Should you not test every day or even at all if you’re aT2?

Angela64 · Sep 30, 2022

I test my glucose levels twice a day, morning and evening, I will do another test if the reading is higher than I’d like. I was diagnosed June 21’ and it was a total shock, no symptoms, just went confused and got taken to A&E. I was told this morning by GP that I shouldn’t be testing and recording my meals and I should just take it easy ‍ What do you think?

bulkbiker · Sep 30, 2022

Your call and absolutely nothing to do with your doctor.

Personally I like to look at the speedo when I'm driving so as not to get a speeding ticket.

"Taking it easy" is presumably what led to you getting T2 in the first place, in your shoes I'd want to be monitoring to get it into remission and show the doctor what fools they are.

nutribolt · Sep 30, 2022

I think it's a way for your local surgery to save costs. If they do not prescribe, you will need to buy on your own.

I think if a person is diagnosed as diabetic, any real chance they have of controlling the blood sugar requires that person to first be aware of their BG levels which requires testing. Personally if one can afford it it is best done using Libre or Dexcom but they are so very expensive. As a minimum though finger prick test is an absolute must. Looking at the trends is how you can decide if a quick walk even within the house will be helpful or perhaps there is a certain food group you definitely must avoid.

Short answer, if you can please do continue monitoring your BG.

filly · Sep 30, 2022

Made me chuckle. After my 'cheese' week I think taking it easy doesn't suit some of us. Never have been able to take it easy. Whether dieting, blood sugars or anything else. Always trouble if I 'let it go' as this week has shown.
Mind you still have cheese left!
At the moment I am testing 4/5 times a day. Always much lower in the afternoon. Higher early morning and sometimes evening. Testing is keeping me on track. If I just relied on HbA1c would not help me getting the numbers down.

sue512 · Sep 30, 2022

I know how I feel about that advice from the doc and I’m probably not allowed to type it here!! Personally I’d test and aim for remission my new goal in life! That involves testing to the point I’ve got free trial libre 2 in order to see what’s going on and what foods spike my blood sugars, it’s interesting!

lucylocket61 · Sep 30, 2022

There is no point in random testing. Test before and two hours after a meal to check the rise is not more than 2 points, then you know if a meal is sufficiently low carb for you to eat safety.

Deleted member 475901 · Sep 30, 2022

I tested before and two hours after every meal until I was firmly in remission and knew what I could eat without going too high, and kept a food diary - now I still test once a week and also before/after any new foods.

filly · Sep 30, 2022

TriciaWs said:
I tested before and two hours after every meal until I was firmly in remission and knew what I could eat without going too high, and kept a food diary - now I still test once a week and also before/after any new foods.

Like the bit about testing after new foods. Might get to that point ....

HSSS · Sep 30, 2022

Angela64 said:
I test my glucose levels twice a day, morning and evening, I will do another test if the reading is higher than I’d like. I was diagnosed June 21’ and it was a total shock, no symptoms, just went confused and got taken to A&E. I was told this morning by GP that I shouldn’t be testing and recording my meals and I should just take it easy ‍ What do you think?

I think your dr’s a fool/ignorant. And I doubt patients following their advice do anything other than have the predicted progression and deterioration. Understanding what makes you have better or worse levels is crucial to improving your situation and hopefully achieving remission. I’d echo that random testing is a bit pointless though. You need to structure it so each test actually tells you something useful. Better to use those two tests before and after a meal as described above.

HSSS · Sep 30, 2022

There’s an entire (long) thread about this very subject. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/have-you-been-told-not-to-test-your-blood-sugars.66574/

MaviesDavies2 · Sep 30, 2022

I agree with everyone else. If you know what every single meal or mouthful is doing to your bloods, you will know what spikes you. Until you have all that info tucked away in the ol’ knowledge bank, you are doing it blindfolded.

jjraak · Sep 30, 2022

Angela64 said:
I test my glucose levels twice a day, morning and evening, I will do another test if the reading is higher than I’d like. I was diagnosed June 21’ and it was a total shock, no symptoms, just went confused and got taken to A&E. I was told this morning by GP that I shouldn’t be testing and recording my meals and I should just take it easy ‍ What do you think?

Hug for having a very common type of doctor, sadly.

But a win for testing anyway & keeping a food diary.

( Why do they insist on lumping us all as one, and not consider we MIGHT prefer a choice in managing such tasks ...

As @bulkbiker puts it , you'd look at the Speedo to check your safe, right .

