morning test

[JimD]

new to this...recent physical with bt over 6.9 or was it 7.1 ? anyway, now monitoring bs, dieting , etc..

why is my morning bt always (almost always) the highest of the day ?

Jim

[GretchenC]

You are experiencing the Dawn Phenomenon - I have it also, as do many diabetics. You can read about it here - http://www.diabetic-talk.org/dp.htm

[jimmys devoted]

When i wortte the book on diabetes i explained that dawn is caused by an unexpected low at about 3 am, The body release glycogen and tat leads ot a dawn or morning hih.
This can be prevented by having that 9pm snack.

Most of my own BGs for the 6 years I have been testing have been v\between 90 and 110. Some high as 140, but I could attribute that to ovulation. Glucose monitoring is great for that!

Keeping on schedule with meals, meds and exercise will prevent dawn.

[JimD]

Thanks for the info. That explains things..

Jim

[parise]

I think most people have that in the morning. i dont think its anything major.

[ladygirl99]

I am learning something new about the Dawn Phenomenon here. I am not diabetic but I didn't know about that one before.

[jimmys devoted]

Once again we ahve to revisit whythe schedule for eating on a diabetic diet is so important.
Afer 9 or say 10 pm the bodys goe sinto sleep mode and assimilation mode. It prepares itself for an adrenalin rush. In ahealthy person this isnt a problem. But in diabetic we ahve to control teh amount of glucose that the body creates for morning " wakeup".
One key in preventing Am highs.. is night time eating.
Eating a more balaned or slightly higher level of proteins with your two carbohyadrte choices at say 9 pm will aloow for an equal cancellation of glucose and protiens. Since they each take an equal amount to work off of each other, they literally cancel each others storage ability.

[JimD]

I've wondered if I should consume a carb or 2 at 10 pm so help balance this out..when on those days I have an early supper @ 5pm , instead of the sometimes 7-8 pm that seems to happen more than not... I have finally gotten my level under 90 for the 2hrs after supper, so its some progress. This dieting is a PITA , since I love to eat meat and potoatoes, LOL, like most midwest farm people.

Jim

[Dusty]

Hi Jim
Most people seem to recommend a small protein snack before bed to help with DP as the protein is converted slower but this disease is different for everyone so a little experimenting may be in order..

I usually fix a little extra of what ever meat we're doing for dinner so I will have an ounce or 3:p for a snack before bed.

I know what you mean about the diet being a PITA! I love meat too but it gets easier as you go along.

[parise]

Thats what I do I have a nice protein snakc before I go to sleep.

[jimmys devoted]

I have found that a South beach snackbar before bed( about 9 pm) keeps me nice and low in the morning.
As a matter of fact those and beef jerkey and cup of coffee at 9 pm work well.

[JimD]

i'll start trying that and see if it has some effect.. I'm finding the weekends to be a lot tougher to stay on my diet than during the week. Anyone else have that "problem" ? More social eating opportunities, I guess.

JD

[Dusty]

i'll start trying that and see if it has some effect.. I'm finding the weekends to be a lot tougher to stay on my diet than during the week. Anyone else have that "problem" ? More social eating opportunities, I guess.

JD

I know exactly what you mean Jim! The weekends are bad but I have my worst cravings at night when I'm surfing or watching TV. Bad part is hunger has nothing at all to do with it, it's just a habit I guess. I usually quench it with a few porkskins, beef jerky, or a couple wasa crackers with PB&J...sugar free of course.:)

[jimmys devoted]

during the week i keep busy with housework, writing, dollmaking, but on shabbos its like.. sitting still makes the mouth want munchies.

I usually nibble on proteins all day long like cheese, jerky, baked chcicken, salads( lettuce or cabbage) and coffee.. I go through pots and pots of coffee....
I ususlly just tobe on teh safe side take a 6 unit shot in the afternoon
julie

[JimD]

That jerky is a great idea. I need to find a deer hunter and have the entire thing made into sticks and jerky :) . I must be entitled ha ha , since I've harvested 2 of them with my car and truck the past 2 years. :(

South beach bar ? something from the diet section of the super / drug store ?

I've had to curtail my coffee due to the advice of DR. about reducing my pressure and cafeine intake. Something about the 12 coffee's and 6 diet pepsie's a day that he considered 'excessive' ha ha ..I'm now down to 3 cups a day , and the occasional diet pepsi..

I guess we can all have a food we crave, but we can't over indulge in it's desire or amount anymore. :(

JD

[Dusty]

Gee wiz Jim, one is bad enough but two!! :eek: That was some expensive jerky for sure and you didn't even get to eat it. I've been doing a good job so far resisting some of my favorite foods but it's only been 4 months so I'll have to wait and see how it goes in the long haul. I especially miss rice, bread, pasta, chips, stuff like that.

I used to do a lot of coffee but for some reason don't crave it like I used to. A couple cups a day and a few diet Dr Peppers and I'm good to go.

[JimD]

yep, hitting 2 of 'em was not my day. But they'll never live to get in front of another vehicle again :) . I'm too scared to ride my motorcycle any more at night. Too many guys dying because of deer hits, and I don't wanna be another one. Of course after last weeks diabetes info seminar regarding the effects of diabetes on the body, I probably won't have to worry about hitting deer. That will be the 'least' of my problems to deal with.

still trying to cut back on my daily intake.

Jim

[JimD]

Oh ya, I forgot to add. yesterday I had 'pheasant under plastic' LOL... a rooster tried to beat the car across the road and he lost...and I lost my headlight, turn signal and corner light..

but I got 'feathers'

Jim

still humming 'another one bites the dust'

[Dusty]

LMAO @ Got feathers!:) I can understand the bike part, especially since you seem to be an animal magnet. I always hated night riding too years ago when I had a bike.

