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Exactly when do you test for BG??

10K views 24 replies 10 participants last post by  breezeonby 
#1 ·
Hi,

It wasn't explained to me by my doc's or CDE when exactly to test for Blood glucose, other than 2 hrs after a meal, and of course, first thing in the morning, just before breaking ones fast.

But it occurred to me that my meals varied in length, and amount, and of course carbs and sugars. Some meals only took 5 minutes to consume [breakfast], whilst others took nearly an hour to consume [complete with fruits for dessert]. So if I say ate a carb rich dish at the beginning of a dinner, and then continued on eating grapes, one by one, followed by a coffee drink and nibbling on nectarines, or a pear, or nuts,... this would really affect the glucose measurement if I took it 2 hrs after the first bite, or 2 hrs after the last bite.

So I looked around on the net, and according to David Mendosa's site, he suggests taking the BG measurement 2 hr's after the first bite. He's reasoning is our system starts releasing enzymes and hormones within 10 minutes of ingesting food, and also, according to some authorities on diabetics, they suggest taking a BG measurement 2hr's after the first bite.

So now I'm going to start taking measurements 2hrs after a start of a meal! Maybe the taking of BG's 2 hrs after the finish of a meal thus far might explain my such low results? I have been getting post-prandial readings as low as 4.5 mmol/L, averaging about 5.5 mmol/L, and sometimes as high as 6.8 mmol/L, but I have never got a figure above 7 yet. Mind you, my diet has been mostly vegies, fruits, some meat, and some nuts, grains, seeds.

So how long after a meal, or when do you start your 2 hr timing to take your BG readings?

And what do you do for them really long meals? You know when there's dishes always coming from the kitchen, or you're out to dinner at a restaurant [they're notorious for serving slow lol], or when you are a guest at someone elses place and you know the food keeps coming long after you have left the dinner table, or simply when you're at home, and your dinner gradually tapers down to a dessert, followed by after dinner mints, followed by drinks, or coffee with biscuits. When do you decide to take a BG measurement in those circumstances?

Or maybe we should try and take measurements 2 h'rs and 10 minutes after the start of a meal? Because I recall I once mistakenly took a reading at the 1 hr and 45 minute after end of a meal and got 6.8 mmol/L, and when I remeasured at the 2 hr mark it was down to 5.7 mmol/L. So definitely 15 minutes makes a big difference!

Thank you.
 
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#2 ·
I go from the first bite, regardless of how long the meal lasts. And if it's a somewhat carby meal, I test at the 1-hour interval also, just to see how bad it spikes me. By the 2-hour interval, I expect my BG to be dropping back down, but if it's still pretty high, then I test at 3 hours and sometimes even 4 hours.

The breakdown into hours is for convenience sake anyhow . . . each of us has a different peak time, and it's all about finding it for ourselves, kinda like you did when you tested at 1¾ hours.

My diet looks a lot like yours, Noumenon - mostly meats & vegetables with lots of nuts & seeds. Since I'm not on insulin, I have to limit fruits & grains, but I still have occasional small portions of those.
 
#5 ·
My diabetes educator said that the clock starts ticking when you take your first bit of food. Since I take my bolus after meals because of gastroparesis, I test 2 hours after my bolus. I sometimes need to test at 1 hour if I peak early. But I only test at one hour if I feel hypo. I also have found that if you use insulin, it is sometimes best to wait the full 4 hours to test, this gives your body time to adjust to that occasionally long meal. YMMV
 
#6 ·
I test before all meals and snacks because that and the number of carbs I am going to eat determines my insulin dosages. Then I test 2 and 4 hours after eating. I want my BG to be below 140 at two hours and 100 or less at 4 hours after eating. That along with eating low carb (130g per day) and exercising accounts for my A1c being below 6.0 for the last several years. I also test at bedtime and befor driving my car. I test at least 12 time per day. Type 1's typically test much more frequently than Type 2's. I admit I use very tight control and test more often than most Type 1's do. My having no complications after 64 years of diabetes is partially due to my frequent testing and tight control.
 