And as l'oreal say..."you're worth it"

Others have it right I say.

Test but make them count for something.
Continuity is the key.

I tested while making a tea.
Others once foot on floor.

Horses for courses, just make it similar each time.

Pre food post food

You know your looking for dangers, & you won't find them blindfolded.

And after a while the dangers diminish as you spot the guilty ones, and no longer have them on your plate.

You got this.
Good luck on your journey.

chrisjohnh · Sep 30, 2022

jjraak said:
Hug for having a very common type of doctor, sadly.

But a win for testing anyway & keeping a food diary.

( Why do they insist on lumping us all as one, and not consider we MIGHT prefer a choice in managing such tasks ...

As @bulkbiker puts it , you'd look at the Speedo to check your safe, right .

And as l'oreal say..."you're worth it"

Others have it right I say.

Test but make them count for something.
Continuity is the key.

I tested while making a tea.
Others once foot on floor.

Horses for courses, just make it similar each time.

Pre food post food

You know your looking for dangers, & you won't find them blindfolded.

And after a while the dangers diminish as you spot the guilty ones, and no longer have them on your plate.

You got this.
Good luck on your journey.

Besides the undoubtedly good advice on testing before eating and two hours after, would the experts among you also advocate testing after one hour to try to measure a spike at its highest amplitude? I am asking only in the context of those of us relying on simple finger-prick glucometers.

jjraak · Sep 30, 2022

chrisjohnh said:
Besides the undoubtedly good advice on testing before eating and two hours after, would the experts among you also advocate testing after one hour to try to measure a spike at its highest amplitude? I am asking only in the context of those of us relying on simple finger-prick glucometers.

No expert...

But I know some who did test at various stages.

Personally I didn't.

I kept it simple, as that worked for me.

A little bit of regimentation suited me.

No wrong way to do this I think, if you are ok testing more, as some spikes do seem to take a while to show.
Sure many of us have been caught out and not even known it at some point.

In response to testing earlier, I personally thought it of little use

I believed I was trying to mimic someone without T2D, who will also spike but return to more level figures after that two hour window normally quoted.

The spike in-between would happen in the control group too, so I decided not to worry about that, and simply focus on my 2 hour window only when eating.

Not the only way to do it, obviously,
But It worked for me: Oct to Jan 58 to 42.
Jan to July 42 went to 40.

Good luck finding whatever suits you best.
The joy of individuality.

chrisjohnh · Sep 30, 2022

jjraak said:
No expert...

But I know some who did test at various stages.

Personally I didn't.

I kept it simple as that worked for me.

A little bit of regimentation suited me.

No wrong way to do this if you are ok testing more, as some spikes do seem to take a while to show.
Sure many of been caught out an unaware at some point.

In response to testing earlier, I personally thought it of little use

I believed I was trying to mimic someone without T2D, who will also spoke but return to more level figures after that two hour window normally quoted.

The spike in-between would happen in the control group too, so I decided not to worry about that, and simply focus on my 2 hour window only when eating.

It worked for me: Oct to Jan 58 to 42.
Jan to July 42 went to 40.

Good luck finding whatever suits you best.
The joy of individuality.

Thank you, I have been unsure as to how much weight to put on suggestions that the max height of the spike is the factor most implicated in damaging one as opposed to its wavelength - if that were true it would be important to know that height. But others just say it’s the integral of the curve that is a measure of the potential for damage. Nothing is clear in this game.

jjraak · Sep 30, 2022

chrisjohnh said:
Thank you, I have been unsure as to how much weight to put on suggestions that the max height of the spike is the factor most implicated in damaging one as opposed to its wavelength - if that were true it would be important to know that height. But others just say it’s the integral of the curve that is a measure of the potential for damage. Nothing is clear in this game.

On that last point I'd have to agree.

A differing debate for sure.

I liken it to sunbathing or radiation.

I know if I do too much it's bad, but sometimes it's hard to avoid,
Just being in the sunshine, and I'm sure even that accumulated damage will takes its toll.

But the idea I'd stay in the sun for extended periods is where I think the real damage is caused.

Just like the spikes,..having a spike here and there is almost unavoidable...but staying so far out of range..that's where I think the true danger lurks.

So of the two separate scenarios, I don't sweat the sunshine days & accept the short term spikes as just 'part of life'

I do actively avoid sunburn & long spikes...hence testing.

Each to his own, due diligence is called for.

And not suggesting for a minute you are.

