Fasting BG readings above 100

[PapaChanoli]

I'm apparently prediabetic according to my doctor. I only test my BG in the morning before breakfast, at least 8 hours after my last meal.

3 days on a no carb diet got my BG levels below 100 but with almost any carbs in a day  it goes back above 100.

I'm trying to give e my body a break from carbs to increases my insulin sensitivity, and establish some baselines on how many carbs I can eat and still get fasting reading below 100.

I'm not sure how to interpret these results. It looks like I can hardly eat carbs at all without going into predisbetic range, but the app says all my readings are in a healthy range and estimates my A1C at 5.7%, saying I'm very low risk.

I know that the app is not a diagnostic tool. I'm just trying to establish a healthy pattern to hopefully prevent going full diabetic.

Does anyone have thoughts on how I should interpret my readings? This is all new to me, and not a particularly pleasant experience.

[WillWho]

80 to 100 upon waking is OK. The more physically active you are, the more carbs you need to eat. You cannot go without carbs or sugars completely.

Read up on carbohydrates and learn which foods with carbs are actually good diabetics. Hint: popcorn is not on the good list, but it is not on the "never eat list" either. Most veggies and fruits are very good carbs for diabetics. (Not all!)

There are a lot of phenomenon foods that you think diabetics should avoid, but really are quite good for you. You just have to do a lot of reading. Be wary of the fad diets and the dietary supplements that supposedly "get you off your diabetes meds" by just adding this wonderful powder to every meal. The stuff is way cheaper than insulin, and I mean WAY cheaper. Stay away from it. If you try that stuff, the only numbers going down are your bank balances.

Finally, check your levels, chart them, and keep going. Stressing over an occasional high waking number is not good either. I use two apps on my phone to track meds, BG, meals/carbs, BP and pulse. It also has a way to add stress, illness, activity levels, and other things.  The app is called Diabetes Connect. The other is a nutrition guide that focuses on carbs. It has most chain restaurants, grocery store foods, and generic food items. It basically helps you figure out the carbs you eat. It is called NutritionLookup.

Do some light reading on how A1C is determined. Our bodies are amazingly complex and simple at the same time. The A1C on your app is not going to be the same as when you get your next one done by the lab. I test 3 to 6 times per day. My app has been off by as much as 1.5 points; rarely is it in my favor. Grrrr... LOL

[Super_sally888]

Hi,

Testing only once a day does not give you a very good idea of what is happening with your blood sugars.  It could be that you are going quite high after eating (ideally test 90 -120 minutes after eating) and are not seeing it.

You can use your meter to determine which food make your sugar go high and then adjust your diet accordingly.

Hope this helps.

[MHEditor]

Have you received personal blood sugar targets from your healthcare provider? You can set up the app with your specific range, and that may give you a better indication of where you are each day. If you need help with this, email ***@**** or press the menu button in the upper left and scroll down to "App Support" on the menu page.

Here is a little more from MedHelp.org and the Sugar Sense app on what the A1C means: http://www.medhelp.org/diabetes/articles/All-About-the-A1C/1766

And a little more on measuring your blood sugar numbers and how it can help you:
http://www.medhelp.org/diabetes/articles/Be-Blood-Sugar-Savvy/1777

You can find these in the Stay Well section of the app.

A recent study from the ADA shows very good results in reversing prediabetes for those who ate a high protein diet instead of a high carb one.

[diabetes86]

Also if your numbers are good the rest of the day it could be DP (dawn phenomenon)...  Your liver wanting to be a good doobie and it releases sugar in the AM to get you ready for the day,  But your Pancreas cant supply enough insulin so your BG goes up.

[catravisrn]

It is frustrating for that fasting morning BG to be higher than expected. I'm an RN and there is a phenomenon that can occur with people like us that have insulin resistance called the somogyi effect. This is where your liver will respond to a drop in your BG usually between 0200-0400 in the early morning hours and it releases glucose to counter the drop. Having a good high quality protein with a small amount of carbs before bedtime will sometimes help with this. I too have found that I just can't eat many carbs or my BG really spikes. I have switched to nuts and apples and low fat cheese for snacks. Yogurt with no added sugar etc. and on a side note since I really cranked down on the carbs I've lost 12 lbs and my a1c is now running around 6.2. Was as high as 7. Hang in and experiment with you food and monitoring your BS frequently you'll find that "sweet" spot!!

[MHEditor]

This is called the dawn phenomenon and we have some information about it in the Sugar Sense app and on MedHelp.org: http://www.medhelp.org/diabetes/articles/Whats-the-Dawn-Phenomenon/1728http://www.medhelp.org/diabetes/articles/Whats-the-Dawn-Phenomenon/1728

[PapaChanoli]

I'll give that a try and see how it goes.

[diabetes86]

Good for you trying to get understanding of diabetes.  When a person becomes diabetic the last thing to go bad is the fasting BG.  I dont know why MD use the fasting as the criteria.  By the time the fasting is bad your BG is outta wack especially after eating carbs.  

To know how many carbs you can eat .
test BG before eating (gives a base line)
count how many carbs your going to eat.
test 1 hour and 2 hours after eating take the highest reading.

Ideally you want your BG not over 140 and or no more than a 40 pt rise.

If you constantly have the hirer reading at 1 hour you can stop the 2 hour test and vise versa.

[PapaChanoli]

Pardon the typos, please.