Coffee and Showers

Bittern

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248
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Up till this month I have had stable "feet on floor" blood glucose (BG) levels in the morning. I then drink black coffee, have a shower and roughly 2hrs later test again. My BG at this test has been usually 1 or 2 mMol higher but consistent at this level so OK thats how it's working, live with it. Over the last month same routine but BG post coffee and shower now varies widely anything from -2 to +4. Any ideas of the cause and possible methods of stabilisation would be appreciated.

Current treatment is Metformin and diet.
 

Guzzler

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Has your sleep pattern changed at all?
 
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Member496333

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To be honest there are so many factors that can affect blood glucose through the day that it’s probably impossible to blame the coffee. Having said that, in theory the caffeine may have a small effect but I’ve personally never noticed it. More likely just morning creep.
 

Bittern

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Has your sleep pattern changed at all?

My sleep pattern has not changed just the wild fluctuations. From post coffee post shower BG being steady it now swings wildly both up and down.
 

Caeseji

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Could be your meter or the strips having issues too?
 

Hotpepper20000

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It could you are fighting a cold or flu bug.
You might not feel sick but it still can cause higher bloodsuger while your body is fighting it.
 

Bittern

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Could be your meter or the strips having issues too?

Checked strips against a new tub and another meter and get 6.5, 6,6, 6.5 so well within tolerance. Checked meter calibration and thats OK.
 

Prem51

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Could it be Dawn Phenomenon? Some forum members say their bg continues to rise after getting up until they have something to eat. Or maybe if you like it add double cream or coconut oil to your coffee.
 

Bluetit1802

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I would try adding double cream to your coffee and see what happens. Some of us have bodies that prefer some fat first thing.
 
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keefidee

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I also find my meter readings increase immediately after a warm shower, I put it down to kickstarting the body and dawn phenomenon.
 

kitedoc

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Or with warm skin we might get a larger amount of blood on the strip and this influences the reading ?
 

Robbity

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There have been a number of threads on the forum regarding seeing glucose levels rise after taking a morning shower - I see similar after a warm bath.
 

Bluetit1802

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There have been a number of threads on the forum regarding seeing glucose levels rise after taking a morning shower - I see similar after a warm bath.

Funnily enough, I used to see a rise after a bath, but haven't done so in quite a long time now.
 

Mr_Pot

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Or with warm skin we might get a larger amount of blood on the strip and this influences the reading ?
Strips use capillary action to draw in exactly the same amount of blood every time. It doesn't matter about the size of the blood drop, unless it is too small in which case the meter gives an error.
 

JohnEGreen

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There is one thing I have learned never take a cup of coffee into the shower with you. that way disaster lies.
 

kitedoc

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Strips use capillary action to draw in exactly the same amount of blood every time. It doesn't matter about the size of the blood drop, unless it is too small in which case the meter gives an error.
I agree that that is the expected result but I have noted differences using the same drop of blood and excessivley and quickly loading up one strip compared to another.
 

Robbity

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Funnily enough, I used to see a rise after a bath, but haven't done so in quite a long time now.
I probably should have said "have seen" as it's not something I've looked at very often - and not since I had serious issues with a batch of very unsticky Libre sensors a while back

Robbity
 
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