After Meal BG Testing

[mum2westiesGill]

Hi,
Does anybody test after a meal?

If you don't test after meals how do you know whether you may need to do a correction dose?

My community DSN said "you may want to reduce the number of blood glucose tests you are taking? Maybe to pre meals and only after if you feel hypo / ill"

 

[Kaylz]

I test after meals, breakfast and lunch mainly, although I would never correct between meals as there's a risk of a hypo due to stacking because of a slower absorbed jab etc that may release before your next meal plus I was told not to correct unless eating anyway x

 

[Robin]

I wouldn't correct while I'd still got insulin on board, If I' m high between meals, I'm never sure whether I'm going to stay high, or plummet. Having said that, I did used to test between meals sometimes if I wanted to know how a particular meal was affecting me, perhaps if I was trying something new, or something I'd had to guess the carbs for. Now I use the Libre, I look at the readings all the time, just for my own satisfaction, and so I can work out any fine tuning strategies, but I still wouldn't correct between meals.

 

[Ditto]

DSN said "you may want to reduce the number of blood glucose tests you are taking? Maybe to pre meals and only after if you feel hypo / ill"

Nuts!

 

[sunny sanghera]

I was told not to correct till 4 hours have gone since your last meal as it can take 4 hours for the insulin to fully work then after 4 hours if it's high it's okay to correct

 

[khskel]

I usually test after meals but I wouldn't normally correct between meals. I like to keep at least 4hrs between meals/injections as otherwise things can get a bit interesting with insulin and carb profiles getting out of kilter.

 

[Radders]

If I'm too high two hours after a meal, I estimate how much the remaining active insulin will lower my level, and if the result is still too high then I would correct.
For example if I have taken 3 units before my last meal, I have worked out that my insulin action is four hours and so there are one and a half units still active. This will drop me by 7.5, so if my level is over 13 then I would correct.

Of course this doesn't allow for the fact that there may well be food still digesting, and the fact that insulin doesn't act evenly over time, both of which make my policy quite conservative.

I don't correct at less than four hours very often.

 

[Lucy Honeychurch]

My DSN actively encourages me to test 2 hours post meal, especially as I'm only a year into the game.

 

[mum2westiesGill]

Thank you for all the replies so far. My choice would be to carry on testing after meals so I can keep a close eye on my BG'S after suffering from DKA.

Re corrections I use the Accu-Chek Aviva Expert Advisor meter which tells me how much active insulin there is left after a meal & advises a correction only if needed.

 

[mum2westiesGill]

I was told not to correct till 4 hours have gone since your last meal as it can take 4 hours for the insulin to fully work then after 4 hours if it's high it's okay to correct

Yes I've been told this now by my community DSN