Re: The Experiment Has Been A Bust :-(

[Guest guest]

Hi, Sylva..That wasn't a dumb question at all.

Here's a very good explanation that was posted by listmember Stacey last

month. It was so good that I saved it in my archives - and thanks,

Stacey!

Vicki

<<

from Diabetes Self Management:

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/article.cfm?aid=1023 & sid=6 & sk=5WZ2

Dawn Phenomenon

Published in the July/August 2001 issue

Very high blood glucose in the early morning due to the release of

certain hormones in the middle of the night. The body makes certain

hormones called counterregulatory hormones, which work against the

action of insulin. These

hormones, which include glucagon, epinephrine, growth hormone, and

cortisol, raise blood glucose levels, when needed, by signaling the

liver to release more glucose and by inhibiting glucose utilization

throughout the body.

In the middle of the night, there is a surge in the amount of growth

hormone the body releases, followed by a surge in cortisol, which

effectively cranks up glucose production in the liver, presumably to

prepare the body for daytime activity after a period of fasting. In

people who don't have diabetes, these

processes are offset by increased insulin secretion by the pancreas, so

blood glucose levels remain relatively stable. However, in people with

Type 1 diabetes, whose pancreases don't make insulin, and in people with

Type 2 diabetes,

whose livers may not respond to insulin well enough to stop glucose

production, changes in glucose metabolism during sleep can have a

profound effect on morning blood glucose levels. Typically, the blood

glucose level rises between 4 AM

and 8 AM.

It is important to realize that high morning blood sugar may be caused

by something else: the body's rebound from low blood glucose levels at

night. Rebound hyperglycemia, also caused by the release of

counterregulatory hormones,

represents the body's defense mechanism against low blood sugar. The

only way to tell the two phenomena apart is to check your blood glucose

level in the middle of the night (around 3 AM). If your blood sugar is

high, you are probably

experiencing the dawn phenomenon; if it is low, rebound hyperglycemia is

probably at work.

From http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/429762_5 in an article about

how insulin pumps are good for countering the dawn effect.

It has come to be known as the " dawn phenomenon " [53] and is due to a

combination of waning of plasma insulin concentrations from the previous

evening's delayed-action insulin injection and an increase in insulin

resistance caused

by nocturnal surges of growth hormone.

Re: Re: The Experiment Has Been A Bust :-(

>

> I guess i am dumb but please tell me what Dawn Phenomenon is .

> thanks Sylva

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi, Sylva..That wasn't a dumb question at all.

Here's a very good explanation that was posted by listmember Stacey last

month. It was so good that I saved it in my archives - and thanks,

Stacey!

Vicki

<<

from Diabetes Self Management:

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/article.cfm?aid=1023 & sid=6 & sk=5WZ2

Dawn Phenomenon

Published in the July/August 2001 issue

Very high blood glucose in the early morning due to the release of

certain hormones in the middle of the night. The body makes certain

hormones called counterregulatory hormones, which work against the

action of insulin. These

hormones, which include glucagon, epinephrine, growth hormone, and

cortisol, raise blood glucose levels, when needed, by signaling the

liver to release more glucose and by inhibiting glucose utilization

throughout the body.

In the middle of the night, there is a surge in the amount of growth

hormone the body releases, followed by a surge in cortisol, which

effectively cranks up glucose production in the liver, presumably to

prepare the body for daytime activity after a period of fasting. In

people who don't have diabetes, these

processes are offset by increased insulin secretion by the pancreas, so

blood glucose levels remain relatively stable. However, in people with

Type 1 diabetes, whose pancreases don't make insulin, and in people with

Type 2 diabetes,

whose livers may not respond to insulin well enough to stop glucose

production, changes in glucose metabolism during sleep can have a

profound effect on morning blood glucose levels. Typically, the blood

glucose level rises between 4 AM

and 8 AM.

