Blood glucose

[Bethsmum]

Hi,

I have been using my new meter for yesterday and today,
My readings are

Yesterday before dinner 4.1
1 hour after eating 7.4
2 hours after eating 4.6

Today

This morning fasting - 6.1

Before lunch - 5.3
1 hour after 8.4
2 hours after 6.1

I had for my lunch , bacon , scrambled egg and 1 slice of toast

Can anyone help me understand the readings please

 

[shirty252]

Most of us would die for readings like that..they are brilliant! My target is between 4 &10 mmol fined it difficult.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Nothing wrong with those readings at all. What don't you understand about them?

 

[Bethsmum]

Oh they are good? that's okay then, I'm just trying to understand them as I've only just started doing them

 

[Bluetit1802]

It will help you in this battle if you read everything you can about diabetes, starting with this very website (not just the forum, the actual website as there is a wealth of information there)

This is what it says:

Recommended target blood glucose level ranges

The NICE recommended target blood glucose levels are stated below for adults with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and children with type 1 diabetes.

In addition, the International Diabetes Federation's target ranges for people without diabetes is stated.


Non-diabetic before meals 4.0 to 5.9 mmol/L 2 hours after meals under 7.8 mmol/L
Type 2 diabetes before meals 4 to 7 mmol/L 2 hours after meals under 8.5 mmol/L
Type 1 diabetes before meals 4 to 7 mmol/L 2 hours after meals under 9 mmol/L
Children w/ type 1 diabetes before meals 4 to 8 mmol/L 2 hours after meals under 10 mmol/L

NB: There are differing opinions about the ideal blood glucose level range.

 

[fred1234]

Well done!!!!!says she feeling rotten. Steroids making b.s. rise!!!!!!! Starving but grrrrr

 

[jgordon5]

It will help you in this battle if you read everything you can about diabetes, starting with this very website (not just the forum, the actual website as there is a wealth of information there)

This is what it says:

Recommended target blood glucose level ranges

The NICE recommended target blood glucose levels are stated below for adults with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and children with type 1 diabetes.

In addition, the International Diabetes Federation's target ranges for people without diabetes is stated.


Non-diabetic before meals 4.0 to 5.9 mmol/L 2 hours after meals under 7.8 mmol/L
Type 2 diabetes before meals 4 to 7 mmol/L 2 hours after meals under 8.5 mmol/L
Type 1 diabetes before meals 4 to 7 mmol/L 2 hours after meals under 9 mmol/L
Children w/ type 1 diabetes before meals 4 to 8 mmol/L 2 hours after meals under 10 mmol/L

NB: There are differing opinions about the ideal blood glucose level range.

Oh if only! Just when I think I've got it cracked and readings are somewhere near those lovely ideal readings, it all suddenly goes haywire.... Like today. 6.3 on waking - great - usual green smoothie breakfast and 3 units of novorapid. After an hour's brisk walk, 15.7. Why?! And it's carried on like that, so much so that I've started a new insulin pen. Hope thats what it's been.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Oh if only! Just when I think I've got it cracked and readings are somewhere near those lovely ideal readings, it all suddenly goes haywire.... Like today. 6.3 on waking - great - usual green smoothie breakfast and 3 units of novorapid. After an hour's brisk walk, 15.7. Why?! And it's carried on like that, so much so that I've started a new insulin pen. Hope thats what it's been.

I know nothing about insulin, but have you considered it may have been your brisk walk? Walking, certain housework, gardening .... they all put my levels up. I have to wait an hour afterwards before testing.

 

[Winnie53]

Bethsmum, is struggling right now because she's been waiting for more than a month for her doctor to diagnose her with pre-diabetes or diabetes, even though she has two documented fasting glucose levels of 6.3 and 6.4, so these first blood glucose readings are confirming that she has diabetes.

Luckily, she appears to have caught her diabetes very early, and is beginning to test and learn how to eat. But she's STILL waiting for the diagnosis. And it appears that the result of her most recent test has been lost, as it's been more than a week and the doctor's office doesn't have it. So frustrating for her. She's been waiting,,,and waiting...and waiting...

 

[rosserk]

Bethsmum, is struggling right now because she's been waiting for more than a month for her doctor to diagnose her with pre-diabetes or diabetes, even though she has two documented fasting glucose levels of 6.3 and 6.4, so these first blood glucose readings are confirming that she has diabetes.

Luckily, she appears to have caught her diabetes very early, and is beginning to test and learn how to eat. But she's STILL waiting for the diagnosis. And it appears that the result of her most recent test has been lost, as it's been more than a week and the doctor's office doesn't have it. So frustrating for her. She's been waiting,,,and waiting...and waiting...

Can I ask what makes you say that fasting blood sugars of 6.3 and 6.4 are confirmation of diabetes? Sorry I'm new to all this and I thought it was two fasting levels above 7.1?

 

[Winnie53]

@rosserk this should answer your question...

Fasting Plasma Glucose Test (FGT)
The FGT test works by measuring the level of glucose in an individual's blood after a period of fasting.

Anyone who is at a high risk of pre-diabetes should be given the FPG test. This includes those who are severely overweight or obese, people of South Asian or African-Caribbean descent, or anyone with a family history of diabetes.

The fasting plasma glucose test is performed after a person fasts for at least 8 hours.

Individuals who have a blood glucose level greater than or equal to 7.0 mmol/L (126 mg/dl) will be retested and, if the results are consistent, diagnosed with diabetes.

