My morning blood sugar is almost always 150 and above. My GP says that as long as my A1c is good then the morning readings do not matter. My A1c is usually always 6.0 to 6.5. I am currently taking 2000 mg of metformin daily and 180 mg of Starlix three times per day. Is he correct in this or am I damaging my organs with the continuation of high fasting numbers?
Q: My morning blood sugar is almost always 150 and above. My GP says that as long as my A1c is good then the morning readings do not matter. My A1c is usually always 6.0 to 6.5. I am currently taking 2000 mg of metformin daily and 180 mg of Starlix three times per day. Is he correct in this or am I damaging my organs with the continuation of high fasting numbers?
Unfortunately, your GP is incorrect that fasting blood sugar levels do not matter if your A1c is within acceptable limits. Anytime your blood sugar is above 140 mg/dL, damage to the blood vessels and nerves that lead to your organs may be occurring. In addition, research has shown that elevated fasting blood sugar can harm the beta cells of your pancreas which are responsible for producing insulin. In one study, people with fasting blood sugar between 110-125 mg/dL (considered prediabetes) had already lost up to 40% of their beta cell function. On the other hand, your A1c value is fairly good, which is encouraging. You are also on the maximum dosage of metformin and Starlix. I recommend that you make getting high-quality sleep a priority, as poor sleep can cause high blood sugar in the morning. In addition, you may want to try changing your evening routine in terms of dinner and/or snacks. Both too large a meal or not eating enough in the evening have been linked to higher fasting blood sugar levels. I wish you the best of luck in lowering your morning blood sugar.
Answered By dLife Expert: Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE
Certified diabetes educator and registered dietitian living in Southern California.
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