Testing after food - myth?

[Pulley_]

Hi all

i hope you are all well and experiencing a positive Friday feeling!

just a quick question following a rushed and not so helpful telephone call with my DSN.

I am still waiting on my GAD / Cpeptide results (3.5 weeks later) and have been a little concerned that my BG levels have seemed to bounce around quite a bit. My DSN asked me to read the last weeks work of BG levels but halfway through asked me not to give her the readings after food?

She has said that these aren't important and that i only need to test before eating.

Now i understand from reading on here that the results 2 hours after eating is great for showing what foods can be tolerated etc but is that the only reason for testing at this time? Is it not important to monitor in general.

I am not inclined to give up testing after food as i am conscious about what causes me to spike etc but just thought i would check that you well informed veterans agree or disagree with her opinions.

She has also said that the headaches i experience at least 4 times a week aren't diabetes related! despite them starting after my diagnosis and subsequent treatment. I know it would be boring if we were all the same but sometimes i bet it would be hella easier!

Thanks in advance

 

[britishpub]

Testing after eating will give you a good idea what foods have the most effect on your BG, and by how much.

Your Diabetes Nurse will not care what these readings are as the standard NHS line appears to be that diet is irrelevant and Diabetes should be treated by drugs.

 

[Mike d]

just thought i would check that you well informed veterans agree or disagree with her opinions.

Disagree and VERY poor advice. Ignore it and test until you know what works for you

 

[Pulley_]

Haha as I thought! Strange how "specialists" sometimes don't seem to be as up to date as the research.

Thank you

 

[Mike d]

My pleasure ... seems the educated who live with this occupied a different classroom from the so called experts

 

[azure]

@Pulley_ Testing after food is crucial, in my opinion, in order to spot spikes and react appropriately (I've put "appropriately" there because you haven't yet had your diabetes type confirmed).

When I was first diagnosed, more than 20 years ago, I was told I only needed to test before meals. But I soon realised that that only gave me half the picture. Testing after meals allows me to check my insulin to carb ratio is ok,and to move the timing of my pre-meal injection if necessary (I'm Type 1) In short, it gives me much better control.

Once you get back the results of your test, you'll be able to ask more specific questions and seek help from other people with the same type of diabetes

 

[Oldvatr]

Testing after eating will give you a good idea what foods have the most effect on your BG, and by how much.

Your Diabetes Nurse will not care what these readings are as the standard NHS line appears to be that diet is irrelevant and Diabetes should be treated by drugs.

Your DSN is also Old School, where they used to be taught that the fasting bgl was the only method of diagnosing diabetes. Then the GAD test came in, and finally the HbA1c test became supreme leader in diabetes care. We are still stuck at this latter stage, but just beginning to move into the dietary consideration phase. Your GP is probably using the Hba1c to guage how your medications are at controlling your condition.

My GP is not convinced by LCHF, but my results log did impress him. Since my HbA1c reduced considerably, he is also a happy bunny since that is a brownie point for the practice, and looks good in the annual appraisal. To be fair to him, he has been v supportive of my unauthodox approach. As I said in another thread, you will become the specialist in your own condition, and will know more about it than the 'professionals'. You may also become a 'consultamt 'if you stay in touch with this forum and share your experiences with us.
My advice: keep a log of your results so you can share it with your medical team later on. I tell you that i use a spreadsheet for mine, and it produces graphs that are quite impressive. My GP only has a short time to give to me, so a graph is the most efficient way of presenting my results to him.
Good Luck, and do not take the DSN's advice too seriously

 

[Oldvatr]

Regarding your headaches, i am no doctor so cannot advise, but i will point out that you have probably been diabetic for a year or so before you get diagnosed, especially if T2D. it is not usually a sudden switch. So, if your headaches started at or after diagnosis, then it is unlikely to be directly related to the diabetes. You have not given any details of treatment, and this could be giving side effects. Keep a diary and see if it is at specific times e.g. following s sleepless night. Also if there are any other effects showing concurrent. (i.e. nausea, dizzy etc.)

 

[noblehead]

I am not inclined to give up testing after food as i am conscious about what causes me to spike etc but just thought i would check that you well informed veterans agree or disagree with her opinions.

Disagree.

It's important to know what food results in a immediate spike or a delayed one, that way you can best work on ways to reduce it by eliminating that food altogether, time the bolus dose to match the spike or use portion control.

 

[Garr]

Very important to us! Not so much for them.........