Ask the Diabetes Educator Archive

12/19/05

Q:
I'm recently diagnosed DM Type II. I have been monitoring my blood sugar for the past few weeks and it is only elevated (140-150) when rising and shortly after breakfast. From midmorning to bedtime it is always within normal ranges. Since my diagnosis is based on fasting blood glucose tests done first thing in mornings, is it accurate. Should I have fasting blood test done later in the day to get a more accurate reading?

A:
Fasting is the most important blood sugar to consistently measure, as it will generally be higher due to elevated hormones during the night. Keeping the fasting blood sugars under 100 while paying close attention to good lifestyle habits will generally result in normal daytime blood sugars.