Can you guys help me understand

[Kaylz]

Why even though something is the same amount of carbs you get different results 4 hours later, let me explain, I was having toast for breakfast and by pre lunch would have risen by 1.5mmol, tried jumbo oats, usually only a rise of around 0.5mmol, tried toast again but with the 1.5 mmol rise again, so to manage toast I'd have to inject an extra half unit x

 

[AJLang]

Kaylz unfortunately it's not a perfect science. It's not easy to say but as a Type 1 diabetic if you can manage to keep your levels between 4-8 you are doing brilliantly, and most Type 1 diabetics even if they do everything "right" will still not manage to keep in target all/a lot of the the time xx

 

[Robin]

I don't think all the mysteries of the gut have been discovered yet! It could be that your body is better at processing wheat than oats, with some of the carb in the oats passing out of your system undigested.

 

[Northerner]

I don't think all the mysteries of the gut have been discovered yet! It could be that your body is better at processing wheat than oats, with some of the carb in the oats passing out of your system undigested.

I think you've probably put your finger on it there @Robin - the bacteria in our gut is unique to each of us, which is why we can all react differently to the same things, and they are known to have a significant impact on how we digest things. This article isn't quite the same thing, but it does illustrate how different we can be:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/art...on-weight-and-not-others-and-can-we-change-it

 

[Robin]

I think you've probably put your finger on it there @Robin - the bacteria in our gut is unique to each of us, which is why we can all react differently to the same things, and they are known to have a significant impact on how we digest things. This article isn't quite the same thing, but it does illustrate how different we can be:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/art...on-weight-and-not-others-and-can-we-change-it

Ah, I knew I'd got the germ of the idea from somewhere, I remember seeing that study on Trust me I'm a Doctor.

Kaylz, I love your questions, you get us all thinking.

 

[Martin Canty]

I looked up the Glycemic Index of Oatmeal & Wholegrain bread:

• Oatmeal 55
• Wholemeal bread 69

so just the quick comparison would show that the spike would be longer & slower for the oatmeal (given the same amount of carbs consumed). Add to which that our bodies are different anyway, I guess constant rounds are testing are required to determine what affects us & how.....

 

[Radders]

Why even though something is the same amount of carbs you get different results 4 hours later, let me explain, I was having toast for breakfast and by pre lunch would have risen by 1.5mmol, tried jumbo oats, usually only a rise of around 0.5mmol, tried toast again but with the 1.5 mmol rise again, so to manage toast I'd have to inject an extra half unit x

Agree with everything that’s been said. Plus, there will be variation between the slices of bread in the toast, in how much insulin is absorbed, in how much energy you use.... a difference of 1 mmol is not even significant!

 

[khskel]

Like everyone else has said. I get virtually no post meal rise with whole grain rye bread compared to the rise I get from burgen even though the rye bread is higher in carbs.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

There’s also strip variation and meter accuracy throwing a spanner in the works. For all the illusion of decimal point accuracy, I’m not sure BG meters can be relied upon to be that precise or reliable unless all readings are taken 3 times.

 

[grainger]

You probably also need to bear in mind how active before/after eating you were each day as that could cause variations

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

It’s a bit like the tag line to our blog:

“Because no two days with type 1 diabetes are the same. Except when they are.”

 

[Beck S]

So a longer and slower spike is better? Does this mean it gives you more time to absorb the glucose?

 

[Robin]

So a longer and slower spike is better? Does this mean it gives you more time to absorb the glucose?

It's not so much that the spike is longer and slower, but with long and slow absorption of the food, the spike never happens! If your body is assimilating food slowly, your insulin, (whether your own natural, or an injection) may be able to keep up better, and so avoid the glucose getting into the bloodstream first, sloshing about at high levels waiting for your insulin to catch up.

 

[RDS]

Eating low GI carbs (oats) will make spiking less likely and bread quite often contains sugar too !

 

[SB2015]

Hi Kaylz
With all the answers you have it shows just how brilliantly you are managing. All of us have so many different factors to juggle that things just don't turn out the same on two different days. Very frustrating, and I like to remember my first DSN who in response to my rants about why this variation was happening she would calm me down with '... because you are not a robot'.
You are diong brilliantly and it is good to know what can impact on our BG as it gives us a chance to make changes where possible, but sometimes Diabetes just has a mind of its own and gives the rug we are standing on a good shake. Just keep your balance and do the best you ca. That is all any of us can do.