Of course after last weeks diabetes info seminar regarding the effects of diabetes on the body, I probably won't have to worry about hitting deer. That will be the 'least' of my problems to deal with.


Don't let the possible scenarios get you down! Do a google search on Dr Richard Bernstein and do a little reading up on his story. He has been a diabetic for 60+ years, couldn't get his sugars under control as a young adult so he went to medical school and learned how to do it on his own. He now runs a very successful clinic specializing in diabetes. He reversed most of his early complications by keeping his BG levels close to that of a non-diabetic.

I'm not advocating his methods for anyone because they are pretty restrictive but I do follow a very loosely based form of what he teaches and My BG levels are near normal. My 30 day average on my meter is 104.

My next advice to you is..............get a grill guard!:p

[jimmys devoted]

You really should write a humorous article about your hunting...
theer are afew places on teh net that haveequipment to do your own jerkey,, like LEM.

I am one of thos ethat ahs a lot of deer on our property, having 30 acres of wild fruit tends to attract them.
Inever hit one, and here its a stiff penalty if yo do, especialy if its tagged.

We have wild turkeys too.. whole flocks that live in our trees and barn. I am slowly turning vegetarian.. mostly fish because I just cant seem to kill anything.. by accident or on purpose.
ON that Dr, bern he was never fully diagnosed and medicated. he was considered Borderline or pre diabetic. Mostly diet controlled.
I took a CME from him and went to the abstract and journals... and what he wrote in his book was abit different than what was actually happening. A sorry thing for book sales and for the audience not to be told the whole thing.
JOslin has some free stuff though and some great getaway vacations!

southbeach is probablyone o fteh best diets outhere.
I have lost my 20 percent and stil falling.
The south beach bars: cinnamon and rasiisn, chcolate, and penutbutterbars are actually snack bars. they ae in ethe cereal isle along with the special K bars.

we eat a very good combination of foods. I ahve had ot get over my meat thing to make it work better,.
so we eat alot of chicken, fish, eggs, ground turkey.
Just for example we make Turkey meatball heros.
there is this awesome bread by nature own that reallyhigh in fiber it has a purple lable. And then theer sthis bread that high in fiber but really low in carb- a green banner.

We make everything from this stuff.

[JimD]

Dusty,
thanks for the Bernstiene link. I'll check it out.. always good to have info..I spend lots of time on google each day...some times its even job related, :)

Jimmy's D,
thanks for the diet hints and extra info.. I'll see what we can find on our local shelves..

my weekend on sundays are pretty good..eggs and bacon for breakfast- I even cook this... LOL.. then usually a chef's salad for lunch..and some kind of pizza for supper..we tried a breakfast pizza this week..very thin crust, but had eggs, cheese, ground ham and sausage for the topping. It was not bad at all.. I'll have to work on the Sat lunch and supper thing.

Jim
mighty hunter :p

[Dusty]

Jim
mighty hunter
I dunno about that Jim, I think it's more like "Jim the hunted"
score..Jim 0 animals 3! :rolleyes: :p

[jimmys devoted]

http://www.diabeticdiscussion.com/cooking-recipes

I do a lot of cooking. And hubby was a professional cook. So when all three ( daughter hubbya nd I ) went tomy diabetes education class and got the ADA books we began experimenting with some recipes.

At the board I posted a link to I post recipes that are wonderful.
I am on southbeach diet. And so far we all ahve losta lot of weight. though we modifeied it justa bit for the diabetes it works great. the best thing about jimmys version is you get slightly more food.

Anyway I just posted a banna split and beef stew. I also have over there a wicked baked alaska!

julie

[JimD]

thanks for the food ideas..the food cooking certainly does impact the entire family

jd

[jimmys devoted]

Variety is teh spice of life and great tasting food to look fward to makes control so much easier..........

[bra]

Okay, but this is hard for me to understand. Why would having a snack reduce your glucose level in the morning?

[123buddy]

My endo wants me to start taking 500 mg metformin starting in two weeks if I can't get my am down below 100 by an evening walk every night for the next two wks. I avg. 113-116 with an occasional higher number for no explainable reason (except dawn phenom). I currently work out rigoursly 3 x wk and walk on the nights that I don't work out. I have totally changed how I eat since dx Oct. 2007 and I have dropped a pant size.

My question is: How do I find out the side effects of Metformin? Other than nausia and possible weight loss. I don't want to start meds too soon, but I also don't want to have damage from the disease if I can avoid it. Dr. wants to be aggresive, and I don't want to take meds if I can avoid it.

My dx came Oct. 2007 A1c 5.6 and 126 fbs. plus I was insulin dependent gestational and have an extensive family history of "D".

Thanks

[timgcrowell@gmail.com]

Eating half a chicken breast no carbs seems to do away with my am highs i eat it as a betime snack a small breast not half a chicken or as the ada says a medium breast haha.

[davidlee]

Pizza? Where there ya go. The carbs are getting to you, honey. Concentrate on veggies and proteins for your evening meal. If you take insulin, call your doc and he might want to put you on a sliding scale. If you take something like glucophage, you might need to increase it also. Either way, call your doctor. Be sure to keep your evening meals good and healthy and no snacking before you go to sleep. Also, you might want to drink alot of water until around 6PM. It seems to work for me. If you exercise, try exercising in the afternoon or evening and it will bring down your sugar in the AM also. Good Luck.

[timgcrowell@gmail.com]

eatting a protean snack at 10 or 11 also helps lower my glucose am rise

[ramesh68]

Hi there,


I suggest the morning test as it gives the best results. My mother use to do it in the mornings only to know the accurate blood sugar levels. Many people do the samething and doctors also prescribe the morning test. I hope this helps.


Thanks