Spikes

[TuTusweet]

I'm sure someone on here is going to say clear off and stop asking fool questions: but I have another.

i don't understand spikes.
If you eat food you get a spike as the sugar hits your bloodstream.
So is the idea to keep the spike as small as possible? you can't eliminate it can you ?
It seems odd to me to test for BG 2 hours after a meal. It is too late then. The time to test is after every mouthful. So you can stop eating.
I'm missing something. Please advise.

 

[Alanp35]

uh TuTu,
I'm fairly new to this forum but can offer this for you. 2hours may seem a little silly but the idea is that this period gives time to ascertain how your body manages the last meal for glucose et al. If you measure just after the meal then you are correct in saying what you do. If you spike then have a look at what you ate and perhaps how much of it. This may indicate that you are more sensitive to certain foods. Then try the same food a few days later. Did you spike again ?
It really is down to self management with help and support from your medical team and of course, all of the many people on here, whose advice has helped me tremendously (my thanks here to you all).
When I started I insulin in Oct 2013 I put a control on what I ate in that I had the same food for each meal, breakfast, lunch and evening meal everyday for two weeks. My BGs were, and still are variable. At my DN visit this morning they advised that this is a slow process with much trial, re-trial and some error which I look on as a learning curve.
Hope this helps.
Alan

 

[Carbdodger]

Hello TuTusweet
I would sincerely hope that no one suggests that you stop asking questions. Great way of learning.
Yes the objective is to avoid spikes which are generally caused by anything that turns to glucose through digestion such as sugar, fructose (inc fruit), lactose (milk), carbohydrates (inc all baked products, potatoes, rice regardless of colour, etc).
I was advised that the 2 hour test is on the basis that someone without diabetes would be back to a non-DB level of blood glucose after 2 hours. I also test at 1 hour when trying new foods/combinations to ascertain what the peak of the spike is.
If you can control the spikes you are least likely to suffer DB related problems. It's likely that anything above 7 will cause LT damage. So the lower the better. Therefore eating a low carb diet will help minimise the spikes.
I can only speak as a T2.
Cd