Fasting BG a little high

[rusalka]

I've been monitoring for a few weeks now since being Dx as Pre-D/beginning stage D. The first week was before starting on 1 Metformin 500, the last 2 wks or with Met. Here's what I've observed.

My after meals reading have gone down a little, averaging 123. Before Met I had a couple of spikes of 150 and 170 after meals.

But what concerns me is that my fasting and before meals readings have actually come up. Before Met, they were in the upper 90's, sometimes even in upper 80's, now it's rare for me to get a reading under 100, and I get as high as 115 fasting.

I know these are not terrible #'s, but I'm still trying to understand all this and I do understand how my BG gets affected by food and exercise, but I don't understand how to lower the fasting BG, after not eating for at least 10 hrs.

I have other symptoms going in the mornings: increased pulse, slightly elevated BP and often headaches. I attribute most of them to menopause. Could morning BG also be affected by menopause?

Would eating differently/less the night before affect morning BG? Could Meformin be causing increased morning BG? Should I just not worry about it since the #'s are not that bad?

Thanks so much!

[jwags]

My doctor told me that what you ate for dinner is totally metabolised by the am. Your higher morning numbers are probably caused by dawn phenomenom. In the middle of the night your body produces hormones that signal your liver to produce glucose. Some diabetics spike a lot higher than you. I typically range in the 120-130 range. I try to eat a high fat snack close to bed time.

[jo123]

My doctor told me that what you ate for dinner is totally metabolised by the am. Your higher morning numbers are probably caused by dawn phenomenom. In the middle of the night your body produces hormones that signal your liver to produce glucose. Some diabetics spike a lot higher than you. I typically range in the 120-130 range. I try to eat a high fat snack close to bed time.

Your doctor is wrong with regard to me and metabolizing what you ate for dinner. I have real problems eating enough to maintain my weight 9stone 5lbs - 5'8", without raising my BG's, I am low carbing, but even with the low carb if I eat too big an evening meal, even just eating meat and veg with nuts for desert then my fasting BG's go up to around 5.8. If I eat a smaller dinner it gives me a normal fasting BG of around 4.7 but then I lose weight. I am finishing my dinner around 8pm so not especially late.

[kmac]

My early morning BGs were much higher than yours. I can see why you want to get a handle on a trend if you notice one though.

It has been suggested to me and others by some very wise people on this forum that I talk to my doctor avout taking one of my met pills at bedtime to try to lower morning BG readings. I tried it with my doctor's ok and it works for me. Try asking your doctor about that.

I also tried different types of snacks (carb, protein, fat) at different times and not eating at all after various evening times. That didn't seem to affect my morning BG but it might help you. Everyone is different.

Kathi

[Shannonsnail]

I tried to take Met at night before bed for this same reason and had horrible cramps when I awoke in the AM. I hope it works out better for you!!

[genie86333]

Perhaps a small snack before bed with the Met will keep the cramps away.

[Larry H.]

This is only one persons opinion. When my doctor brought to my attention the fact that I had a 128 on my Fasting Glucose test done though the local hospital, his opinion was that either I was or currently would be Type II. He was quick to suggest that I go on medications..
Having no insurance and already purchasing 6 daily pills, I opted to try Diet and Exercise as the first approach for me. I am always leery of the knee jerk take a pill approach for every aliment. And as you have discovered many find the side effects quite unpleasant. Others find almost none, so it may be a tolerance thing for some.
Back to my tale.. I went on a low carb diet and lost 35 pounds, I began walking daily about a half hour, sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less. Over a two year period I have seen my morning numbers fall to near 90 many days and under 100 often. At first I had up and down numbers and still do, but much more likely to be lower for me than higher now.
The American Diabetes site mentions that people that use the diet and exercise method have 2/3 better results than those that go on medications. That sounded good too me.. I think one reason may be the effect which I see all around me here, people take a pill and think they can do exactly as they did before. They stay heavy, the don't exercise and if I happen to be around when cake of other regular sweets are around they are always eating them.. that plan does not seem to work.
Hopefully you have a warning sign and can now thwart the problem and keep it at bay, which is the best thing that can happen.

[rusalka]

Thanks for all your replies!

As I mentioned I seem to have handle on controlling my BG with food and exercise. I've been watching my carbs for many years. As a matter of fact, when I was first dx with Pre-D, I was at a good weight for me, very active and both my dr. and I didn't think at that time that I needed any meds.

At this time, I've let about 15 lbs. creep on, I have high LDL cholesterol, borderline high blood pressure in addition to pre-D. That's why I didn't fight the dr. about metformin. I find that watching what I eat and exercising doesn't lower my fasting BG. But like I said, it could have something to do with menopause.

Thanks again!

[EeyoreButterfly]

Totally OT, but do you read Melanie Rawn?

[GayleM]

You've gotten some other good responses, so I'll just add what worked for me to get my morning #'s down in the 90's.

I have a snack of 10 carbs before going to bed - Dannon's Lite and Fit Diabetic & Carb friendly vanilla yogurt with a heaping tablespoon of chopped almonds and flaxseed meal.

I also do 10 minutes of vigorous biking on a recumbent bicycle (16MPH) in addition to the workouts earlier in the day.

Sure works for me! But, YMMV.

I am well past menopause now, but still have those **** flashes, so I don't know if that impacts it, but I kind of doubt it.

Take care!