[sedeinco]

I'm type 2 diabetic for those that don't know me, diagnosed May this year. My readings are really making no sense. Some days a small infraction causes a relative spike. Other days my numbers read like I'm not diabetic. Generally there's no rhyme nor reason to it.

For example day before yesterday I had a bit too much of a very delicious pasta bake my wife made. My fasting readings the next morning (yesterday) were 6.2 (2 readings) which is high. (I hadn't had a fasting reading of 6 or more in over 2 weeks). Okay makes sense, numbers went up slightly. I usually avoid pasta.

Today, I started at 5.7 treated myself with a couple of mangoes for breakfast as well as a white jasmine rice satay chicken meal. The rice meal is now my usual breakfast unless I've had a high fasting reading (in which case I go for tuna or chicken with limited carb). If I don't have some carb in the morning I find my readings are generally high (low to mid 6s) right through the day - not always but most times - even that little discovery makes no sense to me. But usually the satay option seems to be the worst. Today, 2 hours later, no spike. I ended up having 2 white bread sandwiches for lunch. I did this with trepadation. I like to follow a day of spiking with a day of minimal carbs. I did also have exactly 2 mouthfuls of coca cola. stupidly I had trapped myself - it was that or skip lunch, so I ate. Well, 2 hours later, I'm reading 4.6 and 4.8. WHAT THE???? Nothing unsual today either. No aerobic excercise etc. If anything a little more stress. I did help move some wood delivered to repair balconies but I didn't really break a sweat.

So to recap - 2 mangoes, rice, satay chicken, 2 chicken and mayo sandwiches on white bread and 2 mouthfuls of coke before 1pm give me a reading of 4.6 or 4.8 at 3pm. Anyone want to calculate the carbs?

I've even been to an all you can eat restaurant once or twice, avoided the very sugary stuff but had plenty of carb and some sweet stuff and walked away with readings less than 6.5. It doesn't make sense.

When I was diagnosed I had fasting readings of 7.8, and I have 2 parents type 2, so I'm not pretending I'm not diabetic. I probably could have pushed it back for a couple of decades had I lived better, but the reality is I was probably going to end up diabetic if I lived long enough). There is also no question overall I'm eating better, stressing my body less and for the most part my readings are good if not great. My only HbA1C is 5.2. But on the micromangement part, I have no clue what the heck to do when I have a day with high readings. I don't understand how it could be that a diabetic really should be eating carbs as I do. (I tried low carb - it made me feel weak and life literally wasn't worth living).

Now I write this and come to think of it if I have a high fasting reading, I generally know my readings stay high through the day. perhaps skipping the carb in the morning if I have a high reading isn't the best thing to do. I could certainly experiment, though I'm having less days with high readings lately. perhaps one every couple of weeks.

I've been at this since the start of June. At first I thought my meter was broken, or my technique was flawed. Then I discovered how inaccurate the meters can be, but none of this accounts for what I'm seeing. I've graphed my readings, tried recording sleep and stress levels (at best a very weak correlation long term). I really think this disease is going to drive me mad early. I'd like to be less stressed about this but it's so draining monitoring something that on paper looks like you have brilliant control while all the while feeling you just hold the map and your body is the one in the driver's seat.

 

[MCS]

Taking a guess I would say the higher carb meals caused an insulin response. Most T2 Diabetics have a messed up signaling system when it comes to insulin release.

 

[gphx]

Sounds to me as if every meal you eat is loaded with carbs. Expecting stable and sensible numbers under those circumstances doesn't seem reasonable. Try dropping the carbs in favor of veggies and proteins and see what the response is. A T2 trying to make sense of rice and bread washed down with Coke is a losing proposition.

 

[naynay]

I've had days myself when my numbers are fantastic, and then those days that no matter what I do they are high. I agree sometimes there is just no rhyme or reason. I just take each day as it comes and keep going forward. I do watch carbs, but sometimes indulge and my number will be great. I try to figure out what did I do different this time that gave me such a great bg. Sometimes I think it is the good fat content that I add, and perhaps I'm just not adding enough of that on other days. It is puzzling. Take the good with the bad. Everyone is different with the way their body responds to the diabetes and way of eating, so just keep track of it and see what your doctor has to say when you see him/her next.
Do you take meds?

