Blood Sugar Levels

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lo123

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Type 1
Hi all,

I have type 1 diabetes with 2 years and I'm wondering what people here consider "normal" sugar levels? I was on the American site and alot of people there freak out if their levels go above 7!!!!! My average is 7 -8 and Im happy if it's under 10 but sometimes it does go above 10 - maybe 12 - 16! My doctor is happy with me - my HBA1C'S were 5.7 and 6. What does everyone else consider "normal" levels???? 🙂 I do eat sweets and stuff but my averages are okay I guess!
 
Your levels sound fine as they are similar to mine - however I don't often go above 10 - unless I've a couple of glasses of wine shortly before taking my last test of the day.
Bear in mind that alcohol boosts your sugars very quickly, but also drops them just as quick, so areading just after the drink can be misleading. This is why I was told to take snacks if I'm having a drink (crisps, crackers, oatcakes etc work for me).
I was also told to have something like a slice of toast if my level is below 8 at bedtime. Hope this helps your concerns.
 
thanks RWJ - another question for you if thats okay - after eating my sugar levels do go up - above 10 - but they are usually back to normal 2 hours after eating. according to the american site it shouldn't go up even straight after eating! it's confusing to know whats right and whats wrong.
 
I think it is complicated by the fact that the majority of Americans seem to use pumps. So their insulin is dripped in a fraction of a unit at a time, rather than being injected in separate larger amounts at meals, so they can be more precise. Maybe that's why their blood sugars don't go up as much after meals. Also, they use a different measuring system from the rest of the world, mg/dl instead of mmol/l, so their readings are all in the hundreds which makes things even more confusing. So not right or wrong, just different ways of managing diabetes.
 
Im hoping to get better control with a pump so hopefully il get one soon. Im not happy with my sugar levels (my doctor is) butit can be better 🙂 i dont exercise enough and eat too much junk :(
 
I was told that my blood sugars should be back to single figures after two hours. If not I've eaten too much for the amount of insulin I've injected. I used to do random tests two hours after certain meals, but only do them now if I'm not feeling right.
 
ya i was told that too - but on the american website people said NO WAY!! So that kinda got me worried.
 
I would say that your A1c's are very good which shows that you are having good levels for most of the time. the times you are going high are not for long.

Although DSN's/DRS here say that you should be 10 or below 2 hours after meals I don't think thats very strict control, it's reasonable though. In the US they seem to aim for tighter control.

I don't like my blood sugars to go over 10 at any time, CGMS showed that I spend 14% of the time over 10. I do feel annoyed if they are over 10.

if you are going above 10 but getting back to normal in 2 hours then you could try pre bolusing so that the insulin peak matches the food peak. Obviously your doses are pretty accurate, you don't need more insulin, but the timing might help prevent the blood sugar peak.
 
what do you mean pre bolusing?? I take my fast acting insulin straight before i eat. Is that wrong?
 
Well insulins such as novorapid, aprida and humalog are supposed to be taken directly before, during or after the meal, so yes you are doing it correctly.

pre-bolusing is injecting the insulin between 10-30 minutes before the meal. As it takes insulin some time to kick in, injecting early will give the insulin a head start and match the profile of the food better so you don't get such a peak.

I would say talk to your DSN before you try it as there is the risk of going hypo before you start to eat your meal which you don't want to happen.
 
ya i know 4 sure id go hypo before i got my meal if i took insulin half an hour before i ate. Lets hope I can stay away from "evil" sweets at xmas 🙂 Happy xmas and thanks for your info 🙂
 
I'm type 2. I was told it is normal to be between 4 and 7, althouhg for some people it is normal tobe 8.

Depending on what I've eaten and how active I've been I am normally between 6 and 8. For me personally if I drop below 5 I start to feel ill.

We are all different, so what is normal for one is not for another.

Also in the American System, it is a diffrent way of doing readings,
 
lo123 said:
thanks RWJ - another question for you if thats okay - after eating my sugar levels do go up - above 10 - but they are usually back to normal 2 hours after eating. according to the american site it shouldn't go up even straight after eating! it's confusing to know whats right and whats wrong.
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when you say above 10, how high do you go? I know I go to around 16-19 1 hour after breakfast, I know sounds bad, but usually 2hrs after eating I am around 10. And I know if I took more insulin i would hypo by 1 hour.

For example today I was 15.9 after lunch, but after 2 hours ( i was active), I was 3.9 It is difficult for everyone isnt it. My sugars dont seem to go up when drinking alcohol either, in fact I have to eat crisps etc if having some wine, then always have supper, if anything I go low when drinking not high. :(
 
Blood sugar

Hi Tracy,

I think it depends on what I have eaten. Like all this week I ate special K bliss for breakfast - about an hour after eating BS went to to 19!!!! I couldn't understand why it went so high as before when I ate it it didn't go so high. Then I realised it was a different kind of special k I ate before- this one contained more sugar!!! I'l be eating porridge from now on 🙂 But sometimes it goes to 14 - 15 and other times it stays under 10 after eating! Different food affects it differently. New years Resolution - cut out the junk 🙂 When my BS goes high I get stressed and think of the damage I'm doing to my body - so I think I'l cut out the biscuits to save on my stress 🙂
 
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