It is important to realize that high morning blood sugar may be caused

by something else: the body's rebound from low blood glucose levels at

night. Rebound hyperglycemia, also caused by the release of

counterregulatory hormones,

represents the body's defense mechanism against low blood sugar. The

only way to tell the two phenomena apart is to check your blood glucose

level in the middle of the night (around 3 AM). If your blood sugar is

high, you are probably

experiencing the dawn phenomenon; if it is low, rebound hyperglycemia is

probably at work.

From http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/429762_5 in an article about

how insulin pumps are good for countering the dawn effect.

It has come to be known as the " dawn phenomenon " [53] and is due to a

combination of waning of plasma insulin concentrations from the previous

evening's delayed-action insulin injection and an increase in insulin

resistance caused

by nocturnal surges of growth hormone.

Re: Re: The Experiment Has Been A Bust :-(

>

> I guess i am dumb but please tell me what Dawn Phenomenon is .

> thanks Sylva

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi, Sylva..That wasn't a dumb question at all.

Here's a very good explanation that was posted by listmember Stacey last

month. It was so good that I saved it in my archives - and thanks,

Stacey!

Vicki

<<

from Diabetes Self Management:

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/article.cfm?aid=1023 & sid=6 & sk=5WZ2

Dawn Phenomenon

Published in the July/August 2001 issue

Very high blood glucose in the early morning due to the release of

certain hormones in the middle of the night. The body makes certain

hormones called counterregulatory hormones, which work against the

action of insulin. These

hormones, which include glucagon, epinephrine, growth hormone, and

cortisol, raise blood glucose levels, when needed, by signaling the

liver to release more glucose and by inhibiting glucose utilization

throughout the body.

In the middle of the night, there is a surge in the amount of growth

hormone the body releases, followed by a surge in cortisol, which

effectively cranks up glucose production in the liver, presumably to

prepare the body for daytime activity after a period of fasting. In

people who don't have diabetes, these

processes are offset by increased insulin secretion by the pancreas, so

blood glucose levels remain relatively stable. However, in people with

Type 1 diabetes, whose pancreases don't make insulin, and in people with

Type 2 diabetes,

whose livers may not respond to insulin well enough to stop glucose

production, changes in glucose metabolism during sleep can have a

profound effect on morning blood glucose levels. Typically, the blood

glucose level rises between 4 AM

and 8 AM.

It is important to realize that high morning blood sugar may be caused

by something else: the body's rebound from low blood glucose levels at

night. Rebound hyperglycemia, also caused by the release of

counterregulatory hormones,

represents the body's defense mechanism against low blood sugar. The

only way to tell the two phenomena apart is to check your blood glucose

level in the middle of the night (around 3 AM). If your blood sugar is

high, you are probably

experiencing the dawn phenomenon; if it is low, rebound hyperglycemia is

probably at work.

From http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/429762_5 in an article about

how insulin pumps are good for countering the dawn effect.

It has come to be known as the " dawn phenomenon " [53] and is due to a

combination of waning of plasma insulin concentrations from the previous

evening's delayed-action insulin injection and an increase in insulin

resistance caused

by nocturnal surges of growth hormone.

Re: Re: The Experiment Has Been A Bust :-(

>

> I guess i am dumb but please tell me what Dawn Phenomenon is .

> thanks Sylva

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

I'm not on meds so I can't comment on how to manage eating plus meds.

However, 2 things struck me:

(1)you are consuming a lot of carbs you may not be fully aware of and

need to look more deeply into the amount of carbs you may be

unknowingly eating and

(2) you were concerned to carb up a bit before you left the house. I

do that too sometimes. I trust that you also carry a little bag of

snacks with you so you can avoid the roller coaster over-carbing might

get you on. I don't know how long you've been a diabetic but, with

time, you can develop a small food bag to carry in your purse so you

can nurse things along rather than over-carbing to compensate for bein

g gone a long time.

My food bag consists of Smarties and Peanut Butter crackers. Everyone

has their own remedies they rely on. These just work for me as

emergency remedies for lows.

