Hi I’m prediabetic and have just purchased a glucose monitor. I tested when I got up this morning and it was 8.9 and I tested two hours after a meal and it was 13.3. I’m not on any diabetic medication. I just wanted to know if these readings are ok? Thanks
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Glucose readings
- Thread starter Stine
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Bruce Stephens
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
They're both a bit high.
Checking your blood sugar levels
Knowing your blood sugar levels helps you manage your diabetes and reduces your risk of having serious complications – now and in the future. What are blood sugar levels? Your blood sugar levels, also known as blood glucose levels, are a measurement that show how much glucose you have in your...
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Welcome to the forum. If you are only prediabetic then those readings are much higher than one would expect and higher than desirable.
Morning /fasting readings are ideally 4-7mmol/l and 2 hours after eating no more than 8-8.5mmol/l
Your post meal reading indicates your meal was too carb heavy, though looking at the increase from just before you eat gives you more useful information as you would be aiming at no more than a 2-3mmol/l increase after 2 hours.
What did you have to eat?
It looks as if you need to pay attention to your carbohydrate intake, either by cutting out some high carb foods or reducing your portion size of them.
Have a look at this link for some good explanation and some meal ideas. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
Brilliant you have a monitor as it will help you make some better choices.
Morning /fasting readings are ideally 4-7mmol/l and 2 hours after eating no more than 8-8.5mmol/l
Your post meal reading indicates your meal was too carb heavy, though looking at the increase from just before you eat gives you more useful information as you would be aiming at no more than a 2-3mmol/l increase after 2 hours.
What did you have to eat?
It looks as if you need to pay attention to your carbohydrate intake, either by cutting out some high carb foods or reducing your portion size of them.
Have a look at this link for some good explanation and some meal ideas. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
Brilliant you have a monitor as it will help you make some better choices.
Hi, I'm prediabetic too, and I, too, got myself a glucose monitor. I've found it a huge help. Because the diagostic Hba1C test is a 'one off' (even though it indicates an average glucose level over a three month average), I think without a daily monitor we remain in the dark too much. Don't know about your gp, but mine is going to be doing a second Hba1C test in a few weeks time - around 3 months after the diagnostic (ie, that I'm pre-d). So I felt I had those months to try and 'fight back' which I can't do without the daily monitoring.
I would say you now have a similar window of opportunity to tackle your lifestyle and see if you can get better results from your next HbA1C test.
Did your gp/nurse give you any advice on how to 'fight back?' I already knew I would have to change my lifestyle to have any chance of lowering my readers. I knew I was carrying too much weight (Covid did for my healthier lifestyle, sigh), and my carb intake had crept up inexorably (fresh bread, crumpets for tea, cakes, etc etc, sigh) (and creamy sweet puds!), and I was back eating pasta/potatoes/rice with my main meal (which in pre-Covid times I didn't). Also, the gym closed during lockdown, so walking was my only exercise, and that irregular.
The DX of being pre--D has kicked me into action, so I've cut out the pasta/postatoes/rice, and the bread, and the puddings - oh and I went 'dry' as well in the new year.
It's been a bit of a haul, but I have stuck to it more or less. What I would say is that we tend to think that without starch carbs (bread/rice etc) we'll be hungry - BUT, if we eat more protein and fibrous veg, I promise you it's not that bad. Protein and fibre do 'fill you up' and keep hunger pangs at bay actually more effectively than starch carbs.
This site is brilliant for information and advice and recommendations. It's about changing our perception of ourselves, I would say, and accepting that keeping pre-D (or, ideally, out of pre-D completely) does mean rethinking what we eat an how we live.
All the very best to you, and I hope it won't be too long before those glucose levels start improving for you, and you feel 'safer' about it all.
Good luck!
I would say you now have a similar window of opportunity to tackle your lifestyle and see if you can get better results from your next HbA1C test.
Did your gp/nurse give you any advice on how to 'fight back?' I already knew I would have to change my lifestyle to have any chance of lowering my readers. I knew I was carrying too much weight (Covid did for my healthier lifestyle, sigh), and my carb intake had crept up inexorably (fresh bread, crumpets for tea, cakes, etc etc, sigh) (and creamy sweet puds!), and I was back eating pasta/potatoes/rice with my main meal (which in pre-Covid times I didn't). Also, the gym closed during lockdown, so walking was my only exercise, and that irregular.
The DX of being pre--D has kicked me into action, so I've cut out the pasta/postatoes/rice, and the bread, and the puddings - oh and I went 'dry' as well in the new year.
