disturbing trends in blood glucose levels within the day

[gbs42]

I am newly diagnosed T2D. BMI is 22.5 HbAC1 is 48. So not a disturbing case BUT despite a good diet, significant exercise 3 times per week I seem to have little control over BG levels. Today was the first day of intra-day testing: AM (fasting) result was 5.5 mmol/L and then 2 hrs after subsequent meals 5.8, 7.9 and 9.9.

The only possible further only regime changes that I can identify are: 1 regular daily exercise, 2 more frequent eating. All thoughts/comments welcome.

 

[AndBreathe]

Hello there.

I think it would be useful to understand a little more about your diet, and if you could provide examples of the sorts of your meals? Many of us ate "healthily" prior to diagnosis, only to find there were some things we could no longer include in the "healthy for us" category of foods.

How was your diabetes diagnosed? Did you attend the Doc with some symptoms, or were you picked up on a screening programme of some sort?

 

[muzza3]

I am newly diagnosed T2D. BMI is 22.5 HbAC1 is 48. So not a disturbing case BUT despite a good diet, significant exercise 3 times per week I seem to have little control over BG levels. Today was the first day of intra-day testing: AM (fasting) result was 5.5 mmol/L and then 2 hrs after subsequent meals 5.8, 7.9 and 9.9.

The only possible further only regime changes that I can identify are: 1 regular daily exercise, 2 more frequent eating. All thoughts/comments welcome.

Hi and Welcome gbs42
The details of the meals would be great so that we can give you some feedback. Particularly the meal where you had the 9.9 after
Cheers

 

[Robbity]

Your 9.9 post meal meter reading will be telling you that something you ate in that meal is probably causing that rise. One of the most important changes you can make to help improve your diabetes is to watch your diet - though what we're told is healthy is not always necessarily the case for us as diabetics. We need to avoid sugary and starchy foods as these can cause high glucose levels. Telling us what you ate (and what your current diet is) will give us some pointers.

Robbity

 

[gbs42]

Thank you for yr interest. Here goes and I hope it is not boring.

For about 5 yrs i have been advised that BG levels were elevated. I assumed that a relatively good diet and regular exercise would suffice. However the upwrd creep continued and in Dec I recorded 7.5mmol/L although the HbAC1 result was 48. Since then I have casually followed a LCHF route but yesterdy's results (the first time that I have done intra-day testing) have alarmed me given that transgressions were nil until I had a 250ml glass of wine with supper.

Yesterday, Sunday, I began the day with a 5.5mmol/L reading (on the previous day I had a longer than usual bike ride, about 5 hours and >2500 C burnt)and finished the day with a 9.9 reading. The only exercise yesterday was a gentle stroll with my wife for about 20 mins.

Breakfast: water,grilled bacon, tomato, 1 slice rye bread, 6 brazil nuts
Lunch: Avo, pulled duck, quinoa, salad, fruit
Dinner: Tuna, bulgar wheat, salad, 1 slice rye bread, yoghurt with cinnamon, 6 strawbs

FYI: I am now 74, 6'2" <80kg so BMI is 22ish. I have always been that way. Post diagnosis in Dec 2015 I have further improved my diet. I never add sugar/honey to coffee, tea, not even to porridge - my preferred breakfast. Other NONOs for me are honey, chocolate and bread other than rye/pumpernickel. The only transgression of which I am aware is that I rarely drink less the new target level of 14 units, closer to 20 units is my average.

I make 2 /3 longish bike rides each week average >2000C, I play tennis for 1 hr each week and do 5-10 mins light weight training on most days. Not much scope for improvement there.

My sleep pattern is poor - 5/6 hrs each night with naps during the day. I will try Kalms as reccommended by my wife

 

[Pinkorchid]

Hi welcome what you say you ate is really good but the rise may have been due to the bulgar wheat, quinoa or the fruit some people can eat those without a significant rise in BG some can't. Maybe leave those out and then test to see what your levels are . Same with porridge my T2 husband has that for breakfast every day he makes it with lactose free milk and adds mixed seeds to it but no sweetener at all and he is fine with it. You will have to test to see what foods give you a bigger rise than you want

 

[JohnEGreen]

Also some alcoholic drinks are not too bad dry white wine is reasonably OK but many beers and other wines are not so good shorts such as whiskey,Brandy and such are OK depending on what mixers you use.

 

[Brunneria]

I am afraid the clue is in the carb intake.
Each meal you ate more carbs, and your post meal reading was greater.

It may just have been carb overload (don't know your portion sizes) or it may be that your body can't handle particular carbs (my body gets higher readings from grains than from root veg, carb gram for carb gram)

Perhaps a systematic testing regime for a few days, eating set portions of one type of carb and seeing how much it raises your blood glucose? Just test before eating and 2 hours after. Note the numbers and what you ate, plus portion size.

Unfortunately, your exercise will throw things out a bit, unless that too is consistent.

 

[Freya15]

I am newly diagnosed T2D. BMI is 22.5 HbAC1 is 48. So not a disturbing case BUT despite a good diet, significant exercise 3 times per week I seem to have little control over BG levels. Today was the first day of intra-day testing: AM (fasting) result was 5.5 mmol/L and then 2 hrs after subsequent meals 5.8, 7.9 and 9.9.

The only possible further only regime changes that I can identify are: 1 regular daily exercise, 2 more frequent eating. All thoughts/comments welcome.

 

[Freya15]

I was diagnosed T2 last August . Never really had any obvious symptoms. Now 69 yrs old . i notice when I eat any sort of wholemeal , rye bread my sugarevels go up. If I eat the dark German rye in the plastic sealed wrap I'm ok. I'm still testing foods , only just realised best way to deal with it.

 

[Oldvatr]

Hi welcome what you say you ate is really good but the rise may have been due to the bulgar wheat, quinoa or the fruit some people can eat those without a significant rise in BG some can't. Maybe leave those out and then test to see what your levels are . Same with porridge my T2 husband has that for breakfast every day he makes it with lactose free milk and adds mixed seeds to it but no sweetener at all and he is fine with it. You will have to test to see what foods give you a bigger rise than you want

I too picked up on the Quinoa, bulgar, and fruit. These all spike me, especially tropical fruit . I have also surprised myself with fish. Some fish I am fine with, such as salmon, bassa, but mackerel or tuna spikes me. I narrowed it down to if fish is natural its ok, but if it is in a tin or in oil, then I suffer. Also tuna mayo is a killer. Some salad dressings will be bad, unless you mix it your self
We often take notice of carb content or calorie count, but it is sometimes important to recognise that protein can also turn into glucose just like carbs. Insulin Dependant diabetics are sometimes advised to bolus for protein in a meal, but this is not on my particular journey except that a heavy protein meal at night can push my fasting bgl up the next day.

 

[tonyo49]

Hi and welcome, we are about the same age, weight etc and I try to do as much exercise as you do but sometimes don't achieve it! It is definitely the carb intake that spikes my levels so as others have said you will need to find out what spikes you as an individual. Porridge doesn't suit me so bacon and eggs are great for breakfast. Above ground veg is brilliant and steaks are carbless. Other good news is that a glass or even two of red wine actually brings my levels down but constant testing is the way forward and the low carb high fat diet is working for me. It's not boring either and there are plenty of recipes available on this site
You are not going to bore anyone on this site, we are all trying to help each other, good luck

 

[gbs42]

a glass or even two of red wine actually brings my levels down


ahha! Some good news at last! I will do rigourous testing.