Diabetics Progress Reports

[Jewelthief]

Originally Posted by Linda1960

I have a really strange question..................does anyone out there know why a blood sugar reading would be high in the morning?!?!?!?

I noticed that my blood sugars are pretty stable throughout the day, before and after meals, etc....., usually in the 90's, but some mornings I will wake up with a reading of 92, 88, 96, etc., and other mornings it will be 114, or 133? I am totally confused. I did have a very late-night snack the other night, and when I woke up and tested 8 hours later, it was in the 130's. Could the late-night snack be the culprit, even though I slept for 8 hours before testing?

I'm totally confused...............any help would be greatly appreciated.

That's not a strange question at all! I think a lot of us have experienced higher morning readings at one time or another, and I sometimes struggle with it myself. It's frustrating wondering what in the world??? and not knowing for sure...

Here is a good site with a name & explanation that may help you (dawn phenomenon), and if you'll read through this thread you'll find others talking about having the same problem with possible solutions or suggestions.

http://www.healthcentral.com/diabete...8/taming-dawn/

Karyn

[Jewelthief]

Originally Posted by pescacat

Hi,
I was wondering if the folks on here could help me with ideas/suggestions-I know no one is a doctor and these are just ideas but I welcome comments.
I've been having wild swings in my blood sugar-really low (below 40) and had to eat carbs to bring it back up. My typical situation is l**** this morning-I woke up with a blood sugar near 300 this morning but by noon it was low (near 40) and had to eat carbs to get it back above 70. Trying to stay on induction has been a daily failure and source of stress and unhappiness. My blood sugar always rises alot overnight and I don't get sugars in the 90's like other folks have reported on here when I stay on strict induction. I have to take insulin -both short and long acting (R and NPH) and I have very high insulin resistance with a long delay in my body's response to the insulin I do take (my peak for "fast acting R insulin" is 4 hours when it should be 30 mins) so it's a constant juggling act to not take too much when I wake up being so high in the morning and then preventing a blood sugar low/crash by lunch. Any ideas/suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
-Laura

Hi, Laura

As I read your post, I also wondered if your meter could be at fault... How old is it, are your testing strips fresh, what about the battery?

Have you got two meters so you could test one against the other? (I know testing from one finger to the next can yield different results so I wouldn't expect two meters, even the same brand, to give the same reading but even readings within a few points of one another should tell you if the readings are good or skewed.)

One day I was getting a reading wildly off from what I expected, and it turned out to be my batteries. I put in a new pair and suddenly my numbers were looking a lot more like I expected.

Have you changed meds? Increased or decreased something you've been eating/taking, etc. that might account for such a wide range of numbers?

Are you FEELING these highs and lows? I mean, if my sugars were as high as 300 or as low as 40, I think I'd be reeling, I'd be so sick... What are you experiencing when this happens, and have you spoken to your doctor about this?

If this is unusual for you, it might be worth a mention to him/her to see if there's something they might consider that hasn't occurred to you yet...

Good luck and let us know how you're doing.

Karyn

[Linda1960]

I want to thank all of you for the great info you submitted. I have really been pulling my hair out trying to understand what my body is doing.

I had tested my bs last week, and the one day it literally was at 80 first thing in the morning, and stayed pretty stable in the 90's throughout the day (before and after dinner, after working out, etc.....). The VERY NEXT MORNING, it was 133! Go figure!!!!!! Talk about confusion!

It's good to know that I'm not the only one experiencing this strange phenomenon. I was so afraid of what it might be this morning, (because due to unforseen circumstances, I had a very late dinner at approx. 10 pm last night, and had to be up at 4:15 this morning for work), that I skipped checking it! I didn't even WANT to know! So I just avoided it altogether; (I know I shouldn't do that, but I was so frustrated, and it would have ruined my day completely if it came up high again this morning). Okay, so now that I confessed, I feel better! I can only imagine what it would have come up as this morning........... Guess I'll never know, so I'll just pretend it was 90.....

[mermaid]

Pescacat, I think it might be your meter too. If it's anything made by Abbott labs throw it out. I think Karyn covered it all. A blood sugar of 40 probably would have laid you out, like not even able to stand up or take a blood sugar reading, so if you were functioning well at that time, it's really suspicious for a false reading.

