One of our most stubborn challenges is to control the dawn phenomenon. That’s when our fasting blood glucose readings in the morning are higher than when we went to bed.
The dawn phenomenon is a normal physiological process where certain hormones in our body work to raise blood glucose levels before we wake up, as we wrote in The New Glucose Revolution: What Makes My Blood Glucose Go Up…And Down? Professor Jennie Brand-Miller of the University of Sydney, Kaye Foster-Powell, and I co-authored that book (Marlowe & Co., first edition 2003, second American edition 2006).
These so-called counter-regulatory hormones, including glucagon, epinephrine, growth hormone, and cortisol, work against the action of insulin. They stimulate glucose release from the liver and inhibit glucose utilization throughout the body. The result is an increase in blood glucose levels, ensuring a supply of fuel in anticipation of the wakening body’s needs.
If you take insulin injections, it could be that the effect of insulin you took is waning. Your blood glucose will rise if you didn’t take enough to keep your insulin level up through the night.
A third – and much less likely – possibility is called the Somogyi effect or Somogyi’s phenomenon, named for an Austrian-American biochemist who first described the effect in 1938. The Somogyi effect can follow untreated high blood glucose in the middle of the night by going too low as a sort of rebound. You can check if this is happening by measuring if your blood glucose is high at 2 or 3 a.m. But the Somogyi effect is actually much less common that we previously thought, and otherwise it is probably the “dawn phenomenon.”
The dawn phenomenon varies from person to person and can even vary from time to time in each of us. That much was clear when our book came out.
But how to control it was a different story. A couple of years ago here I wrote about several efforts for “Taming the Dawn Phenomenon.” People have tried everything from eating a green apple at bedtime to high-maize grain to uncooked cornstarch.
None of these remedies that I have been able to try ever worked for me. I always thought that the most promising remedy was one that a correspondent named Renee suggested – vinegar capsules.
“I am still using vinegar tablets (usually 
each night and have used vinegar when tabs are not handy,” Renee just tells me. “I have never added food to that, however. I still do have success in reducing the morning reading as proven by the times when I do not use the vinegar tabs and the reading in the a.m. is usually 20 points higher. I am doing well overall with an A1C of 5.6 for some time now. I have been on Byetta for a year now and have lost 35 pounds.”
This makes sense, because several studies in the professional literature clearly show that vinegar can reduce our blood glucose levels.
One of these studies, by Dr. Carol Johnston and two associates in the department of nutrition at Arizona State University in Mesa, Arizona, is particularly intriguing. They reported that “Vinegar Improves Insulin Sensitivity to a High-Carbohydrate Meal in Subjects With Insulin Resistance or Type 2 Diabetes” in a 2004 issue of the professional journal Diabetes Care.
Now, Dr. Johnston and an associate have zeroed in on using vinegar to control the dawn phenomenon. Their study, “Vinegar Ingestion at Bedtime Moderates Waking Glucose Concentrations in Adults With Well-Controlled Type 2 Diabetes, appears in the November 2007 issue of Diabetes Care.
They tracked four men and seven women who have type 2 diabetes and were not taking insulin. These people kept 24-hour diet records for three days and measured their fasting blood glucose at 7 a.m. for three consecutive days. They took either 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or water at bedtime with 1 ounce of cheese (8 grams of protein, 1 gram of carbohydrate, and 1.5 grams of fat).
The result was that when they took the vinegar, they cut their fasting blood glucose by about 5 mg/dl (0.26 mmol/l). That was twice as much as what the placebo group did.
And when Dr. Johnston and her associate took a closer look at the data, they found that the vinegar treatment was particularly effective for those people who had a typical fasting blood glucose level of more than 130 mg/dl (7.2 mmol/l). Vinegar helped this group reduce their fasting blood glucose by 6 percent compared with a reduction of 0.7 percent in those people who had a typical fasting blood glucose of less than 130 mg/dl (7.2 mmol/l).
It might not have been just the vinegar that was at work, the authors concluded. Cheese might have a synergestic effect with it. Nobody knows yet, and taking it with the vinegar could be a good idea, especially since it makes the vinegar more palatable.
But “this is the first report describing a hypoglycemic effect of vinegar apart from mealtime,” they concluded. It is a big step forward in our continuing attempts to control the dawn phenomenon.
UPDATE January 9, 2008: Another strategy to control the dawn phenomenon may be to drink a little alcohol with dinner. A study reported in the December 2007 issue of Diabetes Care that the fasting plasma glucose of volunteers who drank 13 grams of wine in the three-month trial dropped 32.5 mg/dl compared with those in the control group.
This is a mirror of one of my articles that Health Central published. You can navigate to that site to find my most recent articles.
90 responses so far ↓
1 Les // Jan 18, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Thanks for the update but 13 grams of wine is less than 1/2 ounce, not a reasonable or modrate amount. The actual study protocol says they used 150 ml which is a more reasonable 5 oz.
I believe the published study reference to 13 g meant 13 % alcohol by volume, the usual for many wines.
For years I have been trying to get into the habit of having a glass of red before bed time. I buy the wine but never get around to drinking more than one glass. Since I have a dawn phenomenon problem I was going to try vinegar, but the taste put me off. Wine, especially Chilean red wine is supposed to have some other good effects on the heart etc. So, 5 oz. a night here I come.
2 Dirk Baeuerle // Jan 26, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Hi David -
I have some Merlot wine and will try this week the 5 oz. of red wine each night before bedtime.
3 Becky // Mar 23, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Can one have a glass of wine with their evening meal whilst using Byetta and Glucophage.. or is that a bad idea or a bad time?
4 David Mendosa // Mar 23, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Dear Becky,
Almost all medical authorities agree that one glass of wine with dinner is a good idea and a good time. The fact that you are taking Byetta and glucophage would not rule against that advice. The bad time to drink is on an empty stomach.
David
5 sita // Apr 7, 2008 at 2:19 pm
What are vinegar tablets? Where should I buy them? Should I ask my doctor about this before I can use them?
6 Chris // Jun 25, 2008 at 7:55 am
I have been struggling lately – going to bed at leves of 8-12 but waking up between 12. I reduced my slow acting insulin as i thought i was going to low over night to wake up at 18.
Any advice would be handy, i have been a diabetic (type 1) for 18 months but only the last month or two has these super high morning readings started.
7 Rhonda // Dec 15, 2008 at 6:33 pm
I’m not taking Byetta but Metformin (1000 a.m. adn p.m.) and glipizide 10 mg p.m. Morning bg is near 140. Have heard of cinnamon but considering vinegar. Is there anything more I should know about this since I don’t take Byetta?
