Where is This Blood Sugar Coming From?!

[jackibar]

Hi, everyone!

As I've mentioned before, I'm a Type 2 diabetic using insulin and metformin to control my blood sugar.  It was VERY much out of control even on massive doses of insulin before I started FTS back in September and since then it has come way down and I'm taking much less insulin and have dropped 49 lbs.!

My frustration is coming from high blood sugar happening in between meals and in the mornings when I wake up. I don't understand HOW! I'm eating virtually no carbs at most meals and staying under 20 grams daily - so where is my body getting this glucose from?!  For example yesterday my post lunch reading was 82. But before supper several hours later it was up to 156!! I hadn't eaten a bite! This is happening pretty much at every stretch before I eat again - post meal will be great, but pre-meal will be high again, forcing me to take more insulin than I want to. I was really hoping this would get me OFF the insulin, but not if this keeps happening 

[mouseissue]

Hi, Jacki!

I too had high blood sugar at odd times like you during my first couple months on FTS.
But as my metabolism began to heal, in time, my blood sugar levels also leveled out.

Just stay the course!
Give your body some time to heal from years of carb abuse.

Tony

[shawn116]

I agree with what Tony said.  Mine was wacky too and I could figure out where the readings were coming from.  I would get a spike after drinking my coffee in the mornings and nothing more  Haha  Here is something to think about too.  When we eat more protein than our body can use it can't store protein so it will turn it into glucose which in turn will be stored as fat.  So be mindful of portion sizes.  Here is something I thought about too,  there may be some science to it...I don't know it's just my thoughts.  Before I started on FTS I was told that I had a bit of a fatty liver.  As our livers start to heal itself it will dump what is stored.  Like Tony said...stay the course and see what happens.  Your numbers are already improving.   Give your body time to heal   

[Doug Varrieur]

Hi Jackie, the liver stores glucose and releases it as it feels the body is in need of it. Insulin tells the liver how much glucose to release. As your insulin levels drop during the night the liver doesn't get a clear message so it plays it safe and releases additional glucose into the blood stream. This is how your blood sugar levels rise during the night without food. A rise in blood sugar after lunch as you got closer to dinner would have come from the foods you ate at lunch. It can take hours for the process of glucose development to occur when eating low carb so a quick test after a low carb lunch may not be accurate. The mix you're eating will also affect readings. As long as you're continuing to drop weight we know you're in ketosis and your blood sugar levels are OK. Your reading of 156 doesn't distrbme at all nor should it disturb you. Please review the chart below 

   

[umpa]

Stress will also raise blood sugars

[mouseissue]

Stress will also raise blood sugars

So true, Umpa!

Stress causes the body to go into "fight or flight" mode.
The body needs more glucose whether fighting or running and the liver will release it.

A good point to remember for those who take blood sugar readings.

Tony

[jackibar]

Hi Jackie, the liver stores glucose and releases it as it feels the body is in need of it. Insulin tells the liver how much glucose to release. As your insulin levels drop during the night the liver doesn't get a clear message so it plays it safe and releases additional glucose into the blood stream. This is how your blood sugar levels rise during the night without food. A rise in blood sugar after lunch as you got closer to dinner would have come from the foods you ate at lunch. It can take hours for the process of glucose development to occur when eating low carb so a quick test after a low carb lunch may not be accurate. The mix you're eating will also affect readings. As long as you're continuing to drop weight we know you're in ketosis and your blood sugar levels are OK. Your reading of 156 doesn't distrbme at all nor should it disturb you. Please review the chart below 

   

Thanks so much, Doug!  Okay - but according to the chart you posted, my pre-meal reading of 156 would be in the "diabetic" range, right?  I know that *after* a meal that's not so bad, but for a fasting reading of 211 like I had Monday and for pre-meal readings of 156 or thereabouts, it seems I'm having to take more insulin than I should.  I don't know, but you're right, as long as the weight is continuing to come off, I guess things are ok for now, but ultimately, I'm hoping to be able to stop the insulin injections altogether 

[Doug Varrieur]

A fasting reading of 211 tells me somewhere carbs snuck in. Was that a morning wake up reading? If so, can you remember what you ate and drank for dinner or night snacks?

[jackibar]

That particular night I had roast beef and a half cup of green beans around 6:30. My post meal reading was 82!! When I went to bed a few hours after that it was 97. No snacks, no night eating, no stress, but woke with 211 . I'm also taking Lantus and metformin to help with this but it just doesn't seem to be doing the trick...

Last night it was 93 and this morning was 150. It's always higher in the morning than when I went to bed and I never snack after supper...

[umpa]

Keep a bloodsugar journal so your doctor can adjust your meds You are doing great 50 pounds is alot of weight!

[Doug Varrieur]

Hi Jackie as discussed above the morning readings will always rise from liver activity. It's going to take a while for your body to adjust...keep an eye on the sugar levels and remember to stay in touch with your doctor  

[jackibar]

Ok, will do... I'm checking my sugar 7+ times a day, so nothing will get past me!

[Huh]

Jackie,
did it get any better? I have the same  issues...and started this f2s journey 
I saw this was posted last jan. should I start a new post to ask her??

[jackibar]

Jackie,
did it get any better? I have the same  issues...and started this f2s journey 
I saw this was posted last jan. should I start a new post to ask her??

Hi, Huh!

I am still here...!!  It definitely did get better after some time and then a period of extreme stress last year caused it to come back, then it got better and now after having back surgery last month it's back again!  It's a crazy thing, this diabetes and blood sugar issues.  And it really does get frustrating to do "everything right" and still have weirdness going on, so hang in there!

What I've learned since my post and what I believe to be accurate is everything Doug, Tony, Umpa, etc., shared before - the liver is going nuts when you first start this WOE and it gets all confused, like, "Hey, wait a minute! I used to have tons of glucose in this body's bloodstream to sustain me! What happened?" and so it just pumps it out like crazy to be on the safe side.  That part definitely settles down after it realizes it's not going to starve!  I also think the protein issue comes into play - look up "gluconeogenesis" - our bodies will tend to convert protein into glucose (though not nearly as quickly as it does carbs!) - and some of us (my belief is those of us who are more insulin resistant) do this more than others. So don't just go crazy eating gobs and gobs of protein either - more like a "moderate protein, higher fat, very low carb" will get you straightened out I bet

Plus, watch the stress levels!! And I think caffeine will do this at times - even if I'm not stressed, sometimes if I drink a mocha or hot chocolate (homemade versions that have 1 carb!) - my sugar will go up which makes no sense unless my body is translating the caffeine as "stress" to my system (I do have weak adrenals so they can't tolerate stimulants very well)...

Hope this helps and welcome to the FTS family!

- Jacki