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I'm confused and at a loss...

Starfish18

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,080
Location
Sutton-in-Ashfield
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I've had pork chop for tea cooked in olive oil, steamed savoy cabbage and 6 x Brussels and gravy which is 2.6g carbs per 100ml.
My level before tea was 5.7 but after tea I got 7.7 2 hours after first bite which I thought was a bit high considering its not a very carby meal. So I tested again and got 6.3, then 7.4 then 7.0 I don't usually keep retesting but I didnt understand why I had so much of a rise, even though not a bad spike
Feel a bit disheartened as I'm trying so hard to get it right
Where have I gone wrong?
 
Hi @Starfish18, If you look at the Home page, and midway along the horizontal menu bar there is Living with Diabetes.
In the far left column of that is Blood Sugar Levels - and for > 90 minutes after a meal the maximum non-diabetes level is .....drum roll... 7.8 mmol/l. So you did not 'spike' above normal range !!! cue Triumphant music !!!
Now looking at that meal, Brussel sprouts are 9g carbs per 100 g and cabbage 6 g per 100 mg plus gravy.
So as you say, not a lot of carbs, unless you ate a whole cabbage !!
 
LOL no I didn't eat a whole cabbage lol I just wasn't expecting a rise quite so big with so little carbs
 
@Starfish18, I guess it is a measure of what your pancreas gland will tolerate!!
Also it may be that some of the protein from your pork chop was converted to glucose by your liver and appeared at about ? the 3 hour mark.
 
kitedoc said:
@Starfish18, I guess it is a measure of what your pancreas gland will tolerate!!
Also it may be that some of the protein from your pork chop was converted to glucose by your liver and appeared at about ? the 3 hour mark.
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I guess that makes sense about the pork chop as I've read about protein converting to glucose by the liver! I thought I was doing well having meat and veg with it being low carb now I feel confused on what I should eat!
 
Starfish18 said:
I guess that makes sense about the pork chop as I've read about protein converting to glucose by the liver! I thought I was doing well having meat and veg with it being low carb now I feel confused on what I should eat!
Click to expand...

@Starfish18 you are doing well. As I understand it, you’re fairly recently diagnosed. From my experience you’ll get some unpredictable readings for a while as your BG settles down. Keep up with the reduced carbs - your meal sounds fine (could check what is in the gravy as that’d be my suspect). Test the same meal several times - sometimes you do get odd results for no real reason.

It’s easy to overthink things but stick to the general principles you’ve set yourself and in time you’ll see for yourself what you do and don’t want to tweak.
 
Starfish18 said:
I guess that makes sense about the pork chop as I've read about protein converting to glucose by the liver! I thought I was doing well having meat and veg with it being low carb now I feel confused on what I should eat!
Click to expand...

Glad to hear you didn't eat a whole cabbage, that sounded weird.

Your numbers are ok, I wouldn't be disheartened by them.
 
Starfish18 said:
So I tested again and got 6.3, then 7.4 then 7.0
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I hate it when that happens. Makes you distrust your meter, doesn't it? You did the right thing retesting, and I'm sure you washed your hands before testing to make sure you hadn't touched any food left over on your finger from the cooking.
I've been there myself, and asked the same question in here. Your meter will give you a result that could be +/- 15% from the real result, or it could be a rogue strip. I managed to get 1mmol difference between left and right pinkie, just like you. Confusing, isn't it?
Starfish18 said:
I thought I was doing well having meat and veg with it being low carb
Click to expand...
You are doing well. Keep going
 
Hello, yes I was diagnosed 5 weeks ago. Thank you. I am trying so hard and had a total diet change and I'm so strict with myself.
We do suspect the gravy tbh even though it's low carb and I have ha dit before. I do plan to retest the meal again and see how it goes. It's just so disheartening. I've had more carbier meals and I've not had as much rise as what I got yesterday so it's confusing. Just when I think I'm on the right track...i do have to remember that I will get odd results from time to time. Thanks for your reply
 
Starfish18 said:
I've had more carbier meals and I've not had as much rise as what I got yesterday so it's confusing.
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There could be another X x Xes you have to add to the equation too. Stress levels, coming down with a bit of a cold, bad sleep, that sort of thing ...
 
Yes it does make you distrust your meter. Yes I did wash my hands, I always do, just to be on the safe side. It is very confusing
Thank you. I will keep going and learning along the way
 
Starfish18 said:
I will keep going and learning along the way
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After FBGs in their 4s I suddenly got one in the 7s about 3 weeks ago. I was baffled, as I knew I'd had no more than 16g of carbs per days for weeks and I'd slept well that night, but all I could do was grin and bear it, and look at the general trend instead
 
It is disheartening though isn't it. I guess I just have to grin and bear it.
 
Starfish18 said:
It is disheartening though isn't it.
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I'm sure I would have been when I just started, but deep inside I'm confident that I'm doing the best I can, and to me it looks as if you are too. Don't be disheartened. Be proud and happy that you're doing your best, which is taking control of your body and your health situation. Banzai! [emoji showing a samurai wielding his sword onwards to the battle]
 
Thank you
I keep getting told I'm doing well and I am proud of myself but then when I get a higher reading then I thought I question things again and panic but I do know I just have to keep going
 
Starfish18 said:
Yes it does make you distrust your meter. Yes I did wash my hands, I always do, just to be on the safe side. It is very confusing
Thank you. I will keep going and learning along the way
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The biggest bit of advice we can give is do not over test doing it two hours after a meal is fine it can become addictive if you over do it The levels you got after your meal were absolutely fine and what very many would be happy to have you are doing really well so relax a bit
 
Pinkorchid said:
The biggest bit of advice we can give is do not over test
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That you can give.. please don't include all of us in your "we" .
I found that testing FBG and before and after every meal was extremely useful in the first few months of T2. Even after drinks which is how I know that coffee with cream has minimal impact. My advice to @Starfish18 would be to test away until you start to see some form of consistent results then dial it back a bit.
 
Thank you. I am learning not to over test I was just shocked last night so wanted to retest.
 
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