8 David Mendosa // Dec 15, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Dear Rhonda,
I don’t know about anything more that you need to know about vinegar. Whether you take Byetta or something else doesn’t seem to be at issue.
David
9 james colon // Dec 25, 2008 at 8:58 pm
“Almost all medical authorities agree that one glass of wine with dinner is a good idea and a good time. The fact that you are taking Byetta and glucophage would not rule against that advice. The bad time to drink is on an empty stomach.”
how much wine is too much though? i mean not all glasses are the same size you know?
i would hate to drink to much wine and have a negative effect ya know?
10 David Mendosa // Dec 26, 2008 at 9:35 am
Dear James,
Great question. Perhaps the best answer is on the Web at:
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/gastro/archive/5327.html
Best regards,
David
11 Rhonda // Dec 27, 2008 at 8:25 pm
After the incident with the reaction to lisinopril and the effects of the steroids Iwas given, my bg is finally down between 90 and 120 morning and evening. It took a lot longer than I thought and I was getting really concerned, but I didn’t give up. Now I have a new year’s resolution, more exercise, better control of my diet and blood pressure.
12 William // Feb 9, 2009 at 3:28 pm
I’m new to the diabetes scene. Currently, I’m way overweight – over 500lbs and since diagnosis 1 month ago, I’ve started a 1600 calorie a day diet and am loosing weight. I’m taking 38units of levamir in the evening with about 5 units of novolog before meals. My fasting blood sugar before meals has come down from the extreme high 200s (270, 280, etc) to 130 to 150 range. My mornings are still in the 170 to 200 range, so it looks like I may have the morning problem. I’m in between referrals from my GP to a diabetic specialist, so I’m kind of running in a information vacuum. Are these readings considered high for someone who is a month in to this whole thing?
I forgot to mention that I’m also now on a fitness regiment. Nothing highly strenuous per doctor’s orders until I get some endurance and flexibility built up.
Any suggestions you might have would be greatly appreciated.
13 David Mendosa // Feb 9, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Dear William,
Controlling the dawn phenomenon is essentially a tweak. The key is to control your weight. When you get it down to a normal BMI (body-mass index) you will control it and your diabetes in general.
In your case the insulin shots are necessary. Eventually, however you will want to get off of them, because insulin shots make it harder to lose weight. Ask your doctor about taking Byetta, the only diabetes medication that will help you lose the weight that you need to lose and thereby control your diabetes.
Your diabetes is a blessing in disguise. Now you will begin to be and feel a lot better. I promise!
Best regards,
David
14 Rhonda // Feb 12, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Dear William, Welcome to this great blog. I have been a diabetic for 5 years now. The first six months getting started on my meds wasn’t too bad, but I thought as you do now that 170 was still a little high. But just be diligent and patient. The numbers will come down to more normal. Keep up the good work and let me know how you’re doing.
15 William // Feb 12, 2009 at 2:39 pm
I just wanted to say thanks to David and Rhonda for being so supportive. This is proving to be one of the best resources I’ve found for dealing with diabetes. Surprisingly, the hardest thing for me is not taking the insulin, or dealing with the diet changes. It’s the “mind games” I play on myself when my test results are not tracking. For example, the other day I got up after sleeping in for about an hour and half on a sunday and my before meal test was 259! I tested again on a different finger and it was 200, I tested a third time, using the same finger as the 200 test and got a result of 226. My meter calibrates automatically and I ran a solution test on it and it checked out fine. With that range of values, how do I know what reading is accurate and how much insulin to take? I might also add that it was the morning after switching from humulin to novolog. I had my first dose of novolog prior to dinner the night before. Might that have something to do with the abnormal reading? Normally my mornings are at about 140 to the mid 180s with occasional (becoming more often) tests at 130 to 135. I also started a 500mg evening meal dose of glumetsa. I’ll eventually be increasing that to 1000 or 1500mg nightly.
Again, thanks for being here and being so helpful.
16 Rhonda // Feb 12, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Hey William, I think we all have played the mind games at one time or another. I have also checked my bs with other meters, a different finger, etc. and have gotten different results. Maybe someone will explain the diff to both of us. Just know that having your types of meds and dosages changed will calculate different until your body adjusts to it. My dr’s suggestion is to stick with the same monitor. The change will eventually work out to a more stable number if you are compliant with your meds and meals. Also, and this may be a myth, I’ve noticed when I have lotion on my hands (lotion has glycerine which is a type of synthetic glucose) my bs tends to be slightly higher, so I wash my hands and use an alcohol prep to clean the area before I stick and wipe the stick pen itself. Hope this helps.
17 Channah // Apr 15, 2009 at 10:31 pm
The newer style meters that don’t need the strips coded and use a bit less blood are slightly more convenient (they may save you 15 seconds), but I’ve had horrible luck with them. In my country they’re made by Contour – I believe it’s a USA firm but I don’t know for sure.
At first I thought it was a defective meter so I exchanged it – and had the same problem. I’m back to my old Ultra OneTouch now (I don’t know if you have that brand in the US). It’s one that wants coding for the strips and a full drop of blood and you get the dread Err5 message if the blood doesn’t go ALL the way up the test strip. (If you’ve had a similar meter, you know of what I speak here
BUT – my readings are more realistic now, usually between 5 – 6.5 (90 – 117). Let me explain: with the new style meters, I was getting consistent readings of between 8- 18 (144 – 324), once even when I had a hypoglycaemic crash the meter read 18 (324). My A1c’s have been between 5 – 5.3 for the past four years, so you can imagine how confused I was.
So if it’s a new-style meter, it could be that, or maybe I’ve just been supernaturally unlucky with them.
I just pulled out the new one again – and yup, it’s still doing it. Old-style meter reading: 5.3 (95). New style meter reads 8.3 (150). Wow – one of the lowest readings I’ve ever got from it ; )
Meters are usually calibrated to be within ten percent or so of accurate, they aren’t completely precise instruments. But the new style ones aren’t even that close in my experience.
Also, you do need to wash your hands or at least suck your finger clean before taking a reading – any glucose, including things like glycerin, will give you a wrong reading.
18 Rhonda Dothard // May 19, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Dear David,
Thank you so much for your all your books and research. I am a Type 2 Diabetic, of many years. I weigh 209 lbs. I am on Lantus Insulin, but I also take a small dose of humalog prior to meals as needed. About a year ago, my Dr. put me on Byetta. I was on it for only a short time, and discontinued it because of the nausea, and I did not see any results. I did not understand that it would not work without diet and exercise. Go figure! Anyway, I am now working out both aerobic and weight training and going Low GI. I have lost 9 Lbs. but it has been a slow go. I was wanting to give the Byetta another try, but your book says that it is not for people on insulin. Can you tell me why? I actually still have a prescription I could use, but now I am wondering if I should. My doctor is not a diabetic specialist.
