Strange Phenomena - Lower Amaryl, Lower FBG?

[suzcubfan]

Sorry if this gets a bit long but I was wondering if this has happened to anyone.

First of all, at the end of December, I moved from Indiana to Sweden. I expected things to get better since I knew I would be eating better and getting more exercise and they have. I was having fasting morning glucose readings between 147 and 157 but my morning readings have always been high. Extra meds, change in diets, change in exercise did not change this morning "problem" that I had from 12/02 when I was diagnosed to 12/04 when I moved.

Over the last few weeks, my morning sugars have been dropping nicely, consistently around 128 but I noticed that I was having lows in the middle of the morning like I did before I dropped from 4 mg to 2 mg daily of Amaryl back in 2003. I talked to my boyfriend who agreed that maybe I should try just 1 mg a day while I was on vacation this week. I am currently not seeing a doctor here in Sweden for my diabetes but will have all the regular tesing done in a couple of months when I go in for my thyroid bloodwork. I have plenty of meds to last a while.

My readings have been in the 118, 130, 113 this week on the lower dose of Amaryl. I have been testing during the day and my readings have been great. Is it possible that taking a lower dose of the Amaryl could be having this effect on my readings or should I keep testing frequently because it might be a fluke?

[Grady2004]

Your body will make glucose if your levels go too low. The amaryl dose may have been too much for you after your change in diet and in the middle of the night you glucose may be going low and therefore you liver would produce glucose in response (ie higher am blood glucose). Amaryl does not slow down the liver production of glucose.

It is difficulty to know for sure, esp since the levels are looking better now. If this happens in the future try checking you glucose at approx 2am give or take and see how low it is.

The dawn effect can cause higher am glucose but doesnt tend to improve when medication is lowered.