General Question about 'Spikes'

[Tee G]

How high before you call it a spike? I think im being overly cautious?. I monitor BG with meter since February - was 1st thing A.M. usually got reading of between 5&6, then pre meal and 1 & 2 hours after - lately only testing when experimenting with portion size or new food introductions. Everything home cooked. Been experimenting with conventional pizza (Using 100g dough) light tomato topping with various things meat/prawn/olive etc. Pre meal 5.6 - 1 hr post 9.4 (then usually go for 'Very brisk walk 10 mins each eve after 1 hr readings). Then I take a 2 hour post = 7.4. Is the 1 hour reveal too high? Should i be reducing grams of dough to keep within the 2mmol at 1 hour? Advice and thoughts welcome.

 

[rebrascora]

Did you have much cheese on the pizza... that seems like quite an early peak, so maybe more cheese would flatten it out a bit and reduce the height of the peak.
My understanding of testing is that the 2 hour point is roughly when you might expect to see the peak of your spike assuming you are not eating high GI foods. To me any increase is a spike and you are just aiming to keep the peak of that spike less than 3 higher than your pre meal reading(but ideally no more than 2mmols), so the fact that you have gone from 5.6 to 9.4 an hour after eating suggests that it was probably a bit too carby and it is even possible that the peak of the spike may have been slightly later and slightly higher that your 1hr reading.... so you may have peaked in the 10s 1.25hrs after eating if your 2 hour reading was 7.4 (after exercise)

Bear in mind that the more slack that you can cut your pancreas now, the longer it is likely to continue to chug along, whereas if you continue to challenge it with carbs, it may run out of juice quicker. That said, I think a rise like this once a month is probably not a big deal, but I would not indulge it on a weekly basis. That is only my opinion though and I am sure others will have a different take. We all have to figure out what we think is best for us.

 

[trophywench]

Really high spikes (ie well into higher double figures so eg above 15) can cause damage on their own, however occasional higher spikes don't though not fantastic as long as they steadily reduce after the 1 hour, and yours do so they don't stay that high for that long. Hence they are most unlikely to have much adverse influence on your overall HbA1c, ie the total amount of excess glucose that has become firmly stuck onto your red blood cells over the last 3-ish months.

'Occasionally' being the crucial bit.

Yeah - more cheese helps cos it's fat and fat slows fast-acting carbs down.

 

[Tee G]

Thank you for your insight @rebrascora & @trophywench - common sense really i guess. It had a decent amount of cheese on it, but I will continue with my experiments, (maybe use less dough next time and roll it flatter! 😉

A lot of days i never reach or go beyond that 2mmol difference before/after meals. Im pretty lucky really. And im keeping a food diary, I colour in green, each time i stay within that 2mmol range - my book is getting greener by the week! (When i look back at the first couple of weeks of testing - wow too much red!) So defo improving. Im due my HB1Ac check next month, spoke to receptionist and suggested i dont mind postponing it (as i know they are incredibly busy!) she said no, come along as long as long as you are fit & well. Fingers crossed!

 

[rebrascora]

Good to hear your food diary is turning green. Try experimenting with wholemeal flour or gram flour or maybe mixing in some oats if you tolerate those and you are making it from scratch. Experimenting and testing is key to finding what works for you. Please let us know how you get on.

 

[Tee G]

Yes @rebrascora - I used to make Pizza with half and half wholemeal and plain. But didnt have any in the cupboard and no point going to the shops - prob wont have any. I will get some when i see some, no rush. I have never tried gram flour, i will look into it. Cant use oats (not particularly good with that). Thanks for the great advice though - you are always so sensible 🙂

 

[trophywench]

Gram, or Besen flour, is ground chick peas. If you have ever eaten an Onion Bhaji from an Indian restaurant then that is what you make the batter from, to encase the onions. Dead easy to make. However, not sure how it would behave as part of a dough mix.

 

[Tee G]

Arrhhh! I love a Bhaji hmmm, 😛 I always wondered what it was made of, now i know!....I think i will save it for that instead of the pizza base @trophywench.

 

[trophywench]

Preferably need some spices in the batter - not shedloads, but something - otherwise it's far too bland. eg Got any chilli powder lurking at the back of a cupboard? - a PINCH.

 

[Miffed]

How do you measure your levels if you don't have a device to do it, how do you know if you are spiking on not? Any ideas?

 

[nonethewiser]

How high before you call it a spike?

Double figures for me.

Own take is its duration of spike as opposed to number itself, even with careful planning bloods can spike for no reason, so tend not to beat myself up about it when it happens.

 

[Tee G]

Thanks for the input @nonethewiser . I did wonder! My spikes really dont last more than an hour. (i dont get many) But guess better not to have them if poss.

@Miffed - you dont know when a spike occurs unless you use a meter.

I dont use mine so much these day, only as i said, when i introduce new foods or im experimenting with portion sizes. Once I get a handle on what level suits me, i stop testing on that food....If im unwell, my levels go up a little, so i may pick up the kit a bit more frequently at that time, to try to make suitable adjustments.