Diana, I missed your post where you asked about the water fast for diabetics. Probably some diabetics can do it, but I know I can't because if I go more than a few hours without protein during the day, I start feeling really foggy. It happened to me yesterday when I did not eat lunch until 3pm. I felt drugged. BS was 104, so it was some other reason I was feeling out of it. After eating some tuna salad, I perked right back up in about 20 minutes. But that's just me. If you want to try it, just pay attention and stop if you feel too bad. Really, I think K/E or Kimkins bootcamp is effective and challenging enough. I have not had any crashes on Kimkins as long as I eat 3-4 times a day, and have at least 20 grams protein each time (Lost 4 pounds in 4 days too!!).

For people with the high morning blood sugars, do go back on this page and read about the dawn phenomenon and gluconeogenesis, plus the links provided by other people. It's really important to understand it and not beat yourself up over it. You can change it over time, but not overnight. I do believe that diabetics should not eat after 6-7 pm if you are having problems with high morning blood sugars.

[pescacat]

Hi,
Thanks Karyn and Lorena. I have 2 meters -one is an accu-check and the other is a one touch- and the batteries and supplies are fine. They read within a few points of each other when I double check using both of them. When I have these wild swings/bounces I feel horrible for a long time-and I definitely feel shaky, nauseated, sweaty/hotflash and bad when I am in the 30-40 range. I've had readings that low since I was diagnosed 9 yrs ago-and it always scares me terribly when that happens. Sometimes it takes a long time and lots of carbs to get it to rise which is also scary. Sometimes it then bounces really high-and this can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. This unpredictability is one of the more frustrating parts of dealing with my body and how it is effected by diabetes.
I appreciate the ideas and suggestions. I was on induction but have fallen off due to the lows. TOM just left and it always messes with my sugars-just before it comes my readings go sky high even with strict low carb adherance and then somewhere within the first day or two I plummet to an unexpected low-I'm sure it has to do with hormone changes and such. Anyway, that rollercoaster ride each month is no fun and right now I'm still fishtailing/swerving all over the blood sugar chart trying to get stable again.
I can wake up high OR as someone else mentioned, wake up with an ok reading (like 109) and then my sugar will shoot up 50-90 points within an hour or two before my insulin kicks in and then I stay high because I don't have enough insulin to counteract the new higher blood sugar. My doctor here is at a loss about what to do with me since I can't take actos (and don't want to since the big warning came out the other day), I can't take glucophage and I'm allergic to all artificial sweeteners. I just use diet, exercise and insulin to try to manage my sugars. I'm very frustrated at the moment and feeling down because I can't even stay on induction one day without brekaing it due to having lows.
--Laura

[mermaid]

Oh Laura, I feel for you so much!! I've heard about "brittle" diabetics who have radical and unpredictable blood sugars, and I think it would be terrifying. Losing weight would probably have a positive effect, but that's what you're trying to do, and the blood sugar lows are interfering. Ack.

The only things I can think of are these:
You have other allergies/sensitivities that may be messing with you.
Other hormones need to be balanced.

If I were in your shoes, I would be scouring the internet for information on what other brittle diabetics are doing that might be successful.

Hopefully, someone on this thread will have some better ideas. I'm sorry it wasn't a meter problem--was really hoping.

[LBishop]

Hi all, I have a question. My dh has never been diagnosed with hypoglycemia, but he has classic symptoms, shaky, irritable, have to RIGHT now, sort of feeling when he hasn't eaten in a couple of hours. However about 3 months ago, I convinced him to go low carb with me after my doctor recommended it to me. He has not had a "low" since and is completely sold on low carb. He's lost 30 pounds, but doesn't need to lose anymore. (6'0", 184 or so, medium build) What we need to do now is maintain his weight by adding in some foods that will help do that without causing him to start having the low spells again. I hope someone can give me some direction. One other thing, he drives a truck (long haul) so he's on the road all the time, can't cook, but when he's home I make a lot of stuff to send with him in his fridge. Hope someone can help. thanks, Leisa

[shespeaks]

Hello all! I finally de-lurked today to post in another thread so I thought I would join you all in more than just spirit.

I'm an Atkid from way back, dropping from a size 18-20 to a 4-6 in 2004. I was able to stick to my guns for about a year and a half before becoming sick with something my fleet of doctors could never diagnose. For about six months all I could keep down was mashed potatoes and Sunkist orange soda.

