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Glucose Meter Question
- Thread starter Corrine
- Start date
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Thanks Nikki. I've only got 10 strips so I'm gonna try and get some more. When I test - do I test before I eat, after I eat and then 2 hours after - or just before and 2 hours after? And if I need to test after I eat how long should I wait?
Thank you!
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi Corrine, the best times to test are when you wake up (your fasting level), just before meals (maybe choose a different meal each day to build up a picture - you don't need to do every meal, every day), and either one or two hours after eating. Some people think it is better to test one hour after with certain foods that are known to 'spike' early, although the theory is that 2 hours post-meal is when your BG should have reached a peak and start falling back to your base/fasting level.
Cool - thanks Northerner. Not sure how I'd feel pricking myself on waking but I guess I'll need to get used to that! So I'm assuming than that if I test 2 hours after I've eaten that should still give me some idea of what will push my BG's up - and if it's still under 8 (I think it's 8?) then that particular meal is OK? If it's over that level then whatever I've eaten its safe to assume that causes a high?
AlanJardine
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Until you get more strips, I would advise testing before meals.
The time when your bg peaks after eating varies from person to person and from meal to meal, though the 2 hour test is probably a bit more meaningful.
When you do get a supply of strips, Go for before meals, 2 hrs after and a before bedtime for a week or two. if you wake at nights, test then. Once you get an general ide, you can reduce that.
Test before and afters when you eat something you have not tested with before. Eventually you will get an isea of what foods cause what effects and can start choosing what suits you. Take things slowly and don't rely on a single reading. Other factors could be making a difference. Remember, the body is a complicated system of interacting sub-systems.
Good luck with the testing (and getting a good supply of strips).
The time when your bg peaks after eating varies from person to person and from meal to meal, though the 2 hour test is probably a bit more meaningful.
When you do get a supply of strips, Go for before meals, 2 hrs after and a before bedtime for a week or two. if you wake at nights, test then. Once you get an general ide, you can reduce that.
Test before and afters when you eat something you have not tested with before. Eventually you will get an isea of what foods cause what effects and can start choosing what suits you. Take things slowly and don't rely on a single reading. Other factors could be making a difference. Remember, the body is a complicated system of interacting sub-systems.
Good luck with the testing (and getting a good supply of strips).
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
That's right, although as Alan has just said, it can vary from person to person, meal to meal, and can be affected by activity levels before, or during (after meal, but before test). I wouldn't be overly worried if you get the occasional double figure reading 2 hours after, it's the really big spikes to look for initially.
Thanks Northerner. Will be interesting to see how running affects my levels too. I shall by a notebook lunchtime so I can write it all down too. Strangely enough I am getting quite excited about all this testing!😱
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