Thoughts on these readings

[WilliamEE]

For dinner I had I went to a cafe I had a small bowl or organic olives, barbecued ribs cooked in a sauce (don't know what sort with chill) served with a generous serving of lettuce. I treated myself to a a piece of orange and poppy seed cake.

Started eating at about 8.45pm and finished about 9.20pm.

Checked with my meter at 10.20pm and got three different results 5.7, 6.7 & 6.3.

Given meters are only an indicator and given the three different figures I'll go with 6.3 as being probably nearest to the being the most accurate.

Last night I checked my meter 2 hours after eating a sausage and bean dish served with salad.

My readings were 4.7 & 4.8

Whilst I am not pre diabetic, I would be (maybe still am) heading that way but have taken up low carb eating to try and fend it off. Have also lost about 7 kg in the past 8 weeks or so.

Do these readings sound OK?

5.7, 6.7 & 6.3 1 hour after finishing a piece of cake & 4.7 & 4.8 2 hours after a low carb meal (I don't know what was in the sausages)?

 

[Bluetit1802]

Yes, but you get a better idea if you test before you eat, then at 1 hour and 2 hours. Expect a spike at 1 hour (it happens to everyone after eating carbs) but a non-diabetic should generally be back down again at 2 to 2.5 hours.

 

[WilliamEE]

Yes, but you get a better idea if you test before you eat, then at 1 hour and 2 hours. Expect a spike at 1 hour (it happens to everyone after eating carbs) but a non-diabetic should generally be back down again at 2 to 2.5 hours.

Thanaks Bluetit1802

I just tested again I got an average of 6.3.

Seems my peak isn't dropping, but then again it isn't rising either.

 

[Bluetit1802]

But what level are you starting on, and when was this last test taken?

 

[WilliamEE]

But what level are you starting on, and when was this last test taken?

That I don't know.

Next time I test, I'll need to ensure that I test prior to eating.

 

[WilliamEE]

Today I took some readings before lunch.

They were 5.2, 4.7 & 4.9

For lunch I had smoked salmon with salad (lettuce, cucumber, some greek olives, cappers, capsicum) and an egg. I followed this with 4 dried apricots.

My readings one hour later were all over the place ranging from 4.4 to 6.2.

Two hours later I had just four readings ranging 5.7 to 5.9.

This has got me worried.

I did have a hot shower just prior to the 2 hour readings and I have been very very stressed the last 4 or so days. Just seems odd that the readings would go up. However, with everything I read I am beginning to think that the meter I am using which is a few years old is probably not that reliable. I had very low carb lunch so this is really odd.

Further to my the beginning of this thread that I started I rang Diabetes Australia the next day and the response I received is that people who are not diabetic (including pre diabetics) should not do home monitoring which I thought was odd.

I know the results are accurate but they can be an indicator.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Hi William,

Why are you concerned with those readings? What is it exactly that worries you?
Your readings look perfectly normal to me

The dried apricots may not have done you many favours. They are high carb. 30g of them (about 3) has 13 carbs.

I'm afraid that in the UK most of us type 2's are told not to test as there is no need because the HbA1c is what they look at. We all know this is rubbish, so we on this forum ignore the advice.

Why are you testing several times at once? Consecutive readings will vary, sometimes wildly, because our meters are not precise. Personally I only re-test if my first reading is way off the mark from what I was expecting.

 

[WilliamEE]

Thanks Buletit.

I'm just obsessed by all of this (and having therapy for my obsessive thinking).

I am sure I am over reacting, as when I take a step back at look at my readings over the last few weeks they really are fine. I suppose I want even better readings but the reality is most of the population are walking around without a clue as to what there readings are and unless you are diabetic or pre-diabetic it should not really be of any major concern.

You have reassured me.

Ironically I have run out of test strips and it might be a good idea if I don't bother getting any new ones of a few months. Just keep up my low carb diet.

I didn't realise that 4 dried apricots wold have much affect and really that didn't.

 

[douglas99]

Today I took some readings before lunch.

They were 5.2, 4.7 & 4.9

For lunch I had smoked salmon with salad (lettuce, cucumber, some greek olives, cappers, capsicum) and an egg. I followed this with 4 dried apricots.