It's been a bit of a haul, but I have stuck to it more or less. What I would say is that we tend to think that without starch carbs (bread/rice etc) we'll be hungry - BUT, if we eat more protein and fibrous veg, I promise you it's not that bad. Protein and fibre do 'fill you up' and keep hunger pangs at bay actually more effectively than starch carbs.
This site is brilliant for information and advice and recommendations. It's about changing our perception of ourselves, I would say, and accepting that keeping pre-D (or, ideally, out of pre-D completely) does mean rethinking what we eat an how we live.
All the very best to you, and I hope it won't be too long before those glucose levels start improving for you, and you feel 'safer' about it all.
Good luck!
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Brilliant advice above, I certainly don't feel hungry even without the potatoes, rice, pasta and carby puds.
You will find good substitutes and your taste will change as you reduce the 'sweet' foods and many things will taste far too sweet.
Just a word of caution, reduce your carbs gradually over a few weeks to avoid issues with your eyes and nerves that some people get. I had problems with my eyes when I reduced carbs to 70g per day all at once which annoyingly lasted several months.
You will find good substitutes and your taste will change as you reduce the 'sweet' foods and many things will taste far too sweet.
Just a word of caution, reduce your carbs gradually over a few weeks to avoid issues with your eyes and nerves that some people get. I had problems with my eyes when I reduced carbs to 70g per day all at once which annoyingly lasted several months.
I do think the neuropathy aspect of diabetes are the most scary ones, when one first enters the 'D-zone'. I used the think the main dangers of diabetes was going hypo or hyper somewhat 'dramatically' - I just hadn't taken on board the long term damage that excess blood sugar does to us.
Hopefully, being only pre-D, we are not at risk of dramatic hypos and hypers, but we are at risk from that long term damage to our bodies.
Hopefully, being only pre-D, we are not at risk of dramatic hypos and hypers, but we are at risk from that long term damage to our bodies.
Toddyken
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- At risk of diabetes
Hi, I’m in the same position as you Pre-D, diagnosed 4 weeks ago, I‘m on day 2 of using the monitor, not been easy but hopefully it will get easier. My 1st day was 8.4 and today 7.6 ,this group has bern invaluable to me as not sat down with GP only confirmed by telephone call. I’m testing 1st thing after waking for a week before testing after food etc, keep going we will crack this
One of the (many) things I've learned on this excellent site is that there is somethign called, I think, the Dawn Phenomenon - it's when our bodies, an hour or so before our usual waking time, 'remembers' that we shall be getting up quite soon, and needing energy, so adrenaline kicks in, and stimulates our 'reverse insulin' (ie, glycogon) to release some of our 'stored glucose' (stored as glycogen in our liver) and change it into blood glucose. So, even though we haven't eaten since the night before, our body has already 'topped up' our BG level, which my up our readings.
Similarly, there can be what I think is called the FOTF (Foot On the Floor) whereby the moment we get out of bed, along comes that glycogen-to-glucose conversion, and raises our BG levels.
If we monitor sufficiently, we may spot if this affects us or not, and by how much.
It's something to be aware of, perhaps, if we ever have to give a Fasting Blood sample to our GP to test for BG levels on waking. We may get a higher reading that is accounted for by whenever and whatever we last ate the night before. This might prove significant, since, I believe, a fasting blood glucose level of over 7 is deemed to be diabetic......
(Mine is over 7 sometimes - so I know now that if I do get asked to do a fasting blood test I will have to be very careful what I eat the previous day, especially in the evening, and maybe, too, take my own BG level on waking, just for a
'second opinion' so to speak)(OK, home monitors are not as accurate as lab ones, but it may shed a little light._). Bear in mind, too, that even if a fasting blood test is conducted at the GP 'first thing' one might have been up for quite a while, plus there is the getting to the GP action too, and there our energy demands are going to be that much higher than on waking first thing, and that energy might be being supplied by raiding our glycogen stores (ie, if we haven't eaten breakfast yet)???
Similarly, there can be what I think is called the FOTF (Foot On the Floor) whereby the moment we get out of bed, along comes that glycogen-to-glucose conversion, and raises our BG levels.
If we monitor sufficiently, we may spot if this affects us or not, and by how much.
It's something to be aware of, perhaps, if we ever have to give a Fasting Blood sample to our GP to test for BG levels on waking. We may get a higher reading that is accounted for by whenever and whatever we last ate the night before. This might prove significant, since, I believe, a fasting blood glucose level of over 7 is deemed to be diabetic......
