Glucose readings

[Docb]

I really do not understand why you are fasting @Admiral Benbow - especially if fasting for 2 days is making you feel rough!

Reminds me of the driver who is all throttle and brakes. Foot hard down to catch up with the line of traffic in front and then slams on brakes at last moment to avoid hitting it. Looking up every back alley to see if there is a short cut. If he does not have an accident, he will get to where he is going, hot sweaty, wound up about the traffic and generally in not a good place.

Compare that to the driver who is a bit more relaxed, goes with the flow, who adjusts his speed to drive in the gaps between traffic, and uses his brakes gently. He gets to where he is going equally well and often not far behind the other driver but arrives cool, collected, and wondering what all the fuss was about.

Same with dealing with T2. My preference was to make a few simple adjustments and not head for the extremes you see proposed by the warriors. Worked well, it's sustainable and did not make me feel rough. OK the metformin was a bit of a nuisance but that was easily fixed.

But then we are all different.

 

[Toddyken]

If fasting for long periods is having such side effects, then it's probably not a good idea and certainly not sustainable.

I lost 3 stone very quickly without doing long fasts - the only thing I did was skip breakfast if I wasn't hungry!

Totally agree with you, I’m Pre-D and I could not do fasting, it would stress me out too much, I love my food , like you I’ve cut breakfast out and I’m no longer hungry , have breakfast between 12 & 1 now. Then evening meal around 6. My weight is coming off , slowly , I’m happy with that.

 

[Admiral Benbow]

I really do not understand why you are fasting @Admiral Benbow - especially if fasting for 2 days is making you feel rough!

Reminds me of the driver who is all throttle and brakes. Foot hard down to catch up with the line of traffic in front and then slams on brakes at last moment to avoid hitting it. Looking up every back alley to see if there is a short cut. If he does not have an accident, he will get to where he is going, hot sweaty, wound up about the traffic and generally in not a good place.

Compare that to the driver who is a bit more relaxed, goes with the flow, who adjusts his speed to drive in the gaps between traffic, and uses his brakes gently. He gets to where he is going equally well and often not far behind the other driver but arrives cool, collected, and wondering what all the fuss was about.

Same with dealing with T2. My preference was to make a few simple adjustments and not head for the extremes you see proposed by the warriors. Worked well, it's sustainable and did not make me feel rough. OK the metformin was a bit of a nuisance but that was easily fixed.

But then we are all different.

Perhaps I should use the word "boring" not tired. It's more boring than being physically challenging. I have my next test in 3 weeks and want to have great numbers, so that is why there is urgency. If they are lower, then there is no pressure as I can self monitor my health at a more leisurely pace, and avoid the diabetic label altogether.

 

[CBeresford]

Hi, I’m in the same position as you Pre-D, diagnosed 4 weeks ago, I‘m on day 2 of using the monitor, not been easy but hopefully it will get easier. My 1st day was 8.4 and today 7.6 ,this group has bern invaluable to me as not sat down with GP only confirmed by telephone call. I’m testing 1st thing after waking for a week before testing after food etc, keep going we will crack this

I am the same as you just got a phone call two days before Easter with a big family celebration to cook for. I have bought a blood sugar monitor and am doing fasting blood sugars, I did a post food one on Monday and it was lower than my fasting! I am on a low carb diet and as of this morning I am in ketosis but my blood glucose levels are rising not falling. So confused by all this.

 

[Leadinglights]

I am the same as you just got a phone call two days before Easter with a big family celebration to cook for. I have bought a blood sugar monitor and am doing fasting blood sugars, I did a post food one on Monday and it was lower than my fasting! I am on a low carb diet and as of this morning I am in ketosis but my blood glucose levels are rising not falling. So confused by all this.

Don't take too much from individual readings but look for trends as all sorts of things can affect blood glucose levels. Fasting /morning readings are often high for some people as they get Foot on the Floor phenomenon where the liver releases glucose to prepare for the days activity and keep your organs functioning. Testing before you get out of bed can make a difference.
If you are checking out meals then pairs of readings before you eat and after 2 hours is more valuable than an isolated single post meal reading.

 

[Callista]

(In respect of gluconeogenesis)

"It's a system that tries to maintain BG level at a fixed point. If it goes low, then there are mechanisms to top it up, if it goes high, there's a mechanism to bring it down.

Unfortunately, in T2 diabetics this mechanism is broken in various ways so it doesn't come down properly - whether that's insulin resistance in muscles, the liver not stopping making glucose when levels are high (Very common with T2), or there not being enough insulin produced by broken beta cells to overcome the resistance.
**

Thank you - that sheds some light on a post I've just attached to my What's Going on Here thread, which now I think I should have posted here instead, sorry about that.

I do feel that I have a 'sump' of residual circulating glucose in my blood that I am finding very hard to reduce (very rarely get a reading below 6), even though I feel that levels don't 'soar' either (I'm usually below the 7.8 for post-eating).

I appreciate, though, I shall have to keep experimenting with the impact of exercise/lower-carbs-even-more on those 'empty-stomach' levels.

 

[Callista]

In respect of Dawn Phenomenon and Foot on the Floor, would it be helpful to take a 'last thing at night' BG reading (assuming you've last eaten at least an hour and a half ago or so - and no midnight snacking!) and see what you get? (Ideally, I assume?, one should have eaten so long ago that you've gone back to 'empty stomach' mode levels)

Then wouldn't that 'last thing at night' reading act as your 'control' for seeing whether your morning (fasting) level is the same/less/more, which would indicate the presence or absence of the DP and FOTF effects?

Or is my logic flawed here!

