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Type 2 Post Meal Prick Test

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SugarFreeHaggis

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Hi All,
After a recent Health shock I realised that I need to get my T2 more under control. However I am getting a little confused.

My Q is when after a meal should I do a prick test. I read some places and it says 1h30m after others say 2h. Which is best?

I am having a little trouble bringing my levels down and have for the past couple of weeks been doing them at 1h30m after. any help appreciated.
 
Most of us do 2 hrs and seek a rise of less than 2mmol. I think originally that gives time to see how close, or far, from a typical Non diabetic response you get. But the key thing is to be consistent.

How are you trying to control your levels? On any meds? Do you know your hb1ac? Diet is the most powerful tool. Lowering carbs specifically.

Have you seen these links?

Intro to T2 and low carb. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/
All the things I wish I’d been told earlier https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/th...ish-i’d-been-told-at-type-2-diagnosis.173817/
 
My last HBA1c was 49 from what I remember, but that was just over 6 months ago. I was due to have one about a month ago but due to the pandemic that is on hold.

Approx 3 weeks ago I was in hospital following a mild Heart Attack and I am now looking at a CABG when they start operating again, so I was advised by the surgeon that I need to bring my T2 under more control as I was getting reading of around 12mmol when they were testing me in the hospital. so I have taken to intensive testing of my levels and trying to bring my levels down. I am also trying to reduce the fat in my diet.

However I am finding that my levels are sometimes spiking by more than 4mmol at times.
 
SugarFreeHaggis said:
My last HBA1c was 49 from what I remember, but that was just over 6 months ago. I was due to have one about a month ago but due to the pandemic that is on hold.

Approx 3 weeks ago I was in hospital following a mild Heart Attack and I am now looking at a CABG when they start operating again, so I was advised by the surgeon that I need to bring my T2 under more control as I was getting reading of around 12mmol when they were testing me in the hospital. so I have taken to intensive testing of my levels and trying to bring my levels down. I am also trying to reduce the fat in my diet.

However I am finding that my levels are sometimes spiking by more than 4mmol at times.
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If they are spiking by that amount after 2 hrs there were too many carbs for your body in that meal.

There’s a lot of controversy about what eating fats do. Completely opposite to the (unscientifically supported) guidelines most of us find that low carb higher fats (to replace the energy we no longer get from carbs) as well as controlling blood glucose levels and helping us to lose weight actually improves our good cholesterol and reduces triglycerides and improves all the ratios. Fat is not the enemy. Carbs are. Dr Aseem Malholtra is a consultant cardiologist supporting this and well documented. Ivor Cummings is another good one to follow. And take a look at this thread https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/cholesterol-and-statins.156985/ to learn loads around the whole subject to help you make up your mind.

Oh and if you’ve been put on statins they might well raise your hb1ac as a side effect.
 
I normally test at 1 hour to see the peak and at 2 hours to ensure it's come back down to a safer level within the recommended time though I am not sure that I wholly subscribe to the idea if your back down to more normal levels at 2 hours no damage has been done I prefer to keep my levels at or below 6.8 though this is not always possible.
 
JohnEGreen said:
I normally test at 1 hour to see the peak and at 2 hours to ensure it's come back down to a safer level within the recommended time though I am not sure that I wholly subscribe to the idea if your back down to more normal levels at 2 hours no damage has been done I prefer to keep my levels at or below 6.8 though this is not always possible.
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More or less agree. In a dysfunctional metabolism minimising all opportunities for harm/deterioration/inhibition of improvement is the ideal goal.

But even non diabetic will see rises in response to food and if I can have the insulin sensitivity to respond appropriately and quickly then any potential damage is much more limited than if I don’t respond or remain high for longer is the point I was aiming for.
 
SugarFreeHaggis said:
My last HBA1c was 49 from what I remember, but that was just over 6 months ago. I was due to have one about a month ago but due to the pandemic that is on hold.

Approx 3 weeks ago I was in hospital following a mild Heart Attack and I am now looking at a CABG when they start operating again, so I was advised by the surgeon that I need to bring my T2 under more control as I was getting reading of around 12mmol when they were testing me in the hospital. so I have taken to intensive testing of my levels and trying to bring my levels down. I am also trying to reduce the fat in my diet.

However I am finding that my levels are sometimes spiking by more than 4mmol at times.
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Hi, are you on any medication, I note you have had a mild heart attack and that much of the advice on here will be about low carb, high fat diets which I too am a fan of to a large extent. I too believe fats have been seen as the bad guy for far too long but would not feel confident telling you to go higher fat whilst you are still under a heart Consultant. x
 
It's interesting that you mentioned statins earlier in this thread, as when I was in the hospital they raised my atorvastatin to 80mg, compared to the 20mg it was previously. and in reply to KK123 yes, I am on a list of meds as long as my arm (must be putting a drain on the NHS). mostly to reduce high lipid count.
 
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SugarFreeHaggis said:
It's interesting that you mentioned statins earlier in this thread, as when I was in the hospital they raised my atorvastatin to 80mg, compared to the 20mg it was previously. and in reply to KK123 yes, I am on a list of meds as long as my arm (must be putting a drain on the NHS). mostly to reduce high lipid count.
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Definitely have a read of the Cholesterol thread I posted so you can have an informed conversation with your drs in that case and understand the decisions you make together.
 
You are far more likely to see a change to your diabetes and cholesterol by eating low carb than low fat.
As a diabetic, that is the problem - and there is a simple treatment, if you are lucky. Eat fewer carbs, see lower numbers.
I was on a 'cholesterol lowering' diet, high in 'healthy' grains and potatoes - got shouted at as my weight increased and my levels went up. I slept away all my afternoons.
After going low carb my numbers dropped - the nurse said it was a delayed reaction. Yeah, right.
I test 2 hours after STARTING to eat - if I need to - not much need these days.
 
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