Hope I'm not telling you things you alread know

Suzz, t2, dx97, d & e

-----------

>

> By 2pm, I was at 103. I knew we were going out for a while so I ate

> 2 graham crackers *no sugar* because I didn't want to go too low

> while we were out.

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

I'm not on meds so I can't comment on how to manage eating plus meds.

However, 2 things struck me:

(1)you are consuming a lot of carbs you may not be fully aware of and

need to look more deeply into the amount of carbs you may be

unknowingly eating and

(2) you were concerned to carb up a bit before you left the house. I

do that too sometimes. I trust that you also carry a little bag of

snacks with you so you can avoid the roller coaster over-carbing might

get you on. I don't know how long you've been a diabetic but, with

time, you can develop a small food bag to carry in your purse so you

can nurse things along rather than over-carbing to compensate for bein

g gone a long time.

My food bag consists of Smarties and Peanut Butter crackers. Everyone

has their own remedies they rely on. These just work for me as

emergency remedies for lows.

Hope I'm not telling you things you alread know

Suzz, t2, dx97, d & e

-----------

>

> By 2pm, I was at 103. I knew we were going out for a while so I ate

> 2 graham crackers *no sugar* because I didn't want to go too low

> while we were out.

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

I'm not on meds so I can't comment on how to manage eating plus meds.

However, 2 things struck me:

(1)you are consuming a lot of carbs you may not be fully aware of and

need to look more deeply into the amount of carbs you may be

unknowingly eating and

(2) you were concerned to carb up a bit before you left the house. I

do that too sometimes. I trust that you also carry a little bag of

snacks with you so you can avoid the roller coaster over-carbing might

get you on. I don't know how long you've been a diabetic but, with

time, you can develop a small food bag to carry in your purse so you

can nurse things along rather than over-carbing to compensate for bein

g gone a long time.

My food bag consists of Smarties and Peanut Butter crackers. Everyone

has their own remedies they rely on. These just work for me as

emergency remedies for lows.

Hope I'm not telling you things you alread know

Suzz, t2, dx97, d & e

-----------

>

> By 2pm, I was at 103. I knew we were going out for a while so I ate

> 2 graham crackers *no sugar* because I didn't want to go too low

> while we were out.

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

without some fat, you will go up and come down faster. This is why I

carry peanut butter crackers with me. The fat in the pb helps maintain

the higher blood sugars you're after. My particular remedy for a low

usually consists of from 1/2 to 1 packet of Smarties for the fast

boost and then 1 or 2 peanut butter crackers to keep my bgs a little

more stable.

When I was new to this, my most consistent errors were either to

overeat on the fast glucose side and then go up and down too fast; or

else, overeat on the fat side so that my bgs wouldn't rise enough.

Again, I'm not on meds so this is probably a lot trickier to manage if

you are.

Suzz, t2, dx97, d & e

----------

> is got this afternoon. It continued to drop dramatically after the 2

> sugar free graham crackers. I ate them on purpose to keep the level

> up while we were out and about and yet it still dropped to 68 before

> supper.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Glucose tabs are made especially for diabetics and raise the BG a

specific, set amount. For most type 2's, 1 glucose tab will raise BGs 20

points. For me, a type 1, 1 glucose tab raises me 10 points. By using

glucose tabs to treat a low, you can avoid the rollercoaster effect that

one gets sometimes when eating carbs such as food or juice to bring up

BGs because you know exactly how many points 1 glucose tab will get you.

(By testing ahead of time, once.)

For instance, if your BG is 70 and this feels uncomfortably close to a

hypo, and you knew one glucose tab raised you 20 points, one glucose tab

would do the job nicely.

Glucose tabs are inexpensive and you can get them at any drug store or

Costco for pretty cheap. I happen to think they're not bad tasting, too.

Vicki

Re: The Experiment Has Been A Bust :-(

>

>

> ,

>

> I'm not on meds so I can't comment on how to manage eating plus meds.

