Many Questions - No appt with Dietitian yet...

[eddymyers]

I have many questions about my BG level and its ups and downs.

I know that as we eat a meal it will rise, and we digest that meal it will fall again.

How bad is it that it rises?
Is it bad if it comes back down after 2 hours?
Can we live with it rising - so long as it returns to 'normal' after 2 hours?

I know we are meant to try and keep the rises to a mimimum - but if it returns is that ok?

Does the spikes create problems? Longer term problems?

I know this might seem like Diabetes Type 2 for beginners, but i am a little confused!

Eddy

 

[Leadinglights]

A couple of things for you to look at, the Learning Zone (orange tab at the top) for information about Type 2 diabetes and blood glucose levels and also this link which has some suggestions for following a low carbohydrate regime which many find successful. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
As you say blood glucose will go up after you eat as the carbohydrates are converted to glucose but the 'trick' is to balance the amount you eat with the insulin your body produces to deal with that glucose. Too much carb, not enough insulin or insulin can't work properly due to insulin resistance and blood glucose goes up too much as a result of the meal.
Many find testing before they eat and after 2 hours gives an indication of their body has coped with the carbs if the increase is no more than 2-3mmol/l and once levels start to come down then no more than 8-8.5mmol/l 2 hours post meal.
Normal levels to be aiming at are 4-7mmol/l before meals o or fasting (morning level) People therefore find a home blood glucose monitor a useful if not crucial tool in managing their diabetes. Inexpensive ones can be bought on line the GlucoNavii or TEE2 have the cheapest strips.
Running high glucose levels for a long time will put people at risk of complications but minimising 'spikes' post meal is a good idea. The odd occasion when people have something as a treat will not do much harm.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @eddymyers

The first thing to say is that people without diabetes have blood glucose variation too. So to strive for a completely ‘flat line’, is not very wise IMO.

Having said that, the body is remarkable in its ability to regulate all sorts of levels and concentrations in the body within fairly tight margins… and blood glucose is one of those. So to aim for a relatively natural variation seems wise to me - perhaps with a little more latitude as we are flying manually.

Another thing to factor-in is that there are no guarantees, and diabetes can be fickle and cruel. Two people could have very similar results on paper, and one would develop some unpleasant long term complications, while the other would not.

So we aim to try our best, and (as a diabetes blogger once memorably commented) hope that nothing happens. All our efforts, work, and dedication are best rewarded by… nothing.

There is pretty solid evidence that reducing glucose variation (the differences between maximum high and maximum low), reducing glucose instability (how zig-zaggy your levels are), and aiming to keep your levels as stable as possible for as much of the time as you can really helps reduce your chances of developing long-term diabetes complications.

The guidance used to be to try to keep levels below 8.5mmol/L by 2hrs after eating.

And never worry about asking any question on the forum - nothing will ever be considered too obvious or ’silly’ 🙂