• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

I dont understand (again)

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
E

Emmaathome

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Yesterday morning fasting level was 8.2 (yippeeee). A bowl of cheerios and 2 hours later its 16.4!!!! 😱

Today's fasting level was 12.5. A bowl of cheerios and 2 hours later its 9.7!!! :confused:

I dont understand how the same food, same bowl size (30 gram portion) can affect so differently!!! Could it still be food circulating from teatime (7pm) the night before? Seems a long time for my previous evening food to be affecting the levels.

I just made the assumption that the same food would have the same sort of impact on BG levels? I was planning on stopping Cheerios after this box, but now who knows!!!
 
That IS weird.

Sorry, that wasn't helpful, was it! :D

There could be other things at play here as that's quite a dramatic variation. Possibly you had some sugar residue on your finger, which can bork a test result significantly. There might have been a difference in milk - different volumes or types can also affect how much lactose you get and how much fat you have slowing down glucose metabolism.

You may also be recovering from Dawn Phenomenon. If your liver is pumping out glucose, your morning readings will go up. But if you retrain your liver to expect a carb hit, then it can sometimes stop doing this - particularly if your blood glucose level was already high, as it was today.

Finally, it could be something as basic as meter error.
 
Not sure, other t2s will have more hands-on experience. What I have seen written about though is 'reactive' hypoglycaemia, where the system is pushed into kicking out stacks of insulin in response to a high level. Now clearly you didn't dip into a hypo level at day 2, but some of these 'other' factors which might (or might not) be triggered on any individual day (the liver's helping hand being another imponderable) can make D seem frustratingly random.

It's also why it makes sense not to drop an item off your menu until you can see a repeatable BG response over several days. That sort of testing made me drop all cereals as the BG spike was just always far too severe, even with a modern 'rapid acting' insulin to try to keep it under control.

I wonder what your level might have been at 1 hour. It might be worth running a few tests before and at 1 hour and 2 hours after eating with the same portion size to see what is happening. Some t2s have come down substantially by 2 hours and finding the 'peak' for the meal/food is the best information to use when considering whether it suits your D.
 
Just all feels so confusing!!! :(

I'll carry on for the rest of this week with the cheerios and testing, and see where i get to with a conclusion by then. I'm trying to test as much as possible in the next week (fasting, pre and post meals and bedtimes) along with a food log, I was then going to email to the doc before she rings me on Monday - at least then its a few days worth of data, whereas she asked for a couple of tests over a couple of days - not sure what that would tell her really!!!

I know its probably overkill with the info for her, but its good info for my learning what not to eat!!!
 
Emma, you might find this site helpful for your nutritional analysis: http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-general-mills-cheerios-i8013

Cheerios are quite high GI so I wouldn't eat them, in fact I usually have a small bowl of grapefruit and at most a slice of home made wholemeal bread (depends on fasting reading).

Not sure if it's the effect of my Victoza but I sometimes find that a meal will have an affect for a day or 2 before it's completely gone in my blood.

It might be useful to post your food diary and test results her for others to comment.
 
Emmaathome said:
Yesterday morning fasting level was 8.2 (yippeeee). A bowl of cheerios and 2 hours later its 16.4!!!! 😱

Today's fasting level was 12.5. A bowl of cheerios and 2 hours later its 9.7!!! :confused:

I dont understand how the same food, same bowl size (30 gram portion) can affect so differently!!! Could it still be food circulating from teatime (7pm) the night before? Seems a long time for my previous evening food to be affecting the levels.

I just made the assumption that the same food would have the same sort of impact on BG levels? I was planning on stopping Cheerios after this box, but now who knows!!!
Click to expand...

I know where you're coming from Emma, I get confusing result all the time, Yesterday woke with 9.4, 57g of carb for breakfast, 7 units of Novorapid 15 minutes before and 5 hours later I was at 9.5, same routine today, woke at 9.8, same 57g for breakfast but this time 10 units of Novorapid and 5 hours later 10.5!! I had expected the extra insulin to have brought it down!

I intend to do some more experimentation next week with a few days eating the same things at the same times and see how the readings look, I'm sure I'll find the key one day but until then it's all very frustrating! Glad I have a DSN who believes in testing and I don't have trouble getting hold of strips (yet!!)

