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Timing of blood testing

R

ronshep

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
How much time after food should you test your blood level ? Thank you.
 
Depends on your type I guess and if you're on any medication? Just gives time for the body to metabolise everything I guess?
 
Hello. I assume you're testing before the meal as well, for comparison?
ronshep said:
Would I get a different reading if I tested later?
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Hopefully lower, although of course different combinations of food produce different readings.
 
DeejayR said:
Hello. I assume you're testing before the meal as well, for comparison?

Hopefully lower, although of course different combinations of food produce different readings.
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Good point to test before, thank you for that, i have lots to learn.
 
The general recommendation is 2 hours after finishing eating - but test immediately before as well so that you have a "reference" level for any spikes. You might consider checking one hour after starting to eat for some fast spiking foods, and for slower acting carbs you many find it takes longer to spike.

Be aware that it's normal for most food to cause a spike of sorts, but if your post meal level is within 2 mmol/L of your pre meal level, then that's considered acceptable. But lower's better if you can manage it.

Robbity
 
Does anyone know what it means when your BS is lower 2 hours after a meal then before? It happened to me at lunch today, was 6 before lunch and 4.9 after. Does it mean I should have had more carbs (lunch was fish cooked with pesto + cauliflower puree + 1 medium apple). I'm a bit confused, I thought the apple would be enough carbs...
 
Celadon said:
Does anyone know what it means when your BS is lower 2 hours after a meal then before? It happened to me at lunch today, was 6 before lunch and 4.9 after. Does it mean I should have had more carbs (lunch was fish cooked with pesto + cauliflower puree + 1 medium apple). I'm a bit confused, I thought the apple would be enough carbs...
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You can't have too few carbs!
It is always possible one of those readings was skewed, either by user error or meter error. Meters are only required to be within 15% (plus or minus) of the actual level. If ever you get something unexpected like that, test again immediately (after washing and drying hands). Was the 4.9 at 2 hours after starting to eat? Various things could have happened, but it wasn't your food that caused it. Try the same food again and see what happens next time.
 
ronshep said:
How much time after food should you test your blood level ? Thank you.
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Yes, you need to test immediately before you eat, and then again 2 hours after your first mouthful. I also test at other times, especially at 1 hour and also at 90 minutes. Also, if the 2 hour level is above my personal target, I keep testing until it returns to base. Once I am sure of a food/meal I don't do this.
 
Hi Ron,
I spike at +1hour after I starting eating and if have carbs my blood glucose plummets to a minimum at +2hours after I start eating.
Since I have Reactive Hypoglycemia the only solution was cut out high G.I. carbs.
Try testing +0.5hr +1hr +1.5hr etc after a meal with carbs in and you get to know when you peak. Then you will know when to test from the graph.
You only need to do the multiple test once.
regards
D.
ronshep said:
I am type 2 and using diet control, have to find out what foods will trigger a spike,
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Last edited by a moderator:
Hi Celadon you could have reactive hypoglycemia like myself.
See Noshers posts on the thread Reactive Hypoglycaemia. More carbs make the low point lower in R.H.
regards
D.

Celadon said:
Does anyone know what it means when your BS is lower 2 hours after a meal then before? It happened to me at lunch today, was 6 before lunch and 4.9 after. Does it mean I should have had more carbs (lunch was fish cooked with pesto + cauliflower puree + 1 medium apple). I'm a bit confused, I thought the apple would be enough carbs...
Click to expand...
 
Celadon said:
Does anyone know what it means when your BS is lower 2 hours after a meal then before? It happened to me at lunch today, was 6 before lunch and 4.9 after..
Click to expand...

If my post meal glucose level is very similar or slightly lower it means I'm very happy:p - my low carb diet is working nicely and my body has less work to do handling carbs.

But, if you are ever puzzled or concerned about an unexpected reading, whether it's high or low, then do as @Bluetit1802 suggested, and test again with clean fingers. What you must really look for, though, are trends and patterns to get an overall picture of how you're managing, rather than worrying too much an occasional odd result. Many meters have the facility to give you long term information, but if they don't it's well worth keeping a written log - at least for a while.

Robbity
 
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