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Coffee shops and blood testing

Welshman1952

Welshman1952

Well-Known Member
Now for some this may seem a bizarre post. However I felt I should share my experience.

Today I went out with my wife to enjoy my regular Sunday double espresso. Whilst out I noticed it was two hours post breakfast and needed to pin prick to test my bloods as I had enjoyed a new food with my meal. Anyway, I went to the loo, washed my hand and tested. Imagine my horror when the results were through the roof.

Then I did a little digging. First I discovered espresso can spike your BGs and just to add to it there is sugar/ glucose in foam soap!!

So did my new food spike my BGs? Possibly not but I will be wary of testing if I have to use a foam soap dispenser in future, especially if I've had an espresso first.

Looks like I'm going to have to do a lot more research around this - but after several years, it would have been nice if someone in the medical profession had warned me.
 
Caffeine seems to cause spikes for some people and not others. Not sure if there is any logic to determine if you are a caffeine high or not.
As for foam soap, I am sure it is not the only hand cleanser which can affect BG as sugar is often added to soaps to increase the size and stability of the bubbles. I know alcohol wipes can affect BG which is why paramedics clean fingers with water prior to pricking.
Another thing to be aware of, although it is definitely in decline, is newspaper ink can raise BG if you have it on your fingers.
If my hands are not clean and I need to finger prick, I follow the paramedic approach to avoid contamination and just use water.
I also avoid finger pricking in toilets. The tables of a cafe are cleaned more often and, if anyone notices and is offended by a very short medical procedure that can keep me alive, they can look away.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
In Response said:
Caffeine seems to cause spikes for some people and not others. Not sure if there is any logic to determine if you are a caffeine high or not.
As for foam soap, I am sure it is not the only hand cleanser which can affect BG as it often added to soaps to increase the size and stability of the bubbles. I know alcohol wipes can affect BG which is why paramedics clean fingers with water prior to pricking.
Another thing to be aware of, although it is definitely in decline, is newspaper ink can raise BG if you have it on your fingers.
If my hands are not clean and I need to finger prick, I follow the paramedic approach to avoid contamination and just use water.
I also avoid finger pricking in toilets. The tables of a cafe are cleaned more often and, if anyone notices and is offended by a very short medical procedure that can keep me alive, they can look away.
Click to expand...
All good points - and thank you.

I confess your point about not using toilets to finger prick resonated strongly. Ever since being diagnosed I've felt uncomfortable about completing a medical procedure in an area riddled with germs. It makes such obvious sense to discretely test at the table - so obvious it never occurred to me!

Needless to say it is something I intend to correct with immediate effect
 
MrsA2 said:
Coffee sends me up, even more so if it has milk in, ( and I mostly drink decaffeinated) but it comes down again almost immediately, not up there long enough to affect anything.
So I limit myself to one a day
Click to expand...
I lived in Portugal (pre-diagnosis) and soon adopted the cafe culture out there. Since returning I've continued it and, without thinking, assumed that as I never used sugar in my espresso that there was no problem.

With the knowledge I've gained today I intend to try and isolate if it does spike my BGs. Obviously if it does, I will have to go over to decaff. A sad alternative, but not the end of the world.
 
In Response said:
Caffeine seems to cause spikes for some people and not others. Not sure if there is any logic to determine if you are a caffeine high or not.
As for foam soap, I am sure it is not the only hand cleanser which can affect BG as sugar is often added to soaps to increase the size and stability of the bubbles. I know alcohol wipes can affect BG which is why paramedics clean fingers with water prior to pricking.
Another thing to be aware of, although it is definitely in decline, is newspaper ink can raise BG if you have it on your fingers.
If my hands are not clean and I need to finger prick, I follow the paramedic approach to avoid contamination and just use water.
I also avoid finger pricking in toilets. The tables of a cafe are cleaned more often and, if anyone notices and is offended by a very short medical procedure that can keep me alive, they can look away.
Click to expand...

First thing in the morning clean hands with warm water and clean hands with clean towels, works good for me!
Omar
 
Welshman1952 said:
Now for some this may seem a bizarre post. However I felt I should share my experience.

Today I went out with my wife to enjoy my regular Sunday double espresso. Whilst out I noticed it was two hours post breakfast and needed to pin prick to test my bloods as I had enjoyed a new food with my meal. Anyway, I went to the loo, washed my hand and tested. Imagine my horror when the results were through the roof.

Then I did a little digging. First I discovered espresso can spike your BGs and just to add to it there is sugar/ glucose in foam soap!!

So did my new food spike my BGs? Possibly not but I will be wary of testing if I have to use a foam soap dispenser in future, especially if I've had an espresso first.

Looks like I'm going to have to do a lot more research around this - but after several years, it would have been nice if someone in the medical profession had warned me.
Click to expand...
Was told 3pyrs ago when diagnosed to wash hands in hot water and if possible soak on hot water for a min, then clean towel to dry and then prick
 
Anything in a toilet should be well and truly avoided. Tables at a cafe get cleaned more often. Cafine spikes some people. Most soaps have glucose in them. I use alcohol wipes that don't spike my readings.

Danny
 
Welshman1952 said:
Now for some this may seem a bizarre post. However I felt I should share my experience.

Today I went out with my wife to enjoy my regular Sunday double espresso. Whilst out I noticed it was two hours post breakfast and needed to pin prick to test my bloods as I had enjoyed a new food with my meal. Anyway, I went to the loo, washed my hand and tested. Imagine my horror when the results were through the roof.

Then I did a little digging. First I discovered espresso can spike your BGs and just to add to it there is sugar/ glucose in foam soap!!

So did my new food spike my BGs? Possibly not but I will be wary of testing if I have to use a foam soap dispenser in future, especially if I've had an espresso first.

Looks like I'm going to have to do a lot more research around this - but after several years, it would have been nice if someone in the medical profession had warned me.
Click to expand...

So far double espresso and tea (no milk and sugar) at morning don’t increase my blood sugar. Bad sleep is increasing it by 20-30%. I have pre diabetes.
 
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