Major difference in post dinner and fasting numbers
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kcaffee1
Posts: 759 Member
All right, I'm about to get a baseball bat out to use on myself. Before I resort to such an extreme measure, figured I'd put out a shout for ideas first.
My post dinner numbers are in the double digits pretty regularly(89 - 92) , especially since I finally figured out how to crack down on the net carbs, but almost every morning they are back up in the triple digits (110 - 115). And, I'm seeing the nights I have the BEST after dinner numbers tend to be followed by the mornings with the WORST fasting numbers.
Any ideas what I can do to help get these numbers to KIND of agree come morning?
I've tried some light stretching just before bed - no go. Not only can I not get to sleep, it doesn't change the number variations.
I religiously have my cinnamon dipped cheese at night, usually before 9 PM if I can, then nothing else, no matter HOW late I'm up. (Numbers are worse if I miss this snack)
I've tried exercise later in the day - another no change.
When I AM up late (usually on the weekends) I try to remember to check every hour or so between midnight and two AM (ish), and I have yet to see a major drop or spike, but come wake up time, the numbers are back over the century mark.
Any suggestions/ ideas that I can try? Or changes that I can at least look into??
My post dinner numbers are in the double digits pretty regularly(89 - 92) , especially since I finally figured out how to crack down on the net carbs, but almost every morning they are back up in the triple digits (110 - 115). And, I'm seeing the nights I have the BEST after dinner numbers tend to be followed by the mornings with the WORST fasting numbers.
Any ideas what I can do to help get these numbers to KIND of agree come morning?
I've tried some light stretching just before bed - no go. Not only can I not get to sleep, it doesn't change the number variations.
I religiously have my cinnamon dipped cheese at night, usually before 9 PM if I can, then nothing else, no matter HOW late I'm up. (Numbers are worse if I miss this snack)
I've tried exercise later in the day - another no change.
When I AM up late (usually on the weekends) I try to remember to check every hour or so between midnight and two AM (ish), and I have yet to see a major drop or spike, but come wake up time, the numbers are back over the century mark.
Any suggestions/ ideas that I can try? Or changes that I can at least look into??
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No suggestions?0 -
It might be a combination of things. My before meal, peak and post-prandial numbers were below 100 within 3 weeks of starting low-carb. It took 6 months before my fasting numbers were fairly consistently below 100. I also had to increase my metformin by 500 mg in order to be consistently below 100. I had to break up my exercise and make sure I did 15-20 minutes at night. I had to quit snacking 2-3 hours before bed. I had to lose more weight.
So....which one had the greatest impact? Hard to say. I still don't snack after 9 PM. I still break my exercise up into chunks. I have lost more weight, but I've now dropped all the Metformin. My numbers are fairly consistent - I've had 5 FBGs above 100 in the past 30 days. I actually eat a lower % of carbs now as I've found if I go to bed in the 90's I'll be somewhere between 95-108 in the morning. If I can keep BG in the 70's or 80's, I'll be below 100 in the morning.
Fasting numbers are the last to rise and the last to decrease.0 -
Hi kcaffee1...I'll just pass along what others have suggested in this group, since I was consistently having lower numbers in the evening followed by higher numbers the next morning. I wasn't having a snack in the evening, or at least not one that combined carbs and protein. I decided to try an apple with some peanut butter and that seemed to help. After a couple weeks I decided to try another combination so now I'm having a pack of 6 whole grain crackers and peanut butter in addition to 1/4 c. of walnuts. I figured the healthy fat of the walnuts might help slow down the digestion of the pb crackers...so I wouldn't get what I suspect was the "dawn phenomenon" that I was experiencing. I'm still trying to find different combination for variety, but stick with one combo for a bit. My morning numbers most days are close to, if not less than, my previous evening's number. If I wake up in the middle of the night I try to check my BG and I was going low (for me) followed by a much higher number in the morning, but the snack seems to help. I know you mentioned cheese and cinnamon as your snack. Maybe try adding a bit of carbs? As you said, sometimes you want to go for that baseball bat!0
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Thanks for the tips! I'll look into incorporating them tomorrow, as I'm about to turn in tonight.
@KD - definitely thanks for the heads up about it taking a while for the keto/low carb to kick into full gear. I AM seeing a consistently lower number now than I did even a month ago. I just figured I was doing something wrong, seeing the numbers jump around so much.
@ retiree - Any type of grain is off the menu for me - guaranteed roller coaster spike in my numbers, but I think I'll try some nuts tomorrow.
(And, yes, I know I get a bad roller coaster in the morning with my cereal, I just haven't gotten past the psychic addiction factor to NEEDING it yet. It's about the only vice I have left of my pre-diabetic days.)0 -
HI kcaffee... I understand your frustrations, I get surprises with numbers too. Last night , being June 9 my 2:00 hours after starting dinner was 105. Considered a good, but not great reading. So I was expecting triple digit numbers this am and it was 93, huh??
I even did a little experiment and had at 10:30pm sugar free jello with lite topping. Now , the jello has no sugar but topping has a few carbs. So was pleased with reading of 93.
I do not take any meds, but I for the last 10 years have taken 1,000mg daily of cinnamon and believe that helps. I think, just my opinion, getting numbers in to a tight range, preferably in the 90- low 100 for all circumstances post or fasting is the key. Doing this, should mean in between test one can feel comfortable that the BG is probably doing good. Remember, 94 to 114 is 4.9 A1C to 5.6. The lower the better, but considered normal. Does this make sense?
Thanks for sharing the details of what your experiencing. This is what helps make MFP so helpful..
WCUCATS77
WCUCCATS770 -
@ WCUCATS77
My numbers are starting to tighten up between PM and AM numbers (Unless I pull a dumb stupid - like pancakes and syrup or some such). I just can't seem to figure out if the over night spike is really the "dawn effect" or the other one I can't remember right now, which is what is causing the call for ideas and major head scratching in puzzlement.
Though, it DOES seem to be leveling out, now that I've clamped down on the net carbs, I'm still inclined to say it's too soon to tell for certain that I've got the pattern figured. KD made a good point about things sometimes taking a little while to kick in. Lord knows, right now I'm still arguing with my menu and calories over all, so that is in the mix as well.
Your comment does make sense, and I will definitely keep it in mind while I deal with the transition I'm putting myself through. (Changing calorie goals, which is throwing the blasted carb goals out the window.)
Thanks for your input!0
