Blood Sugar Questions

[Brie912]

Hi, I was given a free blood glucose meter by my pharmacist, which I'm very grateful for and now I'm checking before and 2 hours after eating and when I'm feeling off. It's already a lot lower than last week when it was around 15. This morning it was 7.2 before breakfast (I had 2 veggie sausages, some veg and an apple) and 2 hours later it was 6.4. Why would it be lower after eating? Does that mean there wasn't enough glucose in my meal? I've just checked again after a nap (feeling tired all the time) and it's 5.4. I'm about to go have lunch and I'll probably eat a bit more than breakfast.

Also, I've read that when you're diagnosed you should have two HbA1c tests 2 weeks apart to double check. I've only had one test (and checked ketones) and the nurse wants me to bring a urine sample in a month from first thing in the morning. Not sure what that's for.

 

[Kevyu]

Hi, I was given a free blood glucose meter by my pharmacist, which I'm very grateful for and now I'm checking before and 2 hours after eating and when I'm feeling off. It's already a lot lower than last week when it was around 15. This morning it was 7.2 before breakfast (I had 2 veggie sausages, some veg and an apple) and 2 hours later it was 6.4. Why would it be lower after eating? Does that mean there wasn't enough glucose in my meal? I've just checked again after a nap (feeling tired all the time) and it's 5.4. I'm about to go have lunch and I'll probably eat a bit more than breakfast.

Also, I've read that when you're diagnosed you should have two HbA1c tests 2 weeks apart to double check. I've only had one test (and checked ketones) and the nurse wants me to bring a urine sample in a month from first thing in the morning. Not sure what that's for.

Hi Brie192
Going from my own experience... Although limited.... (Only 3 months in )
Youre after meal reading is good, your higher, earlier,reading could be down to kidneys dumping sugar (normal phenomenon) in to your blood to wake your body.

The urine test i would assume is to check liver function and electrolites

 

[Alexandra100]

This morning it was 7.2 before breakfast (I had 2 veggie sausages, some veg and an apple) and 2 hours later it was 6.4. Why would it be lower after eating?

One reason could be the "dawn phenomenon" where your liver detects that your bg has gone low overnight and helpfully releases some glycogen into your bloodstream, which you proceed partially to use up while preparing breakfast etc. This might be particularly likely as you have recently lowered your bg (well done!) and your liver may not have got used to the new level. Another possibility is that your rise in bg after the meal may have happened earlier or later than 2 hours after. Next time could you test after 1 hour and also after maybe 2.5 and 3 hours? The trick is to catch the top of the rise and then see how soon the level comes down again. (Not easy!)

For the future, swapping the apple, which is quite high carb, for a few strawberries or raspberries, maybe with Greek yoghurt or double cream, would lower the carbs in your meal. Also, some vegetables are higher in carbs than others: https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/vegetables.

 

[rhubarb73]

For the future, swapping the apple, which is quite high carb, for a few strawberries or raspberries, maybe with Greek yoghurt or double cream, would lower the carbs in your meal. Also, some vegetables are higher in carbs than others: https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/vegetables.

I had a similar question recently and these answers are helpful and consistent with the answers I received - all very reassuring.
On the advice about swapping the apple, I know you say "for the future" - but for the moment 6.4 is an OK reading isn't it post meal? If Brie912 likes an apple, and it doesn't spike her readings, she should have an apple, right? I'm really embracing low carb but I reckon there's enough tasty stuff that's defo off the menu to allow some latitude in the fruit & veg department - although good advice to be aware of the variations.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Also, I've read that when you're diagnosed you should have two HbA1c tests 2 weeks apart to double check. I've only had one test (and checked ketones) and the nurse wants me to bring a urine sample in a month from first thing in the morning. Not sure what that's for.

The 2 x HbA1c tests are normally done if the first was borderline and needs confirming, especially if a fasting glucose test was also done and wasn't terribly high, or if the first was suspect in some way. If the readings are high enough, then often a second HbA1c isn't necessary for a diagnosis. My first one was 52 with a FBG test of 7, so a second one was done, which was 53. You should have another one in 3 months time.

As the nurse has asked for a sample from first flow in the morning, she will be sending it off to the lab for analysis of creatinine and albumin, which are to check on kidney functions.

Have you checked the carb content of your sausages?

