Been Using My Code Free For 11 Days, Not Sure What I'm Really Looking For.

[Ojustaboo]

Hi all.

I'm a bit confused as to what I'm actually trying to do with regards to testing my blood before and 2hrs after meals.
What I have now is a diary that looks like this.

13/7 get up 6.2 no breakfast. 6.5 before lunch, + 2hrs 5.6, 6.0 before dinner, 5.5 +2hrs
14/7 get up 6.7 no breakfast. 6.4 before lunch, + 2hrs 6.0, 6.3 before dinner, 5.6 +2hrs
15/7 get up 6.4 no breakfast. 6.6 before lunch, + 2hrs 5.7, 6.4 before dinner, 5.6 +2hrs
16/7 get up 6.6 no breakfast. 6.2 before lunch, + 2hrs 6.1, 5.8 before dinner, 6.7 +2hrs
17/7 get up 7.7 before breakfast. 6.8 +2hrs, 6.2 before lunch, + 2hrs 5.5, 6.0 before dinner, 5.9 +2hrs
18/7 get up 6.7 before breakfast 6.7 +2hrs, 5.7 before lunch, + 2hrs 5.8, 6.0 before dinner, 5.6 +2hrs
19/7 get up 6.5 before breakfast (forgot to measure after) . 6.3 before lunch, + 2hrs 5.8, 5.8 before dinner, 6.0 +2hrs


Unfortunately, 3 days I had to go out and forgot to take kit with me, hence only have readings for when I got up and my evening meal

20/7 get up 6.3, 6.0 before dinner, 5.8 +2hrs
21/7 get up 7.2, 5.6 before dinner, 5.5 +2hrs
22/7 get up 6.8, 5.5 before dinner, 5.6 +2hrs
23/7 get up 7.5 before breakfast 7.0 + 2hrs, forgot to do before lunch, + 2hrs 5.8

17th when it came back at 7.7 I did another test and that was 7.5 so the reading was correct.

First 3 days I had identical meals, just changing the meats
Last 8 days I had identical meals, just changing the meats (except no breakfast on 16th).

I probably need some sort of software or spreadsheet to enter it in along with what I actually ate

I'm happy to check my blood. Moneys very tight and strips aren't cheap (for me), but just keeping a diary seems kind of pointless, unless I know what I should be looking out for and what I should be doing in those situations?

Many thanks

 

[sally and james]

What your readings tell me is that you have diabetes under control and are eating an appropriate diet. If I am understanding you correctly, you often have "after" readings lower than "before" or they are only raised a tiny bit. I do notice that your readings are higher in the morning. This is "dawn phenomena", where our bodies release sugars to get us going. This is something that tends to drop away over time, if you are well controlled.
You say you are having identical meals. I think you have shown that these work for you, so, in my opinion, you do not need to test these meals again, or only test once in a while, just for reassurance.
If you add to your range of meals, you should test them. Also worth testing if you are unwell, exceptionally stressed or start a new medication. These sort of things can affect results and it is good to understand what is going on.

Looks to me as if you have things worked out, keep up the good work.
Sally

 

[Mr_Pot]

Those are extremely good figures, after 3 years of low carb and an HbA1c of 38 I have never had results that are lower after meals. What do you typically have for your lunch and dinner?

 

[Ojustaboo]

Those are extremely good figures, after 3 years of low carb and an HbA1c of 38 I have never had results that are lower after meals. What do you typically have for your lunch and dinner?

Lunch, lettuce, spinach, 3 cherry tomatoes, mayonnaise, salami (or similar cold meats/sausage) and a slice/chunk of mature cheddar

Dinner, just the cabbage Casserole I mentioned in my post and two pork shops/lamb/steak, followed by a bowl sugar free jelly and extra thick double cream.

But only been on diet for a couple of weeks, so will expand to other things.

 

[Smallbrit]

I think you’ve figured out by now that the identical meals you’re eating are having pretty much the same effects on your blood sugars. And those results are really very good!

I sort of turned myself into a human pincushion in the first few weeks of monitoring, but once I figured out that I knew bacon and eggs for breakfast was good and toast was bad, then I stopped monitoring (and stuck with the bacon and eggs!) unless I added something different. I used a really simple spreadsheet to track things - four columns: BG levels before, 2hrs after, difference in readings, and then listed the food I ate. The difference is supposed to be under 2mmol, and I know that info is posted in various bits of this site... somewhere!

You seem to be eating pretty well on low carb already, though - I found the readings the most useful in identifying what I couldn’t eat. Things like cereal give me enormous spikes of, for example, a difference of 5 mmol still after 2 hrs. And what you can and can’t tolerate is different for everyone, so that’s the main thing you’re looking for - for a bit of variety in meals!

 

[Alexandra100]

If I get a lower reading 2 hours after a meal than I got before it, as you seem to be doing regularly, I suspect that my bg has not peaked at 2 hours and I test again at 3. I sympathise with your wish not to use too many expensive strips. I suggest that for the moment you stop testing every day and instead choose one day, perhaps when you will be at home, to test much more often. You could test straight after getting up, while fasting, then just before each meal, one hour after each meal, 2 hours after, 3 hours after, and perhaps at bedtime. Your aim is to catch the top of the rise in your bg and then see how long it takes to come down again.

Large, fatty meals can take longer to be digested than the suggested 2 hours. There is also a fairly common diabetic complication called "gastroparesis" or delayed stomach emptying. I have this problem, and I can see my bgs fall for hours after a meal. It is really disappointing when they finally rise!

Congratulations on your really low carb diet! I notice you share my enthusiasm for sugar-free jelly. Have you checked that it is really carb-free?

 

[Ojustaboo]

Congratulations on your really low carb diet! I notice you share my enthusiasm for sugar-free jelly. Have you checked that it is really carb-free?

Thanks, I will try every hour on Sunday.

Hartleys Strawberry Jelly Sugar Free.
Sold in twin packets, each individual packet weighing 11.5g
Each individual packet makes two bowls of jelly. hence lasts two days.

Carbs per 100g as sold 12.0g. of which sugars 8.0g

So, per packet, it's just under 1.2g over two days or 0.6g a day

 

[Alexandra100]

Thanks, I will try every hour on Sunday.

I'm not sure if you really mean EVERY hour? If you detect a rise at 1 hour after eating and then your reading is lower again at 2, no need to keep on testing hour by hour, unless you want to check something else, such as the effect of exercise on your bg. Just test again right before your next meal or snack and repeat the process. I sometimes test just before bed, so I can compare that with my morning fasting number, but often I don't bother. Once again, congratulations on your highly motivated approach!