Are you watching your processed carbs such as white bread, white potatoes ,white flour and white rice. That can influence your sugars. BTW, sweeteners still tell your brain you are having sugar research has shown. So, don't try to get your sweet tooth satisfied with using sweeteners especially sucrose or varients of it. FYI.

A1c is the Average for the past 90 days, you must be doing something right or your A1c would be much higher.

Instead of talc powder use plain old corn starch.

That early morning higher reading is caused by the dawn phenominon ( not sure of spelling ) apparently our bodies shut off insulin release about 4am and put some glucose out from the liver and this is to stop people from going hypo but also to give us energy to start the new day so research this and it will give you understanding of why and its not your fault ...

That happens to me as well and i think the long time between meals must stress our bodies and stress will cause high bs readings