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Type 2 Blood sugar levels - confused!!

W

welshteddy

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hello, I was diagnosed 3 months ago and I am on diet and exercise at the moment. I have recently bought a blood sugar monitor. I have read on this forum/website about using the blood sugar levels to decide what foods you can tolerate and which cause a spike, but I am still confused!

What I'm not sure of is how much is an acceptable level for the blood sugar to rise after a meal. For example - this morning it was 5.6 pre-breakfast and 5.4, 2 hours after. Does this mean that it has gone up in the 2 hours but my body has dealt with it ok? Should the level go back to pre-meal levels after 2 hours?

The other day it was 4.1 pre-dinner and 8.2, 2 hours later. Is the fact that it was a 4 point rise bad? Should I have tested again? What is an acceptable amount for it to rise? Eg. If it starts at 4 and rises to 7.5, is that ok as it's still under 8?

Lastly, it always seems to be 4-4.2 at about 5 o clock - most of the rest of the day it is about 5-5.6. Is 4 too low and should I eat something mid afternoon??

Thanks for reading. Sorry there are so many questions. It's just all so confusing :confused:
 
Hi and welcome,

Your number look very good to me.

The general idea is to keep your levels as flat as you can, I always look at the rises from before to after, and try to keep the rise under 1.5mmol/l at its peak after my main meal. The other meals I try to keep under 1mmol/l. Catching the peak is hit and miss as this can depend on the overall content of the food. At 2 hours after first bite levels are hopefully on the way down again. However, this is my personal target. General advice is under 2mmol/l higher at 2 hours after first bite. You may also wish to try testing at other times post meal, such as 90 minutes after first bite, and/or 3 hours after, or whenever, and try to catch your peak.

At all times it is best to be under 7.8 at any time as this would mirror the norm for non-diabetics.

Our levels before evening meal are normally the lowest of the day, and 4s are perfectly acceptable. Unless you actually feel ill when you have a 4 or lower, there is no need to worry and no need to correct this by eating. It is good, and your liver will make sure you don't go hypo. It will release its store of glucose if necessary. It is highly unlikely you will hypo when not on medication and definitely no need to eat in the afternoon. There are many people on here who see 3s and still don't hypo.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html
 
Hello:)

Have a read through this and should you have any further questions then feel free to ask:

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html

As for you asking whether 4-4.2mmol/L is too low. Basically it's not. You really don't have to worry about low blood sugar when you're diabetes is treated through diet and exercise. It's usually only when taking medication (insulin/tablets) that low BG becomes a concern through doses being too high.

Regards,
Grant
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Hi and welcome,

Your number look very good to me.

The general idea is to keep your levels as flat as you can, I always look at the rises from before to after, and try to keep the rise under 1.5mmol/l at its peak after my main meal. The other meals I try to keep under 1mmol/l. Catching the peak is hit and miss as this can depend on the overall content of the food. At 2 hours after first bite levels are hopefully on the way down again. However, this is my personal target. General advice is under 2mmol/l higher at 2 hours after first bite. You may also wish to try testing at other times post meal, such as 90 minutes after first bite, and/or 3 hours after, or whenever, and try to catch your peak.

At all times it is best to be under 7.8 at any time as this would mirror the norm for non-diabetics.

Our levels before evening meal are normally the lowest of the day, and 4s are perfectly acceptable. Unless you actually feel ill when you have a 4 or lower, there is no need to worry and no need to correct this by eating. It is good, and your liver will make sure you don't go hypo. It will release its store of glucose if necessary. It is highly unlikely you will hypo when not on medication and definitely no need to eat in the afternoon. There are many people on here who see 3s and still don't hypo.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html
Click to expand...
Too slow as usual:)
 
welshteddy said:
<snip>
What I'm not sure of is how much is an acceptable level for the blood sugar to rise after a meal. For example - this morning it was 5.6 pre-breakfast and 5.4, 2 hours after. Does this mean that it has gone up in the 2 hours but my body has dealt with it ok? Should the level go back to pre-meal levels after 2 hours?

The other day it was 4.1 pre-dinner and 8.2, 2 hours later. Is the fact that it was a 4 point rise bad? Should I have tested again? What is an acceptable amount for it to rise? Eg. If it starts at 4 and rises to 7.5, is that ok as it's still under 8?<snip>
Click to expand...

Your figures look pretty good; the main think is DON'T PANIC because it will take a while for everything to sink in.

Your breakfast figures are spot on - normal range before and 2 hours after the meal. Yes, it will have gone up and then back down again.
You dinner figures are not so good - they should really be more like your breakfast figures.

The most likely explanation is the difference in what you ate for the two meals.

Whatever you ate for breakfast, your body coped well; not so much for dinner.

Can you tell us roughly what you ate for the two meals? The main culprit is likely to be the amount of carbohydrates.
 
Thank you very much for the replies.

I had weetabix for breakfast, and potatoes as the carbohydrate in the evening meal, with lamb chops, green beans and carrots. Perhaps too many potatoes or maybe a different carb, pasta, rice, would suit me better. I'll keep plodding on ! :D
 
welshteddy said:
Thank you very much for the replies.

I had weetabix for breakfast, and potatoes as the carbohydrate in the evening meal, with lamb chops, green beans and carrots. Perhaps too many potatoes or maybe a different carb, pasta, rice, would suit me better. I'll keep plodding on ! :D
Click to expand...

I'm afraid to tell you that potatoes, pasta, rice, bread, breakfast cereals, flour, and vegetables that grow beneath the soil (carrots in your case) are not great choices. They are all carb - heavy and will raise your BS levels by too much. Try cutting them out to begin with and replace with extra green leafy vegetables, mushrooms, tomatoes, salad leaves etc. If you must eat potatoes (and I do), cut down the number you have and stick to new boiled (avoid mash and jackets). By testing before and several times after I have discovered I can eat 2 or 3 small new spuds or 2 small roasted ones, but absolutely no more than that. I cannot have gravy due to the flour so I put butter on my veggies. Use your meter wisely, and eat to it.
 
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