 

[Leadinglights]

In respect of Dawn Phenomenon and Foot on the Floor, would it be helpful to take a 'last thing at night' BG reading (assuming you've last eaten at least an hour and a half ago or so - and no midnight snacking!) and see what you get? (Ideally, I assume?, one should have eaten so long ago that you've gone back to 'empty stomach' mode levels)

Then wouldn't that 'last thing at night' reading act as your 'control' for seeing whether your morning (fasting) level is the same/less/more, which would indicate the presence or absence of the DP and FOTF effects?

Or is my logic flawed here!

It might depend on what you are doing during the night, even your organs need to function during the night and require energy. I don't think it is that simple or works the same for everybody.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

In respect of Dawn Phenomenon and Foot on the Floor, would it be helpful to take a 'last thing at night' BG reading (assuming you've last eaten at least an hour and a half ago or so - and no midnight snacking!) and see what you get? (Ideally, I assume?, one should have eaten so long ago that you've gone back to 'empty stomach' mode levels)

Then wouldn't that 'last thing at night' reading act as your 'control' for seeing whether your morning (fasting) level is the same/less/more, which would indicate the presence or absence of the DP and FOTF effects?

Or is my logic flawed here!

It can change depending on well you slept..
Nightmares are a great way to get a higher morning reading.

 

[Callista]

Don't think I'm sleepwalking! But yes, I take your point. (I do have 'bathroom breaks' which might play a role - quick dash in the wee small hours!!!!!)

I definitely agree that from all that I am learning here, it is neither simple nor uniform for everyone. That's a real 'take away' from this site.

 

[trophywench]

The 'sump of glucose' is actually due to the mechanism of your liver cos that's amongst its functions.
The liver is entirely unable to multitask though - so if you have 'a bit' to drink it's generally concentrating so much on processing the alcohol out of the body, it neglects to instigate the mechanism which causes the BG to increase, hence getting merry even let alone blind drunk can quite likely result in hypo territory, so we have to pay close attention to our BG before we get to that stage.

It is exactly why any/every one (not even with diabetes) gets the munchies after a 'good' boozing session. So before the pub closed you all decided between your gang whether you want Indian, Chinese, whatever tonight and just treat that as an extension of the social evening with your mates without analysing why exactly eating at that time of night is a good idea !

 

[harbottle]

Oh yes, I've seen mine drop to 2.9 (Meter reading) after just three drinks and a walk home. It seems to go lower if I drink beer rather than spirits.

Weirdly, it is something that only started happening last year.

 

[Tdm]

That's good that you got a glucose monitor. I might get one depending on my next test results. I believe I am prediabetic too according to a medical report that said I have 51.96% chance of developing diabetes in 10 years. I am a normal weight now, normal BMI, and thinner waist than before, and have been fasting, and exercising lots, and trying to eat as clean and low carb as possible so here's hoping all goes well in three weeks. I'm hoping non invasive glucose monitors come out in the near future, or that eventually one can get a CGM without a prescription and they become widely commercially available. That would really help to know what is going on internally, without having to prick fingers.

You can get cgms witout px...libre 2 and dexcom g6 off the top of my head, in the uk. I have purchased both myself online to top up my px- the did not ask if i had px nor for any evidence

 

[bulkbiker]

I am the same as you just got a phone call two days before Easter with a big family celebration to cook for. I have bought a blood sugar monitor and am doing fasting blood sugars, I did a post food one on Monday and it was lower than my fasting! I am on a low carb diet and as of this morning I am in ketosis but my blood glucose levels are rising not falling. So confused by all this.

Might be an idea if you shared what the numbers are?
Plus remember that blood glucose meters aren't highly accurate so there could well be variability in the readings anyway.

 

[Callista]

Useful to know that about the liver and alcohol - thank you! Maybe it's why eating and drinking wine go well together?

 

[rebrascora]

The liver is entirely unable to multitask though - so if you have 'a bit' to drink it's generally concentrating so much on processing the alcohol out of the body, it neglects to instigate the mechanism which causes the BG to increase,

This is an individual thing as is everything else with diabetes.
My liver seems to be able to deal with alcohol and release glucose, so, unlike with exercise where I need a basal reduction in the evening if I have had an exertive day, I don't need to reduce my basal when I have a drink or 3 and my levels don't seem to drop with alcohol.... at least not at the levels I have drank since diagnosis, which is probably up to a max of 3 double rum and diet cokes or G&Ts. I am however 2 months dry and may not go back to alcohol as my system seems to be happier without. I have a sneaky suspicion that my pancreas has been getting unhappy about alcohol in recent years and the last couple of months I have definitely felt better overall and my diabetes has been more stable. I wonder if it has been causing some inflammation, perhaps in my pancreas.
Anyway, just wanting to say that the BG lowering effect of alcohol is individual just like diabetes in general.

 

[CBeresford]

Might be an idea if you shared what the numbers are?
Plus remember that blood glucose meters aren't highly accurate so there could well be variability in the readings anyway.

I ve started tracking my levels more systematically they range between 4.8 prior to dinner approx 5.7 after dinner and about 6.2 fasting 14 hrs later. I woke at 5.30 am one day and it was 5.3 by 8.30 it had risen to 5.7 with no food taken.

 

[Leadinglights]

I ve started tracking my levels more systematically they range between 4.8 prior to dinner approx 5.7 after dinner and about 6.2 fasting 14 hrs later. I woke at 5.30 am one day and it was 5.3 by 8.30 it had risen to 5.7 with no food taken.

Due to the allowed variation on blood glucose monitors those readings can be regarded as the same.

 

[bulkbiker]

I ve started tracking my levels more systematically they range between 4.8 prior to dinner approx 5.7 after dinner and about 6.2 fasting 14 hrs later. I woke at 5.30 am one day and it was 5.3 by 8.30 it had risen to 5.7 with no food taken.

All excellent levels well done!