Also, is there a particular kind of insulin that might be better for loosing weight? I have been able to cut my dosage back at least by half since I started the Low GI program and exercising 6 days a week.
Thanks for your help,
Rhonda D
19 David Mendosa // May 20, 2009 at 5:44 am
Dear Rhonda,
Byetta has not been tested in clinical trials for use with insulin yet. Doctors may, however if they wish prescribe them together “off-label” and many do. This would be something that you would probably want to talk with your doctor about.
Best regards,
David
20 william // May 20, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Just checking in. My readings are now dropping mid day and evening to the 115 to 119 levels on a more consistent basis. My diabetic MD upped my levamir to 50 mg once daily and may want to split the dose. My mornings are down to a more sedate 130 to 145 (big improvement over 200!) Since my levels are dropping now, I’m finding myself feeling VERY hypoglycemic at times (particularly on stressfull days – I work in the IT field and stress is a fact of life). The problem I find myself battling now is how to better manage a mid morning or mid afternoon snack when I’m feeling RELLY lousy. Snacks genrally only relieve the problem for an hour or so and my readings are back down into “I feel lousy” territory. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Also, I take sudafed (by prescription) occasionally for colds and such. will that affect my morning readings?
21 David Mendosa // May 21, 2009 at 9:16 am
Dear William,
People do commonly feel hypoglycemic as their levels drop. Often the numbers don’t match the feelings. You need to confirm with a fingerstick test.
Snacks don’t carry far when they are high in carbs. That triggers the release of more endogenous insulin, which in turn makes you more hungry. Try snacks that don’t have any starches or sugars.
Both the sudafed and the underlying condition can affect your morning readings.
Best regards,
David
22 william // May 21, 2009 at 4:56 pm
When feeling rotten I always do a test with my meter. Generally, when I feel hypoglycemic, I’m in the low 100’s. Stress makes it far worse. For snacks I generally try to have 5 grams of carb – in the form of fruit of some sort and 2 grams of some lean protien or cheese. My doctor says that as I adjust to the lower levels I will start feeling better. I know everyone’s experience is different, but how long generally does it take for the body to adjust? Does snacking slow down the adjustment process?
23 David Mendosa // May 21, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Dear William,
The only guideline I have is that it took me about two weeks.
Best regards,
David
24 william // May 22, 2009 at 12:47 pm
I just want to take a moment and say thanks to Mr Mendosa in particular and to everyone who posts here for providing such a valuable service. It means so much to know that there are “fellow travelers” out there who have gone through what I’m dealing with now and are willing to help. Thanks so much.
25 LindaCC // May 31, 2009 at 5:25 pm
I have not been diagnosed as type 2 however it is very strong in my family. My mother has many complications (which has been a consuming motivation for prevention to me).
Seeing this and educating myself…. I have been testing with the meter for about 3 months and eating low carb. I am 175lbs (have lost 15 lbs).
I seem to have normal readings during the day however have morning readings of around 110-115 sometimes up to 125/126.
I have been more diligent with exercise and I am having the wine at night, often take a brisk walk in the evening. I think it does help some.
From what I am reading, I need to get my morning readings down under 100 to prevent potential complications that I see my mother has experienced. Would Byetta help? Can Byetta be perscribed without being diagnosed as diabetic?
26 David Mendosa // May 31, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Dear Linda,
Maybe the best thing for you would be to go back to your doctor and get a standard test that would diagnose diabetes. Your numbers sure indicate to me that you either have diabetes now or are very close to having it.
When and if you get that diagnosis, Byetta would make your weight loss and therefore your blood glucose control rather easy. You could possibly find a doctor who would prescribe Byetta to you. It would be “off-label,” but legal. Some doctors undoubtedly would do it. But then you would have another problem: I doubt if any medical insurance would cover it. And Byetta is expensive. Without insurance it would cost you more than $2,500 per year.
Your alternative is to follow a very low-carb diet. I have written many articles here dealing with this natural approach to weight loss and blood glucose control. Please consider it, especially now that you are on the verge of getting full-blown diabetes.
Best regards,
David
27 Joycell // Jun 1, 2009 at 7:02 am
I wanted to add something regarding the Dawn’s Phenomenon. I have tried everything, I was getting OCD regarding this. I will go to bed and my BS will be 98 and wake up in the am and it was 160, I don’t care whether I ate or did not eat. Well I add the vinegar tablets and it came down to 141. Always 141, no matter. The other night I have been taking the milk thistle and not the vinegar tablets. I took one milk thistle, and 2 vinegar tablets and drank a glucernia before going to bed and it was 112. This has happened now for 3 morning in a row. This is great. Everyone has to find that one thing that works for them. I am not saying this is correct, and my MD does not know, because he does not seem to understand the DP, but this has worked for me.
Just wanted to share this will you.
28 David Mendosa // Jun 1, 2009 at 7:10 am
Dear Joycell,
Absolutely. I agree that different strategies seem to work for different folks.
Best regards,
David
29 LindaCC // Jun 17, 2009 at 11:32 am
David,
UPDATE:
I have gone to my doctor and talked to her about starting on Byetta to help bring my morning #’s down to normal. She of course did blood tests again which did show higher morning BS than would be ok to keep from having complications.
I am very proud that I have brought my A1C down again to 5.9. (Oct 07-6.6/June 08-6.4/Feb 09-6.4/April 09-6/June 09-5.9).
Due to my morning BS still being too high, I am happy to report that she has sent me home with a 3 months supply of sample Byetta pens and will give me more. She gets plenty of samples.
She said I should not be classified as diabetic with my insurence co as she is sure this can be reversed.
I am so happy to be working with a doctor that “Get’s It”. She is very encouraging with the hard work she see’s I have done and what I have accomplished which is why I believe she is glad to help me.
I will be starting my 1st Byetta injection tonight.
Thank you for the amazing information.
I will report my progress.
Linda
30 LindaCC // Jun 17, 2009 at 11:35 am
PS….I am as well reading your new book
Linda
31 David Mendosa // Jun 17, 2009 at 11:36 am
Dear Linda,
Thanks for writing. You are lucky to have such a good doctor!
Best regards,
David
32 Jackie // Jun 19, 2009 at 7:00 am
Hi – I am so glad I found this site! I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes late January, 2009. Since then, my doctor and I have tried different combinations of metformin (regular/er/fortamet/janumet) to try to get my morning numbers down. During the day and evening, my numbers are normal – usually 2 hours after a meal my bg is 115 or so. Mornings are a different story! No matter what I do my bg will go back up! I have tried taking my met at bedtime – drinking wine – eating protein at bedtiem – taking cinnamon – taking vinegar tabs – pretty much everything mentioned on here.
