When should I test my blood glucose level?

[pastbe4us]

Hello all.

I am newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. My question is a simple one: When should I test my blood glucose level?

 

[Prem51]

Hi @pastbe4us To find out which foods raise your bg you should test before eating, then two hours after eating. If the food has raised your bg by more than 2.0 mmol/L it is best avoided. After a while you will know which foods spike your bgs and won't need to test as often.

 

[pastbe4us]

Hi Thanks for your answer. I have a Contour tester for BG. It gives me a number of say, 114. Where are you getting that number, what is 2,0 mmol/L?

I imagine I can get a read out like this if I adjust my tester?

Same question for HbA1c?

Thank you

 

[Bluetit1802]

Hi Thanks for your answer. I have a Contour tester for BG. It gives me a number of say, 114. Where are you getting that number, what is 2,0 mmol/L?

I imagine I can get a read out like this if I adjust my tester?

Same question for HbA1c?

Thank you

mmol/ are the units we use in the UK and many other countries.
114 sounds like the units are mg/dl

2mmol/l is the same as 36mg/dl

 

[HSSS]

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-sugar-converter.html

Some meters can do both. Set to the units used by your medics for ease.

 

[pastbe4us]

Thank you, very much.

 

[pastbe4us]

I found a conversion table on line. naturally, America does everything differently. My wife who is European often laments America's miles and yards...plus the way we write the date-5/13/2019.

 

[Prem51]

If you can't be bothered to look up conversion on online table, you can multiply mmol/L figures by 18 to get the US mg/dl figure.
Or divide your mg/dl figure by 18 to get the mmol/L figure.

 

[Shas3]

Personally I find the US system with the larger range of numbers more discriminating and intuitive. It is easy to get complacent with the UK system where things 'feel' smaller... "i am 9.0 it is just 1 point above acceptable level of 8.0" whereas the US one does show more nuanced difference.... Anyway, I know it is only in my head and that is just me!!!

 

[Bluetit1802]

I found a conversion table on line. naturally, America does everything differently. My wife who is European often laments America's miles and yards...plus the way we write the date-5/13/2019.

We are still miles and yards here in the UK but the way the Americans write the date addles my brain.

 

[MissMuffett]

Personally I find the US system with the larger range of numbers more discriminating and intuitive. It is easy to get complacent with the UK system where things 'feel' smaller... "i am 9.0 it is just 1 point above acceptable level of 8.0" whereas the US one does show more nuanced difference.... Anyway, I know it is only in my head and that is just me!!!

I thought bg had to be below 5.4 or 7.8 after eating

 

[Prem51]

I thought bg had to be below 5.4 or 7.8 after eating

This is the UK NICE guidelines for bg readings:

 

[Atad heavy]

This is the UK NICE guidelines for bg readings:

View attachment 32900

Is there a reason why they don’t give non diabetic & type 2 diabetic readings upon waking please

 

[MissMuffett]

This is the UK NICE guidelines for bg readings:

View attachment 32900

Thank you that’s very interesting. So is that saying to remain a type 2 follow those guidelines? I want to reverse mine so I’ll aim for a fasting reading of under 5.9 lol!

 

[Prem51]

Is there a reason why they don’t give non diabetic & type 2 diabetic readings upon waking please

I don't know. I guess the targets would be the same as before eating, ie 4-7 for T2s and 4-5.4 for healthy non-diabetics.

 

[MissMuffett]

Hi Thanks for your answer. I have a Contour tester for BG. It gives me a number of say, 114. Where are you getting that number, what is 2,0 mmol/L?

I imagine I can get a read out like this if I adjust my tester?

Same question for HbA1c?

Thank you

Hi. If you divide your number by 18 then you should get the mmol/L equivalent if You can’t change the setting on your monitor