How do I lower my morning fasting glucose levels?

The endocrinologist wasn't very clear on the matter. I first went to her after having my cancerous thyroid removed and she decided the Synthroid medication with testing. That is stable now so she has nothing to treat there. She helped with the diabetes treatment when I said my doctor wasn't doing anything. Then she told me my number was below seven and she couldn't treat me and would send a letter to my doctor to replenish my prescriptions when needed. I see him on the 20th and we will discuss it. If I am very strict with my diet I can meet my personal goal of near 100 fasting. This summer I have slacked off due to not exercising with a broken shoulder. I am more active now and sticking with the veggies, meat, and a little fruit. I tried some coconut and canned beet juice and the numbers went up. I eat sweet onions every day because I like them and have a good crop. I must stay away from melons which are in season.
But I try to widen my diet to keep from being bored. I baked some brussels sprouts. I am eating cole slaw but stay away from bottled dressings. I suspect it is a new Medicare rule because they want to make cuts where possible. My last test was 6.8 but before that it was 6.4 and 6.3 so I want to work on it.
My son takes his Metformin at different times than I do and it is a different doctor. His numbers don't go down as he has a desk job. So I work on my goals and am happy that my eye test showed no damage from diabetes, no glaucoma, no macular degeneration. I am doing o.k.. I went shopping and walked a lot. I think the problem is different in different locales. Dorisena

@dorisena It sounds as if you’re doing great, congratulations!

My bg numbers are higher than they used to be, I hope my A1c won’t be high when I see my endo in September.

Exercise of course helps a lot in controlling those numbers but I fell and have a small fracture of my upper femur that has kept me unable to exercise. I hope that hasn’t had too negative an effect on my numbers.
JK

My problem when I fell and fractured my shoulder was that I had to take hydrocodone for the pain and that will cause a rise in the blood sugar. Also, I couldn't cook and tried to avoid prepared foods which have too much added ingredients I don't want in my diet. Every little bit adds up. I know it was temporary and I am back on track now, eating well and feeling better. We can never let up on the program to have lower numbers. This doesn't go away. Dorisena

I do have more energy. Wish I could walk more. Gravel roads and bursitis do not go well together but I do what i can. Want to incorporate stretches and strength training in the next couple of weeks. Having more energy during the day helps me to get all the garden stuff canned/frozen that needs to be done. Sleep well during the night as well.

Is there any harm in trying to reduce numbers by changing my lifestyle? I was basically a couch potato and ate all day long. No wonder my A1C was 10.1!! Since I've changed everything the numbers have gone down. Losing the extra pounds should help too. Will have A1C checked again in early October. The doctor wanted to push Metformin as more of a weight loss drug than lowering my glucose levels. I also read that it takes over a month for it to work. Plus all the side effects. I'd really like to do this for a year before taking any medications. So far no adverse physical affects from the diabetes.

140's

Hey, I'm a farm wife too!! It would be really nice to have someone to help with answers to questions. Especially with all the "numbers". I've seen a dietician and will go back to her a couple of more times before the end of the year. The cost is all out of pocket due to a large deductible on insurance. I'm like you. I like to make things from scratch so it's very tough trying to figure out how many carbs are in what I make. Plus my husband eats what I do so have to cater to a working farmer as well. Other than baked goods and high starch veggies, I eat just about everything. Nothing packaged except nuts.

I know that's why I only eat it a couple times a week. I get so tired of eggs for breakfast. Have been trying smoothies using cottage cheese so I have the protein with the fruit. I want to be able to get through the morning and afternoons without doing a lot of snacking. This seems to help.

@kateia There’s certainly no harm in adopting a healthier lifestyle, but you may need to also take medications initially. When I was first diagnosed with diabetes the doctor had me do insulin for a very limited amount of time - a month or two - and then I did take metformin for a while. With lifestyle changes I was able to only be on that for a short time too and just control by diet now.

Your numbers sound high to me and your doctor probably just wants to try to make sure that you don’t have negative effects. How are your bg numbers? Despite being diabetic myself, I’m not as knowledgeable about a lot of it as @retiredteacher is, she may have some good input. I do remember when after my transplant my numbers soared (close to 400!) due to taking a high dose of prednisone initially. I had to resume insulin until the prednisone dosage decreased. The endo made a comment that he didn’t want me having a stroke from such high numbers! I think he was serious!
JK

I keep reading that Metformin is not a weight loss drug but lowers blood sugar some. My doctor said at the beginning that it does not do much, but I think it is effective for me. I can overdo at dinner and have the number back to normal in the morning. But not every day. I am wondering if anyone has been taught about the normal ups and down of blood sugar and how diabetes makes the blood spike high and then drop low two hours later and then go back up again in a wave pattern if normal, and in peaks with diabetes. When I saw that chart, I knew better who to eat and when to eat to control the ups and downs. Metformin helps the number to go down over night but not as much in the day, I have discovered. At first two Metformin pills made my stomach hurt a little over night, but then I got used to it but was very hungry in the morning. But I have always had a sensitive stomach due to stress. Basically, changing lifestyle is the way to go for better health. Insulin is for serious cases, and I never had to go that route because my diabetes was discovered early on. I hope this helps the new people who haven't been taught much about their disease. There is always more to learn. Dorisena