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When to test

O

OB87

Well-Known Member
Messages
334
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi all,

I'm new to this forum and T2. I was diagnosed 5 weeks ago and been taking 1 tablet of metformin for 3 weeks. I've been on the forum the last few weeks and found it really useful.

I've got a blood sugar monitor and started testing first thing in the morning and before and 2 hours after meals. However the last week or so I've become abit obsessed with testing and I am probably testing 30 mins past eating, also 1 hour, 2 hour and sometimes 3 hours just to make sure it's not still rising. Usually at 2 hours my reading is between 5.5-7.5 but at the one hour mark I am seeing higher numbers sometimes up to 9.

Should I not be seeing these numbers at all ? Or is it ok if it rises but comes back down within the 2 hours? I've read online about testing after 2 hours but I'm worried im missing the spike and how important that is. I'm recording my blood sugars in mysugar app and at the moment it is giving me 6.3% average hba1c ( that would have included high readings between 10-14 just after diagnosis)

I've not had another hba1c yet but when I do I might decide whether to get the libre.

So I'm just wondering when is the best time to test? It's getting expensive with all the test strips, my fingers hurt and I'm getting more anxious.

I was diagnosed a week before my 33rd birthday. I was a huge carb lover and I've reduced carbs to under 100g but I havent cut them out completely.

Thanks
OB
 
Hello and welome,

I started off like you really obsessively testing- I think my husband was a bit concerned about how expensive it was going to be if I used a packet of strips a day lol.

I found that after a while you test less frequently as you know the effect that certain foods have on your body.

For me I prefer to have as little spikes as possible and also wanted to try to treat my insulin resistance as soon as possible (with the probably vain hope that someday I could have a more 'normal' level of carbs) like you I am a carb lover. I actually find it easier with very few carbs as the physical craving goes away also actually the fewer carbs I have the less counting etc that I need to do so the mental load was much less.

So my response was to have less than 20 carbs a day and often less than 10. BUT it has to be sustainable for the long term- you need to find something you can maintain.

Good luck.
 
You could look into getting a meter with fairly inexpensive strips, if yours is expensive.
I use the Spirit Healthcare Tee2.
As you are seeing fairly low numbers you could - if you set your mind to it, reduce your after eating levels by going a bit lower carb, and then you ought to see consistently low numbers day after day and could then perhaps reduce the testing?
 
Congrats on getting the meter & checking, so many don't & are told not to test by their medical team.
So you're newly diagnosed but are already seeing sub 7.8's at 2 hours post meal all while eating 100g of carbs per day, this is very encouraging.
The 9's at one hour are not unheard of for non-diabetic individuals but would have to be a result of a heavy carb meal.
So lets establish your potential to improve, were you over-weight & sedentary at diagnosis by any chance ?
For most immediate results begin reducing carbs from your meals & replacing them with protein/fats you enjoy.
Reducing or eliminating snacks will smooth the roller coaster that is your blood sugar.

This is a marathon, not a sprint & your most valuable practitioner is yourself.
This resource will be here to answer all your questions.

Good luck.
 

Thank you everyone for your replies.

Yes I am overweight, I had a BMI of 31 at diagnosis, I've lost some weight since and this is now just under 30. At my heaviest weight my bmi was 33 but I lost some weight before I was diagnosed (from dieting and illness). I didnt think I was that sedentary as I try to walk where I can, but I do have an office based job so I am sitting down for the majority of the day. Im trying to increase my exercise.

Interesting you mentioned snacks, as I have now cut them out and seeing lower readings pre meals so I'm glad that helps.
My meals before were always very carb heavy. I'm trying to have two meals a day where I eat very little carb but my evening meal usually has more . I have two young kids ( 4 and 2 year old) and we eat together in the evenings. I make swaps where I can ( will have cauliflower rice or miss out the potatoes) but sometimes have more carbs than I should.
 
You seem to be settling in to the same regime as I used - and it was very successful, putting me into remission. Just keep going and it should come right for you.
I brought up two children with my low carb foods as the basis of their meals, but they were not restricted in quantity. Both have grown up tall and slender, very fit and healthy.
 
It's natural that you want to see what your body is behaving. If you are pricking your fingers very many times a day, driving up the cost of the strips, you might want to consider a continuous monitor like freestyle libre 2. It provides 14 days of continuous data, more informative than finger prick tests can provide.

After you get to know your levels, and you are happy with fewer pricks a day, you can come back to your existing glucos monitor.. This way you'll save your fingers from too many stabs, I'd think.
 
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