Glucose Testing

[DaPa]

Is the Glucose Testing results more important after 1 or 2 hours? I have read that you need to test 2 hours after eating.

What are people's views on this?

 

[Lamont D]

Two hours, for seeing if you are within 2mmols of your pre meal test.

The only time you take a one hour test is to find your spike (ish)
If I have carbs, my spike is around 45 minutes depending on what I ate.

Also this is just as important, keep a food diary. What you had to eat, pre meal and two hours after first bite. Carb count and repeat a few days later, I have kept a food diary since 2012, it has been a great tool and will give your health care team, what is happening when you eat.

 

[searley]

personally i think 2 hours is most important, as 2 hours after eating your BG should be back to a normal level... 1 hour is more for seeing how high your bg goes after eating

so it really depends what you want to learn... if you want to know the effect of a meal, both can be important, if you just want to know that you are back in a 'normal' range 2 hours is the most important

others may have a different viewpoint on this

 

[In Response]

Unfortunately, different foods are digested at different speeds.
The regime of testing 2 hours after eating is because on average most foods have been digested within that time.
However, some foods spike much much earlier (those treated with insulin need to keep fast acting carbs with them at all times - these peak after 10 minutes) and some foods spike much later (pizza affects my blood sugar 5 hours after eating).
A CGM or Libre will show you when the peak occurs.

So, to answer the question posed, two hours is a good compromise.

 

[Ronancastled]

A CGM or Libre will show you when the peak occurs.

The Libre was very inciteful for me as it showed most my spikes were at 45 mins post first bite.
I used start my 2 hour clock after my last bite so I was completely missing this window.
I also found that my delayed 2 hour testing was catching a slight rebound after a carby meal, especially after exercise.

My only issue with the Libre has been it's accuracy, sometimes reading about 0.5 lower than actual when in the low 4s & being 1.0-2.0 higher with my spikes even allowing for the 15 min lag.
But these are small complaints in the grand scheme of things, a wonderful tool we are lucky to have.

 

[Erin]

Two hours, for seeing if you are within 2mmols of your pre meal test.

The only time you take a one hour test is to find your spike (ish)
If I have carbs, my spike is around 45 minutes depending on what I ate.

Also this is just as important, keep a food diary. What you had to eat, pre meal and two hours after first bite. Carb count and repeat a few days later, I have kept a food diary since 2012, it has been a great tool and will give your health care team, what is happening when you eat.

I have noticed that a food spike declines about 1-2 hrs. after taking glicylazide. At such times, I wait until the spike (over 11 up to 14 for example) is 6-8 before eating anything. I wonder how you and others handle spikes, and if "eating by the meter" decreases blood sugar complications. Thank you for reading.

 

[Lamont D]

I have noticed that a food spike declines about 1-2 hrs. after taking glicylazide. At such times, I wait until the spike (over 11 up to 14 for example) is 6-8 before eating anything. I wonder how you and others handle spikes, and if "eating by the meter" decreases blood sugar complications. Thank you for reading.

Hi, because I'm in or around normal levels all the time. I don't need to deal with spikes.
However, through my experience and experimenting, once you have found your spike, I would not be too worried about keep searching for it.
For me the two hours is more important, as the eat to your meter, is usually a two hour reading. The within two mmols is the detail how you measure your improvement.
Taking glicizide will probably reduce your fasting and Hba1c levels if your dietary regime is low enough, the drug is designed to intentionally help you cope with the high readings you are getting. But be careful because after a while with low carb, you could be getting or close to hypo levels.

I know that it's difficult and confusing, but you will get the best out of your meter.

Keep safe

 

[Erin]

Hi, because I'm in or around normal levels all the time. I don't need to deal with spikes.
However, through my experience and experimenting, once you have found your spike, I would not be too worried about keep searching for it.
For me the two hours is more important, as the eat to your meter, is usually a two hour reading. The within two mmols is the detail how you measure your improvement.
Taking glicizide will probably reduce your fasting and Hba1c levels if your dietary regime is low enough, the drug is designed to intentionally help you cope with the high readings you are getting. But be careful because after a while with low carb, you could be getting or close to hypo levels.

I know that it's difficult and confusing, but you will get the best out of your meter.

Keep safe

Thank you. My life is a roller coaster ride without Gravol.

 

[jonesmia]

recommendations and guidelines say after 2 hours from 1st bite of the food you should check PP levels.

 

[Mike_T]

Quick acting insulin, Novo Rapid for example, works over 4 hours. After the 1st hour 25% of the dose will have been used up, after 2 hours 50%, 3 hours 75% and after 4 hours the dose has finished. Remembering this is a good way to be able to make decisions about correction doses. Using the Libre freestyle you can see this happening. If your bg’s are back to normal after 2 hours you still have effectively half the insulin dose you gave yourself before eating, still working.

 

[jonesmia]

Yes its post 2 hours from the time you start eating