Normal fasting sugars and higher night time numbers

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Neet72

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, 2 years ago (i was 47 and i am female), i immediately went onto a crash diet (as i was overweight) and stuck to around 800 to 1000 cal a day since. Well until 3 months ago. i lost weight to around 69 kg which is still overweight for someone 5 foot 4, but it wouldn't go down anymore. Plus, As i was eating so little, my sugar numbers became in normal range after around a year, so no more metformin for me!
but like all diets, they are not forever, especially the harsh crash diet i was permanently doing! I simply couldn't stand it anymore, I wasn't living i was existing, So i made the big decision to come off my diet, knowing full well this would mean weight gain, as my body had been used to 800-1000 cal a day to maintain my still overweight, and now I'm almost doubling calories. for like the first 2 weeks in binged as it was a hallelujah moment, but i soon stopped that malarkey and now I'm eating like a normal person. Which moves me onto the reason for my post.
My doctors will not give me another blood test just yet, its too soon they say as the last one was last October. and to be honest, I've only been 'eating normally' for 3 months, So yes its too soon, I know and accept this.
but as my weight is slowly going up, so are the side effects of my newly awakened diabetes,
for a month now I've been getting the shakes, dizzy, nausea every afternoon just before dinner, which is around 4-5 hours after lunch. I eat my dinner, and i feel fine (the muggy head stays for the day but apart from that i feel fine)
my doctors would not give me a sugar monitor as my numbers were well controlled by my 'diet' according to my bloods last October.
so i bought my own of course, I'm feeling far to sick every day to ignore what's happening.
I appreciate my numbers are only just starting to leap up recently, but this is what's going on...
every morning my fasting sugars are 5-6 mmol/l, (so still normal) i have lunch around 12-12.30 (usually 2 slices of toast with thinly cut cheese) then i have dinner around 5.30-6pm. my numbers before dinner are always 8-9 mmol/l, and 2 hours afterwards are back to normal levels??? then before sleep my numbers rise again to between 9-10 mmol/l
i know these numbers are not drastic, but are in diabetic levels.

My question is, is this normal to get normal fasting numbers but abnormal numbers later in the day? plus my sugars always go down after food not upwards
Forgive me, I am very diabetes naïve, So i am here to ask if this is normal to happen with a non-'controlled' situation.

Thanks in advance.
 
Neet72 said:
Hi, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, 2 years ago (i was 47 and i am female), i immediately went onto a crash diet (as i was overweight) and stuck to around 800 to 1000 cal a day since. Well until 3 months ago. i lost weight to around 69 kg which is still overweight for someone 5 foot 4, but it wouldn't go down anymore. Plus, As i was eating so little, my sugar numbers became in normal range after around a year, so no more metformin for me!
but like all diets, they are not forever, especially the harsh crash diet i was permanently doing! I simply couldn't stand it anymore, I wasn't living i was existing, So i made the big decision to come off my diet, knowing full well this would mean weight gain, as my body had been used to 800-1000 cal a day to maintain my still overweight, and now I'm almost doubling calories. for like the first 2 weeks in binged as it was a hallelujah moment, but i soon stopped that malarkey and now I'm eating like a normal person. Which moves me onto the reason for my post.
My doctors will not give me another blood test just yet, its too soon they say as the last one was last October. and to be honest, I've only been 'eating normally' for 3 months, So yes its too soon, I know and accept this.
but as my weight is slowly going up, so are the side effects of my newly awakened diabetes,
for a month now I've been getting the shakes, dizzy, nausea every afternoon just before dinner, which is around 4-5 hours after lunch. I eat my dinner, and i feel fine (the muggy head stays for the day but apart from that i feel fine)
my doctors would not give me a sugar monitor as my numbers were well controlled by my 'diet' according to my bloods last October.
so i bought my own of course, I'm feeling far to sick every day to ignore what's happening.
I appreciate my numbers are only just starting to leap up recently, but this is what's going on...
every morning my fasting sugars are 5-6 mmol/l, (so still normal) i have lunch around 12-12.30 (usually 2 slices of toast with thinly cut cheese) then i have dinner around 5.30-6pm. my numbers before dinner are always 8-9 mmol/l, and 2 hours afterwards are back to normal levels??? then before sleep my numbers rise again to between 9-10 mmol/l
i know these numbers are not drastic, but are in diabetic levels.

My question is, is this normal to get normal fasting numbers but abnormal numbers later in the day? plus my sugars always go down after food not upwards
Forgive me, I am very diabetes naïve, So i am here to ask if this is normal to happen with a non-'controlled' situation.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum, it must be disappointing to feel things have got out of control after you have done well with the weight loss. Some people here have had success with short term low calorie diets but that is exactly what they are not a new way of eating which is sustainable which is what is needed to manage blood glucose levels in the long term.

I would suggest you do a testing regime which will allow you to find out what foods are causing the problem. Testing before you eat and after 2hours will tell you if your meal is tolerated if the increase is no more than 2-3mmol/l and you would want to be aiming at no more than 8.5mmol/l 2 hours post meal.
I would suspect the 2 slices of toast may be the culprit. You do not mention what you had for your breakfast or dinner so those may also have some problem foods.
Remember it is carbohydrates your body has a problem coping with and many people find success with a low carb approach which would be less than 130g per day total carbs.

