May 30, 2001
Daily Care, Type 2
Question from Port Elizabeth, South Africa:
I am a 61 year old male who has had type�2 diabetes for five years. I exercise daily and do not take medication, but my sugar levels are never below 5.6 mmol/L [101 mg/dl], and my morning readings have risen from 7.2 to 8.2 mmol/L [130 to 148 mg/dl]. After exercise, the reading goes down to 6.5 mmol/L [117 mg/dl]. I thought I had everything under control, but I am perturbed that my morning readings have gone up. Do I have cause for concern?
Answer:
You should ask your doctor to do some further tests such as a hemoglobin A1c and a fasting lipid profile. Subsequently, your treatment may need to change to something, beyond the diet and exercise you are currently doing. Fasting blood sugar readings as high as you report increase your risk for long term complications of diabetes mellitus.
MS
