[jillybean]

My highest reading every day are first thing in the morning. This is consistently higher than my readings 1 hour and 2 hours after meals. They're not scary high or even unhealthy high--for example, this morning was 130, but I'm sure I won't get that high the rest of the day. It's just annoying and frustrating.

I've started making sure I have a snack in the evening before I go to bed, and it seems my morning reading is better when I have carbs with that snack instead of just protein, which seems weird.

I take 1000mg Metformin (2-500mg pills) with dinner. My doc just recently increased my dinner Met to this level (was 500mg previously) to combat my morning highs.

Do you think splitting my dinner Met to 500mg with dinner and then 500mg later with my snack would work better? Janumet in the morning (500mg Met) is enough for me during the day.

I know I should ask my doctor...just didn't know if anyone here had done anything similar

[davef]

Jill,

I had similar problems, one thing that worked for me **please check with you Doctor before trying** was that instead of taking my evening metformin with dinner, I delay and take it just before going to bed. I did check this with my own doctor first and my reasoning is that I'm taking the same daily dose just varying the time of my last tablet of the day, he said to try it, I did and it helps about 95% of the time.

Perhaps as you are taking 1000mg (2 tablets) you could take one with your dinner and one before bed (remember to eat something before taking bedtime one).

As I say, this worked for me but do check with doctor if you want to try it.

[Ronman]

I wish I could wake up to a 130 reading! I typically go to bed with a reading of 110-120 and wake up with a 250. I have been on Metformin (nasty side effects) and Actos (made my readings even higher). For the past several days, I just quit taking all of my diabetes medication including my glimepiride, just to see what would happen to my readings. Surprisingly (or not) my readings are just about the same on the medication as off. If anything, they are a bit lower. I have contacted my doctor and have an appointment tomorrw. I suspect I am going on insulin.

[jillybean]

I've been VERY fortunate to not have bad side effects from the Metformin. I was started at a low dose, though, of 500mg 2x daily and am now up to 1500mg daily, so maybe easing my way into it has helped.

[art]

for a "dawner" 130 isn't high at all.
If it bothers you that much ask your doc for a vial of insulin and take a shot to bring the BS down.
But, frankly I run about 130 in the morning too and my A1C is usually around 6.0.

Art

[BrianSCohen]

Oh NO! The dreaded Dawn Phenomenon (DP). My own arch nemesis. Does it matter? Who knows? My own efforts at controlling my DP have met with limited success.

My situation is very much like yours. Over the last year, my 3 month average morning level has drifted between a low of 102 and high of 124. The lows occurred in the months following my stopping my Niaspan. Lately, my average is about 115 mg/dl. My pre and postprandials are however tightly controlled, with my preprandial averaging 90-100 and my post 90-105. My average postprandial increase is between 0-10 mg/dl. Yes that is right, I have virtually no postprandial rise (I eat very low carb).

I have tried a range of things. I woke up at night thinking maybe I drop low and am overreacting, but no, that is not the case. Eating protein at night does have some limited moderating effect. Drinking a couple glasses of red wine before bed does help, it keeps my liver busy processing the alcholol. That can be hard to keep up tho. I tried the metformin a couple of times, taking it in the evening, but it had no effect.

What I have noticed is that my blood sugar seems to elevate upon waking and continue rising. My strategy is to get out of bed when my eyes open, and immediately go about my business. One of my first items of business is to prepare a protein shake with my morning pills, which once taken seems to stop the elevating blood sugar.

Right now, I have just decided to keep an eye on it. My HbA1c is 6.2%, not too far from yours. A level of 130 mg/dl in the morning is by no means dangerous, particularly if it comes down to a normal fasting level quickly. Just keep an eye on it. A rising morning fasting level is a primary indicator of control being lost. If my levels are too high in the morning I generally see worse control during the day.

[Petruchio]

Check with your Dr. Metformin 500mg is available in an ER (Extended Release) The slower release might help carry it through the night.