 

[Miss_Blue]

When you eat a higher-carbohydrate diet, even as a diabetic, you can see both higher and lower numbers. Higher numbers from the carbohydrates, but lower numbers as you rebound from elevated blood sugar.

Maybe this isn't what's happening, though. Sometimes blood sugar control changes from day to day inexplicably. I can eat the same food every single day and get very different numbers, depending on stress levels, hormones, exercise or just the randomness of diabetes.

I guess I should just say "congratulations" because that's a very nice reading to get given what you ate.

 

[sedeinco]

Sounds to me as if every meal you eat is loaded with carbs.

Usually that's not the case at all, but there are days when it gets like that.

Most days I tend to eat large salads whenever I'm hungry. The only carbs in them come from tomato and olives. I then have 1 meal with carbs - usually either morning or night.

Although I have been told repeatedly by doctors and diabetic educators that EACH meal should be 1/3rd carbs. I seem to do better with some than none.

 

[sedeinco]

Sometimes blood sugar control changes from day to day inexplicably. I can eat the same food every single day and get very different numbers, depending on stress levels, hormones, exercise or just the randomness of diabetes.

I guess I should just say "congratulations" because that's a very nice reading to get given what you ate.

I've tried tracking thngs like stress and amount of sleep and it doesn't explain it. I think it is very much random.

I wish I could feel congratulations are in order. Don't get me wrong - I'm very glad I can eat those things in moderate amounts of course. I doubt it will always be this way so I'll enjoy it while it lasts. But I also can't control something I can't even predict.

 

[sedeinco]

Do you take meds?

naynay I'm on a blood pressure medication and on metaformin (500mg once a day).

By they way if I eat like I just described 2 or 3 days in a row I'm suspect my numbers would skyrocket. I haven't done it so I don't know. If I get high numbers one day I go back to severely restricting the carbs the next day.

 

[rrbs]

naynay I'm on a blood pressure medication and on metaformin (500mg once a day).

By they way if I eat like I just described 2 or 3 days in a row I'm suspect my numbers would skyrocket. I haven't done it so I don't know. If I get high numbers one day I go back to severely restricting the carbs the next day.

One thing you need to realize is that all veggies and fruit are carbs including the lettuce in your salad.
Carbs are not just in breads, potatoes and rice.

 

[sedeinco]

One thing you need to realize is that all veggies and fruit are carbs including the lettuce in your salad.
Carbs are not just in breads, potatoes and rice.

Now as to lettuce the only people I know that suggest counting the carbs there are Atkins devotees. Yes I know that all they advocate eating is meat (including poultry, seafood) and egg and that they limit salad vegetables.

I'm simply not interested in zero carb high fat diets. If it works for other people, that's great for them. As I stated earlier, I tried going low carb and within a week it was like I had aged 30 years instantly, and no it didn't go away after some magical induction phase. In my mid thirties I was needing a nap by 2pm. Life wasn't worth living. I mean that almost literally. I'd almost rather be put down. I'm no use to anyone at this stage of my life if I don't have the energy to simply stay awake through a day.

By the way I've never in the last 5 1/2 months of monitoring had a spike that I could attibute to a large bowl of salad (1 whole iceberg lettuce, 6 roma tomatoes, 3 cucumbers, olive, feta cheese - yep not a thing on that list is zero carb).

 

[rrbs]

Now as to lettuce the only people I know that suggest counting the carbs there are Atkins devotees. Yes I know that all they advocate eating is meat (including poultry, seafood) and egg and that they limit salad vegetables.

I'm simply not interested in zero carb high fat diets. If it works for other people, that's great for them. As I stated earlier, I tried going low carb and within a week it was like I had aged 30 years instantly, and no it didn't go away after some magical induction phase. In my mid thirties I was needing a nap by 2pm. Life wasn't worth living. I mean that almost literally. I'd almost rather be put down. I'm no use to anyone at this stage of my life if I don't have the energy to simply stay awake through a day.

By the way I've never in the last 5 1/2 months of monitoring had a spike that I could attibute to a large bowl of salad (1 whole iceberg lettuce, 6 roma tomatoes, 3 cucumbers, olive, feta cheese - yep not a thing on that list is zero carb).

