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Spikes after meals

KesLouise

Well-Known Member
Messages
85
Location
Kent UK
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hello everyone

I’m noticing that I’m getting spikes after meals. It seems more noticeable now that I’m using the libre than when I was just finger pricking, it’s definitely because of the graphs!

How do people manage/prevent significant spikes after meals?

Thank you!
 
Spikes after eating are caused by the carbs in the meal and the lack sufficient insulin to cover this (in the case of insulin users) or enough insulin but insulin resistance stops it working (in the case of most T2's). There aren't any other reasons for these spikes that I am aware of. The answer for an insulin user must be, therefore, to reduce the carb content of the meal or inject more insulin.

Have you tried either of these methods?
 

I am an insulin user and I think part of the issue is I haven’t been able to get my head around carb counting as haven’t been able to attend a T1 course due to lockdown so I don’t even know where to start with ratios to cover carbs or anything
 
Spiking right after your meal but dropping back to reasonable numbers after a couple of hours can also mean your carb counting and insulin ratio are fine, but the carbs simply work quicker than the insulin. How long before your food do you take your insulin? It may be useful to look into pre-bolusing.
 

Usually 15 minutes I’m wondering if increasing the time might help?
 
KesLouise said:
Usually 15 minutes I’m wondering if increasing the time might help?
Click to expand...
With the Libre in particular the app does squash the line graph dramatically. If you look on libreview online if you have a login, it shows it at a much kinder, more promising rate! Peaking after food is normal though and will come down gradually, usually its recommended to put insulin in 30 mins before food depending on what insulin your on.
Hope that helps
 
IHumalog is taken around the time of eating, and the onset of effects typically occurs within 30 minutes and lasts about 5 hours. If you take it too soon before a meal you run the risk of hypo depending on your reading at that time and it finishing before the food is fully digested. I would leave it at 15mins as thats what ive always been told.
You say you have problems calculating your carbs . . If you can explain why i can try to help you.
 
Last edited:
KesLouise said:
Usually 15 minutes I’m wondering if increasing the time might help?
Click to expand...
For me it helped, but that doesn't mean it will for you. If you decide to experiment, please be careful of hypo's and remember your Libre won't notice a low as quickly as a fingerprick.

I switched to Fiasp insulin, which works quicker. It greatly reduced my after-meal spikes and with Fiasp I can usually simply inject and eat instead of waiting.
 

To be honest it’s simply because I’ve never spoken to anyone about it and I’ve tried looking at things online but I’m better with people going through things with me so I can ask questions which is why I was looking forward to the kaT1e course. It will go ahead eventually
 
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