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frustrated and confused, how do you get ahead?

patriciafoley1
patriciafoley1 Posts: 276 Member
edited March 10 in Social Groups

So this morning, I was amazed and delighted to test my fasting blood sugar at 124. I SO want to get down to 100. I went out to walk and throw the ball to my impatient German Shepherd before breakfast, and about 3000 steps later, came in. I tested my blood sugar before eating and it was 177. Without eating. I know exercise can spur the liver into releasing glycogen in the bloodstream for the muscles, (now, having looked it up) but I was so hoping to see my blood sugar go down. I try to walk 10-20K steps a day, throughout the day. How do I keep my blood sugar low when exercise (if it is) is making it high again? How can I get my A1C down like this? Does anyone understand this better than me?

Replies

  • totameafox
    totameafox Posts: 894 Member

    Sadly I can't exercise enough to have it affect much of anything. I would suggest testing for several days in a row to see of you have the same results. This is all the information I found but it doesn't seem that you were doing any of the exercises they mentioned.

    https://diabetes.org/health-wellness/fitness/why-does-exercise-sometimes-raise-blood-sugar

  • samgettingfit25
    samgettingfit25 Posts: 18 Member

    I know, right? I've been wondering about something similar myself. I asked my dietition and Dr. Google and they seem to agree. I am sure I am missing some nuance here, but… My understanding is the liver releases glucose to fuel the activity. As the musles' stores get depleted the muscles claim some of the glucose. Our glucose levels should go down after a while. (I am not sure how long that process takes).

    Personally, I noticed if I take my glucose within 30 minutes of either long-duration or vigorous exercise I either see a high reading or too low. (I have a history of hypos during long duration activity and everytime I tried to go no/very low carb). I have a couple evenings where I am active for 2-3 hours, my glucose either spikes or is too low when I get home. But the morning after, my fasted glucose is usually at its best (compared to other days) even if I ended up eating an evening snack to correct a low. Depending on the intensity/duration, exercise can help improve insulin sensitivity for up to two days. So overall, it should help.

    I also wonder whether it has to do with stress (for more vigorous workouts, not necessarily playing with your dog). I was told the body releases glucose in response to stress (in response to cortisol). A vigorous workout is stressful, though we (usually) get stronger from the recovery. If so, it might be a little like the dawn phenomenon (a source of frustration for me). When I first started checking glucose my morning fasted glucose would be higher than it was in the evening (other than those two active evenings or if I sleep in). That seems to be improving, though I am on a medication as well as making lots of diet and lifestyle changes.

  • patriciafoley1
    patriciafoley1 Posts: 276 Member

    @totameafox @samgettingfit25

    Happily, when I tested my blood sugar at 9pm before dinner, my blood sugar was 115. I haven't been into the 120s and now the 110s until this week and all because I've been really strict about carbs.

    I will test it tomorrow when I wake and then after I walk the dog and see if it repeats. I am not walking so fast or exercising so hard that it should qualify as that kind of vigorous exercise. Maybe it's happening because it is first thing in the am and I don't have any food or carbs in me. I am very cardiovascularly fit, so honestly that kind of walk rarely even gives me any zone points (if you are familiar with fitbit). Though I do live on top of a mountain so there's a certain amount of hill climbing involved.

  • totameafox
    totameafox Posts: 894 Member

    my diabetes was 'uncontrolled' the doctor had me on three meds. I think it took a few weeks before I was consistently in the 80s. I took myself off one of the meds. So if you haven't changed your eating habits for a month yet, I would give it a little more time for the base to settle. I'm usually below 100 in the morning and before I go to bed at night. I'm happy that you are happier.

  • patriciafoley1
    patriciafoley1 Posts: 276 Member

    same thing happened today. BS went up after the morning walk.

    I am not on any meds. The PA let me try to control it with exercise and diet. And I've been on a diet since October. have lost 40+ pounds. And my BS has gone down substantially, but it is not normal yet. That's why I am trying so hard to get it to normal.

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