Testing 2 hours after?

[Sarah69]

As I only eat just one hot meal a week I test before and 2 hours after. After a recent annual check at the hospital the Dr asked why I tested 2 hours after. I explained although I’d thought she would know why. She told me only to test before meals, I then tried to explain that I don’t eat regular meals. Have you all been asked to test before and after or just before meals?

 

[Pipp]

As someone with T2 , but not on insulin, HCPs tell me I don’t need to test at all. Just to rely on them testing HbA1c. As this ought to be every three months, but they seem to have extended it to six monthly, which in reality has tended to be annually recently, I purchase my own test strips and work out my own test schedule. Generally I test fasting level every day. I know what foods can spike my BG so avoid them, but will, one or two days a week, carry out the testing fasting, then before and two hours after each meal. That is my choice. I don’t want any nasty suprises at the irregular diabetes review appointments.

 

[MissMuffett]

I do a FBG every morning and occasionally before and then again 2 hours after a meal if I’ve eaten something new, as this will tell me if I can eat it again or something I have to stay away from. Knowledge is power!

Do you eat everyday @Sarah69? When you say you don’t eat regular meals what sort of things do you eat and is your hba1c in a good place? Sorry for all the questions, just asking out of interest. I don’t eat breakfast as I’m never hungry until around 12 noon.

 

[KennyA]

As I only eat just one hot meal a week I test before and 2 hours after. After a recent annual check at the hospital the Dr asked why I tested 2 hours after. I explained although I’d thought she would know why. She told me only to test before meals, I then tried to explain that I don’t eat regular meals. Have you all been asked to test before and after or just before meals?

You had the "official" advice. That advice comes from a belief that T2 diabetes is a progressive disease and that very little can be done to halt it becoming worse and worse, leading to increase in medication etc. Blood testing in this scenario is just monitoring progression.

In contrast my approach (and that of many other people on here) is to use regular testing as an active way of lowering blood glucose, reducing and removing symptoms, and hopefully avoiding the worst consequences of having T2 diabetes.

I have never had a "testing" conversation with anyone from the NHS - and if anyone told me I didn't need to test, or to only test before meals, I'd refer them to my numbers (in sig block). Although I don't test nearly as much as I used to, testing is what got me where I am and what keeps me anchored. I will always test for new foods and when I'm abroad, for example.

 

[Antje77]

What insulin(s) are you on, and do you use your test results to adjust your doses?
It makes a big difference if you're on a single type of insulin or also have to dose for food.

Advice - both official advice and practical advice from other diabetics is completely different depending on medication.

Apart from testing to keep an eye on your numbers, you are also required to test at least every two hours when driving if you're on insulin.

 

[Sarah69]

I do a FBG every morning and occasionally before and then again 2 hours after a meal if I’ve eaten something new, as this will tell me if I can eat it again or something I have to stay away from. Knowledge is power!

Do you eat everyday @Sarah69? When you say you don’t eat regular meals what sort of things do you eat and is your hba1c in a good place? Sorry for all the questions, just asking out of interest. I don’t eat breakfast as I’m never hungry until around 12 noon.

I’m not a very good diabetic at all. When I’m at work I’ll eat porridge for breakfast and lunch a sandwich (cheese and pickle) 2 time outs and a cadburys brunch bar. When I get in from work I have a packet of buttons. I eat a packet of buttons every night. When I’m not at work I’ll eat just chocolate, cake and biscuits. My last hba1c was about 73 up from 46 the previous year. I’m on lantus 14 until morning and 10 at night, metformin, pigliotizone and empaglaflozin. After my annual review the dr increased my morning insulin to 16 units but two consecutive days at work I hypoed twice each day so went back to 14 units.

 

[jjraak]

I then tried to explain that I don’t eat regular meals. Have you all been asked to test before and after or just before meals?

We are all so different @Sarah69 in what we eat and how we react.

For me, I agree with others who test before AND 2 hours after.

It's like skiing or cycling down a hill.

The testing is the braking part

At the bottom of the hill is the HBA1c, which will tell me how well or badly I performed on that segment.

But the daily testing tells me when I should brake (cut down or replace a food item)
Giving perhaps a better performance & a safer descent ?


While I'm not on insulin, just diet only & met.

I'd say the underlying thing for T2D's is to try to travel this journey on as calm a sea as possible.

Goodness knows there's enough to create swells we might struggle with, in regards to stress, illness & a myriad of other things to raise our BG's.

And while I know the way we all eat is different & can be comforting..( guilty as charged over Xmas).

Might I gently suggest, ( as you're testing pre & post meal, you do sound very pro-active,) that perhaps a more stable food regime, might offer advantages as well to managing your T2D journey...?

Best wishes for the coming year.