Safe level for bed

[Free04]

Hey guys, I am new to this board. Recently dx with type 2. I am now taking avandemet and reduced by carb intake to about 200 per day. My question and concern is, What is a safe BG reading before I go to bed?

[adiantum]

Welcome . This is a very supportive community as you will soon find . My evening av is 4mmol/L or 72 & Ive not had any problem with that . How low do you mostly go?
I cant see you getting that low with being on meds & consuming such a high rate of carbs.
We all take a different approach but most eat by the meter.
Test 2hrs after first bite soon tells you what foods to avoid

[Free04]

Welcome . This is a very supportive community as you will soon find . My evening av is 4mmol/L or 72 & Ive not had any problem with that . How low do you mostly go?
I cant see you getting that low with being on meds & consuming such a high rate of carbs.
We all take a different approach but most eat by the meter.
Test 2hrs after first bite soon tells you what foods to avoid

72 at bed time? wow.....the lowest I have been since on meds was 69 and that was during the day. The lowest fasting (upon waking) was 84. I am usually around 129 when going to bed. For some odd reason I don't feel comfortable at 129 for fear of dropping during the night. Remember I am new at this and have many questions.

[adiantum]

Running high soon after dx is quite common & I remember feeling shaky when I'd get down to 70 but this has improved since my diet improved.129 is quite high & you must be feeling very tired with it.
Ask as many questions as you like. It's the only way we learn.
Are you sure your type2? You seem quite young by your avatar. Have you lost a lot of weight recently?

[Free04]

I guess if you call 51 quite young then I am. I was diagnosed Mid September of this year. Since diagnoses I have dropped about 15 pounds.(Feels good) When I get in the 80's I don't feel well. Doc says I am type 2, why do you ask that?

[jillybean]

Unfortunately, age isn't really a factor. I was diagnosed with type 2 at age 25.

Why do you fear going low overnight if you're going to bed with a high reading (129)? I think you're safe from hypos unless you wake up with one. What is your usual reading upon waking in the morning?

[Tribbles]

Those drugs (Avandia and Metformin) don't cause hypoglycemia so it doesn't matter how low your level is when you go to bed. That's one less thing you have to worry about. :)

[foxl]

Those drugs (Avandia and Metformin) don't cause hypoglycemia so it doesn't matter how low your level is when you go to bed. That's one less thing you have to worry about. :)

Yah, my thought, exactly.

DO you go low, ever?

[Free04]

I usually wake up between 100-110. On 1 occasion last week I woke at 84.

HI Jilly...this is all new to me I don't understand what the med actually does yet. When I woke at 84 I was at 115 at bed time. Just assuming if I went to bed at 100 I would go hypo.
My case is just not understanding not necessarily fear.

[fgummett]

Most -- if not all -- diabetes medications do carry a warning about Hypoglycemia as a side-effect... although clearly the risk is greater in some than in others. I agree from my reading that these two carry a low risk of hypo.

You may be unaware that the body maintains a ready supply of Glucose (stored as Glycogen) in the Liver and muscles. If the BG falls too low, the Liver releases Glucose into the blood. So the BG is not just about what we ate last.

Knowledge is power!

[Free04]

Most -- if not all -- diabetes medications do carry a warning about Hypoglycemia as a side-effect... although clearly the risk is greater in some than in others. I agree from my reading that these two carry a low risk of hypo.

You may be unaware that the body maintains a ready supply of Glucose (stored as Glycogen) in the Liver and muscles. If the BG falls too low, the Liver releases Glucose into the blood. So the BG is not just about what we ate last.

Knowledge is power!

This is interesting information that I am looking for. So taking avandemet there is low risk of hypo and if I was to go low during sleep my body will naturally bring me back up. Is this thinking correct?

[ShottleBop]

You're feeling low in the 80s only because your body is used to a much higher level. That feeling should go away as you get your BGs under control; mid-80s is where non-diabetic bodies like to spend their time.

If you haven't picked up a copy of Gretchen Becker's book, The First Year: Diabetes Type 2, consider doing so. It's an excellent resource. Check out the website "Blood Sugar 101," too.

[fgummett]

...if I was to go low during sleep my body will naturally bring me back up. Is this thinking correct?Yes, that's may be common behaviour in Type 2 D (an hypo with Type 1 D and insulin may need to be addressed more urgently)... except that with D, the body tends to overdo even this and we often wake up with an higher BG than at bedtime. For some/many the Liver also releases some Glucose around our waking time -- Dawn Phenomenon -- possibly this is an adaptation to prepare us to either hunt down some breakfast or to run away from being someone else's breakfast :D but either way it can be a constant frustration to many of us with D.

I've read various amounts for this stored Glucose -- possibly around 2,000 calories worth -- but it also seems it can be increased by carb-loading in athletic training. Suffice to say that so long as you have not starved yourself for several days (or had too many hypos) you will have a ready supply of Glucose on board. Even if you eat no carbohydrates the body can still replenish this supply by a process called Gluconeogenesis which acts on Amino Acids (Protein building blocks) to convert them to Glucose.

[Free04]

You're feeling low in the 80s only because your body is used to a much higher level. That feeling should go away as you get your BGs under control; mid-80s is where non-diabetic bodies like to spend their time.


This is exactly what my Doc told me. Thanks!:)

[Free04]

Yes, that's may be common behaviour in Type 2 D (an hypo with Type 1 D and insulin may need to be addressed more urgently)... except that with D, the body tends to overdo even this and we often wake up with an higher BG than at bedtime. For some/many the Liver also releases some Glucose around our waking time -- Dawn Phenomenon -- possibly this is an adaptation to prepare us to either hunt down some breakfast or to run away from being someone else's breakfast :D but either way it can be a constant frustration to many of us with D.

I've read various amounts for this stored Glucose -- possibly around 2,000 calories worth -- but it also seems it can be increased by carb-loading in athletic training. Suffice to say that so long as you have not starved yourself for several days (or had too many hypos) you will have a ready supply of Glucose on board. Even if you eat no carbohydrates the body can still replenish this supply by a process called Gluconeogenesis which acts on Amino Acids (Protein building blocks) to convert them to Glucose.

Awesome info..thanks, now maybe I can go to sleep tonight.:D

[jer.lawrence]

How were your numbers when you were diagnosed? The 79-129 range that I've seen from your posts so far are awesome numbers.

Also, I don't think that 129 is too high, and I can't imagine that number causing you to feel more tired. That's still within semi-normal range as long as it comes down and doesn't keep going up.

[Free04]

How were your numbers when you were diagnosed? The 79-129 range that I've seen from your posts so far are awesome numbers.

Also, I don't think that 129 is too high, and I can't imagine that number causing you to feel more tired. That's still within semi-normal range as long as it comes down and doesn't keep going up.

My number at dx were in the high 200's. I don't feel tired at 129. I don't start feeling a little crummy till I get below 100. The it's on. Doc says my body isn't used to those lows and will take a while to adjust. I was just concerned about going hypo during sleep.