Should I be looking into byetta? I have read that it helps with weight loss and since January, I have lost 43 lbs – but I still have about 50 to 60 more to go to be healthy, I think. I do eat relatively low carb. I only eat complex carbs like vegetables, a little fruit and if I eat any bread at all, it’s 1 slice of whole wheat a day (not often though).
Any advice on getting this dawn phenomenon contolled? It just ruins my day to wake up and see a high number! (it’s usually between 120 and 145)
Thanks!
Jackie
33 David Mendosa // Jun 19, 2009 at 7:09 am
Dear Jackie,
I’m glad too that you found my site.
Byetta and a very low-carb diet are the only really good ways to help you bring your weight down. Those two strategies together are even better. I would seriously suggest that you ask your doctor to prescribe it.
Since your post-prandial numbers are so much better than your fasting levels, the question becomes, What is your A1C? When your A1C is under relatively good control, like below 7.0, recent studies (which I have written about here) show that the fasting numbers aren’t all that important.
What is really important is to bring your weight down to normal! I sure know that from my own experience. Not only am I more healthy and have a very low A1C now, but I FEEL so much better.
Best regards,
David
34 Jackie // Jun 19, 2009 at 7:14 am
My A1c is 6.2, so it’s not so bad. I’d like it to be much much lower!
What does Byetta do? Do you take that with metformin or alone?
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly!
Jackie
35 David Mendosa // Jun 19, 2009 at 7:23 am
Dear Jackie,
I agree that a lower A1C would be better. A level of 6.0 or less is normal, and that means much less chance of complications from diabetes. But your high morning numbers aren’t contributing much to your A1C level, so you can stop worrying about that!
I have written dozens of articles here about Byetta. So far it has been approved only as an add-on drug to metformin and some others. I was on metformin at first but then my A1C (and weight) got so good that I asked my doctor to take me off metformin, and he agreed.
Best regards,
David
36 Jackie J // Jun 19, 2009 at 2:23 pm
I have insulin resistance and my doctor recommended “CinndromeX” from Xymogen.
37 tanpuia hnamte // Jun 28, 2009 at 12:24 pm
well,it’s worth reading and knowing that others face same problem as mine makes me feel more comfortable.my mother is diebetic,i am 33 now with a fasting level of 98 and a pp level of 170(2hrs), but am too lazy to take regular exercise and a heavy smoker(20 ciggarettes per day),couldn’t resist meat and so on…tonite or this morning at 12:30 am(after 4to5 hours of heavy meal) my bs is 116, am i diabetic or is it reversible?
38 David Mendosa // Jun 28, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Dear Tanpuia,
You have a good chance now not to have diabetes. But your post-prandial level of 170 after two hours worries me. You can reverse your pre-diabetes or actual diabetes, however, if you do get regular exercise, stop smoking, and follow a very low-carbohydrate diet. The meat you eat is the least of your concerns! I do hope for your sake that you take action now. Certainly, it will not be easy to stop smoking. It was one of the hardest things that I ever had to do! But I am so glad that I did, and now I can’t even stand the smell of tobacco within 20 feet of me.
Best regards,
David
39 Jean // Jul 5, 2009 at 12:01 pm
David,
Like others, I’m glad I found this website. I’ve been type 2 since about 2005. I want to give a little history so others may get some help or support from my experiences. By the way, I’m now 57 and most of this started with menopause.
In late 2005, I started with an A1c of 7.2. With diet (which I prefer to call “appropriate eating”) and no drugs, I was able to lower it to 6.2 and lose about 5 lbs in a 3 month period being about 160 (still too much for my 5′4″ large frame. However, like most newly diagnosed type 2’s, eventually we revert to our “inappropriate eating” and my bs & my weight were on the rise. In 2005, my endocrinologist put me on different types of drugs until we found janumet, which seemed to work. So, my bs levels were again good and I continued to eat wrong! My A1c continued to rise to 7.5, then 7.8, then 8.2, then 8.5 along with my weight that went up to 185 lbs. My mind game was that as long as I had to take medication, I may as well eat what I want. Now it’s 2007 and a new Endo, put me on Byetta & 500 mg metformin x2. Without trying, I did lose 10 lbs over a 6 mo period, but my A1c was still 8.5, so I was increased to 10 mg Byetta & 1000 metformin X2. As of May 2009, my morning bs was 170 – 185 and most of my other readings were in the 150 – 165 range. I do have the Dawn Phenomenon.
Startin June 2009, here’s what I did. I went on the Dr. Atkins diet (appropriate eating). Very, very low carbs for 2 weeks and then slowly add until I reach my maximum. (You would need to read Dr. Atkins book). Over the past month, I have taken my weight down to 166 (still more to go), but I have been able to reduce my bs numbers. Now I am about 145-155 in the morning. Still DP, but will work on that from the vinegar & wine advice in this site. My B4 meal readings are 111 – 120 which is within a good range. My 2 hr after meal readings are about 145 – 155; definitely in good range.
I go to my Endo the end of July for A1c, so I don’t know the impact yet, but I’m sure my Endo will be surprised since I anticipate a good drop.
I also supplement with Chromium Picolinate. I was taking 1 pill of 200mg in the morning. I read that diabetics should take 400 – 600 mg, so I have upped my supplement to 400 in the am and 200 at night, which I believe is helping too. I’m going to reverse that to see if it helps with the DP. I’ve tried cinnamon and don’t see any affect, but other people tell me it’s helped them.
One other thing that I feel has helped tremendously is changing from all the artificial sweetners to Stevia. It is considered a nutritional supplement and not a sweetner, so you may not find it with the others, but in the “supplement” section of the grocery store. (Don’t get me started on the FDA) Go to http://www.stevia.com for a wealth of information, and be careful of the brands you see. I’ve only found one with a glycemic index of 0%. I’ve found the stevia with the low, low carbs has reduced my carb/sweet cravings tremendously.
I hope this information is helpful. Please feel free to comment.
PS: I’m not any kind of health professional, nor do I promote anything I mentioned for financial gain; just a diabetic learning from all sources I find.
To better health,
Jean
40 David Mendosa // Jul 5, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Dear Jean,
I’m glad that you found my website. Welcome!
I have “Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution” and have read it. It is wonderful diet and I know that it works. Personally, I follow a very similar diet, very much like that of Dr. Richard K. Bernstein in “Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution.”
I also nowadays use only stevia, and SweetLeaf has become my favorite brand. For one reason, it uses the best bulking agent.
