[reverie08]

I know I'm supposed to test in the morning while fasting... Before meals then one hour after then on the two hour mark.

While I'm waiting for the one and two hour mark am I not supposed to drink anything?

Also, is it test one hour after I've finished my meal or from the first bite?

Thanks

Jen

 

[moon]

From the first bite. Yes, you can drink, and you can take as long to eat as you'd like. The 1-2 hour tests are not an exact science since all foods behave differently, but a great general guideline. Sometimes food takes longer to spike (Dreamfield's pasta is a classic example). It's a process of getting accustomed to what various foods do and how your body reacts.

Also - you might eat a food that gives you a rise higher than you want, but if you accompany it with a lot of fat you get a flatter bell curve. We burn up a heck of a lot of strips in the beginning, but it does get cheaper in time

 

[reverie08]

From the first bite. Yes, you can drink, and you can take as long to eat as you'd like. The 1-2 hour tests are not an exact science since all foods behave differently, but a great general guideline. Sometimes food takes longer to spike (Dreamfield's pasta is a classic example). It's a process of getting accustomed to what various foods do and how your body reacts.

Also - you might eat a food that gives you a rise higher than you want, but if you accompany it with a lot of fat you get a flatter bell curve. We burn up a heck of a lot of strips in the beginning, but it does get cheaper in time

Thank you moon. What should my numbers look like an hour to two after I've eaten? Anything below 140 or should they be between 80-120?

 

[beefy]

Also - you might eat a food that gives you a rise higher than you want, but if you accompany it with a lot of fat you get a flatter bell curve.

While that may be true, and it helps you avoid a 'spike', remember that in the long-run you end up with the same amount of blood glucose in your system overall...

If you take a gallon of water and pour it into a sink through a bunch of fat or fiber in a sieve it may fill up the sink slower than if you pour it through nothing, but it's still a gallon regardless of how long it takes to pour.

So although you're avoiding a 'spike', you're not really affecting your overall HbA1c level.

If I eat a food like that, I exercise immediately... that will burn the glucose as it digests and enters your bloodstream.

The best method is of course to avoid those foods instead of slowing the release by covering them up in fat or fiber...

 

[moon]

At the 1-hour mark it's said not to go over 140 and be back to 120 or lower at 2 hours. Personally, I don't like to go over 120 ever (though sometimes I do) and am fortunate that if I stay on program I can do that.

Here's a good read on this http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045621.php

I don't recall where you're starting. But I'd look for information (learning how your body responds to certain foods/meals) and progress - it can take a while and every time I would get a lower number after a meal I'd be wanting a gold star. I'm not the greatest grown-up

 

[moon]

The best method is of course to avoid those foods instead of slowing the release by covering them up in fat or fiber...

Well, yes, but it's a little like you having peanut butter on your 1/2 apple vs having it alone, no?

 

[reverie08]

Thank you both. Very helpful information. I'm about a month diagnosed. My numbers have ranged between 81-145. I've had a few highs here n there but nothing more than 160.

In trying to stick w salads which usually top with chicken ham or turkey... Seems to be safe n easy. Kinda scared to dabble in anything else. For lunch im usually rushing so i just buy frozen dinners/salad. I usually buy the smartOnes or lean cuisines n they seem to not affect my levels either.

There are times my sugars are down to 120 or less and I feel funny (dizzy n light headed).

Oh well, I guess for now just trial and error.

Thanks again!

 

[marti]

i test 2 hours after the first bite and in the morning when i wake up. and i also test when i am not feeling well or feel a low coming on

 

[reverie08]

i test 2 hours after the first bite and in the morning when i wake up. and i also test when i am not feeling well or feel a low coming on

Thanks marti. That's what I've been told to test as often as I can since I'm just starting out. I just think its funny that times I test my sugar appears normal but I feel terrible. Weird! Lol

 

[beefy]

Well, yes, but it's a little like you having peanut butter on your 1/2 apple vs having it alone, no?

I have the peanut butter simply to add the proper amounts of protein and fat with my snacks - not to avoid a spike.

I no longer get any spike from 1/2 an apple (even eaten alone) - then again I only eat granny smith's now, which seem to be the lowest in sugar.

 

[beefy]

Thanks marti. That's what I've been told to test as often as I can since I'm just starting out. I just think its funny that times I test my sugar appears normal but I feel terrible. Weird! Lol

The other thing you may want to find out - via lots of testing - is when your normal spike is.

