Why does my postprandial curve take 3 hours or longer to return to original level?

[Rosie9876]

Typically, my glucose reading will rise about 3 mmol/L after a meal, which is fine, but it doesn't drop back for 3 hours or longer, as in this example on my CGM. The general assumption is that it should drop back within 2 hours. What does it signify that it takes so long? More curious than worried. Unless I should be worried.

 

[lovinglife]

For me that would mean I had more carbs than I could cope with in my meal. Do you check with a finger prick test?

 

[Rosie9876]

I recently bought a glucometer to do just that, but I can't get the hang of them. Too many errors. Given I'm more looking for accuracy of trends than numbers, this doesn't worry me too much. My recent A1c was 49 mmol/mol (6.6%) - on a slowish downward trajectory. My meals are lowish carb - say 15-20 max - but follow this pattern even when I have an occasional treat, like a croissant.

 

[KennyA]

If that was me, I'd think there were too many carbs in the meal. I'd want to know what else was in the meal, too. The well known "pizza effect" means (for some people, not me) that carb/glucose management gets postponed an hour or so. This seems to be down to having carbs and fats in the same meal (hence pizza).

Alternatively it might be that you're slower (or better/worse) at processing certain carbs than others. I find that I can manage carb that comes via pulses/legumes miles better than carb that comes via cereal/flours. Pastry (eg) will take me into double figures - at least it did, every time. The same quantity of carb, in terms of grams per, but from pulses/legumes, won't.

 

[Rosie9876]

Thanks @KennyA and @lovinglife . I get it about some carbs being better tolerated than others, and in my case irrationally so. Like not spiking after a Caffè Nero croissant (they're smaller), but spiking after ricotta pancakes thickened with white flour. If your assessment is right, I need to do a rethink.