I'm sure you can imagine what happened next.

So fast forward 18 months to April/May of this year and I'm back up around a size 16, figuring I have my whole life to take that off, especially since my husband and I are starting fertility treatments and I don't need to be doing anything drastic right now. But lo and behold, what should my pre-flight checklist contain but a fasting blood glucose test? No problem, right?

273

Oh for Pete's sake.

My GP told me to cut the carbs and thank the gods, I already knew how to do that! Two weeks later my FBG was down to 160, though my A1c came back at 10.8.

I'm still solidly on the wagon, and except for my morning numbers (stupid dawn phenomenon) I'm doing well. No meds, and by lunchtime I'm usually around 110, and in the 90s by dinner. I love Atkins!

Anyway, that's my story, and I've been glad to read yours lately as well. As soon as I heard the news I started reading here again, and have been following your stories for support through the initial shock and depression - you've already meant more to me than you know. So thank you for being here, and I look forward to getting to know you!
Juliet

[Jewelthief]

Hi, Juliet, welcome!

Mashed potatoes and Sunkist, huh? Sounds yummy. I miss mashed potatoes occasionally and will still treat myself to a bite if as friend is having them...

Yikes on that a1c! Did you freak out? My doctor did an a1c on me initially to diagnose me and mine was 7.8, which she said was not good. I hover around 4.5 nowadays so she's much more pleased! I don't do straight Atkins but I do eat pretty low carb, trying to stay around the 20-25 mark.

Keep it up, sounds like you're doing what you need to to pull yourself back in line... It's not "fun" but it definitely works, and personally I find that I can eat so many foods people deny themselves to eat "healthy" so I don't truly feel deprived. If I crave something I shouldn't eat, I'll try to fill the hole with something on-plan, and if I simply can't get it out of my mind, I'll have 1 or 1 bite, depending on what it is (usually a biscuit, why is that?! ).

Anyway, glad you dropped in. We post infrequently here in this thread but generally encourage and applaud one another's efforts. I think I learned more about getting my blood sugars on target from these people than from everywhere else I read stuff.

Karyn

[Jewelthief]

Hi, y'all... I have a question I'd like your thoughts on.

I know it runs the gamut what foods each of us can tolerate in what quantities, like some of us do better on low, low carbs while others seem to function well on as high as 60 carbs a day (or more?).

I am puzzled by something that has happened to me a few times in the last year. I occasionally have a biscuit--typical white flour, shortening, etc. biscuit "like mom used to make"--and I occasionally have say, a cupcake--typical cake-mix type cupcake with a frosting. (Very rarely, okay? )

What I notice is that seemingly the cupcake does not run my sugar as high at a 2-hr mark as the biscuit will. I can't find any information in my searches that would explain it. Does this make any sense to you, or is it just some anomaly that I experience and nobody else knows what I am talking about?

Thanks,
Karyn

[sherlynn9]

Just a guess, but it may be that you get a quicker spike with the cupcake and by the time the 2 hour mark arrives and you check, the bs is on it's way back down. I'm thinking way more sugar with the cupcake than the biscuit. Have you ever checked at other intervals (say 1/2 hour, 1 hour, 3 hours). Could also be that it is a slower but longer spike with the cupcake and at the 3 hour mark you could see the higher mark.

Sheryl

[Jewelthief]

Originally Posted by sherlynn9

Just a guess, but it may be that you get a quicker spike with the cupcake and by the time the 2 hour mark arrives and you check, the bs is on it's way back down. I'm thinking way more sugar with the cupcake than the biscuit. Have you ever checked at other intervals (say 1/2 hour, 1 hour, 3 hours). Could also be that it is a slower but longer spike with the cupcake and at the 3 hour mark you could see the higher mark.

Sheryl

Hmm, nope, I am a stickler for that 2-hr mark... I will have to remember to test at those intervals too and see how it differs because I hadn't thought about that.