Best regards,
David
41 Jean // Jul 7, 2009 at 8:21 pm
David,
I, too, use only the SweetLeaf brand. It is zero on the glycemic index whereas the new Truvia, Stevia in the Raw and some of the others have additives. One has dextrose. And I do like the bulking agent. The packets do not disolve well in cold drinks, like ice tea, but I found their liquids are great. SweetLeaf liquid also works well for cooking and baking. I made a cheesecake (low carb treat) with it that came out great. The original recipe called for Splenda and it was baked in the oven, but I just substituted the SweetLeaf for it.
By the way, I’m old enough to have the first Dr. Atkins Diet book which I used in 1975! I have the “New Diet Revolution” that I use now, but all those out there who have heard that this diet is bad for you, I’m here to tell you 34 years ago it worked for me. Had I known I was developing diabetes (hindsight is a wonderful thing), I would have stuck to it, but No, I listened to the masses on TV and all the advertising on Low Fat diets. So now, I can say this isn’t a new way of eating. It’s excellent for Diabetics. It’s easy, but like all new things, it takes some getting used to “eating appropriately”.
Jean
42 Linda Carpenter // Jul 7, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Jean,
Do you mean “You don’t like the bulking agent”??? Trying to learn all this.
43 David Mendosa // Jul 8, 2009 at 6:33 pm
Dear Linda,
I do like the bulking agent in SweetLeaf stevia. It’s a fiber called inulin.
But the other brands of stevia that I’ve found use maltodextrin. They use it in small amounts, but it does have a high glycemic index. And Truvia uses a sugar alcohol that comes from corn — and it is probably GMO.
Best regards,
David
44 Jean // Jul 10, 2009 at 11:35 am
Linda,
Sorry if I sounded contradictory. I do like the bulking agent. It is Inulin which is a naturally occuring simple sugar in some plants. Also, Inulin, the bulking agent in SweetLeaf, has the benefit of increasing calcium absorption and maintaining digestive health. Nutritionally, it is a form of soluble fiber and considered a probiotic – good for your intestines like yogurt, which has carbs and usually sugars.
I like that it has minimal impact on blood sugar. Since diabetics generally have raised triglyceride levels which can contribute to NAFLD – non alcohol fatty liver disease – Inulin does not raise your triglycerides levels like products with fructose do.
So, yes! I like the bulking agent – Inulin.
Jean
45 Linda Carpenter // Jul 10, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Really great clarification. Now I get it. I am trying to cook with and use daily the very smartest choices. Thank you for educating me. I am ordering it now.
46 Gerry Pariseau // Jul 16, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Mr Mendosa Thank you for your article about Vitamin D and diabetics. I had my doctor test me for vit d and found out that I was severely deficient. So I am on therapy now of 50k units per day 3xs per week for 4 weeks, plus I am taking 2 Caltrate tabs per day that totals up to 1200 calcium and 800 vit d. I am now starting to feel really good, have better bs readings, less pain and am sleeping better. So thank you for being there for us diabetics. You are greatly appreciated. Gerry
47 william // Jul 22, 2009 at 11:32 am
Hey! Just got my numbers back from my latest test and had to share the good news. I was put on insulin back in January of this year after my a1c came back as a whopping 8.7.
I’ve been on levamir and novolog and a 1600 calorie, low fat and low procesed carb diet.
My a1c came back yesterday as a 6.5! My cholesterol was down to 137 with a triglyceride count of 165 and hdl ration of 4.28, a ldl calculated of 72. Non HDL-C LDL 105 and a HDL of 32.
When I started posting here in January I was very depressed that my numbers weren’t coming down faster. I was advised to be patient, watch my diet and take my insulin as prescribed, and boost my activity level. It worked and I thank everybody for being so supportive. I’m framing this report and sticking to on the wall above my desk!
48 william // Aug 5, 2009 at 10:01 am
speaking of cinnamon, I’ve been using it as a supplement and in tea form for about 3 months now and it does seem to work. My favorite way to get it is a medium bodied black tea with cinnamon, orange peel, and sweet cloves called hot cinnamon spice. It’s put out by a company called harney and sons. the web site is http://www.harney.com. I generally order it by the pound in loose leaf form. I get the best results that way. It really tastes like it’s beet sweetened with sugar but it DOES NOT affect my blood sugar readings. Must be the sweet cloves. Has anyone heard about sweet cloves before? has anyone noticed any glycemic affect from it?
49 william // Aug 5, 2009 at 10:09 am
I just noticed that my previous post may be confusing. The cinnamon seems to help bring my mornings down to the 120 to mid 130s on a much more consistent basis. (better than the 150 to 160 that I was seeing before). The sweet cloves in the tea blend REALLY sweeten it up. Much better than even stevia does and it doesn’t seem to fight the effect of the cinnamon. Sorry if my previous message was confusing…..
50 mary piparo // Aug 17, 2009 at 4:38 am
Hi – I can’t seem to find an answer to this. Hopefully you can help. I started 5mg of byetta in July 09. Took that for 30 days, increased to 10mg. My appetite has decreased quite a bit, no cravings. My A1C went from 8.2 to 7.2 in just the 30 days. It is great at controling my BS. In addition to the byetta I am also on glyburide 5/500 mg. I take one table in the AM and 1/2 in the PM. Getting wonderful morning #s. Now to my question. I have been eating well and doing a little amount of excerise but there has been no weight loss. I am 30 lbs over weight but nothing is moving, in the last 5 years i had lost 65 lbs and put 20 of it back on. I am a very slow loser. I was hoping that the byetta would help. Any thoughts?
I purchased your book, Lose weight on your diabetic meds, Love it. Thanks for this great web site.
Mary
51 David Mendosa // Aug 18, 2009 at 7:23 am
Dear Mary,
Thank you for your comment on my book. The weight loss on Byetta is not automatic. But it comes from the decreased appetite that you already have. With that decrease you can eat less — and better food. Keep on and also cut back on the starchy carbs and sugars and the weight loss will come.
David
52 Jean // Aug 18, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Mary,
I’ve been on Byetta since Oct 2008. Without changing my eating habits (and going thru the holiday foods) I had lost 10 pounds by April. It takes awhile especially over 50 like I am; however, since I have been following Atkins diet (my own version), I have lost an additional 10 pounds in about 10 weeks. Eating the lower carbs also lowered my A1c. It was 8.8 in April with Byetta 10 mg and 1000 Metformin x2. It’s the exercise (hate it) and the “appropriate eating”, (aka diet) that I will have to do the rest of my life to keep my A1c down. In 6 weeks, I dropped it from the 8.8 to 6.7. Hope to have it lower by the end of this year – along with my weight. Side note: My blood pressure medicine (Micardis) has been cut from 80 mg to 40 mg. I’m on my way to better health and you will be too!