This link might help you find some ideas to help you get back on track. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
I do not think it is too soon for another HbA1C as it is an average of the previous 3 months and at least you would know where you are starting and how much work you need to do to get down to normal levels.
 
Welcome to the forum @Neet72 congratulations on your weight loss, but sorry to hear about the snags you have hit trying to transition out of your low calorie phase.

It sounds as though your diet was quite hard in you mentally, and didn’t allow you much enjoyment or flexibility.

Hopefully by comparing notes with others in the forum you can find a set of strategies and approaches that allow you to develop a hew way of eating (not a restrictive diet) that means you can enjoy your food, avoid binging and ‘falling off the wagon’, maintain a healthy weight, and keep your diabetes numbers in a happy place.

Many forum member have used the technique of ‘eating to their meter’ to try to find this. checking BG level before and 2hrs after eating, and moderating total carbohydrate intake (rather than calories or sugars) to aim for a rise of 2-3mmol/L or less.

Good fats and proteins can help you feel fuller for longer, and mre stable, less erratic blood glucose levels can reduce feelings of tiredness and hunger.

Keep going! And keep asking questions on the forum too 🙂
 
Thank you so much for your answers to me, i do not understand what my body is doing so confused by it lol

Someone said to be 'maybe your pancreas is spluttering' working sometimes not others, said by a non diabetic ofc but who knows , that might be it.
Hormone changes take time and I think they caught my diabetes early, as my blood test came back as 58 (on first diagnosis) The reason why they checked for diabetes int he first place is because i had a tingly hand.
within the last 2 years Ive put my diabetes into remission, woke the diabetes up again this past month, also
over the last 2 years the hand tingles has spread from one hand sometimes, to both hands all the time, i cannot feel with my fingertips for about a year or more now, not a thing.
a few months ago the tops of my feet and the outside of both lower legs followed suit. I had my nerves tested and they found problems to 'revisit' in 6 months (just so happens 6 months is this month but no appointment yet) also a referral to a neurologist was made around 5 months ago, but no appointment yet.
I need to be careful how i stretch, get up, exercise, as my muscles cramp all the time. anywhere is the body, is this normal for diabetic people?

Sorry going on a typathon 🙂

Just wished to thank you or your replies, I will read the forum in depth for inspiration, information and other peoples experiences <3
 
Neet72 said:
Thank you so much for your answers to me, i do not understand what my body is doing so confused by it lol

Someone said to be 'maybe your pancreas is spluttering' working sometimes not others, said by a non diabetic ofc but who knows , that might be it.
Hormone changes take time and I think they caught my diabetes early, as my blood test came back as 58 (on first diagnosis) The reason why they checked for diabetes int he first place is because i had a tingly hand.
within the last 2 years Ive put my diabetes into remission, woke the diabetes up again this past month, also
over the last 2 years the hand tingles has spread from one hand sometimes, to both hands all the time, i cannot feel with my fingertips for about a year or more now, not a thing.
a few months ago the tops of my feet and the outside of both lower legs followed suit. I had my nerves tested and they found problems to 'revisit' in 6 months (just so happens 6 months is this month but no appointment yet) also a referral to a neurologist was made around 5 months ago, but no appointment yet.
I need to be careful how i stretch, get up, exercise, as my muscles cramp all the time. anywhere is the body, is this normal for diabetic people?

Sorry going on a typathon 🙂

Just wished to thank you or your replies, I will read the forum in depth for inspiration, information and other peoples experiences <3
Click to expand...
Hello.

you do not need to eat a calorie restricted diet to have low/normal numbers and manage without metformin.
For some people a low calorie diet can lead to loss of weight and improved numbers but as you said this is often unsustainable and people can not keep on living in a way that makes them feel sad and hard done by. Food is a massive part of someone's identity and culture and their memories and psychology and that is not a bad thing.

Carbohydrates are what cause higher blood sugars because of the way your body responds to them.
You can have a way of eating that allows you to eat without worrying and have stable numbers without losing weight.
This is what I did.
I changed the ingredients I used and kept on eating the food I enjoyed just made with ingredients that did not introduce carbs into my food intake.
You can have bread made with ingredients so it has fewer than 1 g of carb per slice instead of 28g - 2 slices of standard bread would be more carbs than I eat in total in three days!

I know it seems straightforward to just cut calories and lose weight and then feel that it will fix the diabetes but the weight gain happened in the first place often because of our body's response to carbs and once it is lost by severe restriction then you can end up on a yo-yo dieting situation which just makes us unhappy and also plays havoc with the body's endocrine system and it can work for some people but I know it never would for me.

The great news is that once you get the hang of the alternative ingredients you can relax around food and your body should readjust and then you can carry on long term with a way of eating that fits with who you are and how you enjoy your life and as your body resets you will lose weight very gently (I think I have lost probably half a stone or so over three years) if you need to - the same way you gained it in the first place - without noticing it and then it is a permanent situation not one that is precariously arrived at by depriving yourself.

