I usually have high sugar numbers in the morning and my doctor said it was the "Dawn Affect'. My sugar gets low during the night so my body kicks out too much sugar to regulate things and making my morning numbers too high. She suggested a small protein snack before I go to bed. I have been trying a few things - a handful of peanuts, cheese stick, and I do have better numbers in the morning. Any ideas what else to try for a lite snack before bed?? Thanks, DM

I have had that problem in mid-afternoon, which always used to be my blood sugar slump. Try an apple. It releases natural sugar into your system slowly so you shouldn't have those peaks and valleys.

An apple a day or night helps keep the doctor away!

This reminds me of something my grandma used to say, that if you eat a spoonfull of peanut butter before bed you won't wake up crabby.

The Dawn Effect is very common for a lot of us. Make sure your bedtime snack has a decent balance of carbs and protein for best control. I find that yogurt works fairly well for me.

My number were up in the morning too. My doc had me split my Lantes(which works 20-24 hr.) from 70 to 35 am & pm. Lots better.
I take humaloge at meals & a junuvia pill in the am. My numbers are in the lower 100s now. When I started w/this doc my aic was 9.7, in one year it is now 6.4. So even tho my weight is not good my sugar is much better.

Hi Meowee,
I should have stuck around. My weight would have been better.

So far I am not on medicine, we are hoping diet and exercise will be enough for now. Except for my morning numbers the other are fine between 85 and 110 for fasting. I am still trying out different bed time snacks to help with the morning numbers. DM

I have this problem if I do not eat a snack before bed. I find that yogurt works best for my body. I usually eat a Yoplait Light for 100 calories and I figure it into my daily calorie count. Sometimes if I need more calories I find peanut butter on apple slices also works well.

I wish I could find something that worked for me. If I don't eat before bed my count is about 150 in the morning. If I eat it's anywhere from 139 to 210. I've been type II for about 18 months. All my doctor says is as long as my numbers are low all day long the morning count is no big deal....I'm thinking new doctor?

Basically, he's right -- one reading does not make or break anything. It's really the A1C that counts since it averages everything out. However, the other side of that coin is that a high morning reading can make it more difficult to get intpo the right ranges for the rest of the day.

Good luck.

Hi! This is my first time in this group. I, too, am diabetic. I was diagnosed in the late 70s or early 80s, I've been on insulin since 1985. Information on the effects of diabetes on your body is much more available now than it was then. Every doctor told me that I had to lose weight. Duhhhh. no kidding. No one told me it was going to be a very discouraging journey with weight ups and downs. (More ups than downs). We were not told that the very medications we had to take in order to live, would cause weight gain. Then the doctor would say "You have to lose weight". I am so glad for the support groups we have available now where we can talk about our "stuff" and have other people who understand what we are going through and we find that we are not the only odd balls in the pond.

I have lost hundreds of pounds, literally in my struggle with diabetes. The most recent time was 3 years ago. I was in a liquid protein diet group that was held at my cardiologist's office. He is great and always listened to me and supported me. In 18 months I lost over 170 pounds. I attended weekly group therapy which was very good. The one weak point in the plan was transitioning back into the "reak world" of food and healthy, reasonable meals. I started gaining back almost as soon as I reached my goal

I now have a wonderful endocrinologist who helps me evey inch of the way. She hasn't given up on me and has not told me that I simply had to lose weignt. I have been in the process of getting ready for Weight Loss Surgery for the past year. I have had psych evaluations, dietitian education, pre-op support groups, etc. I finally saw the surgeon for the first time Oct. 27. The short and long of that visit was that The risk with the things I have going on and the very advanced diabetes, (my pancreas is totally burned out) and I already have the diseases the surgery was most likely to eliminate. The only benefit I would have is being lighter on my feet and less strain on my back and knees. That would be at a 15% risk of not making it out of the operating room alive. When I broke it into realistic pictures, 1.5 people with my health issues, out of 10 would die in surgery.

I am very blessed. The two nurses in charge of the bariatric program have taken me on as a private project, and that free of charge. They are there for me any time I need them. I call them and they also call me. On Oct. 27 I weighed 366 and this morning I weigh 349. The food plan is very do-able for me and it is great having my personal coaches.

An then. . . I FOUND YOU! What a wonderful day. Not all of my days have been great, far from it, but I now know I can do it without surgery and without a "shrink". I am not a glutton, as had been hinted at over the years. I do have a body that doesn't work like the run of the mill body works. When I learn what works and do it, I get good results. I no longer have to punish myself with guilt and shame when I go astray. And I don't have to keep being astray. I have a lot of resources to help keep me motivated and on track.
I look forward to getting to know all of you!
Daiseymae

I have been a diabetic for 11 years (I am 23). Only recently did I hear about eating protein before bed to stay asleep at night and not wake up with a low. I must say, this information turned my sleeping and eating habits around. I now check my blood sugar about 45 minutes before bed and if it's under 150, I have a chunk of cheese and about 7 or 8 ritz crackers. I usually wake up around 99-120. I have not see numbers like that in the morning for a while.

If you not up for eating, have a low carb slim fast shake, that is loaded with protein. I have one for breakfast every morning and it keeps me going until lunch and my numbers at lunch are close to 99 too.

Hope this helps

Came across a pretty good description of the differences between the Dawn Phenomenon and the Somogyi, or Rebound, Effect -- either (or both) of which may be causing your morning highs and I've put a link on the main section of the Diabetes Forum -- have a read.

I like having a jello fat-free, sugar free pudding cup.
- It is one carb exchange (17g)
- It is only 60 calories
- Add acouple table spoons of coolwhip lite for nly 20 calories more and it is yummy
- It has protein
- And it also helps me get in a serving of dairy!