10 years Type 2 but new to the forum

[Brian McCluskey]

Hi Everyone, HBA1c 88 two weeks ago. I am on Metformin 500g x 4 daily and Gliclazide x 4 daily also Victoza 1.2 per day. I had a heart attack in 2001 at the tender age of 45 and so I am also on Atorvastatin, Ramipril ,Aspirin and Atenolol. I have been very strict with my diet the last 2 weeks and I am testing 4 times per day. The average is just below 7 for pre lunch, pre dinner and bedtime but my morning average is 10! I am walking 1 hour per day.
Brian

 

[Northerner]

Hi Everyone, HBA1c 88 two weeks ago. I am on Metformin 500g x 4 daily and Gliclazide x 4 daily also Victoza 1.2 per day. I had a heart attack in 2001 at the tender age of 45 and so I am also on Atorvastatin, Ramipril ,Aspirin and Atenolol. I have been very strict with my diet the last 2 weeks and I am testing 4 times per day. The average is just below 7 for pre lunch, pre dinner and bedtime but my morning average is 10! I am walking 1 hour per day.
Brian

Hi Brian, welcome to the forum 🙂 Sorry to hear about the heart attack and all the additional meds that brings with it. You're also on a lot of diabetes medication - has insulin ever been proposed as a replacement for all the pills and Victoza? Are you testing after your meals as well as before them? If not, it's worth reading Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S which explains how to determine your tolerances for particular foods, using your meter. Regarding your waking numbers, what are your levels before bed, and do you test immediately on waking, or after you have been up and about - even for just a few minutes? The liver often releases extra glucose into the blood as we wake and get up, which boosts those numbers and mean that they don't really reflect your overnight levels. I found this out using a Freestyle Libre - a sort of continuous monitor of blood sugar levels - which showed that my levels could jump by 2 mmol/l or more in the two minutes it takes from waking and getting downstairs 😱

Good to hear you are incorporating regular exercise into your regime as well - that will really help 🙂 Do try and be patient though, it may take a few weeks for your levels - particularly the overnight/waking one - to respond to your new diet and activity schedule. Please let us know if you have any questions and we will do our best to help 🙂

 

[grovesy]

Welcome.

 

[Brian McCluskey]

Thanks for the welcome. My sugars at bedtime over the last 2 weeks have averaged at 6.9. I am probably up about 30 minutes before I test in the morning just before breakfast.

 

[Northerner]

Thanks for the welcome. My sugars at bedtime over the last 2 weeks have averaged at 6.9. I am probably up about 30 minutes before I test in the morning just before breakfast.

Try keeping your meter by your bed and testing the minute you wake up 🙂

 

[Brian McCluskey]

Will try tomorrow morning and let you know. Thanks

 

[Wirrallass]

Hi Brian and a warm welcome to our friendly & helpful forum. Good to see you have a meter to test your bgls (Blood glugose levels) I've found the best time for me to test my waking bgl is BEFORE I get out of bed. Once you put your feet on the floor your bgl will instantly begin to elevate so you're not really getting a true fasting waking reading. Your 7.0 readings arent too bad at all but 10.0 upon waking is a little worrying. Remember to test before you get out of bed.

To help you with your diet and weight I highly recommend the CARB & CALORIE COUNTER book. It has over 1700 photo's and is a great asset to keep in your kitchen. There is a pocket version too which can be slipped into your pocket to take with you when eating out. Both books can be bought from Amazon for approx £10 & £6 respectively.

With the correct diet and exercise (if you are able) you will be able to reduce your HbA1c to a more healthier number - but don't rush - take your time - by testing regularly you will be able to determine which foods/drinks you can/can't tolerate. Have you been asked to have another HbA1c blood test in 3months, 6months or 12 months? This test determines how much glucose is in your blood for the previous 12 weeks.

Please do return to us if you have any other concerns as we are here to help & accompany you on your Diabetes journey, take care now Brian.

 

[Brian McCluskey]

Hi Northerner, I took your advice and tested as soon as I woke up. It was 6.0 the best I have had in the 2 weeks since I started testing.

 

[Bill Stewardson]

Hello to you Brian.

 

[Northerner]

Hi Northerner, I took your advice and tested as soon as I woke up. It was 6.0 the best I have had in the 2 weeks since I started testing.

It looks like you do have (as most of us do!) an extra release of glucose from your liver in those first few minutes after rising. One thing that may stop the liver from overproducing in the mornings is to have a small protein-based snack before bed - something like cheese, or cold meats. Works for some, but not for all, but that's the nature of diabetes 🙄 For some people, the liver will slow its release of glucose if you eat something shortly after rising - your body realises you are no longer in 'starvation mode', so you don't need the 'extra help' 🙂 Worth a try.

Either way, the good news is that it looks like your levels are staying in range and steady through the night, which is a significant part of each day, and should help you in lowering your HbA1c 🙂

 

[Bubbsie]

Hi Everyone, HBA1c 88 two weeks ago. I am on Metformin 500g x 4 daily and Gliclazide x 4 daily also Victoza 1.2 per day. I had a heart attack in 2001 at the tender age of 45 and so I am also on Atorvastatin, Ramipril ,Aspirin and Atenolol. I have been very strict with my diet the last 2 weeks and I am testing 4 times per day. The average is just below 7 for pre lunch, pre dinner and bedtime but my morning average is 10! I am walking 1 hour per day.
Brian

Hi Brian...many diabetics find their waking blood sugar is the last to come down... even if you ate the same food for breakfast... lunch & dinner...you can still have a much higher number when testing first thing or after breakfast...than you see at other meals...suspect this may be due to what is commonly referred to as 'Dawn Phenomenon'...not limited solely to diabetics by the way...our bodies prepare for waking by secreting different hormones...who's job is to prepare you for the day ahead...release energy...to get up...get moving...this process usually begins in the early hours of the morning...to help you do this the hormones raise your blood sugar...the glucose stored in your liver is what's needed...once the hormones are released in non diabetics insulin will also start to rise...getting that energy into those cells...with diabetics the corresponding rise in insulin doesn't happen...possibly the pancreas isn't working or working ineffectively...maybe insulin resistant...so the energy doesn't get to those cells...it simply stays in the bloodstream...raising our blood sugars...I thought my waking numbers would never come down...some people find that they can reduce their fasting blood sugar by eating a small snack before bed... a protein snack...a slow release carbohydrate...I saw that suggested here...as for the exact science behind that...beyond my scope...however...I worked for me...could be worth a try...may help reduce those levels further...if you do try it...be interested to hear the results...good luck

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[Brian McCluskey]

Thank you to everyone for your warm welcome. I really appreciate all the goodwill and advice given.
Brian

 

[Ditto]

Hello Brian and welcome to the forum 🙂