> However, 2 things struck me:

>

> (1)you are consuming a lot of carbs you may not be fully aware of and

> need to look more deeply into the amount of carbs you may be

> unknowingly eating and

>

> (2) you were concerned to carb up a bit before you left the house. I

> do that too sometimes. I trust that you also carry a little bag of

> snacks with you so you can avoid the roller coaster over-carbing might

> get you on. I don't know how long you've been a diabetic but, with

> time, you can develop a small food bag to carry in your purse so you

> can nurse things along rather than over-carbing to compensate for bein

> g gone a long time.

>

> My food bag consists of Smarties and Peanut Butter crackers. Everyone

> has their own remedies they rely on. These just work for me as

> emergency remedies for lows.

>

> Hope I'm not telling you things you alread know

>

> Suzz, t2, dx97, d & e

>

> -----------

>>

>> By 2pm, I was at 103. I knew we were going out for a while so I ate

>> 2 graham crackers *no sugar* because I didn't want to go too low

>> while we were out.

>>

>>

>>

>>

[Guest guest]

I always carry soy nuts in a baggie in my purse just in case I get stuck

somewhere at meal time without any way to get food. I find if I don't

eat something my bg's will rise from a liver dump even in the afternoon.

It also keeps me from getting so hungry that I eat everything in sight

when I do get to have some real food.

To prevent dawn effect I used to keep nuts on the bedside table & eat

them in the early dawn (4 or 5am) & then take my morning dose of

Metformin & go back to sleep.

cappie

Greater Boston Area

T-2 10/02 1/05 A1c: 5.4 = 115 mean glu

50-100 carb diet, walking, Metformin

ALA/EPO, Coq10, B12, ALC, Vit C

Cal/mag, low dose Biotin, full spectrum E,

Chromium P, Policosanol, fish oil cap,

fresh flax seed, multi vitamin,

Lovastatin 20 mg, Enalapril 10 mg

3/05:140 lbs (highest weight 309),

5' tall /age 67,

cappie@...

[Guest guest]

I always carry soy nuts in a baggie in my purse just in case I get stuck

somewhere at meal time without any way to get food. I find if I don't

eat something my bg's will rise from a liver dump even in the afternoon.

It also keeps me from getting so hungry that I eat everything in sight

when I do get to have some real food.

To prevent dawn effect I used to keep nuts on the bedside table & eat

them in the early dawn (4 or 5am) & then take my morning dose of

Metformin & go back to sleep.

cappie

Greater Boston Area

T-2 10/02 1/05 A1c: 5.4 = 115 mean glu

50-100 carb diet, walking, Metformin

ALA/EPO, Coq10, B12, ALC, Vit C

Cal/mag, low dose Biotin, full spectrum E,

Chromium P, Policosanol, fish oil cap,

fresh flax seed, multi vitamin,

Lovastatin 20 mg, Enalapril 10 mg

3/05:140 lbs (highest weight 309),

5' tall /age 67,

cappie@...

[Guest guest]

I use Necco wafers. Pure sugar. 1.3 carbs per wafer. Taste better than glucose

tabs (in my opinion) 1 wafer raises my BG's 4 points. I can fine tune to any BG

I want. My system does not feel a low until I reach 55 (by my meter). I have

been at 33 with no symptoms. Don't know why. I verified that 33 with 2 meters

and 4 test.

S Wilkinson

Rome, NY

-----Original Message-----

Glucose tabs are made especially for diabetics and raise the BG a specific, set

amount.

Vicki

[Guest guest]

I use Necco wafers. Pure sugar. 1.3 carbs per wafer. Taste better than glucose

tabs (in my opinion) 1 wafer raises my BG's 4 points. I can fine tune to any BG

I want. My system does not feel a low until I reach 55 (by my meter). I have

been at 33 with no symptoms. Don't know why. I verified that 33 with 2 meters

and 4 test.

S Wilkinson

Rome, NY

-----Original Message-----

Glucose tabs are made especially for diabetics and raise the BG a specific, set

amount.

Vicki