53 dolores // Aug 19, 2009 at 8:55 am
It drives me crazy that if I have a salad for my last meal of the day at 8 pm, my morning sugars are about 102-105. If I add a small potato with the meal, they can be in the low to mid nineties. I consume enough balsamic vinegar to float a battle ship since I have given up adding salt to food and I use it to flavor salads and soups and to sprinkle on white potatoes.
Dolores
54 Jean // Aug 20, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Dolores,
Why not try some protein at night, like chicken or fish; then eat a little less salad. The salad has a few carbs, but the protein has none. Also, I’ve heard some people get help from taking cider vinegar at night with 1 oz cheese. I take the cider tablets with the cheese and I believe it helps. For me, I can’t eat a potato unless I want my sugar to be over 200. Literally, it kills me, but that’s the way my body reacts. I’ve found Diabetes is a lot of trial and error eating and other peoples’ suggestions sometimes help; sometimes not. Also at dinner, you could skip the salad and just have some roasted or pan fried chicken with green beans, spinach or broccoli. You can try lemon juice instead of balsamic vinegar and mix it with a little mustard and olive oil for a salad dressing.
55 Suzy // Aug 26, 2009 at 1:12 pm
I found out I had diabetes about 8 years ago. My AIC was 17. My doctor had never seen anything like it. I started on insulin 4 times a day and gradually got down to diet and exercise. I feel it was a blessing in disguise and a great wake up call. I have gotten kind of lax about my eating and had a recent AIC of 7. I am being more careful and am getting much better readings. I take cinnamon pills after 2 meals a day and think that helps. I have also started taking gymnema. I am very frustrated by my high blood sugar after working out with weights. It’s usually about 150. But I can eat almost what I want at dinner, and my before bed is about 105. I also have the Dawn effect and wake up with my sugar about 140. I have started taking vinegar pills and eating an extend bar before I go to bed. I am a little worried as I have kidney disease and hope none of this affects my kidneys. I am going to try milk thistle. My doctor wanted me to take insulin (3grams) at night, but I don’t want to start on it unless I absolutely have to.
I also have problems with hypoglycemia in the mid mornings, as I exercise then too, so it’s all kind of touchy.
I can’t take Byetta because of my kidney disease, but I wish I could lose about 10lbs. Thanks for reading my ramblings!
56 David Mendosa // Aug 27, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Dear Suzy,
Too bad that you can’t take Byetta. But a very low-carb diet (which I have written a lot about here), would instead also help you to lose weight.
Best regards,
David
57 Judy // Sep 13, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Just signed on today. There is alot to learn about diabetes. The coments and tips are very encourging. Thanks
58 rick // Oct 8, 2009 at 9:04 pm
Dave; wondering if you are familiar with Dr. Neal Barnard’s book and research on reversing diabetes with a vegan diet. Seems very interesting and promising. Thanks, Rick
59 David Mendosa // Oct 9, 2009 at 8:09 am
Dear Rick,
I read it and studied Dr. Barnard’s opinions. I don’t see how a vegan diet could possibly reverse diabetes since it is necessarily high in carbs.
Best regards,
David
60 Michael Cobb // Oct 9, 2009 at 12:44 pm
The best thing I have found to drastically bring gloucose levels down and reverse dawn phenom is to lift a few weights before going to bed. I used to be at gloucose levels of 180 in the mornings but have been 89 to 120 every time I lift 25 pounds in several reps of 10 for each arm. Try it!
61 Suzy // Oct 11, 2009 at 1:47 pm
I have found that my glucose is very high, about 150-160 after I work out with weights in the afternoon. It’s like this for for a few hours, but then I can eat a somewhat carby dinner and have a below bedtime reading of about 90. I don’t know what to do about my after workout high readings. Any ideas?
62 dolores // Oct 11, 2009 at 2:12 pm
For the person who wrote that he lifts weights and afterwards, his blood sugar is 150 to 160. I am not on meds so I do not know if this would help someone on meds. If you are strenuously lifting weights it is possible that your blood sugar does get lower at some time during your exercise. You might want to check a couple of times during your weight lifting session. It is possible that it goes so low that your liver kicks in and pumps out glucose (or whatever the sugar is) to bring the blood sugar back up. I would eat a small potato before weight lifting. I know that is anathema to people on this group. I am one who thinks the Atkins diet is a very bad diet for diabetics. If you read Atkins’ second book you will see he evidently thought so too. He uses a “meat and millet” diet for diabetics which is surprisingly verging on Pritikin.
Dolores
63 dolores // Oct 11, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Someone asked how a vegan diet can control diabetes because it is necessarily high in carbs. Firstly, I am not vegan, but eat a plant based diet. I also do not know about eating carbs if you do not exercise. But I exercise and eat potatoes, rice, bread, fruit, corn etc. However, I have about a third to a half cup of rice or corn or a slice or two of sprouted whole grain bread, or a small potato ( not one the size of Rhode Island) with each of my four meals. Pritikin says it is fat which causes insulin resistance, not whole natural starches like rice etc. What is the sense of getting your blood sugar low because it looks good on your monitor and all the while increasing your insulin resistance.
If you are someone who severely limits carbs and eats more fat and meat and you haven’t had to increase your meds, or take meds at all after several years on your diet then your diet must be right for you.
McDougall says on his site that humans have between 2 and 15 genes coded for starch digestion. Most people have an average of six. If you have only two–the number our nearest primate non starch eating relatives have–then no matter what Pritikin or anyone else says it is possible that starches just are not for you. If you have 15 then I guess you really can eat a potato the size of Rhode Island.
Dolores
64 Suzy // Oct 11, 2009 at 2:42 pm
I am the person who said about the high sugar after working out. I’m not on medication either. I know what you mean about going low during workout but haven’t really checked that out. I will eat some low fat cheese before and see if that helps. Thanks!!
65 Michael Cobb // Oct 11, 2009 at 4:44 pm
I’m not on meds either. My blood gloucose always goes down after a good workout. But another I do before going to the gym is eat a spoonful of peanut butter which gives me a boost of energy for the workout and keeps my gloucose level from going too low during the workout. I can workout for 2 hours after doing this and not lose energy.
66 Suzy // Oct 11, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Great! I will try that tomorrow!!!!!
67 dolores // Oct 12, 2009 at 7:30 am
Suzy, when I was first diagnosed about 18 years ago, I was very frustrated when I would go for a long walk and find my blood sugar higher than when I started out. That does not happen anymore–probably because after 18 years my body functions differently.