Keep at it, you'll get there 🙂

Dan
 
robofski said:
I know where you're coming from Emma, I get confusing result all the time, Yesterday woke with 9.4, 57g of carb for breakfast, 7 units of Novorapid 15 minutes before and 5 hours later I was at 9.5, same routine today, woke at 9.8, same 57g for breakfast but this time 10 units of Novorapid and 5 hours later 10.5!! I had expected the extra insulin to have brought it down!

I intend to do some more experimentation next week with a few days eating the same things at the same times and see how the readings look, I'm sure I'll find the key one day but until then it's all very frustrating! Glad I have a DSN who believes in testing and I don't have trouble getting hold of strips (yet!!)

Keep at it, you'll get there 🙂

Dan
Click to expand...
If you are on insulin there should be no problem with getting strips. If your like me you start thinking your liver is out to get you.
 
Emmaathome said:
Yesterday morning fasting level was 8.2 (yippeeee).
I just made the assumption that the same food would have the same sort of impact on BG levels? I was planning on stopping Cheerios after this box, but now who knows!!!
Click to expand...

It also depends what you did in the two hour period. If you were more active you would hope the bg would be lower.
 
Hello

I had very erratic breakfast readings when I was pregnant even though I ate the same thing pretty much everyday. The dietician that I saw said that the meal you had the night before could affect how your body processes the breakfast the following day. Seems odd I know and I can't remember the full explanation i was given but I recall that it made sense at the time.
 
Helen, unfortunately pregnancy has weird and wonderful effects for diabetics, that don't tend to be repeated when you aren't preg. ( months of fire-fighting the highs and lows in fact; taking insulin up to an hour before meals, snacking at 2 hours because you've had to have enough insulin to stop the spike but now have to snack to stop the inevitable hypo - it's mad.

Without preg - or indeed normal female hormones at work - and that may or may not be the case with Emma ? - results ought to be a bit more predictable really whatever Type you are.

Why not try having a no carb/virtually no carb brekkie Emma? eggs, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, strawberry omelette, ham omelette - whatever? - and see what happens. As long as you eat protein, you shouldn't be hungry.
 
Well, I'm certainly not pregnant. 😱 If I am, then shoddy BG levels are really the least of my worries! :D

I have tried the low carb brekkie's on a weekend, but the carb loaded stuff always seems the quickest option on work days. Does anyone have any suggestions as to quick breakfasts suitable for busy mornings? I suppose I could get up earlier, but to be honest, love my bed too much!! :D
 
I've seen Alan S posting his morning routine for a fab sounding omelette which he can pretty much make while his coffee is brewing 🙂
 
Alan S also suggested beef stew which I thought would be so horrible for breakfast but it has become one of my favourite breakfasts 😛 .... see..... you don't know until you try :D (I also make a chicken and veg stew for breakfasts)

I just make a big pan of it and freeze it in little plastic dishes..... you know the ones that humous comes in. then take it out of the freezer before I go to bed. microwave in a suitable bowl or re-heat in a small pan..... simples 😉
 
Well the discussion with the doc on Monday, and my amazing logs of food eaten, BG levels etc have resulted in:

Novorapid! 🙄

I know I can't complain at the side of you guys, but I am starting to feel like a pin cushion who rattles when she walks. Jabs, plus BG tests, plus 4 tablets a day. Oh, and my 3 monthly jab to come on Thursday.

Blimey, its a bit intense this diabetes lark!!! 🙂
 
Emmaathome said:
Well the discussion with the doc on Monday, and my amazing logs of food eaten, BG levels etc have resulted in:

Novorapid! 🙄

I know I can't complain at the side of you guys, but I am starting to feel like a pin cushion who rattles when she walks. Jabs, plus BG tests, plus 4 tablets a day. Oh, and my 3 monthly jab to come on Thursday.

Blimey, its a bit intense this diabetes lark!!! 🙂
Click to expand...

It does to begin with, but you do get used to it, honest! 🙂 What have they said about the novorapid doses - are you on fixed doses?
 
Teeny baby dose with evening meal, just to try to reduce waking levels (if my bedtime levels are better my waking levels will be improved).

Then we'll see where I get to. I see the DSN in a couple of weeks, so assume I'll see what my levels have been like then adjust as needed.

Not too phased by it at present, just glad they haven't given up on me at the docs!!! Just a bit fed up really - to state the bleedin obvious, it would be much easier without this!!! 🙂
 
Once you start getting better numbers I'm sure you'll feel much better about things - hope it doesn't take too long 🙂
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top