Question on Progress with Blood Sugar


(Joey) #21

@Janet3 Welcome to the forum and congrats on heading off in this healthier direction for yourself.

I’m not seeing a glaring disconnect between 130 and 131… the accuracy of the typical glucose meter is fairly wide. And averages of any sort can hide information as much as reveal it.

Keep taking good care of yourself as you now are and the serum glucose (and, more importantly, your underlying insulin cycles) will serve you very well in the long run.

Daily data gathering is important for some (it was a big attraction for me, I admit!), but eventually your body responds to good health and eating habits - and the data will confess. Keep up the great start :vulcan_salute:


(Michael) #22

Your pancreatic bells have become insulin resistant such that the signal to turn off gluconeogenisis does not happen. As a result, your blood sugars can be higher when you wake up and fasting than after eating. In fact, you may Find that your blood sugars initially go down after eating only to rise slowly over time if fasting. This happens to me, especially if I eat high protein loads over a day or two. Hopefully your baseline blood sugar levels will continue to slowly fall. Your fasting blood sugars may be above your average levels for a long time. I am at 6 months here and have the same high blood sugar levels when first fasting and sleeping - mostly dependent on my protein intake over a few days prior to the day in question. I can lower my blood sugars by controlling protein intake, but I tend to run hot to also be calorically satisfied.


#23

I’ve suspected that what you say might be true. I’ve also wondered if as my body is conditioned to use glucose for food that my liver continues to produce glucose even when fasting.

One thing I’ve noted since my last post is the result of fasting for 24 hours. I’m doing my fourth today. I’m doing 18/6 every day plus keto and my glucose level has been dropping about 5 pts every two weeks or so. After my first 24hr fast, I did not notice much difference but after my third I dropped below 120. While I have some spikes, they are now in the 130 range and I’m generally in the low 120’s.

Have others had good results or such quick results doing a 24 hr fast? I’m trying to work up to a 36 hr.


(christian) #24

I fasted for 24 hours yesterday, my first 24-hour fast in a long time. I know by 16 hours +, my levels started dropping back into normal range quickly. I know this because I was testing every 2 hours.

Although I woke up and tested at 185, which is high yes, that’s still on the low end of what I’ve been testing at for the past few weeks (220+).

I guess time will tell.


#25

I’m very new to all of this. May I ask a few questions? Are you doing keto? If so how long? Do you do intermittent fasting? Do you use medications?

After my previous 24 hour fast my level dropped to 106. After this most recent fast, I was in the 130’s.

I’m planning one 24 hour fast a week hoping to build to 36.

I’ve read about people going from the 200’s with multiple meds falling to 100 on zero meds in six weeks. That blows my mind.

I’d appreciate any help or advice.


(Bob M) #26

I’d assume that’s pretty fast. Six months seems more reasonable…but I never had high fasting blood sugars pre-keto, only in the very low 100s. In fact, many times, my morning blood sugars on keto are higher than that. But I have a completely flat blood sugar response the entire day.


(Michael) #27

Now if I fast 24 hours my glucose levels fall quickly. Early into fasting it used to take 72 hours of fasting for my levels to drop a lot.

Do not get discouraged if your levels return to a higher value once you eat again, reversing insulin resistance takes a while it seems, just like it took a while to get insulin resistant in the first place.

As a reference I am 6 months into Keto/carnivore and I measured my blood levels for first time in a month yesterday. Levels were about 122 when I woke up. Certainly high, but at zero carbs, i cannot do much better outside of not eating - which is fine for short periods but obviously not the long term solution. I will just stick with what I am doing and remain patient in hopes that eventually my IR will diminish and my levels fall to a normal ranges.

EDIT: Here is a link to Ben Bikman (wonderful understanding of all of this) explaining IR within your pancreatic alpha cells and why gluconeogensis does not turn off for type 2 diabetics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=rkQxqodIADI&list=PLPTndB1S1lEB6H0qr8SBAcpPYZPRSPqVS&index=47


(christian) #28

I was struggling with keto here and there but still fasting. I was falling off the wagon with sweets. Really, just dealing with sugar cravings and food addiction.

But I’ve been keto now for a week and have been running again. This morning I tested at 143. Still really high, but way less lower than the usual 185 – 225 that I would test. Again, 143 is still high by medical standards, but again, I’ve been doing full legit keto for a week, intermittent fasting with a few 20 hours fasts, and running 2 miles 3 times a week.

All that being said, I know I have a ways to go, but I can’t wait to see what happens as I continue to increase my mileage during my runs, add in some swimming on my off days, and keep hammering away at keto and IF. @#$% diabetes!


(christian) #29

Should have mentioned above that I am starting a log here to monitor my progress… will include blood sugar values, exercise routines, etc.


(christian) #30

Just tested my morning fasted blood sugar at 129!!! I have not been this low in years!!!

Yesterday morning was 156, and then the rest of the days readings were 121, 114, and 130. I feel amazing, and I feel like a weight is being lifted off my shoulders. I am going to share this with anyone and everyone that’s willing to listen because you do not always have to invest in Big Pharma to get “better.”


#31

I was really excited when testing my blood sugars 2 hours after meals and about an hour before my first meal of the day. So maximum fast. I averaged in the low 130’s. Down from my initial 180s three months ago.

Learning more, I realized that I needed to test at around 8AM to get a true picture. At that time my levels are between 135 and 165. So depressing.

Still as others have mentioned there is no instant fix. I’ve lost about 50 lbs. I love it when a pair of pants fall down to my ankles-not in public obviously.