Observation/confirmation

[Widgets]

I've been testing my blood glucose regularly for a few weeks, since the GP told me I was pre-diabetic and muttered about appointments with 'diabetic nurse'. I wanted to try 3 months of controlling things myself and seeing what I could do before going to more medical intervention stuff.

I've previously lost a lot of weight with low carb, and then put a lot of it back, but since the beginning of the summer I've now lost just over 17kg, low carb, exercise and (mild) intermittent fasting. Taking blood glucose measurements all through that.

I've got to the point where I'm pretty confident of what my numbers will be with my normal foods and when to test more rigorously with new stuff. Yesterday I didn't eat anything remotely non-standard for me, but my numbers were all at least 1% higher than they have been. Totally consistent across the day. Today they are back to where I've come to expect them.

The difference? Yesterday I was feeling a bit off-kilter. I woke up with a headache and felt slightly seedy around the edges all day. Today I feel fine and my numbers are back where I expect them.

Seems that things other than what you ingest affect what your readings are. I mean, I know everyone here knows that already, but it's somewhat comforting to know that my body is actually working and doing what's expected of it.

 

[LaoDan]

Stress and lack of sleep are things I need to watch out for. Stress was a huge issue for me, I once measured just after a heated conference call, I was spiking in the “I just ate a dozen donuts” level.

 

[EllieM]

Stress and illness are just two of the many things that are notorious at putting bgs up.

Yesterday I didn't eat anything remotely non-standard for me, but my numbers were all at least 1% higher than they have been.

Do you really mean 1%? Anyway, I'm glad you are back to normal now.

 

[Widgets]

Stress and illness are just two of the many things that are notorious at putting bgs up.



Do you really mean 1%? Anyway, I'm glad you are back to normal now.

I do mean 1%. My numbers have been utterly predictable on what I was eating such that, as it was all day, the change in pattern was noticeable. Had it just been one number then no, I wouldn't have noticed it, it was the pattern that was very clear, given my history.

 

[EllieM]

I do mean 1%. My numbers have been utterly predictable on what I was eating such that, as it was all day, the change in pattern was noticeable. Had it just been one number then no, I wouldn't have noticed it, it was the pattern that was very clear, given my history.

Ah, do you mean 1 mmol/L ? 1 % of a reading of eg 6mmol/L would only be 0.06, and not really measurable by a glucometer.

 

[Widgets]

Ah, do you mean 1 mmol/L ? 1 % of a reading of eg 6mmol/L would only be 0.06, and not really measurable by a glucometer.

Yes - turns out I'm actually an innumerate twit, especially when posting half awake at 2:30am. My readings the day I was feeling decidedly seedy were all up by 1mmol/L not 1%, so a decided blip in my graph, not huge but definite given my previous readings.

 

[EllieM]

Yes - turns out I'm actually an innumerate twit, especially when posting half awake at 2:30am. My readings the day I was feeling decidedly seedy were all up by 1mmol/L not 1%, so a decided blip in my graph, not huge but definite given my previous readings.

No worries, thanks for the clarification. What with the multiple conflicting system of units for hba1c and blood sugar readings it's very very easy to make a typo, especially in the early hours of your morning.

 

[DisFanJen]

Things that affect glucose levels are sort of like the Spanish inquisition sketch...

"NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our *three* weapons are fear, and surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our *four*...no... *Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... I'll come in again."