My readings one hour later were all over the place ranging from 4.4 to 6.2.

Two hours later I had just four readings ranging 5.7 to 5.9.

This has got me worried.

I did have a hot shower just prior to the 2 hour readings and I have been very very stressed the last 4 or so days. Just seems odd that the readings would go up. However, with everything I read I am beginning to think that the meter I am using which is a few years old is probably not that reliable. I had very low carb lunch so this is really odd.

Further to my the beginning of this thread that I started I rang Diabetes Australia the next day and the response I received is that people who are not diabetic (including pre diabetics) should not do home monitoring which I thought was odd.

I know the results are accurate but they can be an indicator.

If you are testing, what is the absolute maximum result you want to see?

 

[Bluetit1802]

I understand your obsession. I am a bit the same myself.
Maybe you should buy some more strips but force yourself to test just a couple of times a week or a fortnight. You are pre-diabetic and don't want to let it slip over the mark, but try and restrict yourself to once or twice a week and not dozens of times a day.

 

[WilliamEE]

Upper 4's but I do accept lower 5's as OK.

My hba1c test a couple of months ago was 5.6 and that was before I started low carbing. I would like to get it down to the upper 4's.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Maybe you are being a bit hard on yourself. An HbA1c of 5.6 is perfectly normal and that equates to 6.3mmol/l (the measurement units we see on our meters.)

 

[WilliamEE]

I understand your obsession. I am a bit the same myself.
Maybe you should buy some more strips but force yourself to test just a couple of times a week or a fortnight. You are pre-diabetic and don't want to let it slip over the mark, but try and restrict yourself to once or twice a week and not dozens of times a day.

I am not pre-diatebtic (yet and hopefully never).

My last fasting glucose nearly 3 months ago was 5 at one test and 5.6 at another.

Glucose tolerance test was 7 after 2 hours. Hba1c was 5.6.

Just trying to do everything I can to get it lower. I find keeping a good diary very helpful.

 

[WilliamEE]

Maybe you are being a bit hard on yourself. An HbA1c of 5.6 is perfectly normal and that equates to 6.3mmol/l (the measurement units we see on our meters.)

Bluetit1802,

Do you know why it is considered normal is it equates to 6.3 which is pre-diabetic?

 

[douglas99]

Upper 4's but I do accept lower 5's as OK.

My hba1c test a couple of months ago was 5.6 and that was before I started low carbing. I would like to get it down to the upper 4's.

You're always going to be struggling.

Normal is 4 to 5.9 before meals, up to 7.8 after meals.
HbA1c is 4 to 5.9.

So you're probably trying to achieve the lower end of the range for most of the population.

I wouldn't even agree that your figures show you're pre diabetic.
Is there a history in your family, or some other symptoms?

 

[zand]

Personally I don't think you need to worry if you are not even pre-diabetic. Those readings wouldn't worry me. Are you overweight at all?

 

[Bluetit1802]

I think you are getting your measurement units mixed up. Have a look at this converter. http://www.diabetes.co.uk/hba1c-units-converter.html

6.3mmol/l as a 3 month average is not pre-diabetic. It is quite normal.

You are definitely being too hard on yourself!

 

[douglas99]

I am not pre-diatebtic (yet and hopefully never).

My last fasting glucose nearly 3 months ago was 5 at one test and 5.6 at another.

Glucose tolerance test was 7 after 2 hours. Hba1c was 5.6.

Just trying to do everything I can to get it lower. I find keeping a good diary very helpful.

The GTT is good as well, as a low carb diet will cause an false high, if you don't re-introduce carbs for 3 or 4 days beforehand.

 

[WilliamEE]

Personally I don't think you need to worry if you are not even pre-diabetic. Those readings wouldn't worry me. Are you overweight at all?

Currently weigh 76kg down from 84kg in July. About 5'5" in height. I would like to loose another 10kg or so over the next 3 to 4 months.

 

[zand]

Well I would just concentrate on having a good diet and exercise and losing the 10kg. This will help your health generally. I really don't think you need to worry about diabetes right now. (I have far more weight than that to lose, so I'm not judging you!)

edit: By 'good diet', I mean a healthy eating plan, not a 'lose weight quick' diet.