Hi Just Me,
I can empathize with your frustration at the rise and fall of the blood sugars. I asked my diabetes educator a similar question. She explained something about the liver and the insulin but would not reiterate it in a portal message and i didn't quite grasp it. I won't be able to ask her for the explanation in person for another six months. My take on it though, is that it is part of the disease process. It's like if i do eat a higher carb menu (and i understand that you are not) my blood sugar actually goes down. Mine is all over the place and mostly i eat the same stuff every day. I too have a chronic cough and use sugar free (i hate the chemicals) cough lozenges. Does the cough syrup you use contain sugar?

I tried to research this a bit right now, but then i read how three of the meds i take can cause blood sugar to rise. Lovely. Guess i need to see a pharmacist soon.

Aside from eating simple carbs, smoking, and lack of exercise, there were things like too little sleep, stress, portion control of foods.....there is too much info out there and i'm not sure what is right and what is wrong. A diabetes educator or other medical professional would be the best way to get the proper information. Sorry, i haven't been much help. I'm still fighting the diabetes II diagnosis.

As for the diet in rest homes, i totally understand that. My mom is in a nursing home, best one in the county she is in. She has very tricky to treat hypertension. She is also on Coumadin and from what i read in her medical record is pre-diabetic. She hates the food. She finally got them to understand about not eating "green" vitamin K rich vegetables unless it was done in a specific manner so now they give her green jello and carrots constantly. And ham, very high sodium content. My mom sends most of the food back. I try to get there once a week and take some good food, but it hardly balances the "one diet fits all" food she eats the rest of the week. They'll give her a sandwich in place of the supper entree if she asks, but that is about it. Not sure if there is a fix for nursing home diets. I was shocked when i found out that they do not accommodate medically necessary dietary regimes. She pays an astronomical fee per month to live there.

I hope you can figure out how to regulate your blood sugar to eliminate the spikes. I'm sorry i can't help more, but i've only had this diagnosis about three months and have not had time to study up on it. I did however, want to reach out to you and attempt to give some support. I wish you the best

Blessings