New today and scared

[grovesy]

Normal people there bodies deal with sugar in the blood stream quickly so there would not have the high amounts of sugar.

 

[Halfhybrid]

Very interesting information. Thanks a lot.
I have another question though. Now I have got the hang of my blood test kit, I have been doing more tests and tend to do it 2 hours after dinner in the evening as that is my largest meal of the day. Apart from a few days, like Easter and when seeing family/friends, I have been keeping carb intake under control.

HOWEVER, 1 day last week and this morning, I decided to do a blood test shortly after getting up. The only things I had consumed prior to the test was a levothyroxine table for my hypothyroidism and a cup of tea with a dash of milk and no sugar. Last week the BS level was 7.1 and this morning it was 7.9. I was horrified - the tests I have been doing after meals have been within the normal range, without fail. Now I find that I have high BS levels in the morning, hours after I have eaten anything and what I did eat was low to no carbs.

Does anybody know what is going on here and whether I should be worried about it please?

 

[Ralph-YK]

I think 7s aren't particularly high. I have heard of this thing called dawn phenominon. It's where the body releases glucoses into the blood stream to give us something to use so we can move when we get up.

 

[Mark Parrott]

As Ralph says, sounds like DP. Most of us suffer with that. It's our liver pumping out glucose to get us ready for the day. The waking figure is usually the last to come down.

 

[Halfhybrid]

Thanks for your replies. A couple of things puzzle me though - and forgive me if it sounds ignorant. I'm still learning about all this. There is so much information and much of it seems to come from America which is even more confusing as they seem to use a different system of BG measurement.

When I tested myself 2 hours after my evening meal, the level was 6.3 which I was happy with but the next morning, when I saw 7.9, I freaked. You mention the dawn phenomenon but if I have had a low carb/low calorie dinner, where has the sugar been rustled up from - and what would be considered a high level if a person was non-diabetic?

The other question is, will high waking blood sugar levels influence my HBA1C tests and make it seem as though my BG levels are high all the time?

 

[Ralph-YK]

America which is even more confusing as they seem to use a different system of BG measurement.

I believe they do.

You mention the dawn phenomenon but if I have had a low carb/low calorie dinner, where has the sugar been rustled up from

Liver? It's stored in the body I believe.

will high waking blood sugar levels influence my HBA1C tests

*Regular* high figures will affect the HbA1c. As will regular low BG levels and regular medium levels.

and make it seem as though my BG levels are high all the time?

No.

 

[Halfhybrid]

Thanks Ralph-YK. There is a lot of information to take on board isn't there .....

 

[AdeleTurner72]

Thanks for your replies. A couple of things puzzle me though - and forgive me if it sounds ignorant. I'm still learning about all this. There is so much information and much of it seems to come from America which is even more confusing as they seem to use a different system of BG measurement.

When I tested myself 2 hours after my evening meal, the level was 6.3 which I was happy with but the next morning, when I saw 7.9, I freaked. You mention the dawn phenomenon but if I have had a low carb/low calorie dinner, where has the sugar been rustled up from - and what would be considered a high level if a person was non-diabetic?

The other question is, will high waking blood sugar levels influence my HBA1C tests and make it seem as though my BG levels are high all the time?

Don't know if this answers your question, but I'll share in case it helps put your mind at ease.
I always test before and 2 hrs after evening meal. I'm usually around 5 before and then 6.5 to 7 at the 2hr mark.
However, my morning, waking, fingerprick is rarely below 7...... Even if I went to bed with 4.9....

 

[Halfhybrid]

Don't know if this answers your question, but I'll share in case it helps put your mind at ease.
I always test before and 2 hrs after evening meal. I'm usually around 5 before and then 6.5 to 7 at the 2hr mark.
However, my morning, waking, fingerprick is rarely below 7...... Even if I went to bed with 4.9....

Hi Adele, thanks for sharing. Do you have any tips on what can be done to lower the waking level please? I thought I had been doing so well, having lost 12Ibs since my blood test on 10th March and doing my best to stick to low carbs and reduce amounts eaten. The tests I had carried out after eating had all been satisfactory levels and I thought I was on the right tracks - till I did the early morning tests.

 

[AdeleTurner72]

Hi Adele, thanks for sharing. Do you have any tips on what can be done to lower the waking level please? I thought I had been doing so well, having lost 12Ibs since my blood test on 10th March and doing my best to stick to low carbs and reduce amounts eaten. The tests I had carried out after eating had all been satisfactory levels and I thought I was on the right tracks - till I did the early morning tests.

I know the morning test is usually my highest reading of the whole day.
It's the one which is usually the last to fall into line.
Some people on here have found a small, protein snack before bedtime helps to offset the dawn phenomenon. It doesn't help me much though, so I don't bother unless I'm very hungry.
To be honest, I've found my early morning fingerprick test bears no correlation to what I ate, but more to do with how well I've slept. If I sleep well, it's in the 6s......if I sleep badly, it's in the 7s....
It's also affected by my menstrual cycle, but that's probably too much info!!!

 

[AdeleTurner72]

We

Hi Adele, thanks for sharing. Do you have any tips on what can be done to lower the waking level please? I thought I had been doing so well, having lost 12Ibs since my blood test on 10th March and doing my best to stick to low carbs and reduce amounts eaten. The tests I had carried out after eating had all been satisfactory levels and I thought I was on the right tracks - till I did the early morning tests.

