Hi @MaryAnn, @Miffy49 and @carorees,
thanks everyone for your support & good advice!!
MaryAnn - I've entered my data into the progress tracker, but maybe there's something there to get it added to my posts - I'll check it out again in a mo..
Miffy49 - so glad you're going well on low carbs. I've had type 2 diabetes for 13 years and counting, and have always been a fan of low GI - I know the two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, but I do a lot of endurance exercise (like riding my bike for 2-3 hours), and don't think I'd like to go much below 150 g of CHO per day for the sake of that. btw, I've been on metformin for all of that time, and I have to say, it's my favourite drug in the world - as shown in the famous "UKPDS" -prospective diabetes study. I have no side effects and it just helps me slow down my glucose absorption - also heard just recently it's supposed to prevent liver insulin resistance.
But fair enough if you don't want to take any drugs, I totally understand that too.
Carorees - you are a gem! I hope you also get some time to do some work that you get paid for! I think you're spot on. "metabolic inflexibility" - what a great term. Yes I think, whatever the cause of the "dawn effect", I imagine it's mediated through too much glucagon action on the liver. If I'm not fasting, my FBG is around 5-6. I've been wondering whether my menopausal sleeping poorly has also been contributing to my higher sugars on fasting days, some days I can just TELL it's going to be high, but I don't know whether that's a cause or an effect of increased insulin resistance. Yes my FBG does also tend to be higher (sometimes 7) on the day after a fast day, and I never feel like eating my usual fruit & muesli for brekkie - lately I've been having heaps of mushrooms and spinach and garlic and low fat fetta on one slice of low GI toast - yum for me, maybe not so good for those around me! I love the suggestion of just a small amount of low GI carb to try to flick the switch back towards not pouring glucose out of my liver. I've also been looking at byetta (exenatide) - in Australia we can't get it on the pbs (cheaply) unless our HbA1c is over 7.0, so that doesn't apply to me at 5.4, so I'd have to pay $200 per month for it - but it's supposed to be good at limiting glucagon effects. Anyway, I will certainly try your suggestions - although we don't have oatcakes in Aus! - and let you know how I go. As I say, it didn't happen this last fast day, so maybe my metabolism is settling down. Thank you for your patience & advice through this somewhat complex issue!
thanks everyone for your support & good advice!!
MaryAnn - I've entered my data into the progress tracker, but maybe there's something there to get it added to my posts - I'll check it out again in a mo..
Miffy49 - so glad you're going well on low carbs. I've had type 2 diabetes for 13 years and counting, and have always been a fan of low GI - I know the two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, but I do a lot of endurance exercise (like riding my bike for 2-3 hours), and don't think I'd like to go much below 150 g of CHO per day for the sake of that. btw, I've been on metformin for all of that time, and I have to say, it's my favourite drug in the world - as shown in the famous "UKPDS" -prospective diabetes study. I have no side effects and it just helps me slow down my glucose absorption - also heard just recently it's supposed to prevent liver insulin resistance.
But fair enough if you don't want to take any drugs, I totally understand that too.
Carorees - you are a gem! I hope you also get some time to do some work that you get paid for! I think you're spot on. "metabolic inflexibility" - what a great term. Yes I think, whatever the cause of the "dawn effect", I imagine it's mediated through too much glucagon action on the liver. If I'm not fasting, my FBG is around 5-6. I've been wondering whether my menopausal sleeping poorly has also been contributing to my higher sugars on fasting days, some days I can just TELL it's going to be high, but I don't know whether that's a cause or an effect of increased insulin resistance. Yes my FBG does also tend to be higher (sometimes 7) on the day after a fast day, and I never feel like eating my usual fruit & muesli for brekkie - lately I've been having heaps of mushrooms and spinach and garlic and low fat fetta on one slice of low GI toast - yum for me, maybe not so good for those around me! I love the suggestion of just a small amount of low GI carb to try to flick the switch back towards not pouring glucose out of my liver. I've also been looking at byetta (exenatide) - in Australia we can't get it on the pbs (cheaply) unless our HbA1c is over 7.0, so that doesn't apply to me at 5.4, so I'd have to pay $200 per month for it - but it's supposed to be good at limiting glucagon effects. Anyway, I will certainly try your suggestions - although we don't have oatcakes in Aus! - and let you know how I go. As I say, it didn't happen this last fast day, so maybe my metabolism is settling down. Thank you for your patience & advice through this somewhat complex issue!