what can i do to lower my blood sugar

[yuvelda]

i have problems lower my blood sugar. I take 2500mg metforman, 10mg glipizide per day. My morning blood sugar averages 146-162, mid-day average 110-113 and night average 138-168. I can't get morning levels down. At times my level drops at work and i have to find something sweet to bring blood sugar up. can anyone help me?

[yuvelda]

i have already had those test done and my thyroid level are good. at least one thing is working so far.

[victoria475]

when you have thyroid checked have them check the free t3 and t4 as well as the tsh test.
the free tests tell what your body is actually using.

[yuvelda]

thanks for the info. i will try doing the small weights. i went to the doctor today and she changed the time i take the glipizide. will continue taking metformin as usual and take the glipizide with at my morning break at work with my breakfast and take the pm metformin before dinner. she thinks this might help level things out. at this point i don't feel happy about taking so much meds, but until i can add more excerise into my daily choires i don't have much choice. she suggested trying to walk a little each day even if i don't do long distance. if my knee holds out, then i'm good to go. thank you all for all the suggestions for helping me. we'll see what the next few weeks does. i've made me a chart to track the meals, excerise and blood sugar. time will tell.

[rosco888]

If you can't walk or dance for exercise, try doing upper body movements, perhaps with small weights (or canned goods) to burn calories and increase aerobic benefit.

[Super_sally888]

If you are really still having high sugars a very low carb diet may be the answer, at least to see how much control you can gain.

For example, I usually eat about 10 - 15 g of carbs at breakfast, then 20 g lunch and 20 g dinner.  No snacks.  See if you can get your carb down to 50 - 70 g a day and if this makes a difference.

test after meals so you can see the impact of hwat you ate.

always eat fat and protein with your carbs.

[yuvelda]

thank you for all your information. i've already started most of what you all have suggested. i have lost 10 lbs in the last 4 months by cutting out rice, breads and pasta. my average carb intake is arounf 40-48 per meal leaving my last meal of the day mostly meat and veggies with low carbs. my heavy meal is lunch at work and i usually fix my lunch myself so that i can control the carbs. i have taken a class at the hospital for diabetes. i don't like taking the meds expecially now that my doctor has increased to another med. when i don't take the meds my blood sugar stays within 10 points. so that tells me that the meds are not working. i have tracked my blood sugar reading for the past 2 wks after adding on the new med and still no change. i have an appointment with my doctor on monday and if she can't figure this out, then i'm going to ask her to send me to an endocrinologist. i have high cholestrol and thyroid problems. my last blood work in december showed my thyroid has good levels and the meds is working. at times i just want to give up on this meds and go back to using herbs, but as we all know the doctors do not accept herbs as treatment. i thank all of you for giving me the information. it helps to know that i am at least eating on the right track. i try to excerise 2 to 3 times a week, but i have bad knees and hip that causes me to not be able to do as much as i would like. again i thank everyone for your help and look forward to any other ideas you might have. i'll let you know next week after i see the doctor.

[rosco888]

I agree with the other posters about a low-carb diet.  Since I'm an early riser, eating small meals every two hours allows me to take in something at least 4 times daily, as well as walking exercise plus housework.  I also reorganized my meals so that my heaviest meal is in the middle of the day rather than in the evening when I'm less active, even with late-day walking.  If it's practical, you should keep a supply of health bars in your desk or locker at work to act as a small meal.  

I have chosen to forgo diabetes medication, so the small meals allow my natural insulin production to be released in small bursts that the body can deal with rather than huge, unabsorbable gushes. I consulted an endocrinologist who explained that any medication has a two-to-three-year productivity span before it needs to be boosted with additional meds.  He also recommended eating less fruit which, of course, contains sugar.

If your doctor hasn't given you literature to help plan your meals with diabetes in mind, you can probably download information from the Internet.

[asok475]

A low carb diet has worked well for me also. I stay below 60 grams per meal. I eat three meals per day at roughly the same times daily. Read the nutrition label on everything.

[Super_sally888]

Hi,

what does your doctor say?

Short of starting insulin (which could be a good option if nothing else works),  make sure you are at 'ideal' weight.

Exercise at least 30 minutes each day.  Ideally you would do 30 minutes morning and night.  This could be walking or anything you can sustain.

Try eating low carb diet.  Personally I have found eating low carb diet is very effective for helping to control blood sugar.

LEt us know how you go.