Well done on the weight loss and diet changes by the way !!!

 

[Halfhybrid]

Good tips, thanks Adele. I've had sleep problems since my husband became ill and then I lost him. I've always "slept" but I know that I suffer from stress during the night and more often than not, when my alarm goes off in the morning, wake up with a panic attack. My sister tells me that I kick my legs all through the night and the bottom sheet and quilt are certainly all knotted in the morning. I'm taking Citalopram for depression but it doesn't stop any of these symptoms.

I might be clutching at straws here rather than laying the "blame" at my food consumption - though I try to eat the least amount of carbs, if any, for dinner, yet my blood sugar levels are their highest on waking.

(Why are there so many cooking and food programmes on TV and why are nearly all the people in them slim?????? I mean, how??)

 

[AdeleTurner72]

Good tips, thanks Adele. I've had sleep problems since my husband became ill and then I lost him. I've always "slept" but I know that I suffer from stress during the night and more often than not, when my alarm goes off in the morning, wake up with a panic attack. My sister tells me that I kick my legs all through the night and the bottom sheet and quilt are certainly all knotted in the morning. I'm taking Citalopram for depression but it doesn't stop any of these symptoms.

I might be clutching at straws here rather than laying the "blame" at my food consumption - though I try to eat the least amount of carbs, if any, for dinner, yet my blood sugar levels are their highest on waking.

(Why are there so many cooking and food programmes on TV and why are nearly all the people in them slim?????? I mean, how??)

I know, I've had to stop watching cookery programs!

It sounds like you are doing everything right, as is evidenced by your weight loss and your improved blood glucose readings.

Try not to worry too much about your morning readings, I'm sure the rush of adrenaline etc, that we all get when the alarm goes off contributes to this dawn phenomenon thing.

After reading your post, I've experimented on myself over the last 3 nights....
Went to bed and then woke up with the following readings:
Bedtime 5.6, waking 7.1
Bedtime 4.9, waking 6.5
Bedtime 5.8, waking 7.2

Had nothing to eat for 13 hours prior to the morning readings, so, you know ... Welcome to diabetes!!! 🙄🙂

 

[Halfhybrid]

Crumbs, I see what you mean! It's starting to make sense.

I have to say, although I've lost weight etc, I don't feel better in myself in any way - plus, whenever I do a blood test and it's on the high side, I feel as though I've taken a tumble and it has all been for nothing.

Case in point, went to the supermarket at lunchtime and for the first time in weeks, bought a hot sausage roll thinking "bloods are good at the moment. What harm can it do?". Tested my bloods 2 hours after eating it and the level was 11.9. Now I feel disgusted with myself and disheartened that after all my effort and starvation, one miserable sausage roll has set me back :-(

 

[AdeleTurner72]

Don't beat yourself up. You are doing really well.
OK, you ate a sausage roll, now you know what effect that has on your blood glucose. You can now choose to either, not eat sausage rolls, or to eat only a small one, or eat half of one and then burn it off with a brisk walk. It's about making choices.
To be honest, if you follow the low carb eating strategy 95% of the time, then the occasional slip (you decide whether it's still called a treat or not!) won't push you off the rails.
I felt well before diagnosis, then really ill whilst I was reducing my carbs. It's only in the last few weeks that I feel better than I have for a decade.
Good luck. You can do this !!!

 

[Jeandp]

Don't beat yourself up. You are doing really well.
OK, you ate a sausage roll, now you know what effect that has on your blood glucose. You can now choose to either, not eat sausage rolls, or to eat only a small one, or eat half of one and then burn it off with a brisk walk. It's about making choices.
To be honest, if you follow the low carb eating strategy 95% of the time, then the occasional slip (you decide whether it's still called a treat or not!) won't push you off the rails.
I felt well before diagnosis, then really ill whilst I was reducing my carbs. It's only in the last few weeks that I feel better than I have for a decade.
Good luck. You can do this !!!

Great advice @AdeleTurner72

 

[Halfhybrid]

I agree, thank you Adele.

Will some brisk exercise after eating something like that stop the BS level from climbing straightaway? How soon after eating carbs should one try to work them off? Immediately, after a specific amount of time?

So many questions about this condition .....

 

[AdeleTurner72]

Difficult to answer that. I think everyone is different. You might need to learn what's best for you.
Personally, if I eat something that I think will be "bad", what I do is test, eat it, wait 2 hrs, test again, then if I'm higher than I want to be, go for a brisk walk for 30 mins. Then wait another 30 mins and test again. So far, that's worked for me.....

 

[Halfhybrid]

I still haven't reached an emotional stage where I have accepted the D word and assimilated it. It terrifies me and I think and overthink about it all time. Every negative result sends me into a low mood as I think I've damaged myself irreparably. I don't know how to climb out of this way of thinking.

 

[AdeleTurner72]

I wish I could wave a magic wand and cure us all. Unfortunately, we can't.
All we can do is live every day as best we can.
Acceptance doesn't happen overnight, it takes time. I promise it gets easier with time.
Is there someone you can talk to?
Perhaps speak to your doctor or diabetic nurse? They may be able to help you?