(Mine is over 7 sometimes - so I know now that if I do get asked to do a fasting blood test I will have to be very careful what I eat the previous day, especially in the evening, and maybe, too, take my own BG level on waking, just for a
'second opinion' so to speak)(OK, home monitors are not as accurate as lab ones, but it may shed a little light._). Bear in mind, too, that even if a fasting blood test is conducted at the GP 'first thing' one might have been up for quite a while, plus there is the getting to the GP action too, and there our energy demands are going to be that much higher than on waking first thing, and that energy might be being supplied by raiding our glycogen stores (ie, if we haven't eaten breakfast yet)???
harbottle
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
During overnight fasting glucose is produced by both glycogenolysis (Released from stores) and gluconeogenesis (Made from other stuff!). One aspect of T2D is that the process of gluconeogenesis is a bit out of control and keeps on going even when it shouldn't. This leads to high fasting blood sugar, and is actually one of the first signs of T2D/Pre-diabetes.
Gluconeogenesis is new on me - must research! Thanks for the heads up.
Looks like our bodies are hell bent on getting blood glucose levels up by all and any means - hey ho! (Guess the opposite is worse, running out of usable energy and going hypo....)
Looks like our bodies are hell bent on getting blood glucose levels up by all and any means - hey ho! (Guess the opposite is worse, running out of usable energy and going hypo....)
No those numbers are not OK. In the good old days before the WHO allowed HbA1c to be used to dx T2 ( circa 2012) two fasting bgs over 7 or two random readings over 11.1 were sufficient to dx T2 Diabetes. You might be better off asking for an OGTT ( Oral Glucose Tolerance Test), the Gold Standard of T2 diagnostic tools, rather than another HbA1c. You also have to consider whether it might be better, if necessary, in the medium and long term, to accept a dx of T2 rather than fighting it
Docb
Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
If I can just make a couple of observations.
If those reading you have got turn out to be typical, and you can only find out by testing for a few days, then it is highly likely that your next HbA1c will be over 48 and you will get a formal diagnosis of diabetes. It might be that those readings are a couple of oddities and then you may not. My opinion is that it is unwise to jump to any conclusions on the basis of a couple of test results when you first venture into testing as a T2. Test for a week or so and see what the general patterns are and then move forward.
My second observation is that a T2 diagnosis, especially when it is around the diagnosis level is not a cause for panic. It is more time to take stock and work out a plan to get things under control using what means suit you.
If those reading you have got turn out to be typical, and you can only find out by testing for a few days, then it is highly likely that your next HbA1c will be over 48 and you will get a formal diagnosis of diabetes. It might be that those readings are a couple of oddities and then you may not. My opinion is that it is unwise to jump to any conclusions on the basis of a couple of test results when you first venture into testing as a T2. Test for a week or so and see what the general patterns are and then move forward.
My second observation is that a T2 diagnosis, especially when it is around the diagnosis level is not a cause for panic. It is more time to take stock and work out a plan to get things under control using what means suit you.
Admiral Benbow
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- At risk of diabetes
I panicked when I saw my medical report saying I had high trigs and blood sugars and it made me lose around 10kg in a month to where I am now in a normal BMI range and weight. Here's hoping in about 3 weeks my next blood test is much better. Fasting 48 hours a week, is tiring me out and onerous, and I'd like to switch to 24 hours. Only if my test is good though.
Admiral Benbow
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- At risk of diabetes
That's good that you got a glucose monitor. I might get one depending on my next test results. I believe I am prediabetic too according to a medical report that said I have 51.96% chance of developing diabetes in 10 years. I am a normal weight now, normal BMI, and thinner waist than before, and have been fasting, and exercising lots, and trying to eat as clean and low carb as possible so here's hoping all goes well in three weeks. I'm hoping non invasive glucose monitors come out in the near future, or that eventually one can get a CGM without a prescription and they become widely commercially available. That would really help to know what is going on internally, without having to prick fingers.
harbottle
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
It's a system that tries to maintain BG level at a fixed point. If it goes low, then there are mechanisms to top it up, if it goes high, there's a mechanism to bring it down.
Unfortunately, in T2 diabetics this mechanism is broken in various ways so it doesn't come down properly - whether that's insulin resistance in muscles, the liver not stopping making glucose when levels are high (Very common with T2), or there not being enough insulin produced by broken beta cells to overcome the resistance.
harbottle
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I'd take more readings and see what the average is, as the meters have quite a large margin of error at higher readings (Depending on the make.)
Ideally a fasting reading should be < 7 and a 2 hour post-meal reading < 11 if you are pre-diabetic.
Those readings do look a little high.
harbottle
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
If fasting for long periods is having such side effects, then it's probably not a good idea and certainly not sustainable.
I lost 3 stone very quickly without doing long fasts - the only thing I did was skip breakfast if I wasn't hungry!
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