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When does "two hours" begin?

G

Glados

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Have bought a BG monitor and I'm pretty happy with my readings but a bit nervous as to when the "two hours after eating" starts. Seem to recall somebody on here saying it was from the start of the meal - but to me the END of the meal seems the right time to start the "two hours" clock. I'm confused!

Also, if I have a cup of tea (with a sweetener tablet and milk) between meals, will this totally muck up my readings? :?

Help! roblem:
 
Yes its confusing. I do it at the end of eating, others do it at the start. The official NHS guidelines are no more helpful as they give different explanations as they explain it! So long as you stick to one or the other I think its fine. If you do that then you are measuring like with like over time.

In any case doing at the end has more chance of getting a lower reading and thus you get the psychological boost of a good score regardless of whether 2 hours at the end is right or wrong. Remember us Type 2's don't have to be quite so accurate as the Type 1's.
 
xyzzy said:
In any case doing at the end has more chance of getting a lower reading and thus you get the psychological boost of a good score regardless of whether 2 hours at the end is right or wrong.
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True! Mind you, I eat quite fast, so it isn't THAT different (I imagine). My boyfriend can take an HOUR to eat his dinner :crazy: . That's probably why I'm the tubby diabetic one and not him!

Thanks for the reply (if you're confused I don't feel so bad about not knowing!).
 
I always start the 2 hrs at the end of the meal as I feel it all has to be accounted for to get a true reading at the end of the 2 hours.

Helena
 
I start the two hours right after I've had my breakfast and I make sure that I don't eat or drink anything else during the two hours.
 
Helenababe said:
I always start the 2 hrs at the end of the meal as I feel it all has to be accounted for to get a true reading at the end of the 2 hours.
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Cheat!!!!

Actually I do the same, but it's academic, cos I never remember to test at exactly 2 hours.
 
I always test after 2 hours from finishing my meals as different meals take different times to eat :thumbup:
 
Never stick to strictly two hours but would test after I'd finished eating.
 
I'd never actually thought about it and just automatically assumed it was 2 hours after the meal finishes. I always forget or get engrossed in something else and end up nearer 3 hours
 
Hey guys!

I test 2 hours from the start of the meal - although that's mainly cos I've jabbed my insulin and need to make sure all's OK by then. Not confident enough to leave it longer!

Smidge
 
Thanks for the replies guys! Sounds like I'm doing OK, don't want to be too uptight about it. Looking at your BG levels IS quite addictive though, isn't it? I think I'm keen to feel as though I have some control back over my health. Hence my well-behaved diet (so far). :angel:
 

It is from when you take your first bite. So if you begin eating at 6pm, check at 8pm.
 

Yes it is addictive and its worth recognising that. I think its fine while you're pushing yourself to change diet and lifestyle as like you I found it was by far the most effective means of keeping me good in the early weeks. At some point though all good things should come to an end. I think for me I will try after my next HbA1c in a few weeks time. So long as that comes back good then my plan is to gradually withdraw to just testing at +2 hours after meals only and then long term just to +2 hours after my main meal.
 
Looking at your BG levels IS quite addictive though, isn't it? I think I'm keen to feel as though I have some control back over my health. Hence my well-behaved diet (so far).
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I don't look upon it as being addictive, I look upon it as a gentle to reminder to myself every day that I am a diabetic. My doctor told me yesterday that if I was to have routine blood tests now, I'd not be picked up as a diabetic. She says I am fitter now than I have been since I was a teenager. I am 4.5 stone lighter now and my blood pressure is now 117/64. It would be so easy to relax and slip and I'm determined that I am not going to. Testing my bloods every morning is part of my way of ensuring that I don't and that I keep my stroke risks right down.
 
Camilla If you take your reading 2 hours after your first bite and you have a 3 course meal with friends lasting for an hour or so you are not getting a true 2 hour reading as I see it
CAROL
 
When I used to test, I always tested before the main meals. I do not think I was ever told that if I am testing I should test after rather than before.

I have always been told there is no need to test alot of times and "save" my fingertips when I will HAVE to test, i.e. when I eventually start of insulin.

I am going to start testing again and I think i will be testing before and after whilst I am discovering which food I can tolerate and which not.
 
I'm an American. But I believe that the 2 hours starts when you take your first bite and that it is 1.5 hrs from the end of your meal. Hope this helps. And no, tea with milk and artificial sweetener should not effect your result significantly, although you may want to switch to what we call here "heavy cream" since it has less carbs. You might call it "double cream". Please correct my terms if I'm wrong
 
caesarella said:
although you may want to switch to what we call here "heavy cream" since it has less carbs. You might call it "double cream". Please correct my terms if I'm wrong
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Yeah, I think "double cream" is the same thing. Thanks for helping!
 
Can't beat a bit of double cream

I whip it up and have it with almonds as a pudding now and then. People think I'm mad and dont know how I am losing so much weight!

Just bear in mind though if you are still pretty carb heavy in your diet and increasing your fat intake you may gain weight rather than lose...but everyone is different on the amount of carbs they can take.
 
Not wanting to be superior but I think the answer is quite obvious - whilst you are still eating your body is still digesting. The whole point of checking after two hours is to see how long your pancreas/BG takes to return to an acceptable level and the experts deem this to be two hours after eating (digesting). Snacking within that period makes the exercise futile.
 
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