Reading confusion

[JMyrtle]

My new meter came on Wednesday but the readings are much higher than the results I got from a test at the doctors (5.1 at the doctors 8.1 at home).
Both readings taken about 10am before eating.
Why has this happened and should I be worried?

 

[pav]

Ones can vary all the time, and can depend on what you have eaten the day before and what they call the dawn phenomenal where your liver does a glucose dump into your system to give your body a kick start. A small percentage can be from the variance in test strips.

Mine in the morning at the moment can vary from around 7 to just under 9 and a big difference this morning 4.3 though that is due to a med change.

Have you tested before and then 2 hours after a meal to see what the change in levels are?

 

[trophywench]

Blood glucose is never ever actually constant whether you are diabetic or not!

 

[Ljc]

My new meter came on Wednesday but the readings are much higher than the results I got from a test at the doctors (5.1 at the doctors 8.1 at home).
Both readings taken about 10am before eating.
Why has this happened and should I be worried?

Hi. Our readings vary naturally throughout the day, it also depends on how the carbohydrates we have eaten affect us as we are all different in this respect.

I dont know if you have read Test review adjust by Alan S, if not it will help you learn how to adjust your diet so you gain control over you BG (blood glucose) levels by knowing what foods you may need to avoid or adjust the portion size of.
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html
Also have a read through the T2 section of the thread called, Useful links for people new to diabetes, amongst other things there their is a link to a book by Gretchen Becker, Called something like, T2 the first year, she has diabetes herself and has written a month by month account of how she gained control and more. Many here found it helpful.
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes.10406/
For future reference you’ll find the above at the top of the Newbies say hello here forum.
And most importantly, keep asking questions, we’ll be glad to help

 

[JMyrtle]

This is probably down in a way to not listening to my GP's advice when I asked her about self testing.

She said the local LHA guidance was that type 2s didnt need to self test unless their readings were a lot higher than mine and that all I needed to do was cut out sugar and rely on their test results as they give a three month average reading which is a lot more reliable.

She has promised me that if i can get my three month average below 4.8 she will dischage me and i will only need a blood test once a year after that.

I am desperate to stay off medication as I already have IBS and diverticulitis diagnosed following gall bladder surgery about ten years ago and have just managed to get both under control for the first time in years and I have learned from other postings here that the medication is bad news for anyone with digestive problems.

The results from my self testing I find rather depressing as I am trying so hard, it seems even if I eat absolutely nothing until I feel faint my readings are still way above the magic 4.8.

 

[Flower]

Hello JMyrtle,

This information covers the target ranges diabetics of different types should be aiming for https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/managing-your-diabetes/testing

The 48 level your gp has told you to aim for is most likely an HbA1c blood test result which measures the average glucose in your blood over approx the past 12 weeks, it is a different test to the finger stick tests you do at home. 48 mmol/mol coverts to an average finger stick blood sugar on your meter of 7.7.

It does take some adjustment to work out what foods you can tolerate without making your blood sugar spike. If you are able to buy your own blood test strips that is the best way to find out what is happening when you eat . Blood sugar varies throughout the day and often is the highest when we wake up as our livers dump extra glucose into the bloodstream to get us ready for the day. As diabetics this is really unhelpful but with some testing and changes in diet and exercise levels - if possible- your body will start to respond better to the insulin it is producing and your overall levels should start to reduce..

 

[Amigo]

For the majority of healthy individuals, normal blood sugar levels are as follows:

• Between 4.0 to 6.0 mmol/L (72 to 108 mg/dL) when fasting
• Up to 7.8 mmol/L (140 mg/dL) 2 hours after eating

For people with diabetes, blood sugar level targets are as follows:

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/L for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes
• After meals: under 9 mmol/L for people with type 1 diabetes and under 8.5mmol/L for people with type 2 diabetes

If you maintained an average 4.8 blood glucose level (meaning the finger tip testing levels), you’d have a Hba1c of 27 or lower!

You only require a Hba1c of under 42 for a non-diabetic level.


Your GP is setting you an almost unachievable target in my opinion unless you’ve misinterpreted the 4.8 of course. 48 is the Hba1c level at which we become classified as diabetic so as Flower has said, I suspect that’s what your GP means. That is much much more achievable for you JMyrtle.

 

[Drummer]

I am pretty sure that it is your Hba1c level and 48, not 4.8.
I was down to 47 from 91 in 80 days from diagnosis, so it can be done if you are serious about not eating high carb foods. That put me in the prediabetes range and then at 6 months I was at 41 which is the top end of normal. It was very easy to do so I was either very lucky or low carb is a more effective tool for lowering BG.

 

[JMyrtle]

Sorry but I have looked at the link and am still very confused as I don't really understand the difference between mmol/l and mmol/mol !

The new meter I have is the SD Code free and gives readings in mmol/l so is that a different measurement to mmol/mol which is the reading unit that GP gave me my results in?

She told me that 48 was equal to 6.5 % so is a reading of 6.5 or under on my meter what I should be aiming for and is mmol/l another way of saying a percentage?

Sorry to seem so dim but I really am struggling with this as there seems to be more than one description for the same readings.

 

[Ljc]

Sorry but I have looked at the link and am still very confused as I don't really understand the difference between mmol/l and mmol/mol !

The new meter I have is the SD Code free and gives readings in mmol/l so is that a different measurement to mmol/mol which is the reading unit that GP gave me my results in?

She told me that 48 was equal to 6.5 % so is a reading of 6.5 or under on my meter what I should be aiming for and is mmol/l another way of saying a percentage?

Sorry to seem so dim but I really am struggling with this as there seems to be more than one description for the same readings.

Ah , I see why you’re confused, don’t worry it will all become clear soon.
I hope the following helps.

