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Still new to being prediabetic and i am Trying to understand my glucose readings.
Male, 60, currently 217 lbs down from 226.
Jan 25th 2022 was the day i first tested.
I test between 3 and 5 times a day.
My first 13 tests were all over 130 with most at or above 150.
I take 1000mg metformin at night after eating
I am doing the 16/8 Intermittent Fast which has typically ended up being OMAD.
I am definitely in a caloric deficit and eat very low carbs daily. Around 20.
I have lost almost 2 inches off my belly and about 9 lbs which is likely mostly water.
I take supplements including magnesium and potassium
I drink bulletproof coffee in the morning.
I am not hungry until around 4-5 p.m. i don't even think about eating much.
1) my feet on the floor first test is always above 110
2) my accu chek guide me meter came set to say readings between 90-130 were GOOD.
3) literature from Mayo clinic and other authoratatibe diabetes sites say 70-90 is normal BG.
4) only 3 tests so far have been below 90, one was the 26th right after i started testing but before the 16/8 diet started. That one was a hypoglycemic episode. The other two were randoms just before eating.
5) according to the meter my Estimated A1C is currently 5.7. My blood test that diagnosed me was 6.4.
So my main question is what is the correct range for normal BG?
2nd question is are my expectations on controlling my morning jump unrealistic? How long will the drugs take to drop that number to a normal level?
I know the weight will take time and exercise to come off, but is it unrealistic to expect my meds to bring down my morning reading to below 110 so soon?
Thanks for any input
Mike
, these are all great questions and thank you for providing so much detail. I hope others may chime in to share their own experiences as well.
This article may be helpful for you: https://type2diabetes.com/living-with-t2d/home-blood-glucose-monitoring. Your target range may differ person to person, it might be a good idea to ask your doctor what range you should be targeting.
As far as your higher morning readings, have you heard of something called the Dawn phenomenon? Here's a video that explains: https://type2diabetes.com/video/dawn-phenomenon. I would check with your doctor first, but one way some people find to manage it is having a nighttime snack: https://type2diabetes.com/nutrition/nighttime-snack-blood-sugar-must.
Effects of metformin may take a few days or weeks to work well and may vary by person.
Hope this helps!
Best,
Minel (Team Member)minelcannucciari,
Thanks for the reply.
I should have included that my Dr. Stated that 70-90 range was normal, along with other statements, that basically say that is what I should target.
She was not particularly supportive of the 16/8 I.F
The VA nutrionist essentially said i should stuff as many beans down my gullet as possible. Including all those foods that Keto says are no-no's. She wanted me on zero fat very lean protein with high carbs.
One of the conundrums is that a bedtime snack breaks a fast. Doing so and fasting would lead to a shifting meals to way late at night.
Naturally for me, without mindfully fasting, I was usually never hungry before 1 or 2 in the afternoon.
But I could eat with normal lunch or dinner times. Apparently my food choices were the cause along with constant snacking,
When I ended up in the wheelchair for 18 months and through many surgeries on my foot, I just stuffed myself all day and night and with mostly low quality food i.e. TV dinners or fast food that was delivered. Door Dash was my friend arrgghhhh. I could not even get to the ground floor on my own as the complex had no elevator.
I could not stand up long enough at the stove to even make oatmeal or boil potatoes.
I realize this is TMI and will stop over sharing.
my point is my VA Dr and Nutritionist are not really supportive of anything the VA does not promote and despite dozens of failed large VA studies on eating and diabetes their main treatment is medications even though their results is to see patients getting fatter and needing more drugs with each passing year.
I reject the idea of Better Living through Chemistry when more natural methods and behaviors can promote better long term outcomes.
I cannot afford to pay out of pocket for a Nutritionist or Dr. Outside the VA which is the reason I ask these questions here.
Thanks again
Mike, thanks for providing more context and no worries about oversharing! I see how a bedtime snack would through off your IF. I hope others are able to chime in to shed some more experiences. It's frustrating to hear that your doctors aren't more supportive. Best, Minel (Team Member)