I am very interested in what happens if you eat low fat cheese before exercise. Remember that fish, chicken and beef, while they might not raise your blood sugar very high, can raise your insulin levels as much as or more than something like popcorn. I do not know about low fat cheese. It seems to me that what we want is to have the optimum amount of insulin respond to a rise in blood sugar. Too little insulin and the blood sugar does not get absorbed into the cells (if you don’t exercise) and too much means your blood sugar goes lower but then you have all that insulin floating around and doing damage. I am leary of anything that raises insulin–glyburide (the old first drug of choice) or cinnamon which some claim lowers blood sugar. I always want to know the mechanism. Mr. Mendosa would probably be the one with knowledge about this.
For Michael who eats peanut butter, I am assuming it is natural peanut butter with no added fats or sugars. Am I right?
Dolores
68 Suzy // Oct 12, 2009 at 2:28 pm
WOW!! I ate a spoonful of natural peanut butter before workout and just took my glucose. It’s 118. I’ve never had it that low after a hard workout! Thanks so much for the tip! I have tried a string cheese before workout, and it helps a little but nothing like this.
69 dolores // Oct 12, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Suzy, it is so great when we find something that works for us. That is why these groups are wonderful–the opportunity to exchange ideas. There may be people out there for whom this does not work so we should remember that we are all different and someone else might come up with something that works for us. What did people do before the internet?
Dolores
70 Michael // Oct 12, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Suzy, I’ll bet you had planty of energy for the workout too, huh? Very cool.
71 Suzy // Oct 12, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Much more than usual! You rock, Michael!!!
72 Michael // Oct 13, 2009 at 11:09 am
Suzy, did you say that you used to take insulin but now you don’t take meds at all? How did you do that? I have never taken meds but I’m curious as to how you got things under control after being so far out there.
73 Suzy // Oct 13, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Michael, I started out taking insulin 4 times a day and got a diet plan from a nutritionist. My sugars gradually came down, and I started on pills and then finally, just diet and exercise. I am pretty compulsive and was very careful about everything for a long time. I think exercising twice a day really helps.
74 Allie // Nov 2, 2009 at 1:05 pm
I’m ready to give up. I’m a cancer survivor with one kidney, so the development of Type II was just icing on the cake I can’t have. I’m taking Janumet and Glipizide and I’m about 75 lbs over my ideal weight. My endo is also struggling with getting my thyroid into a normal range – it’s about 8. Good diet, bad diet, my glucose numbers are always between 140-180…it doesn’t seem to matter. I wake up with 178 after a 12 hours fast (dawn phenomenon?) and it stays right there in that range. I’m so tired of struggling to eat correctly (I work shift, which makes it really fun) and the meter doesn’t reflect it. I feel overwhelmed and pretty much doomed, regardless. My doctor wants to start me on Byetta, but I hate to spend the money if it’s just another dead end. Needless to say, the depression is awful! Exercise is nearly impossible, I’m so tired I fall asleep as soon as I get home. I’m beginning to feel pretty hopeless.
75 David Mendosa // Nov 2, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Dear Allie,
I certainly understand. Diabetes and depression often go together, particularly when our blood glucose levels are high. I have written several article about this and one of my best friends is working on his dissertation on the subject.
But Byetta won’t be a dead end. You are so lucky that your doctor wants you to take it! I used it for about two years and lost more than 100 pounds! My blood glucose level also improved. Go for it!
Best regards,
David
76 Suzy // Nov 2, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Never give up!! Please buy and read the book, The Secret. It really works!!! Also, weight loss will automatically lower your blood sugars. Give Byetta a try!
77 william // Nov 2, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Please don’t give up! I fought going on insulin for 5 years and eventually wound up on it. Last January in fact. Even then my numbers would skyrocket at night and stay in the 150 to 180 range. They stayed that way for months. My diabetes doc finally changed me to new reformulated glucophage and Januvia and put me on Levamir (24 hour basal insulin) 1 shot per day and a “meal dose” of novolog (fast insulin) before each meal. My last A1c (2 weeks ago) was down to 6.2 and my cholesterol is dropping like a rock. I’m starting to see more and more readings in the 105 to 130 range.
I urge you not to give up. I was so close to throwing in the towel last year and just riding it into the ground. Part of what turned the picture around for me was find out that I have Low T (testosterone) as a result of the diabetes. Since you have it and thyroid issues, it wouldn’t surprise me if you also had it.
Please talk to your doctor about insulin in conjunction with the byetta. I know nobody likes to have to take it, but it’s really not as bad as I thought it would be. The most important thing is stop the ongoing progression of the disease and then take the lifestyle issues – exercise, diet, etc one step at a time.
Don’t let it overwhelm you. You beat cancer, you can beat this as well…..
Please keep in touch and let us know how you’re doing…
78 Allie // Nov 3, 2009 at 5:11 am
You don’t know how much this helped me. My plan was to turn loose and let it run itself out and then end it…it was just too blame much to deal with.
Thank you for your encouragement. I pulled my lab orders out of the trash and I’m going to get them done and start my Byetta – and insulin if I need it. Injecting is not a problem for me, (surprisingly!) what is a problem is all the boo stories about how insulin kills your liver, all the complications and horrors, etc. Sometimes the amount of negative information is just overwhelming.
It really helped to know you guys faced the same issues and that it took time to resolve them but they did resolve. Me, I have the patience of a seat-belt buzzer. Now I know that a lack of instant results doesn’t mean it isn’t working.
William, I’ll ask my endo about the Low-T issue. I’m missing quite a few things, that might be one of them…:)
I’ll let ya’ll know how the Byetta works, esp in my situation. And I’ll look forward to being encouraged by ya’ll’s progress and experience.
Many thanks!
79 Suzy // Nov 3, 2009 at 6:49 am
Allie,
Good for you!! We are all here for you to give you hope and encouragement. Keep us posted!
80 William // Nov 3, 2009 at 10:17 am
We’re all in this boat together. Sometimes we row and sometimes we bail to keep the boat afloat!
You’re going to have good days and bad days. You’ll experience weeks or days when your readings are high and just won’t come down. Generally that’s due to your immune system fighting something. I’ve found out that I can pretty much chart the time period between and unexpected increase in my numbers and coming down with a cold or the flu. Any kind of brewing infection will cause your numbers to surge. It can take days or weeks for you’re immune system to come back down to normal and your numbers to follow.
Again, don’t get discouraged, talk to your doctor about things you can do to help your body compensate – increasing your basal insulin dose gradually, decreasing your carb intake, eating smaller meals at shorter intervals throughout the day, steer to low GI foods at each meal, etc. You doctor can help you put together a “tool kit” of things that you can do.