The 48 is the newish measurement of the Hb1ac , the 6.5 is a percentage and is the old measurement of the Hb1ac.

The Hb1ac is a measurement of our average glucose level over the last 12 or so weeks , some glucose sticks to our red cells which last about 12 weeks It basically gives us a guide to how we have done over those 12 weeks.

The finger prick we do ourselves is a different measurement entirely and has nothing to do with the Hb1ac that’s why our meter are mmol/l they measure what out glucose levels are at the time we test which is very useful in informing us how the various carbohydrates affect us after eating .
Please have a read through the links I gave in post 4 above , esp test review adjust.

And keep asking us questions remember we have all been where you are now, it can be very confusing the beginning.

 

[Ljc]

The reading you should be aiming for is. In This post by @Amigo in post 7 above. However it is best to bring your levels down gradually. Remember this is a marathon not a sprint also the last thing you need is to have your diet so regimented which could set you up to fail.

For the majority of healthy individuals, normal blood sugar levels are as follows:

• Between 4.0 to 6.0 mmol/L (72 to 108 mg/dL) when fasting
• Up to 7.8 mmol/L (140 mg/dL) 2 hours after eating

For people with diabetes, blood sugar level targets are as follows:

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/L for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes
• After meals: under 9 mmol/L for people with type 1 diabetes and under 8.5mmol/L for people with type 2 diabetes

If you maintained an average 4.8 blood glucose level (meaning the finger tip testing levels), you’d have a Hba1c of 27 or lower!

You only require a Hba1c of under 42 for a non-diabetic level.


Your GP is setting you an almost unachievable target in my opinion unless you’ve misinterpreted the 4.8 of course. 48 is the Hba1c level at which we become classified as diabetic so as Flower has said, I suspect that’s what your GP means. That is much much more achievable for you JMyrtle.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

It is confusing, especially with the measurements mmol/L and mmol/mol sounding so similar, but they are completely different and measuring completely different things.

Part of the reason for changing to mmol/mol from the old % way of measuring HbA1c was exactly because people used to get mixed up between 6.5% and 6.5mmol/L - and again these are completely different measures of completely different (though linked) things.

Blood glucose meters measure the amount of circulating glucose at one particular moment in time. These are the mmol/L measurements.

HbA1c measures how much glucose has ‘stuck’ to red blood cells over the past 120 days or so. The more glucose in the blood, the more sticks to red cells, and the higher the number. So the lower your HbA1c the lower your average blood glucose is likely to have been, but because your blood glucose rises and falls all the time there is no mathematical way of absolutely converting one to the other.

One is an instant snapshot, the other reflects approx 120 days of glucose readings.

 

[Mark Parrott]

You mentioned that your GP said to reduce sugar intake. It's all carbs you need to watch out for as they all turn to glucose & raise blood sugar levels. Also, to keep diabetes under good control, testing is vital to see what foods you can & can't have. Why miss out on something you love, thinking you can't eat it when actually you can tolerate it well according to your meter.

 

[JMyrtle]

Thanks everyone, One last question please.

Why was my reading at 10.45 this morning having not eaten for twelve hours 8.5 but 5.8 at 6.00 this evening haven eaten breakfast and "grazed" one or two more things during the afternoon?

Surely it should have been the other way round?

 

[Robin]

Thanks everyone, One last question please.

Why was my reading at 10.45 this morning having not eaten for twelve hours 8.5 but 5.8 at 6.00 this evening haven eaten breakfast and "grazed" one or two more things during the afternoon?

Surely it should have been the other way round?

It's a common occurrence, strangely, and known as the Dawn Phenonenon. During the night, or rather, towards dawn, your liver starts gearing up for the day ahead by pumping out a bit of extra glucose into your system. In non diabetics, the pancreas would also put out some insulin, so you wouldn't see much of a rise in levels. ( You have to remember, that the liver is constantly trickling out glucose to keep your brian and other vital organs functioning, irrrespective of whether you've eaten)

 

[JMyrtle]

Thanks everyone.
We tend to be more or less noctural, bed about 2am and then up about 10.00am so a reading of 5.8 by tea time is fairly good then?

I know you say its not a sprint but I need to be down to 48 mmol/mol by the end of March to keep the GP happy and avoid medication.

 

[trophywench]

Don't do it for your GP JMyrtle - do it for YOU!

However I would have thought that as long as you've gone a long way towards 'exactly 48' - he'll extend the 'deadline'.

It isn't a threat by the way - it's no good at all for your health to stay at higher levels for long periods, it's what starts causing damage to organs - and none of us want that! - so if you CAN'T manage without giving your body a bit of help from drugs if the diet and exercise isn't enough on their own - then there's absolutely no shame in it and no criticism of you.

Some on here have started off on drugs and then been able to get back off them again due to their own efforts once they get going down the right route.

 

[JMyrtle]

Did another test today two hours after two slices of toast and Marmite and tea with sweeteners.
Reading 14.1 so I still don't understand as this is well within guidelines.
.
I am already on a very strict diet because of my diverticular and IBS
no wholemeal and very little fruit or vegetables plus low fat and no cheese so I am running out of things to eat.

I'm afraid of going onto medicine because of the side effects, I have just got everything under control following gall bladder surgery ten years ago and I am finally pain free so I don't want to go back there again.

 

[Mark Parrott]

The toast will send your BG's high, especially white bread. Your best bet is to try Hovis Low Carb white bread. You can get it in Tesco's & Morrison's.

 

[JMyrtle]

Thank for the tip. We are "country" and rely on the village shop for day to day groceries so it will be a couple of weeks or so before I can give it a go.
I tested four times yesterday, my reading was down to 6.00 by 5.30pm and 8.00 at 9.00pm two hours after eating.
So my evening reading two hours after eating is the same as fasting having not eaten for ten hours, my brain hurts!