If the results are less than 7.0 mmol/L(126 mg/dl) but greater than 6.1 mmol/L(110 mg/dl) the individual will be diagnosed as having impaired fasting glucose, or pre-diabetes.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/pre-diabetes-tests.html

 

[rosserk]

@rosserk this should answer your question...

Fasting Plasma Glucose Test (FGT)
The FGT test works by measuring the level of glucose in an individual's blood after a period of fasting.

Anyone who is at a high risk of pre-diabetes should be given the FPG test. This includes those who are severely overweight or obese, people of South Asian or African-Caribbean descent, or anyone with a family history of diabetes.

The fasting plasma glucose test is performed after a person fasts for at least 8 hours.

Individuals who have a blood glucose level greater than or equal to 7.0 mmol/L (126 mg/dl) will be retested and, if the results are consistent, diagnosed with diabetes.

If the results are less than 7.0 mmol/L(126 mg/dl) but greater than 6.1 mmol/L(110 mg/dl) the individual will be diagnosed as having impaired fasting glucose, or pre-diabetes.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/pre-diabetes-tests.html

Sorry I got confused because you said that the 6.3 and 6.4 were confirming she had diabetes. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Winnie53]

Actually I said, "Bethsmum, is struggling right now because she's been waiting for more than a month for her doctor to diagnose her with pre-diabetes or diabetes", I just didn't repeat it. Pre-diabetes is a type of diabetes.

 

[rosserk]

Actually you said the following see bold underlined..


Bethsmum, is struggling right now because she's been waiting for more than a month for her doctor to diagnose her with pre-diabetes or diabetes, even though she has two documented fasting glucose levels of 6.3 and 6.4, so these first blood glucose readings are confirming that she has diabetes.

I was merely asking you to help educate me? It clearly says 'confirming she has diabetes'

Kind regards

 

[jgordon5]

I know nothing about insulin, but have you considered it may have been your brisk walk? Walking, certain housework, gardening .... they all put my levels up. I have to wait an hour afterwards before testing.

That's interesting - no, I hadn't considered that because up until now as long as I go for a walk with my BS below 10 (which they were), they always go down.
After giving myself more insulin from that pen and very little happening, I started a new pen, gave myself 2 units, walked the dogs and they were 4.6 before dinner. So hopefully, it was a dodgy pen. I'll see how it goes.

Thanks for your input. Do your levels always go up with exercise however good they are before you start?

 

[Winnie53]

@rosserk Please read the first sentence in my original post again: "Bethsmum, is struggling right now because she's been waiting for more than a month for her doctor to diagnose her with pre-diabetes or diabetes, even though she has two documented fasting glucose levels of 6.3 and 6.4, so these first blood glucose readings are confirming that she has diabetes."

Pre-diabetes is a type of diabetes. Once you have it, you have it for life. I did respond in kind to you. I feel uncomfortable however with your misrepresentation of what I stated. I do acknowledge that not repeating the phrase "pre-diabetes or diabetes" two additional times in the post likely confused you and others, though that was not my intention. It's always okay to challenge or question statements. That said, I often have to read and re-read a post three times when something doesn't make sense to me, because I often misread what was written.

.

 

[Bluetit1802]

That's interesting - no, I hadn't considered that because up until now as long as I go for a walk with my BS below 10 (which they were), they always go down.
After giving myself more insulin from that pen and very little happening, I started a new pen, gave myself 2 units, walked the dogs and they were 4.6 before dinner. So hopefully, it was a dodgy pen. I'll see how it goes.

Thanks for your input. Do your levels always go up with exercise however good they are before you start?

I hope it was a dodgy pen. and yes, my levels always increase after exercise, and my exercise is walking. I also notice it after prolonged housework. I appreciate most people find exercise brings levels down, but not in my case, and also a few others on the forum have commented along these lines. I still do the walking because it brings other benefits, and may well bring levels down after a period of time has elapsed.

4.6 before dinner is brilliant!

 

[rosserk]

@rosserk read the first sentence in my original post again: "Bethsmum, is struggling right now because she's been waiting for more than a month for her doctor to diagnose her with pre-diabetes or diabetes, even though she has two documented fasting glucose levels of 6.3 and 6.4, so these first blood glucose readings are confirming that she has diabetes."

.

Really?

 

[Bluetit1802]

Actually I said, "Bethsmum, is struggling right now because she's been waiting for more than a month for her doctor to diagnose her with pre-diabetes or diabetes", I just didn't repeat it. Pre-diabetes is a type of diabetes.

Since when has pre-diabetes been a type of diabetes? This is news to me. It is a warning that diabetes is lurking round the corner.

In the UK and elsewhere, the fasting blood glucose tests should be followed up with an HbA1c if the results indicate there could be diabetes. A diagnosis is made on the results of the HbA1c or in some cases an OGT, and in most cases the HbA1c is also repeated to confirm matters.

Fbg tests are notoriously unreliable and no longer used as diagnostic tools for diabetes, simply as an indicator that further tests are needed.

 

[Winnie53]

Bluetit1802, I have to go to work now. Will research this and try to find information to support my statement that pre-diabetes is a type of diabetes tonight. I'll then post what I find. I personally don't know anyone with pre-diabetes who is able to return to eating the traditional diet that non-diabetics with normal blood glucose levels enjoy, do you? Think about it.