I have also found that by eating this way my overall health and energy and well being has improved. I have started exercising - not to lose weight but because my improved general zest for life meant I started wanting to be more active for the sheer fun of it.

So there is a way out of this for you and a positive outlook and you can turn this around in a way that adds joy to your life instead of yet another endurance test.
 
NotWorriedAtAll said:
Hello.

you do not need to eat a calorie restricted diet to have low/normal numbers and manage without metformin.
For some people a low calorie diet can lead to loss of weight and improved numbers but as you said this is often unsustainable and people can not keep on living in a way that makes them feel sad and hard done by. Food is a massive part of someone's identity and culture and their memories and psychology and that is not a bad thing.

Carbohydrates are what cause higher blood sugars because of the way your body responds to them.
You can have a way of eating that allows you to eat without worrying and have stable numbers without losing weight.
This is what I did.
I changed the ingredients I used and kept on eating the food I enjoyed just made with ingredients that did not introduce carbs into my food intake.
You can have bread made with ingredients so it has fewer than 1 g of carb per slice instead of 28g - 2 slices of standard bread would be more carbs than I eat in total in three days!

I know it seems straightforward to just cut calories and lose weight and then feel that it will fix the diabetes but the weight gain happened in the first place often because of our body's response to carbs and once it is lost by severe restriction then you can end up on a yo-yo dieting situation which just makes us unhappy and also plays havoc with the body's endocrine system and it can work for some people but I know it never would for me.

The great news is that once you get the hang of the alternative ingredients you can relax around food and your body should readjust and then you can carry on long term with a way of eating that fits with who you are and how you enjoy your life and as your body resets you will lose weight very gently (I think I have lost probably half a stone or so over three years) if you need to - the same way you gained it in the first place - without noticing it and then it is a permanent situation not one that is precariously arrived at by depriving yourself.

I have also found that by eating this way my overall health and energy and well being has improved. I have started exercising - not to lose weight but because my improved general zest for life meant I started wanting to be more active for the sheer fun of it.

So there is a way out of this for you and a positive outlook and you can turn this around in a way that adds joy to your life instead of yet another endurance test.
Click to expand...
This is great advise!
 
NotWorriedAtAll said:
Hello.

you do not need to eat a calorie restricted diet to have low/normal numbers and manage without metformin.
For some people a low calorie diet can lead to loss of weight and improved numbers but as you said this is often unsustainable and people can not keep on living in a way that makes them feel sad and hard done by. Food is a massive part of someone's identity and culture and their memories and psychology and that is not a bad thing.

Carbohydrates are what cause higher blood sugars because of the way your body responds to them.
You can have a way of eating that allows you to eat without worrying and have stable numbers without losing weight.
This is what I did.
I changed the ingredients I used and kept on eating the food I enjoyed just made with ingredients that did not introduce carbs into my food intake.
You can have bread made with ingredients so it has fewer than 1 g of carb per slice instead of 28g - 2 slices of standard bread would be more carbs than I eat in total in three days!

I know it seems straightforward to just cut calories and lose weight and then feel that it will fix the diabetes but the weight gain happened in the first place often because of our body's response to carbs and once it is lost by severe restriction then you can end up on a yo-yo dieting situation which just makes us unhappy and also plays havoc with the body's endocrine system and it can work for some people but I know it never would for me.

The great news is that once you get the hang of the alternative ingredients you can relax around food and your body should readjust and then you can carry on long term with a way of eating that fits with who you are and how you enjoy your life and as your body resets you will lose weight very gently (I think I have lost probably half a stone or so over three years) if you need to - the same way you gained it in the first place - without noticing it and then it is a permanent situation not one that is precariously arrived at by depriving yourself.

I have also found that by eating this way my overall health and energy and well being has improved. I have started exercising - not to lose weight but because my improved general zest for life meant I started wanting to be more active for the sheer fun of it.

So there is a way out of this for you and a positive outlook and you can turn this around in a way that adds joy to your life instead of yet another endurance test.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much!
 
Although you are lighter, you don't seem to have sorted out what you can and can't eat.
A type two diabetic, if ordinary and with nothing else going on, can usually find a level of carbs which will allow them to eat good tasty meals, see normal blood glucose levels afterwards and not put on weight or have rapid rises and falls in blood glucose.
I eat twice a day, early and late. Up to 10 gm of carbs in the morning and then maybe 30 in the evening if I have a dessert.
Bread or anything with grain don't feature in my menu, as they are too high carb. I avoid anything with over 10 percent carbs so I can have meat, fish and seafood, eggs and cheese and not put on weight. I have salad or stir fry in the mornings or if I have some left over cooked mashed swede I make a version of bubble and squeak either with veges or cheese. I have curries with cauliflower instead of rice.
As time passes my waist is shrinking, eating low fat and high carb I was almost spherical when diagnosed.
I can happily go 12 hours between meals as my glucose levels stay stable all day.
 
Can someone help me out here. All the time I see numbers for HbA1c which se em to be on or related to a different table that my surgery uses, therefore I cannot relate to the numbers expressed on heref. I looked the site is tgere a comparison table?
 
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