 

[Alexandra100]

I had a similar question recently and these answers are helpful and consistent with the answers I received - all very reassuring.
On the advice about swapping the apple, I know you say "for the future" - but for the moment 6.4 is an OK reading isn't it post meal? If Brie912 likes an apple, and it doesn't spike her readings, she should have an apple, right? I'm really embracing low carb but I reckon there's enough tasty stuff that's defo off the menu to allow some latitude in the fruit & veg department - although good advice to be aware of the variations.

IMO it's good to be at least roughly aware of the carbs in the foods we eat frequently. Once aware, we can make informed choices. Eg if I love apples, I may feel that 14g carbs is well spent on 100g of apple, or on the other hand if I actually prefer strawberries, I might choose to eat 100g of them instead and only "spend" 8g carbs.

 

[rhubarb73]

You’re right. It’s good advice. I just don’t want her to throw away her apples if she enjoys them and they aren’t adding to her readings.
I’m doing ok with the low carb, but the emotional side of diagnosis is still really hard - I want to cling on to as much of what I enjoy as possible.
I like apples too. I also like cake. Just take one of them away.

 

[Bluetit1802]

You’re right. It’s good advice. I just don’t want her to throw away her apples if she enjoys them and they aren’t adding to her readings.
I’m doing ok with the low carb, but the emotional side of diagnosis is still really hard - I want to cling on to as much of what I enjoy as possible.
I like apples too. I also like cake. Just take one of them away.

I know exactly where you are coming from. I was diagnosed in early 2014 and dug my heels refusing to give up potatoes. I tested and tested them, new boiled, chips, roast, mashed, jackets. It didn't take long for me to work out that mashed and jackets were definitely off the menu, but 2 small new boiled, 2 small roasted, or 6 chips were more than acceptable on my meter. That has made my personal journey a whole lot easier.

Not everyone can eat spuds, but I can. Bread is a different matter altogether.

 

[rhubarb73]

Bread. I could cry. I haven’t even experimented yet because I’m determined to hammer down the HbA1c as quick as I can.
I miss it though. A rich malty granary will be first on the list to try when I’m stable. I fear it already played a leading role in my downfall - my hopes aren’t high.

 

[Alexandra100]

I just don’t want her to throw away her apples if she enjoys them and they aren’t adding to her readings.

The theory is that fruit is best avoided by people who are carb intolerant because it contains lots of fructose. Fructose doesn't raise bg at the time of eating because it goes directly to the liver, where it increases insulin resistance. This raises bg in the long run.

 

[Alexandra100]

20 Surprising Foods With More Carbs Than a Bowl of Pasta (includes apples!)

https://www.eatthis.com/foods-high-in-carbs/

 

[shelley262]

Bread. I could cry. I haven’t even experimented yet because I’m determined to hammer down the HbA1c as quick as I can.
I miss it though. A rich malty granary will be first on the list to try when I’m stable. I fear it already played a leading role in my downfall - my hopes aren’t high.

If you’ve got a Waitrose store nearby you could try their livlife seriously seeded it is 3.8 grams of carb per slice. I eat under 20 to 30g of carb a day but often include one slice toasted. Ocado also deliver it if you ever use their online shopping. Or Sainsburys have Hilo bread which is 5g of carb. I missed the bread the most and these have helped me keep going! I do also sometimes make low carb bread and crackers from following site
Www.dietdoctor.com
But convenience of having low carb bread in freezer keeps me going on day to day basis and they don’t put up my bgs you could always test and see.

 

[Mal37]

I know exactly where you are coming from. I was diagnosed in early 2014 and dug my heels refusing to give up potatoes. I tested and tested them, new boiled, chips, roast, mashed, jackets. It didn't take long for me to work out that mashed and jackets were definitely off the menu, but 2 small new boiled, 2 small roasted, or 6 chips were more than acceptable on my meter. That has made my personal journey a whole lot easier.

Not everyone can eat spuds, but I can. Bread is a different matter altogether.

I find that Sweet Potato Chips are delicous and I can easily have half a dozen or so with my meal

 

[Alexandra100]

convenience of having low carb bread in freezer keeps me going on day to day basis

Yes, it's the inconvenience that gets to me. I don't so much mind giving up foods I used to enjoy and apparently thrive on, such as fruit, but I do mind having always to cook before I can eat (not being into sushi!) I try to cook in advance, but then I eat up everything almost before it can be put in the fridge, let alone the freezer. And yet, unfortunately, I don't get any fatter.