Testing regime, how strict is this?

[HSSS]

I think with this, as with many things, there can be a race to see who can be the most extreme. In my humble opinion, extremism of any form is rarely a good thing.

Can you explain your comment please? Fail to see what extremes you are talking about

 

[Maxine3624]

At the start and to get a decent data set I'd test when I get up and immediately before and maybe 1 and 2 hours after each meal.
You'd then record those readings and the composition of the meal and try to get a feel for the food types that cause drastic elevations in blood glucose. The main suspects will be carb heavy foods so quite easy to check.. simply have the same meal the next day without the carb heavy item and record that too. That's what I did for the first couple of months. After that you'l probably be eating fewer meals a day so won't need so much testing and should know what happens after the meal so can try and catch your peaks when you think they are likely to be. These days I tend to test 2 or 3 times a day (partly down to usually only eating one big meal each day and because I'm used to testing when I get up!).

Thank you

 

[Bluetit1802]

I used to test loads and loads. For a few years. It was silly really because my levels didn't really change much. Now I restrict myself to fasting, before my tea (always the lowest of the day) and bedtime. Very occasionally I test post meal if I am curious. When I wear a Libre I only do a few cross checks with my meter, and leave it in the drawer otherwise.

 

[enb54]

At the start and to get a decent data set I'd test when I get up and immediately before and maybe 1 and 2 hours after each meal.
You'd then record those readings and the composition of the meal and try to get a feel for the food types that cause drastic elevations in blood glucose. The main suspects will be carb heavy foods so quite easy to check.. simply have the same meal the next day without the carb heavy item and record that too. That's what I did for the first couple of months. After that you'l probably be eating fewer meals a day so won't need so much testing and should know what happens after the meal so can try and catch your peaks when you think they are likely to be. These days I tend to test 2 or 3 times a day (partly down to usually only eating one big meal each day and because I'm used to testing when I get up!).

Maxine 3624... Just google "Eat to the Meter" or Eat to your Meter" and read a few of the articles regarding type 2 diabetes (T2D) treatment and the importance of using a blood glucose monitor and recording the results. There is no quick and easy cure for T2D but there is a lot of misdirection, let reading information on sites like this one and common sense be your guide to helping you get better.

 

[Member496333]

Depends what the individual is trying to achieve. If you’re attempting to reverse already in-situ complications then you’d be surprised how easy it is to be strict. I decided to get cold hard ruthless on myself, and it’s paid off for me. Mainly because I now don’t spend my nights crying in searing agony from neuropathy pain in my feet. Staying below six was instrumental to this...I was able to actually feel in my feet when my levels were higher than six, post-meal. Possibly though vast quantities of circulating insulin rather than the glucose per se.

One person’s hardcore is another’s absolute necessity. I believe also that it’s too common for folk to misinterpret the standards of others as prescriptive advice. When the difference between a rise of one, or two, mmol/L means you can sleep at night, you quickly recalibrate your own expectations, but that doesn’t mean anyone else has to care or follow suit.

 

[enb54]

on a very tightly administrated type 2 diabetic Facebook group they are advocating testing after 1 hour and seeing no more than 20mg (1.1mmol) rise and being back where you started by 2 hrs.

Sounds pretty hard core to me, but likely do-able. Now for just how long one could keep up those kind of marching orders would depend on your motivation. My situation is like many others here in that there is absolutely no way I'm going to destroy myself because of what I'm ingesting, and since most mainstream advice for T2D is just wrong, I'll 97% of the time "eat to the meter". This is surprisingly easy to do once you start, however I have a friend who is in the T2D boat and grossly overweight but absolutely refuses to give up his favourite breads, mashed potatoes and other carb laden foods. No amount of cajoling will get him to change, but that is the nature of the present T2D treatment system, "take your drugs and let us take care of you" seems to be the usual credo.

Those of us who are here have decided to take charge of our own fate, so probably the "hard core" approach would be like preaching to the choir...