New and confused

[Laineybod]

Hi
After a routine blood test and a follow up after a few weeks of a low sugar low fat diet I was put on Metformin. After reading another post and lots of people recommending testing glucose to see what foods cause a spike I got myself a monitor. I started using it today. I figured I would test before and after each new food until i knew what would make me spike and what wouldn't. What am I looking for though, someone said more than 2 of a difference but what about actual numbers? If I was still in normal range is that ok?
Thanks

 

[EBe66]

I would say you are talking about two different things. One being your baseline which you want to be, safely, as close to non-diabetic level as you can get them. If you are a type 2 that is. See https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html. The other is how much does a certain food let your blood sugar spike. A value of two would be very nice there. But it's basically what kind of rise you yourself find acceptable. Be aware that testing one and/or two hours after a meal does not always tell you the whole story. Some fatty carb rich foods like french fries will make you BS levels spike (much) later then that. The lower the spike, the better.
What would you describe as a normal range?
Mind that with a finger prick you can always miss the spike. If you can afford one (or get the first one free) I would say check out the freestyle libre. It may not always be as accurate as a blood glucose meter but it tells you an awful lot about what happens when you eat something.

 

[Lobsang Tsultim]

Firstly, I have been trying to keep my spikes below 2 after two hours - noting which foods didn't allow that has shown me what to avoid (one early a-ha moment was realising how much sugar [or carbohydrate] was in the humble onion).

Secondly, I recognised how large some of my portions were, and reducing those has slowly lowered my "normal" range. Adjusting my portion sizes has not meant going hungry, instead, it's meant adding sufficient fat so that I feel full up.

Doing this for the last 3 months since diagnosis has brought my weight down by 10% and lowered my blood pressure. I'll find out what effect it's had on my blood sugar levels in a couple of days (had blood drawn for the 3-month HbA1c follow-up today).

 

[Daibell]

Hi. You seem to be making headway in taking control. You should find that Fat is not a problem but the Carbs are. Have enough Fats and Proteins to keep you feeling full whilst controlling the Carbs

 

[Laineybod]

I don't seem to be able to reply so a quick update. Thanks for the responses I got. I plan now to monitor with the aim of keeping in range and seeing what foods take me out of it etc. I will look into the device as well. Hopefully next Hba1c will be promising.
I also need to be low fat due to other issues so have been increasing protein but slow going. I also have lost 8kg since the first test in late May as well as about 5kg as one of my symptoms before I realised. Thankfully only the odd day of being hungry no matter what.

 

[EllieM]

I don't seem to be able to reply so a quick update.

I've moved the post for you but am concerned that you can't reply. If it's just that you don't know how, this video here may help.

 

[Laineybod]

So does anyone keep testing with foods they know are usually ok or do they only test with something they haven't tested yet/reduced amounts of things that they know cause spikes in greater amounts?

 

[Laineybod]

Hi
After a routine blood test and a follow up after a few weeks of a low sugar low fat diet I was put on Metformin. After reading another post and lots of people recommending testing glucose to see what foods cause a spike I got myself a monitor. I started using it today. I figured I would test before and after each new food until i knew what would make me spike and what wouldn't. What am I looking for though, someone said more than 2 of a difference but what about actual numbers? If I was still in normal range is that ok?
Thanks

Just testing

 

[catinahat]

New So does anyone keep testing with foods they know are usually ok

One thing to bear in mind is that we are not machines, something that sends your levels higher than you would like at 8am. Could possibly have a different effect at 5pm, for some reason our insulin resistance is at its worst in the morning and improves later in the day.
Generally though once you have tested meal on several occasions, maybe at different times throughout the day and found it to be acceptable. You are not going to learn anything new by continually testing that meal, it would just be a waste of test strips.
After a while you will have pretty much tested everything you are likely eat, and will have a good idea what your food is going to do to your levels.
I very rarely test now, I will occasionally test all my meals for a week, maybe once every couple of months, just to make sure nothing has changed.

 

[Laineybod]

One thing to bear in mind is that we are not machines, something that sends your levels higher than you would like at 8am. Could possibly have a different effect at 5pm, for some reason our insulin resistance is at its worst in the morning and improves later in the day.
Generally though once you have tested meal on several occasions, maybe at different times throughout the day and found it to be acceptable. You are not going to learn anything new by continually testing that meal, it would just be a waste of test strips.
After a while you will have pretty much tested everything you are likely eat, and will have a good idea what your food is going to do to your levels.
I very rarely test now, I will occasionally test all my meals for a week, maybe once every couple of months, just to make sure nothing has changed.

That's good to know, thanks for the tip.

 

[EBe66]

So does anyone keep testing with foods they know are usually ok or do they only test with something they haven't tested yet/reduced amounts of things that they know cause spikes in greater amounts?

Catinahat puts it quite nicely, But if I may a few examples from myself. Last week or so I bought a rack of semi prepared marinated spareribs so I already knew it would not be the best of choices but I cut it in half and had half on day one. It raised my bs by about 4 points. I ate the other half the next day. Same food, same time of day, same amount. Hardly a bump to see let alone a spike!

Last year when I had just started using the Libre sensors and had just bought an air fryer I made homemade french fries, not a spike to be seen! the next couple of times the same. I thought I had found the holy grail of diabetic fries Then the time after that it spiked like crazy! And the next time and the next.

What do I take away from these experiences? Your(my) body apparently does not always react the same way to the same food and the food you buy might not always be the same despite being the same stuff from the same brand. In case of the fries I think the type of potato may have changed, same bag different potato.
Having said that, when you see what something like pasta does to your bs, you just know you don't have to test it an other time to be sure...
Conclusion: The more/longer you test the better you can predict the result. But there always will be surprises I think.

 

[Laineybod]

Catinahat puts it quite nicely, But if I may a few examples from myself. Last week or so I bought a rack of semi prepared marinated spareribs so I already knew it would not be the best of choices but I cut it in half and had half on day one. It raised my bs by about 4 points. I ate the other half the next day. Same food, same time of day, same amount. Hardly a bump to see let alone a spike!

Last year when I had just started using the Libre sensors and had just bought an air fryer I made homemade french fries, not a spike to be seen! the next couple of times the same. I thought I had found the holy grail of diabetic fries Then the time after that it spiked like crazy! And the next time and the next.

What do I take away from these experiences? Your(my) body apparently does not always react the same way to the same food and the food you buy might not always be the same despite being the same stuff from the same brand. In case of the fries I think the type of potato may have changed, same bag different potato.
Having said that, when you see what something like pasta does to your bs, you just know you don't have to test it an other time to be sure...
Conclusion: The more/longer you test the better you can predict the result. But there always will be surprises I think.

That's really interesting, thanks. Definitely will keep that in mind.

 

[MrsA2]

Bg is also affected by
Sleep, quantity duration and quality
Stress
Medication
Other illnesses
Exercise, quantity, intensity, duration,
Time since prior food,and what that food was
And I'm sure there's more.
Food is the main one but any or all these play a part too.

 

[Lobsang Tsultim]

Since I’m quite new to the club, I find testing regularly helps me stay disciplined as well as providing great data. Without that feedback, it would be a lot harder to resist all the scrummy high carbs I’ve enjoyed for the last 50-odd years

 

[catinahat]

I find testing regularly helps me stay disciplined

I agree 100% for the first year or so testing really helped me to keep my head in the game.
Now though if I'm tempted by any thing delicious, I have a good idea what effect it will have, my meter has mostly been relegated from, significant other to nagging partner ("I told you so")