Many people get their highest spike at 45 minutes, as opposed to an hour. Some people get their highest spikes later - it depends upon our digestion ability, and other factors. It's worth playing around with at first just so you can see.

When you know WHERE your highest spike comes, you can see exactly how damaging a tested food item is.

Well, most of the time. There's so many variants... but it's worth having a good idea of where they come.

 

[reverie08]

The other thing you may want to find out - via lots of testing - is when your normal spike is.

Many people get their highest spike at 45 minutes, as opposed to an hour. Some people get their highest spikes later - it depends upon our digestion ability, and other factors. It's worth playing around with at first just so you can see.

When you know WHERE your highest spike comes, you can see exactly how damaging a tested food item is.

Well, most of the time. There's so many variants... but it's worth having a good idea of where they come.

Thanks beefy. I was just kind I confused with how to test. I thought it was one hour after u eat because digestion takes time. I eat really slow so I thought if I was still picking an hour later or just finished eating my bg would be at its highest. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything the right way. I really appreciate your feedback )

 

[beefy]

Thanks beefy. I was just kind I confused with how to test. I thought it was one hour after u eat because digestion takes time. I eat really slow so I thought if I was still picking an hour later or just finished eating my bg would be at its highest. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything the right way. I really appreciate your feedback )

Just FYI, the insulin response literally starts with the first bites you take, as does digestion. Some of the carbs are literally converted to glucose while you chew (enzymes in your saliva do that) and that glucose can be absorbed through mucus membranes before you even swallow - that's why we time from first bite.

I've never had any digestion issues, and I think because of that I'm in the '45-minute' group.

Of course, we're all different! The important thing is your desire to test, learn and be healthy! You'll definitely get the hang of this!

 

[d33na]

Thanks marti. That's what I've been told to test as often as I can since I'm just starting out. I just think its funny that times I test my sugar appears normal but I feel terrible. Weird! Lol

the 'feeling terrible' will pass I promise...as your levels become more often in the desired range the yuk *(can you tell I flunked biology?) will subside..your body is just not used to feeling right :0

 

[reverie08]

the 'feeling terrible' will pass I promise...as your levels become more often in the desired range the yuk *(can you tell I flunked biology?) will subside..your body is just not used to feeling right :0

That is too funny. I guess I can see how that makes sense. My body I used to high sugars and being unhealthy. Hopefully it passes fast. Thank you for that! )

 

[beefy]

That is too funny. I guess I can see how that makes sense. My body I used to high sugars and being unhealthy. Hopefully it passes fast. Thank you for that! )

It took me just under a week... I was so high when diagnosed, I remember thinking I was going to fall over and testing at 9.0 (162 on your scale) ... Now I feel no hypo symptoms until the 2.5 to 3.5 (43 - 63) range.

 

[jwags]

I would suggest in the beginning to do a lot of bg testing just to see how you react to different foods. Once you have tested a food you can cut back on the amount of testing. I rarely do 1 hour testing or before meal testing. Since I pay for all my strips I have to limit them. I will pick one day a week and do extensive testing and then the other days just do fasting bgs. While your bgs are dropping to a normal range your body may experience "hypo" symptoms. This is normal.

 

[reverie08]

I would suggest in the beginning to do a lot of bg testing just to see how you react to different foods. Once you have tested a food you can cut back on the amount of testing. I rarely do 1 hour testing or before meal testing. Since I pay for all my strips I have to limit them. I will pick one day a week and do extensive testing and then the other days just do fasting bgs. While your bgs are dropping to a normal range your body may experience "hypo" symptoms. This is normal.

I'm on the same boat. I have to pay for my strips as well. Ridiculous amounts the pharmacy wants to charge. Lucky for me to find this forum. Everyone has been so helpful an told me where I could get the strips at a lesser price.

What symptoms will I experience with "hypo" ?

 

[moon]

I have the peanut butter simply to add the proper amounts of protein and fat with my snacks - not to avoid a spike.

Yeah, I was thinking more along the lines of keeping the curve flatter than covering anything. Given that we do eat carbs, accompanying them with plenty of fat, both keeps the curve flatter and our ratio better - methinks we're saying the same thing.

For example - I had a meal one night of too many veggies w/ carbs, not enough fat, but didn't necessarily have many more carbs or fewer calories for the day. I got a nasty spike for me, which if I had spread the carbs out throughout the day w/ my fat, don't think I would have.

I did come down from it and have normal morning fasting, but lesson learned.