Can I not test after known meals?

[PerfectStorm]

Hi

I'm looking for some advice about testing.

I've been testing for about 2 weeks now, the first week, which was just after diagnosis, was just to see what happened with 'normal' foods. During the last few days I have been doing a LCHF and have been getting some quite good results. As I am testing 7 time a day, my fingers are toughening up, meaning I'm having to increase the stabbing number. I'm sure it is just a case of them getting used to being repeatedly stabbed with a needle!

Anyway, in order to give my fingers a rest and to save the precious prescribed strips, I was wondering whether I can avoid testing after meals which I know do not raise my blood sugars.

For example, on 3 days last week, I had the same salad vegetables with edamame beans for lunch but each day had different types of protein, such as prawns, tuna, egg etc. Each time. the results were 6.something.

How long before I can consider a food/meal as a known food and stop testing after eating it? As I am so early into this (only 5 days) should I continue testing 7 times per day in order to paint a complete picture of my blood sugars.

I currently test before on waking up, before breakfast which is usually 1-2 hours after waking, after breakfast and then before and after lunch and dinner. I don't bother testing before bed as we usually eat dinner late so 2 hours after that is normally only a short while before bed anyway!

 

[sanguine]

You can stop testing with respect to any meal where you know its impact, even though sometimes the spike varies for seemingly random reasons (time of day, are you stressed etc). I haven't tested breakfast or lunch for months, I just continue with dinner.

 

[June_C]

Contrary to Sanguine, I still test after a 'known' meal and the chances are I'll not get the result I was expecting, so I still test before and after meals to see if I can see a pattern forming, which at the moment is eluding me. We are all different, so what suits one won't suit another. I think the decision is entirely yours.

 

[Robbity]

I think if you're a type 2 diabetic it's really up to you why and how often you test. If you feel that you're getting consistent results for certain meals, you could stop testing after them completely, or possibly do occasional spot checks. There's no set rule about when and why you test - the information gained is to help you, so the choice is yours - unless you have had medical advice to the contrary.

If your fingers are getting sore are you
(a) changing fingers regularly?
(b) using the minimum depth of prickers that will draw blood?
(c) changing then regularly, so you're not using a blunt one?

Robbity

 

[jack412]

I test under 10 times a month now.
a couple of fastings and a couple before tea, the rest after a carby meal

 

[Daibell]

After the first few weeks it is reasonable to greatly reduce the testing after known meals. Yes, results will vary but if you are like me and many others you just can't account for some of the variation so the too much testing becomes pointless and costly. Now I'm on insulin I test for different reasons i.e. to avoid hypos particularly when driving. Morning testing isn't of much value apart from occasionally knowing where you are as the overnight liver dump can have an effect and does vary.

 

[PerfectStorm]

I think I will stop testing for simple salad dishes, and add to the list of things I don't test for as I get to know my food and its effect on my blood sugars. I want life to be as 'normal' as possible so if I can reduce my testing whilst keeping good control then all the better. I can always do a random test of a known meal every now and then just to make sure.

Hopefully my fingers will get used to the testing - they are a bit sore. I didn't like to say so in my original post as I sounded like a wimp! Robbity, I'm doing all the things you mention but each of my fingers is pretty sore. I'm finding that sometimes I prick my finger and because the skin is toughening up, it doesn't produce any blood so I have to go to a deeper setting. Ah well, no pain no gain