2 hours after meal number more important than fasting? so what's your score?

[beatdise]

In the short time that I have been on this forum my main motivation has been to achieve the numbers that would minimise the risk of complications. Really to me that is THE priority and to control the things I can control that reduce my numbers and therefore reduce my Hba1c amongst other things. However, having read Jenny Ruhls brilliant Blood Sugar 101. The chapter on blood sugar levels and organ damage gives details of a range of research carried out relating to the point at which organ damage occurs. I have recently been focusing a lot on my fasting numbers as well as my spikes and been sharing the fasting numbers with colleagues as do many other contributors. However, the degree of control and influence over fasting numbers is limited to a point as the liver kicks in in the early hours of the morning to compensate either for the lack of food and/or preparing you for the day ahead based on previous patterns of intake or need. So I have settled into a nice pattern of low 5's regardless of the previous night excesses by and large. Of course it took me 2 months plus of control to get to that. However, I do not want to be complacent about my post 2 hours even though I have reduced my frequency of testing. I am pleased that for the most part I am below the 7.8 but there are times when I am not. Of course that relates to what I have eaten and would find regular reporting and feedback useful from others to help me to retain my focus as I have been for the fasting numbers. IT would be helpful to have views and comments of those colleagues who have lived eaten and drunk the subject matter(excuse the pun) Particularly as having a great Hba1c result can be misleading you into thinking all is well when your post two hour numbers could be doing real damage.

 

[andcol]

Well there is no single answer to your question

Most meals I am about 5.5 but if I have a lot of carb and fat together I will be about 7.5 as this offsets my peak by up to an hour

 

[beatdise]

Well there is no single answer to your question

Most meals I am about 5.5 but if I have a lot of carb and fat together I will be about 7.5 as this offsets my peak by up to an hour

Andrew that's great thanks for your prompt response. 5.5 is fantastic and a lot of carbs to 7.5 is too. it helps to provide some wider context and perspective for ones own management. I haven't done the lots of carbs quite yet. But I am noting that moderate carbs is not having quite the affect it was when I started on my journey. Thanks.

 

[phil1966]

I aim to keep my post meal figures below 6, but it obviously depends on what I've eaten. In general, they're between 5.3 and 6.1 - I learned what I could eat by careful post meal testing and If I had a meal that put me above 6.5, I wouldn't eat that food again

 

[beatdise]

Thanks Nomistheman Yes that's another very useful method.

 

[sanguine]

I don't test breakfast and lunch as they are so consistent low-carb meals, for dinner I try and keep my +2 readings below 6, currently they are averaging below 5.5.

 

[Ruth B]

I try to keep to a rise of no more than 2mmol (2.5 is acceptable occasionally). As my pre meal is often in the low 5s I try and keep my post meal in the low 7s.

However as sometimes my pre meal can be as low as 4.3 if I have done some exercise between meals (walking home from work) or up to the low 6s normally if I have left it too long between meals (my over enthusiastic liver) then anything from low 6s to low 8s is acceptable,

I am more concerned with the pre and post difference than the exact reading now.

 

[beatdise]

I don't test breakfast and lunch as they are so consistent low-carb meals, for dinner I try and keep my +2 readings below 6, currently they are averaging below 5.5.

Wow @sanguine that is interesting. Below 6 that is very good. Clearly very important too. I am not sure I am getting that low after 2 hours.