#8 ·
I test before all meals and snacks because that and the number of carbs I am going to eat determines my insulin dosages. Then I test 2 and 4 hours after eating. I want my BG to be below 140 at two hours and 100 or less at 4 hours after eating. That along with eating low carb (130g per day) and exercising accounts for my A1C being below 6.0 for the last several years. I also test at bedtime and befor driving my car. I test at least 12 time per day. Type 1's typically test much more frequently than Type 2's. I admit I use very tight control and test more often than most Type 1's do. My having no complications after 64 years of diabetes is partially due to my frequent testing and tight control.
Richard: Does your insurance cover your test strips to test 12 times per day? My insurance company uses the same guideline that Medicare has in regards to covering test strips. 1 time per day for non-insulin diabetics and 3 times per day for diabetics using insulin. I am T2 and test 4-6 times per day. My insurance company will cover more test strips if you have a good medical reason for needing to test more. My doctor has to document my reason for more testing. The insurance company needs to know what my A1C is and requires me to provide them with a month of bs readings every 6-months. I can't imagine testing 12 times per day, but you are living proof that testing pays off in the end. You are an inspiration! :)
 
#7 ·
You hit the nail on the head, Richard. Tight control is what is called for and it applies to all of us, regardless of type. If we're serious about avoiding complications, then we ourselves are the only ones who can make that happen. Whatever it takes to accomplish that is what we need to do. And very often that amounts to testing frequently, properly administering the meds we use, and being careful what kinds of foods we eat.
 
#9 ·
Medicare does not cover strips or pump and supplies but my secondary insurance does. The NY State Empire plan for NY State employees does pay for 10 strips per day. My doctor had to fill out a form sent by the company to get this to happen. When my three month supply is used up, I buy cheap strips at Walmart for their Relion meter (42 cents per strip) and use them until my next supply arrives.
 
#16 ·
When you test use the side of your finger tip. A lot of the instructions show using the finger pad:nono: The pad has the MOST nerve endings (except for the tip of the tong). and as a result the most pain from testing. Using the side of the finger by the tip is much less painful.

If you do not get enough blood from the side, you may have to use the tip of the finger, but for most people the side of the tip works great.
 
#17 ·
Yes..I use the sides. Sometimes I use my arm, but I actually prefer my fingertips. They say the arm is ok to use but I suppose old habits die hard with me :)
 
#21 · (Edited)
There are many internet websites who have cheap test strips. Some will even give you a meter when you purchase a certain amount of test strips. I have really researched the internet and American Diabetes Wholesale has some of the best prices around. They sell at least 20 different kinds of test strips. My insurance will help pay for me to test 4 times a day, the rest I pay out of pocket. I have to keep extra strips around for days when I test low and may need to test an additional 4 or 5 times over the 4 test strips than my insurance pays for. I feel fortunate to have some insurance coverage for test strips since I live in 1 of the 4 states (USA) that do not require insurance companies to help pay for the cost of diabetes testing supplies.
 
#22 ·
Strips really are expensive, but I think they're the most important tool we diabetics have. I buy the strips I need, whether they're covered by insurance or not, because it seems to fit the "ounce of prevention" concept. If cost is a real impediment, Wal Mart's Relion strips are an adequate choice.

Jen
 
#23 ·
Oops - forgot to say that I test prior to eating, 1 and/or 2 hours after the first bite, when I feel low or high, before bed and on rising. Sometimes I test in the wee hours of the morning to make sure I catch any unexpected BG increase and nip it in the bud.

Jen
 
#24 ·
So far I haven't even asked my doc for a prescription for strips, having sensed the struggles with getting them paid for by insurance. A notice on the box of Relion strips states that they are covered under Medicare Part B, and the checker at Walmart confided to me this week that a prescription would lower the cost dramatically (well - her words were "a LOT!" ;))

I've tried to find out how many strips are allowed by Medicare for a non-insulin-dependent patient, and so far have found nothing at all conclusive, but it wouldn't surprise me to discover it was only one per day, so the FBG (the only one my doc seems to care about seeing) would eat up the entire daily allotment . . . swell! :mad:
 
#25 ·
Shanny-Medicare will help pay for 100 test strips and lancets for non-insulin dependent diabetics every 3 months. You may be able to get them to pay for more, but your doctor will need to provide Medicare with a medical reason why you need to test more. You will also be required to submit a month of blood glucose readings once every 6 months to your test strip supplier (such as Walmart) so they can send this info to Medicare. You would still be able to save a few bucks by submitting your claim for the allowed amount of test strips per month. If you search google you can eventually find this info about Medicare and how many test strips that they cover.
 
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