The most important thing to do is too not get discouraged and to think ahead and plan for these bumps and draw up an action plan of how to deal with it. That way you will be more in control of the diabetes and it will be less in control of you.
Keep us posted, we’re positive thoughts your way!
81 David Mendosa // Nov 4, 2009 at 9:04 am
Dear Allie,
My correspondent Gerry sent me these comments directly that she intended for you:
I can identify with you. I have found that at bedtime a warm cup of water with 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of honey will lower your dawn phenomena. I also leave all white foods alone, they are pure poison to me. I used to fall asleep after every meal, with no warning, makes driving rather difficult. Now I don’t. However, I do take a short morning nap and a short afternoon nap to help my body heal.
The doctor told me to exercise 30 minutes per day. I was in the middle of a severe gout attack and asked her how I am suppose to that seeing as how I can’t walk or stand. She said to sit in a chair and move whatever will move, move it consistently until the blood is flowing within you, it works. I feel much better.
These are just little suggestions but they sure do make you feel like you are doing something to get ahead and I find when I do not do these things, my blood sugar is high again in the morning. Gerry
Then she added:
I forgot to tell you. I was also in a lot of pain last winter and blamed it on the cold weather. David Mendosa had an article on Vitamin D, so I asked my doctor to test my vitamin D, even though I did not show any signs of a deficiency. T o my surprise, the test showed I was severely deficient. I was put on vitamin D and calcium therapy and this winter my pain is gone. I could also swear that it helps with depression also but don’t know for sure. Gerry
82 David Mendosa // Nov 4, 2009 at 9:04 am
Dear William,
My correspondent Gerry sent me these comments directly that she intended for you:
Thank you for your comments, I never knew you could tell the state of your health a few days ahead of it materializing. I will have to look back at my blood sugar charts and see if that is true for me. Thank you, Gerry
83 allie // Nov 4, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Dear David and Gerry -
Wow.
Talk about about being on the money….My last lab showed a severe D deficiency. My endo gave me prescription vitamin D and I felt SO much better – joint pain gone, sugar better and I actually did things on my days off instead of huddling in the house. I didn’t attribute it to the D, but to my new meds (Cymbalta) However, the scrip expired, the Cymbalta continued, and the old cycle of high sugar, inexplicable joint pain and depression returned…I just figured it was another lost cause.
And the sudden sleepiness – almost like you’ve been injected with a sedative, impossible to fight off. Oh Lord, it’s comforting to know I’m not the only one! I’ve never told anyone, but I’ve fallen asleep suddenly at the wheel, so deeply I began to dream. To stave it off I began to pop caffeine tabs. Not the best solution, but I was afraid to say anything, and so afraid I might hurt someone else. Now I know it can be controlled.
Thank you, Gerry, for asking a doctor how we’re supposed to exercise when we’re in pain! And what a sensible answer. A year ago my ankles were so inflamed I had to use my mom’s walker to stand up in the morning. “Too fat!” was my doctor’s diagnosis. “Get out and walk!” On what, doc? My hands?
I am sipping your cider vinegar solution now. I agree with the “white poison” – I’m from the deep South, where the three major food groups are fat, sugar, and starch. A balanced meal is when you put equal amounts of butter on everything.
I need to take a lot more responsibility for my healthcare, including helping my endo by telling her everything and keeping a journal and charts. as ya’ll seem to do. It helps to know I’m not alone. You can’t imagine how it helps. I’m not a freak. I’m normal with diabetes
.
Ya’ll are earthbound angels, for sure – seems like the cloud of despair lifts every time I come here. Maybe once I get straight I can help somebody like ya’ll have helped me.
Until then – well, I got a plan.
Hanging in there,
Allie
84 David Mendosa // Nov 4, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Dear Allie,
I’m so glad that you got tested for vitamin D. I just got my second test (don’t have those results back yet, but the level of my first test was fine). I wish everybody would get this test! MOST Americans have too little vitamin D.
And I wonder if you need to be tested for sleep apnea. Falling asleep at the wheel was something that I fought for years before being treated.
Best regards,
David
85 allie // Nov 13, 2009 at 6:38 am
I just wanted to report that I started Byetta two days ago and my morning numbers have fallen 30 points. During the day, if I haven’t screwed up my carbs, it’s near normal.
I’m also taking 1000 IU of vitamin D a day. Yesterday I accomplished more in four hours than I have been able to in four weeks. I had energy AND focus. And lost the guilt and shame that goes with constant fatigue – “laziness” is how I interpret it, illness-based or not.
Have had some nausea – nothing bad, just an occasionally wave that you can deal with. Some stomach upset. Nothing that would really interfere with your life. The shots are NOTHING, guys; anyone who’s nervous about needles, please believe me – it’s less than plucking an eyebrow.
Also, I use One-Touch but I got an Accu-Check lancet – I don’t know how they do it but it is as nearly painless as can be. This has helped me with the fingerstick.
Still having dawn phenom if I don’t use my Gerry’s formula, but I can see the numbers dropping. Appetite – I’m eating about 2/3rds less. Noticing that it decreases “nervous eating” some but that’s still an issue as it is not appetite based. However, I have found the more I do, the less I eat (energy = movement =decrease in anxiety)
Just wanted to report in.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Allie
86 David Mendosa // Nov 13, 2009 at 8:04 am
Dear Allie,
What a great, positive report! Thanks for sharing it.
I do wonder if 1000IU of vitamin D will be enough. The suggested level that you want to aim for is 40-60 ng/ml. I get my vitamin D tested at http://www.grassrootshealth.net/ with a home test that is quite reasonable. My latest level came back at 105 ng/ml, which may well be too high. I had upped my dose to 15,000IU/day because a high level might protect me from the H1N1 (swine) flu virus until I can get a shot. But taking 5000IU/day will probably put both of us in the 40-60 ng/ml suggested range.
Best regards,
David
87 allie // Nov 13, 2009 at 4:14 pm
David, I get the best info from you and your blog – will check out the home test. I will up my D (I know I’m nowhere near where I should be as I was severely deficient before) to 5k and then test it…
Many many thanks
Allie
88 william // Nov 13, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Allie, thanks for sharing the good news! We all know how discouraging it gets and it’s such a relief when you make a breakthrough. It’s like a 10-ton weight just rolled off of your back.
Keep it up and let us know how things go.
89 Allie // Nov 16, 2009 at 9:14 am
My blood sugar was 108 AFTER EATING!
YEEHAW!
Just had to share
90 william // Nov 16, 2009 at 9:19 am
I’m Jealous!
Keep it up!
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