Eating to the meter, T2 no drugs

[copilost]

Quick background: recently diagnosed T2, trying diet to fix it. Went very low carb 2 1/2 weeks ago, I'm feeling so good it's a bit scary (I was feeling pretty sick although my BG only just crossed the diagnosis line HbA1c 6.6% or 49 for the first time 2 1/2weeks ago)

Today I tried tomatoes for the first time, 40g, with my eggs, bacon and mushrooms. Pre meal 4.7, post 2hrs 5.5.
This is the first spike I've seen (but I haven't been testing every the time) on my first food test! I know this is one reading, I know this could be test strip/meter, something on my hand, just stuff "noise".

However, it occurred to me that I have no idea what the size of normal eat-to-the-meter variation could be. Is there a rough guide for beginners for how to read the numbers? I've read anything up to 0.2 is fine and over is to be avoided but is there an expected 'range' of sensitivities? Does that make sense?

If I understand correctly eventually I'll have enough data to create my own personal normal value range but until I'm there I'd like to have some baseline expectations against which I can begin to interpret what I'm seeing. Is it a linear scale or more like a log scale?

Thanks
CoP

 

[bulkbiker]

Quick background: recently diagnosed T2, trying diet to fix it. Went very low carb 2 1/2 weeks ago, I'm feeling so good it's a bit scary (I was feeling pretty sick although my BG only just crossed the diagnosis line HbA1c 6.6% or 49 for the first time 2 1/2weeks ago)

Today I tried tomatoes for the first time, 40g, with my eggs, bacon and mushrooms. Pre meal 4.7, post 2hrs 5.5.
This is the first spike I've seen (but I haven't been testing every the time) on my first food test! I know this is one reading, I know this could be test strip/meter, something on my hand, just stuff "noise".

However, it occurred to me that I have no idea what the size of normal eat-to-the-meter variation could be. Is there a rough guide for beginners for how to read the numbers? I've read anything up to 0.2 is fine and over is to be avoided but is there an expected 'range' of sensitivities? Does that make sense?

If I understand correctly eventually I'll have enough data to create my own personal normal value range but until I'm there I'd like to have some baseline expectations against which I can begin to interpret what I'm seeing. Is it a linear scale or more like a log scale?

Thanks
CoP

The usual advice is to try to limit a spike to less than 2 mmol/l 2 hours after the first bite.
Your rise of 0.8 mmol/l was therefore fine.
Personally I try to stay below high fives at all times but have been doing this for a while and eat virtually no carbs anyway so I find that pretty easy.
Sounds like you can handle some tomatoes without a problem.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Quick background: recently diagnosed T2, trying diet to fix it. Went very low carb 2 1/2 weeks ago, I'm feeling so good it's a bit scary (I was feeling pretty sick although my BG only just crossed the diagnosis line HbA1c 6.6% or 49 for the first time 2 1/2weeks ago)

Today I tried tomatoes for the first time, 40g, with my eggs, bacon and mushrooms. Pre meal 4.7, post 2hrs 5.5.
This is the first spike I've seen (but I haven't been testing every the time) on my first food test! I know this is one reading, I know this could be test strip/meter, something on my hand, just stuff "noise".

However, it occurred to me that I have no idea what the size of normal eat-to-the-meter variation could be. Is there a rough guide for beginners for how to read the numbers? I've read anything up to 0.2 is fine and over is to be avoided but is there an expected 'range' of sensitivities? Does that make sense?

If I understand correctly eventually I'll have enough data to create my own personal normal value range but until I'm there I'd like to have some baseline expectations against which I can begin to interpret what I'm seeing. Is it a linear scale or more like a log scale?

Thanks
CoP

It's 2.0 mmol/l, not 0.2 mmol/l two hours after first bite.... So you did absolutely fab and your rise was not a spike at all, just a normal rise.

 

[copilost]

doh!

 

[Bluetit1802]

I agree with the others. Your rise was not a spike - it was well under the 2mmol/l that is considered a spike. It looks like you can eat a tomato!

 

[copilost]

It looks like you can eat a tomato!

I'm beginning to feel like a bit of a fraud....when I read around on the forum how difficult it is for some people, how hard they try....well my worries are small potatoes (see what I did there) or in this case imaginary

I don't want to be insensitive.

But I also want to say "wow look at this, it really works!" because seeing those posts (on this very sensible and civilised forum) encouraged me to try what I thought (at first) was just another of those Gwyneth Paltrow-esque fad things for idiots (not judging, honest).

I promise I will calm down eventually.....

 

[Bluetit1802]

You are right at the start of this mystical journey. You are not being insensitive at all. Carry on doing what you are doing, it certainly is working for you, and before long you will be able to say "wow this really works" and will be trying to encourage new comers to try it out.

 

[xfieldok]

You're not being insensitive, you are learning. There is an awful lot to get your head around at first. You are doing well. You will make mistakes. Don't let them get you down, treat them as part of your education.

Don't calm down too soon, your posts are fun

 

[zand]

I don't want to be insensitive.

You aren't. You have been a breath of fresh air to me over the past few days. Thank you.

 

[copilost]

You aren't. You have been a breath of fresh air to me over the past few days. Thank you.

Thank you (can't find stupid <blush> emoji)
I'm very impressed with this forum, it's a classy place to be, thanks everyone

 

[ianf0ster]

Quick background: recently diagnosed T2, trying diet to fix it. Went very low carb 2 1/2 weeks ago, I'm feeling so good it's a bit scary (I was feeling pretty sick although my BG only just crossed the diagnosis line HbA1c 6.6% or 49 for the first time 2 1/2weeks ago)

Today I tried tomatoes for the first time, 40g, with my eggs, bacon and mushrooms. Pre meal 4.7, post 2hrs 5.5.
This is the first spike I've seen (but I haven't been testing every the time) on my first food test! I know this is one reading, I know this could be test strip/meter, something on my hand, just stuff "noise".

However, it occurred to me that I have no idea what the size of normal eat-to-the-meter variation could be. Is there a rough guide for beginners for how to read the numbers? I've read anything up to 0.2 is fine and over is to be avoided but is there an expected 'range' of sensitivities? Does that make sense?

If I understand correctly eventually I'll have enough data to create my own personal normal value range but until I'm there I'd like to have some baseline expectations against which I can begin to interpret what I'm seeing. Is it a linear scale or more like a log scale?

Thanks
CoP

Hi Copilost,
Apart from your misunderstanding about normal post prandial BG increases, you are doing great and demonstrating a winning attitude. As has been pointed out the general advice is to keep the post prandial BG increase (at the 2hr after first bite) to below 2.0 and to do your utmost to avoid anything going over 8.0

That was information that came with my Meter and I had assumed that all Meters came with a small Log booklet including that advice.

There are 2 other things worth mentioning:
1. If you eat a carb with a high Glycemic Index, then because it may cause an earlier spike, it is also worth testing at the 1hr stage as well as the 2hr.
2, Many people (in my opinion) take lots of unnecessary Fasting BG readings (before, before Breakfast). Unless you have reason to be concerned about your BG at that time, there is little point in doing so more than occasionally at first because this reading will be the slowest to improve and so you should just take enough reading to gauge the trend over several months. The other complication about an early morning reading is that they can be distorted by 'the Dawn Phenomenon' (DP as it is known here) which gives a boosted early morning reading. Fuelling you up to go and hunt/gather some food as in our early ancestors days.