Fasting Questions

[esd921]

Ok, I'm having trouble getting my fasting number under 90 which is the guideline I was given.  I've heard that most people are allowed under 95, is this true?  My fasting # has been 94, 82, 94, and 91.

Also, how many hours should you go between your before bed snack and taking your reading in the morning?  And do you take it right when you wake up or just anytime before breakfast? 

All of my post-meal readings have been great, I just don't know how to get that fasting number below 90 and appreciate any advice you could share!

[Pollymom]

I think your fasting numbers are good. I was told under 95.

And I take my first reading as soon as I get up in the morning after my shower.

[orangecoolness]

My Drs [this time and last] have always told me that I needed to be under 100 in the morning. I am only under 90 about half of the time, but usually under 100. As for when to take it...I wait as long as I can. I get some water as soon as I get up but don't check my blood sugar until I'm ready for breakfast. I figure any extra time I can give myself to get that reading down a little helps :) Also, if my blood sugar is kind of high after dinner, I will be careful with my snack [cheese seems to be a good one] or even skip it all together. It does help with the morning numbers. Good luck with all this - I know it's hard at first when you're trying to find what works for you!

[ilovemybug]

I was also told that my fasting numbers should be less than 90. My nutricianist told us that it is actually fairly common for people with GD to have trouble with their fast blood sugars being too high. My numbers were never really terrible (90, 94 sometimes 100) but I was started on glyburide ( the glucose pill) anyways. It has helped a ton. My numbers are way lower in the morning now. I never had terrible with my after meal number, just the fasting ones. I take that pill before I go to bed.

[robbiesmama]

I was told by my doctor and dietician that my morning fasting number should be under 95.  They also said I should take it as soon as I get up in the morning, before I do too much activity, because that will affect your number and not give a true reading.  Sometimes I remember to do that and sometimes it's a little later in the morning....  One tip my dietician gave me for my bedtime snack was to have one serving from the milk group (skim milk or lite yogurt) as my bedtime snack or part of my bedtime snack.  She said there is something about the dairy product that helps with the numbers overnight and she has had a lot of clients do well with their fasting numbers by following this.  So usually my bedtime snack is a yogurt plus something with protein, or 1 cup of skim milk to drink with something else for a snack.  My morning numbers are always under 95 when I do this.  On the nights when I forget to have milk or yogurt, my fasting number is higher in the morning.

[KerryMiller]

Thanks for posting this!  I'm going to the Dr on Weds and have the same problem so I am going to ask about the pill : )  Thank you!

[esd921]

Thanks so much to everyone for helping me out!  I am just so frustrated because my after meal numbers have been perfect and this silly morning number is driving me crazy!  I'm trying to avoid any medications if I can and hate that I can't control this.  It's probably not good, but being the competitive person I am I really focus on not having my numbers go too high, sort of like a game.  It's the only way I know I'm going to get through the next 2 months without going crazy that I can't have a Coke or the rare candy bar.  Thanks again, I'll play around with the suggestions here and see if I can get this figured out before I go back next week for my follow-up.

[bhwrn1]

My nurse told me 95 and under is fine for fasting.

[mom2Hayleigh]

I got it made. My dr wants them under 105 fasting. I cant even do that so I am on insulin. The gave me glyburide but it took away my appetite and I was losing too much weight.

[Cameolynn]

I am not on any kind of medicine for my GD but I go once a week to my OBG to do the sugar fasting.. The numbers havent gone past 86 for me so far.. But the trick that they have me do is I dont eat or drink anything past twelve at nite and I can't have anything in the morn til they do the blood sugar test on me.. Maybe trying to do that will help?? I really have no clue due to me being "new" at having GD

[Mom2Jack04]

The general guideline is under 100 fasting.  However for some whether it's type 1, 2 or GD they simply have a tougher time with fasting readings.  There is something called "The Morning Effect" or "The Dawn Effect" (some call it Dawn Phenominom) and it's basicaly when diabetics tend to have higher fasting numbers because of the inactivity of sleep!