Thanks, Sheryl. I figured since I couldn't find anything in searching the web, etc. that maybe it was just a fluke thing with me, thanks for not calling me crazy. (Psst, doesn't mean I'm not crazy, but thanks for not telling me you think I am! )

[sherlynn9]

I learned about testing foods at the various intervals from Dr. Bernstein's Diabetic Solution. He's a very lowcarb practicing Type 1. A search for his book will bring up his website which has some very informative information from his books. It was from him I learned that tomatoes are a no-no food for me and it was after I almost totally eliminated tomato-based meals from my eating that I finally saw my blood sugars start to go down and started losing a little weight. Still have a long way to go. That and learning that maltitol and most of the other sugar alcohols cause an unacceptable bs rise (good-by to Judy's SF candies).

Anyway there are foods that will quickly escalate your blood sugar and then it will start dropping, there are foods that have a slow rise affect. Always good to know what foods do to you at the various intervals. And, as always, those foods differ for everyone.

Sheryl

[Jewelthief]

Originally Posted by sherlynn9

I learned about testing foods at the various intervals from Dr. Bernstein's Diabetic Solution. He's a very lowcarb practicing Type 1. A search for his book will bring up his website which has some very informative information from his books. It was from him I learned that tomatoes are a no-no food for me and it was after I almost totally eliminated tomato-based meals from my eating that I finally saw my blood sugars start to go down and started losing a little weight. Still have a long way to go. That and learning that maltitol and most of the other sugar alcohols cause an unacceptable bs rise (good-by to Judy's SF candies).

Anyway there are foods that will quickly escalate your blood sugar and then it will start dropping, there are foods that have a slow rise affect. Always good to know what foods do to you at the various intervals. And, as always, those foods differ for everyone.

Sheryl

I test more often than my doc thinks I should (started out 4 times a day then she said I could do it once daily & stagger the times/meals I check) but I try not to obsess (her words) about it. I always test more on higher carb days or when I've had something new that I don't know will affect me negatively or not.

What I haven't done is extend the "extra" testing to different intervals than the 2-hr mark.

I have read the information at Dr. Bernstein's site; I need to hunt down a copy his book and read it all! Tomatoes were my downfall originally too, I them and could eat them at every meal (and in summertime I did!). AND haven't we always heard how good & low fat they are for us? But, not so good for diabetics, no.

I still buy tomatoes but I only have 1 a day of the Campari-sized ones when I buy them... We weighed the biggest tomatoes in the package and all came in at about .6 ounces or less (.8 carb count by my food program) so I indulge and get a pack about every other week or so.

Oh, and Sheryl, if you miss those candies, you could try this fudge at Netrition. Carb Counters Ready-to-Eat Fudge

I broke down and bought some of the chocolate, but several people have tried the others too and thought they were good. I think the mint chocolate was least favorite of the bunch.

Read my review on the site if it's something you think you'd like... It isn't like our traditional, sugar-filled treats, but it is yummy and NO bs spike for me.

Karyn

[carrielyn]

I went two weeks ago for blood work (cholesterol and thyroid, mainly) but this past Friday the doctor's office called and told my husband they wanted to put me on glucophage and were sending me a prescription. Monday morning I phoned and asked why. I had not seen any of the numbers. I was told everything looked good but my A1C was 6.9 and should be in a range of 4.8-5.9. (Thanks to this thread I now have an idea of what an A1C is.)

I told them not to send the prescription I was going to see if I could correct this with diet and exercise and was told that was good. Come back in six weeks for blood work.

Friday, after my husband called me at work with this wonderful news I went on line to see what I could find out. I came across information on Fenugreek and as I looked thru this thread I didn't notice where anyone is using it. Because of what I read I went to Whole Foods and bought some to see if it will help. I'm also using apple cider vinegar (a diabetic friend of mine has had wonderful success using this) and cinnamon. I am also taking glucogannam prior to meals to help.

I'm doing a more South Beach Diet Phase 2 right now but may switch over to LC based on some of what I've read here.

In my rather clumsy way I'm wondering if any of you have heard about fenugreek or have used it to help lower blood sugar?

Thanks,

[soon]

Carrielyn what is glucogannam sounds alot like glucophage is it a prescription?