[fgummett]

Some folks swear by a glass of wine... might be worth a try

[Ronman]

I have tried cheese, meat, wine, you name it. All to no avail.

[EllieK]

[quote=with my preprandial averaging 90-100 and my post 90-105. My average postprandial increase is between 0-10 mg/dl. Yes that is right, I have virtually no postprandial rise (I eat very low carb).[/QUOTE]

How low carb is low??? I would love to see numbers like that.
Most days I manage less than 10g carb for breakfast and about 15 for lunch and dinner. Any snacks are usually less than 5g. ( of course there are those days.....but I try to keep that to less than 2 meals a week of 20 to 30 carbs)
Do you watch calories or fats as well?

I have tried a multitude of variations to try and help the Dawn effect. Most will work for about a week then will quick working. I'm thinking I way try a rotating method, 1/2 week each one and see what happens.

SO OBVIOUS QUESTION - HOW DO YOU GUYS PUT QUOTES IN THOSE COOL BOXES????? i JUST DON'T SEEM TO BE GETTING THIS RIGHT - AAARRRGGGHHH.
Sad thing is - I work on computers all day.

[jillybean]

Originally Posted by EllieK

SO OBVIOUS QUESTION - HOW DO YOU GUYS PUT QUOTES IN THOSE COOL BOXES????? i JUST DON'T SEEM TO BE GETTING THIS RIGHT - AAARRRGGGHHH.
Sad thing is - I work on computers all day.

hehe, just click on the "quote" button on the bottom right corner of the post you want to quote. If you want to use multipl quotes from mulitpl eposters, click on the "multi quote" buttons for all the ones you want quote, then hit either "quote" or "new reply" to post your message with all the quotes.

[BrianSCohen]

Originally Posted by EllieK

How low carb is low??? I would love to see numbers like that.
Most days I manage less than 10g carb for breakfast and about 15 for lunch and dinner. Any snacks are usually less than 5g. ( of course there are those days.....but I try to keep that to less than 2 meals a week of 20 to 30 carbs)
Do you watch calories or fats as well?

Ellie,

I get about 50-100 g/day of carbs. In the morning I have about 40-50g carbs from oatmeal for second breakfast. All my other 4-5 meals are about 10 g of carbs, mostly what I term residual carbs from eggs or ketchup or dressings. After exercise I also will eat 40-60 g of carbs for recovery. I am generally always in ketosis. I don't limit calories or fat. I generally try to get at least 3000 calories a day, sometimes higher. I try to consume at least half my calories from fats. I avoid all trans fat, hydrogenated and interesterified fats. I fear no saturated fat. I try to get at least 200 g/day of protein and use no carb protein shakes as a supplement.

From your carb counts you are doing great. Has it helped your blood sugar levels?

[EllieK]

Originally Posted by jillybean

.

jillybean,
Thanks for the help - could have sworn that's what I did the first 3 times, but 4th times a charm, or 5th...or 10th.

[xMenace]

Originally Posted by art

for a "dawner" 130 isn't high at all.
If it bothers you that much ask your doc for a vial of insulin and take a shot to bring the BS down.
But, frankly I run about 130 in the morning too and my A1C is usually around 6.0.

Art

Some here take evening NPH shots at night for this purpose. You have to be careful about bottoming out in the night. A little rapid at breakfast may help some, but my DP kicks in around 5am.

Late night protein or alcohol are worth a try. They do work for some. I'm not one of them.

[jillybean]

Originally Posted by xMenace

Late night protein or alcohol are worth a try. They do work for some. I'm not one of them.

I don't drink at all, and I'm not about to start as a possible assist for the diabetes--seems a bit counterproductive But I have been trying protein snacks at night, and it's not helping. C'est la vie....if I can keep my numbers around or below 130 first thing in the morning (I get up at 5am), then I know I'm better off than many others and should just be thankful