But I think the fear of any spike, no matter how normal, could suck the joy out of everyday..

Then the question in my mind becomes...
"If we are saving ourselves by testing, what are we saving ourselves for, if we're scared to eat or walk in the sunshine " ?

If your interested, link in my signature Jenny Ruhr diabetes #101...explains her thinking on why 8mmols & above is where the damage occurs.

chrisjohnh · Sep 30, 2022

jjraak said:
On that last point I'd have to agree.

A differing debate for sure.

I liken it to sunbathing or radiation.

I know if I do too much it's bad, but sometimes it's hard to avoid,
Just being in the sunshine, and I'm sure even that accumulated damage will takes its toll.

But the idea I'd stay in the sun for extended periods is where I think the real damage is caused.

Just like the spikes,..having a spike here and there is almost unavoidable...but staying so far out of range..that's where I think the true danger lurks.

So of the two separate scenarios, I don't sweat the sunshine's days & accept the short term spikes as just 'part of life'

I do actively avoid sunburn & long spikes...hence testing.

Each to his own, due diligence is called for.

And not suggesting for a minute you are.

But I think the fear of any spike, no matter how normal, could suck the joy out of everyday..

Then the question in my mind becomes...
"If we are saving ourselves by testing, what are we saving ourselves for, if we're scared to eat or walk in the sunshine " ?

If your interested, link in my signature Jenny Ruhr diabetes #101...explains her thinking on why 8mmols & above is where the damage occurs.

Great reply there, thank you.

jjraak · Sep 30, 2022

chrisjohnh said:
Great reply there, thank you.

Just a quick post with that link

( Looked at my post under droid, no signature, sure it's there under other formats but just in case)

Does Type 2 Diabetes Always Get Worse?

Most dctors think all people with Type 2 develop complications but this research shows it isn't true.

www.bloodsugar101.com

...What this suggests is that using an even lower post-meal blood sugar target could further lower the incidence of complications. The subjects in the Kumamoto study, though they had significantly fewer complications, still developed some of classic diabetic complications. Since their blood sugar target--180 mg/dl (10 mmol/L) was well above the 140 mg/dl (7.7 mmol/L) level where complications begin, this could have been predicted.

The real value of this study is in showing that A1c is a poor measurement of control and that lowering post-meal blood sugars targets is far more effective in preventing complications regardless of A1c.

Deleted member 527103 · Sep 30, 2022

chrisjohnh said:
Thank you, I have been unsure as to how much weight to put on suggestions that the max height of the spike is the factor most implicated in damaging one as opposed to its wavelength - if that were true it would be important to know that height. But others just say it’s the integral of the curve that is a measure of the potential for damage. Nothing is clear in this game.

For Type 1 (which I appreciate is a very different condition to type 2), we are advised to minimise the area under the graph rather than get too concerned by the height of the spike.
If you typically run your levels in the 6s and spike to 12 for less than 30 minutes, the area under the graph is less than if you typically run your levels in the 8s and only spike to 10 but the spike last 3 hours.
So, for Type 1, we focus on lower levels when not eating and minimising the duration rather than height of the spike.
Due to the difference in the conditions and the way we manage it, this may be easier for Type 1 - it is about insulin dose and timing more than diet,

chrisjohnh · Sep 30, 2022

jjraak said:
On that last point I'd have to agree.

A differing debate for sure.

I liken it to sunbathing or radiation.

I know if I do too much it's bad, but sometimes it's hard to avoid,
Just being in the sunshine, and I'm sure even that accumulated damage will takes its toll.

But the idea I'd stay in the sun for extended periods is where I think the real damage is caused.

Just like the spikes,..having a spike here and there is almost unavoidable...but staying so far out of range..that's where I think the true danger lurks.

So of the two separate scenarios, I don't sweat the sunshine days & accept the short term spikes as just 'part of life'

I do actively avoid sunburn & long spikes...hence testing.

Each to his own, due diligence is called for.

And not suggesting for a minute you are.

But I think the fear of any spike, no matter how normal, could suck the joy out of everyday..

Then the question in my mind becomes...
"If we are saving ourselves by testing, what are we saving ourselves for, if we're scared to eat or walk in the sunshine " ?

If your interested, link in my signature Jenny Ruhr diabetes #101...explains her thinking on why 8mmols & above is where the damage occurs.

Just read your recommended Ruhr article, most interesting, encouraging and lucid.

Should you not test every day or even at all if you’re aT2?

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