I don't do low carb or zero carb with high fat either. My nap started after I had been awake for 2 hours. I didn't even make it until 2pm. Absolutely no energy at all.
I agree about life not being worth living on that diet.

My post was not meant to upset you.

 

[sedeinco]

I don't do low carb or zero carb with high fat either. My nap started after I had been awake for 2 hours. I didn't even make it until 2pm. Absolutely no energy at all.
I agree about life not being worth living on that diet.

My post was not meant to upset you.

I apologise. I over-reacted. I'm just frustrated, but that's no excuse.

Had pizza 2 nights ago. Usually results in spiking to about 7 then a low the next morning. Instead this time I stayed above 7 for about 4.5 hrs (starting at 7.8 2 hours after...coming down very slowly). Next morning no low (about 5.9). Not good enough this early on.

No rhyme nor reason to my numbers or this disease. The only good thing is that I've been so busy I haven't had time to feel hungry so I've mostly had salad and protein. Numbers behaving for now.

 

[rrbs]

I apologise. I over-reacted. I'm just frustrated, but that's no excuse.

Had pizza 2 nights ago. Usually results in spiking to about 7 then a low the next morning. Instead this time I stayed above 7 for about 4.5 hrs (starting at 7.8 2 hours after...coming down very slowly). Next morning no low (about 5.9). Not good enough this early on.

No rhyme nor reason to my numbers or this disease. The only good thing is that I've been so busy I haven't had time to feel hungry so I've mostly had salad and protein. Numbers behaving for now.

Roasted vegetables with protein is also a good meal. I got tired of salads because lettuce and tomatoes don't have good flavor right now.
I have been doing the South Beach induction (actually my version of it) for a few days. My numbers are fantastic with it.

 

[Earle]

Your numbers aren't all that bad, and the same thing happens to me, and I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Earle

 

[naynay]

Roasted vegetables with protein is also a good meal. I got tired of salads because lettuce and tomatoes don't have good flavor right now.
I have been doing the South Beach induction (actually my version of it) for a few days. My numbers are fantastic with it.

I know what you mean about numbers having no rhyme or reason. However, with that said...you ate pizza? I did the same thing the other night and I paid dearly for it. Pizza has wheat flour crust...it's just not feasible if wheat flour spikes your bg's. I know it does but ate it anyway (and it was good). However, when I got a 300 reading later, it didn't surprise me. Now, if I ate a salad and got a 300 reading, that would surprise me.

 

[sedeinco]

I know what you mean about numbers having no rhyme or reason. However, with that said...you ate pizza? I did the same thing the other night and I paid dearly for it. Pizza has wheat flour crust...it's just not feasible if wheat flour spikes your bg's. I know it does but ate it anyway (and it was good). However, when I got a 300 reading later, it didn't surprise me. Now, if I ate a salad and got a 300 reading, that would surprise me.

Typically when I've eaten pizza and hit about 7, then had readings in the high 4s and low 5s the morning after. That doesn't make any sense, but that's what has happened in the past.

Similarly it doesn't make sense that I should eat rice meals in the morning but typically when I do my numbers are a tiny bit higher in the morning (low 6s) then fall to low 5s for the rest of the day.

The frustration is it doesn't ALWAYS work that way for me. I was able to keep numbers down more consistently if I ate salads, cheese and poultry/meat/fish in as boring a state as possible. Pretty much the only foods I get any consistency with. But without the carb as I said I end up feeling like hell. Hence the rice. (Can't do breakfast cereals, oats or porridge - they spiked me the few times I tried them, and I'd rather eat cardboard than eat them without sugar)

To complicate matters when you're aiming for under 6 and the meters are accurate to +/-1 in that range, you have 2 choices. Repeated readings and sore fingers or take the first reading at face value and realise it is next to meaningless. I tend to re-test if I get an unexpected high or unexpected low. So I don't report back that I read 4.6 after pizza unless I've done at least 2 readings.

The good news is something like 80-90% of my readings are below my target of 6. I tend to write here when I've eaten the wrong thing, so it looks like that's all I do all the time, but the reality is I'd be doing that on average about once a week, maybe twice a week on a bad week.