe that too can contribute; I don't know? Oh well, all one can do is keep going I suppose!?

Melgar said:

@LionChild I'm going to throw a thought at you. As I was reading your post I wondered whether your pancreas’ natural basal secretion, if your pancreas is still able to produce a little background insulin , has stopped. Your natural background secretion would, of course impact your fasting sugars, plus impact your day time numbers too. Just a thought.

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Thank you for responding Melgar. I had a C-Peptide test a year or so ago however, which showed that I had no natural insulin being issued from my Pancreas...

Juicyj said:

Sadly feeling low can also impact how well we manage and cope with diabetes too, I am the same if feeling low my levels can either be dead easy or a pain to manage. Try and keep up with exercise/socialising when feeling low, it's important to interact with others if you can and exercise to release some endorphins which are a quick win to help keep the mood more tolerable, it's this time of year with ever decreasing sunlight and daylight hours which hit me hard, I take vitamin d which is notoriously low for alot of the population, it's a cheap vitamin but essential when sunlight is diminishing at this time of year.

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Thank you Juicyj. I do take Vitamin D3 and K2, and try to get walks in most days. Today I did 10 minutes on my indoor exerciser bike, but it made no difference to my BG at all!! There seems to be a strong resistance to injected insulin and exercise to bring down the BG. All very unusual for me!

Thanks Cheeseseeker!
I will try that!