[ChristiansMom]

Just popping in to say 'hi' to everyone. My blood sugars are looking good this week which is a good feeling. I lost 5 more pounds when I went to the doctors. Not a much as I was hoping for but I guess it's better than gaining 5. So I lost 6 pounds total in a month. I just can't seem to stay away from the Sugar Free Pudding with Whip Topping or the Mock Cheesecake Bites. I'm not even trying to avoid them because the more I avoid them, the more I will want them. I allow myself to have 1 of each per day but some days I find myself snacking on them twice a day They aren't making my numbers go up but I know they probably aren't helping me with losing weight and they aren't helping me learn to stop leaning on food either.

I will measure myself a week from Saturday, hopefully I've lost some inches.

Hope everyone is doing well!

[carrielyn]

Sorry, misspelled, Glucomannan is a dietary fiber (not a presciption). It has been recommended that if taken about 20 minutes before meals it will help to keep portions under control so that one eats less. With my crazy life I only seem to get it used prior to lunch at the office but it does help me to not overeat. I guess some have had success with it but it probably needs to be used with more frequency then I use it.

I guess no one has heard about fenugreek. After reading about it I felt it's worth a try. It's an herb used in Indian curry dishes and other countries in that general area. Some studies have been done on it that strongly suggest that someone with pre-diabetes can have a blood sugar drop of about 20 and that a diabetic can have the same drop but also have an improved cholesterol reading. If you google diabetes and fenugreek there is some information out there.

I'm hoping that between diet, exercise and fenugreek I get an improved reading in August when I go back.

This is a very informative thread and please if anyone can think of something I should do as a newly diagnosed diabetic please don't hesitate to let me know or if I'm doing something I shouldn't be I need to know that also.

Thanks,
Carolyn

[carrielyn]

One of the links I found does have advisories if one has conditions or is taking medications for a condition. I'm attaching it

http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH...l?d=dmtContent

As with any informational site on the internet we definitely have to use our good sense.

Carolyn

[carrielyn]

For those curious about glucomannan please read the following site:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucomannan

This is very good information regarding glucomannan and it's effect on obesity, constipation, diabetes type 2. It is limited but it's a good starting place for obtaining information.

If you read up on glucomannan and fenugreek I would love to know your opinion of what you've read.

Carolyn

[mermaid]

Carielynn, I cannot find your original postso forgive me if I am repeating anything:

Glucomannan is what they make shirataki noodles with. I also have it in powdered form (Starwest brand) that I use as a thickener for sauces, soup, and yogurt. I am very grateful for glucomannan, but I have noticed that if you eat it when really hungry, it can slow absorption of food too much so that you remain starving even after eating and are then at risk for binging. I recommend that it be eaten when one does not have low blood sugar and when you're not too hungry. Another fun superfood to fool around with is chia seeds. They make a gel when put in water that is very high in fiber and omega 3 fatty acides (similar in profile to flax) but does not have the strong taste that flax does, so it's more versatile. Also more expensive. My daughter now asks for her yogurt "with the seeds in it" and she's a tough critic.

Fenugreek did no good whatsoever for me. I read that it must be defatted husks of the seeds, but I could not find that form in my searches, so it could be why it did not work. Geromatrix Glucose Balance is still the most powerful blood sugar formula I have found, followed by progesterone cream and alpha lipoic acid. Of course, everyone is different.

Diana, you really are doing great. Any weight loss at all combined with stable blood sugars is wonderful. As for those cravings, we all have them and it's a struggle. I think you are doing the right thing having a little right now, and trying to wean off of them at some point. The way I would handle it is to find alternative recipes that are similar but may not contain triggering ingredients. Have you tried making mousse with cream and chocolate whey protein powder? I don't really know what's in the fake cheesecake thingies, but I do know that many of us need to completely steer clear of cheesecake due to not being able to stop eating it.

[carrielyn]

Lorena, thanks for the response. This is all new to me. I take Glucomannan in a capsule form prior to a meal but perhaps not often enough. I also have the fenugreek in a capsule form. I won't know if they are doing anything until I have blood testing done in August.

I have some ALA at home and, based on what you've said start taking it. I also have a progesterone cream called ProsteCare or something like that. Have you found one to be better then another?

My doctor has told me nothing. He only wanted to put me on glucophage, no explanation, nothing. There are times when he drives me crazy.

Thanks again....I'll just come online and read more on this thread and learn all I can.

Carolyn

[mermaid]

Hey Carolyn,
Too bad about your doctor not telling you anything--all too common. So, you do have to just educate yourself through books, etc. F