For many people with diabetes, "Dawn Phenomenon," or the rising of blood glucose levels in the morning due to hormones naturally released, is an uphill battle. DP is the main reason I started using an insulin pump in 2009. And, for a while, I had it under control. But as anyone with any type of diabetes can tell you, if there is one thing that is constant in d-care it is change.
After nearly 8 weeks of a steady job, my body is still working on adjusting to a new schedule, waking up early and going to bed early. For most of the past few weeks, mornings have been brutal. My normal waking blood sugar level is somewhere between 150 and 200. I am OK with this for now. However, I have hit kind of a road block. No matter what I eat or even if I don’t eat, and after numerous basal adjustments, my blood sugar caps out somewhere between 250 and 400 between 8 and 11 o’clock in the morning, leaving me virtually useless, tired, lethargic, and blurry-eyed at a time when I should be very productive at my job.
I considered my next option. Getting up and working out in the morning. Not that easy for someone like me, who enjoys neither getting up early nor exercising. But yesterday I took a huge step, one I never thought I’d take. I bought a gym membership.
Today I went to the gym. I used the elliptical machine for about 30 minutes before getting ready for work. I got to work, and I still felt exausted. Blood sugar check time.
322.
What the heck? I am so bummed that on the first day of my now-committed to 18 months experiment I saw no change in my levels. I will continue to try, and add insulin adjustments and perhaps pure-protein breakfasts (but let’s face it, eggs get old fast). But for something I was excited about and sure I would get positive results to turn out so negatively on the first day, my hope has been smacked on the head.
(I can do this).
The SaJaBla Life 
Sarah, I obviously don’t know if this is relevant to you. But for folks dealing with insulin resistance, much of the benefits from exercise would come over time. I certainly hear the frustration, though – when we bust our booties, we ought to get the prize!
Hey Girl.
I TOTALLY know how you feel! I’m dealing with the same thing! DP, new job (well, since beginning of the summer), and frustrating hi bg’s! Grr. I’ve also tried to get up super dang early to exercise BEFORE going to work, and that actually does help some, along with the egg bfast (who has to do that everyday anyway?!), but my sleep & ex schedule get messed up if I happen to indulge in the occasional happy hour, meaning that I’m not waking up with the rooster and/or i am but just with crap amount of sleep causing guess what – more crazy hi bg’s! Ah. So for now, I’m trying to get good ex in AFTER work and adequate sleep. I was 324 an hour ago though. Poor sleep. How are you doing now since this post??