Have I been playing the wrong game?

[KittyKatty]

Hello Everyone

I've just had a low carb beef stew I made at home and this time my bloods were 8.3 after one hour and ten minutes. I've never been that high since diagnosis. I'm really shocked. I was always advised to test 2 hours after eating to see how food affected my blood sugar. Have I been falsely reassured all this time? Should I test my blood sooner after eating something unknown so it would give me time on the treadmill to burn off some damaging sugar?
BTW, after 10 minutes on the treadmill my bloods have now come down to 5.3.

Nonetheless, how soon/late after eating do any of you test?

Many thanks

 

[dawnmc]

2 hours after eating, even non diabetics would be high and then start to come down.

 

[Mud Island Dweller]

It is normal to be high after 1hr but dropping by 2hrs. will try hunt out my info on levels @ 1hr and 2hr

 

[douglas99]

Hello Everyone

I've just had a low carb beef stew I made at home and this time my bloods were 8.3 after one hour and ten minutes. I've never been that high since diagnosis. I'm really shocked. I was always advised to test 2 hours after eating to see how food affected my blood sugar. Have I been falsely reassured all this time? Should I test my blood sooner after eating something unknown so it would give me time on the treadmill to burn off some damaging sugar?
BTW, after 10 minutes on the treadmill my bloods have now come down to 5.3.

Nonetheless, how soon/late after eating do any of you test?

Many thanks

It depends on your targets, and how you personally digest food.

I don't LC, but portion control, and low GI.
I would guess when you say stew, it will have a reasonable amount of veg in, so you'll be eating carbs there.
If you have been low carb, you may find you see a spike from relatively less carbs than if you were normally eating more generally, so you have to incorporate that into your lifestyle.

You have to eat to your meter, find levels you can maintain, and are happy with, and also, as you observed, exercise is great for reducing BG naturally.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Everyone spikes at about 1 hour - including non diabetics. The trick is to be back down again by about 2 hours. There are no official guidelines for type 2's at 1 hour because spikes are expected. People on here talk about their non diabetic family members being in the 8's, 9's, and even double figures. My own husband was 13 something after a carby meal at 1 hour.

I believe non-diabetics are expected not to exceed 7.8 at an hour, but as mentioned, they often do exceed this, but should be back down to under 6.6 at about 2 hours. So much depens on the GI of the carbs and the amount of fat in the meal.

http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045524.php

 

[Bluetit1802]

I would also ask if there was gravy in your stew?

 

[Bluetit1802]

I also forgot to say that I test at 1 hour and 2 hours, and if necessary at 2.5 and 3 hours.

 

[KittyKatty]

Thanks for your replies, people.

I did put in a couple of oxo, some gravy granules and a couple of tablespoons of tomato puree. (I had about third of the stew) I would say this normally causes no problems but then I usually wait 2 hours after eating before I test. I'm no longer on medication and it's now going to be rather expensive testing more regularly, which I now feel I must do!

 

[Bluetit1802]

Thanks for your replies, people.

I did put in a couple of oxo, some gravy granules and a couple of tablespoons of tomato puree. (I had about third of the stew) I would say this normally causes no problems but then I usually wait 2 hours after eating before I test. I'm no longer on medication and it's now going to be rather expensive testing more regularly, which I now feel I must do!

No need to get in a panic when you see your 1 hour spikes. Just look to see if you are down again at 2 hours. If so, all is well.
Oxo and gravy granules are carby. My husband (the cook) uses these in our gravy and I can only have a teeny weeny bit without spiking.

 

[douglas99]

I can't remember oxo, is it a couple of grams per cube for carbs, or maybe a bit less?
You can also try arrowroot as a thickener.

 

[beardie]

After going low carb for a few months I am now finding I have to have about 28g per meal or I get stuck at about 6.5 till my next meal

 

[Bluetit1802]

After going low carb for a few months I am now finding I have to have about 28g per meal or I get stuck at about 6.5 till my next meal

That could be the fat content. Fats keep the initial spikes down a bit but prolong them. I sometimes find the same thing.

 

[beardie]

That could be the fat content. Fats keep the initial spikes down a bit but prolong them. I sometimes find the same thing.

That is indeed the case.

 

[beardie]

Must be worse for diabetics though.

 

[douglas99]

After going low carb for a few months I am now finding I have to have about 28g per meal or I get stuck at about 6.5 till my next meal

Do you mean if you have more, or less than 28g?

 

[Squire Fulwood]

The 8.5 figure is the NICE recommendation as a target at the two hour mark. The idea is that if your blood sugar lowers to that point at the two hour mark then that is acceptable. I have no idea why that figure was chosen or what research was done to arrive at that figure and no-one has ever explained. No-one has ever said that you won't be higher before the two hour mark or higher after the two hour mark but it is the only official number I know of.

Anyone who does not have faith in that advice can test whenever they wish and set whatever personal target they like.

Things in a stew which can spike a person are gravy (granules or powder), potatoes, root vegetables and dumplings. You have to be brave to attempt dumplings but if freshly cooked the suet can lower the GI to the point where they are less spiky.

 

[beardie]

both mate.
I seem to need about that amount to have a reaction to bring me down. any more and I take hours to come down, Either way I seem to need to go high to get low.

 

[beardie]

The 8.5 figure is the NICE recommendation as a target at the two hour mark. The idea is that if your blood sugar lowers to that point at the two hour mark then that is acceptable. I have no idea why that figure was chosen or what research was done to arrive at that figure and no-one has ever explained. No-one has ever said that you won't be higher before the two hour mark or higher after the two hour mark but it is the only official number I know of.

Anyone who does not have faith in that advice can test whenever they wish and set whatever personal target they like.

Things in a stew which can spike a person are gravy (granules or powder), potatoes, root vegetables and dumplings. You have to be brave to attempt dumplings but if freshly cooked the suet can lower the GI to the point where they are less spiky.

Also I used to be thisistoodifficult so not to confuse.

 

[Bluetit1802]

both mate.
I seem to need about that amount to have a reaction to bring me down. any more and I take hours to come down, Either way I seem to need to go high to get low.

I wonder if Metformin might help you? It sounds to me like you have a lot of insulin resistance. Have you got any weight to lose?

 

[Bluetit1802]

Also I used to be thisistoodifficult so not to confuse.

OH TITD welcome back!