Panicking

[Overwhelmed]

Morning all.
I took my reading this morning and it was 7.8 then had two weetabix and some skimmed milk. Two hours later reading were 10.1. Does this mean I can no longer eat weetabix. Thanks in advance

 

[Paulbreen]

I wouldn’t see that as a bad thing, what are you T1 or T2?

 

[Paulbreen]

Pressed the post button by accident there, I’m T1 and I would expect to see a rise in BG after eating until the insulin catches up, if your T2 then it’s a bit more complicated

 

[Overwhelmed]

Hi
I am type 2

 

[rebrascora]

If you subtract 7.8 from 10.1 you get an increase of 2.3 which is within the maximum 3 mmols recommended so looks like you got away with it.

 

[Overwhelmed]

Pressed the post button by accident there, I’m T1 and I would expect to see a rise in BG after eating until the insulin catches up, if your T2 then it’s a bit more complicated

Type 2

 

[Paulbreen]

Ah maybe I’m not he best person for advice then, you need a T2 person to help wheatabix is pretty high carbs for a T2 67g per 100g so you should probably avoid them

 

[Overwhelmed]

Ah maybe I’m not he best person for advice then, you need a T2 person to help wheatabix is pretty high carbs for a T2 67g per 100g so you should probably avoid them

Any idea what are the best cereals are.

 

[Paulbreen]

I think they are all pretty high in carbs, I eat porridge for breakfast if I want cereal, the carbs have a low GI score so they are processed slowly and will help you avoid BG spikes.
Bacon & eggs are also a good breakfast for diabetics grilled back bacon is the healthiest option

 

[grovesy]

I think they are all pretty high in carbs, I eat porridge for breakfast if I want cereal, the carbs have a low GI score so they are processed slowly and will help you avoid BG spikes.
Bacon & eggs are also a good breakfast for diabetics grilled back bacon is the healthiest option

Some Type 2 don't tolerate porridge well either, the only way to find out is try and test.

 

[rebrascora]

Low GI is a principle which my digestive system and probably quite a few others doesn't subscribe to. Porridge starts hitting my blood stream in 20 mins, so not much slower than eating sugar for me.

Natural Greek Yoghurt made with whole milk (not low fat which is higher in carbs) with mixed seeds and a few berries like rasps or blackberries or mixed summer fruits is a good low carb breakfast or if you have more time, eggs are great but go steady on the bread. I like an omelette with a salad and a big dollop of cheese coleslaw because that will keep me going until the evening without worrying about lunch and I can vary the fillings with things like mushrooms, ham, courgettes, peppers, cheese etc and they don't have a runny yolk that you need something like bread to soak up.

 

[Nick Cliff]

Hi @rebrascora
I've learnt 2 things from you today:
1. The recommended increase threshold for 2hrs after eating test (which I guess I should have known...)
2. That I'm not the only person who seems to find porridge races through their system - though less so if I lace it liberally with berries, nuts seeds and full fat natural yoghurt..
Thanks!
Nick

 

[Paulbreen]

Sorry all you T2’s I do think it’s much worse for you guys than the T1’s, I just calculate the carbs in my food and give my bolus insulin.
Your range of options is so connected to what and how you eat and unless you’re taking some form of insulin it must be so hard to stay in range, my hat goes off to you all

 

[Paulbreen]

Hi @rebrascora
I've learnt 2 things from you today:
1. The recommended increase threshold for 2hrs after eating test (which I guess I should have known...)
2. That I'm not the only person who seems to find porridge races through their system - though less so if I lace it liberally with berries, nuts seeds and full fat natural yoghurt..
Thanks!
Nick

That’s a good point Nick, I did not know what the threshold was either

 

[rebrascora]

It is a bit swings and roundabouts between Type 1 and Type 2 or maybe I should say insulin users and non insulin users. Diabetics who are controlled by diet and oral meds don't generally have to worry about hypos, so there is a trade off between having insulin and being able to eat more or less what you want but having the worry of getting it wrong and having hypos. We each should have respect for the other. Neither is easy.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi @rebrascora
I've learnt 2 things from you today:
1. The recommended increase threshold for 2hrs after eating test (which I guess I should have known...)
2. That I'm not the only person who seems to find porridge races through their system - though less so if I lace it liberally with berries, nuts seeds and full fat natural yoghurt..
Thanks!
Nick

The recommended increase 2 hours after is no more than 3mmols but no more than 2 is better... obviously.
When you are first starting out (as the OP is) a rise of no more than 3mmols is a realistic target and then maybe look to reduce that by fine tuning portion sizes once your overall levels come down. I believe it is suggested that your post prandial reading should not be more than 8.5, but that only applies once you get your fasting readings down to more normal levels which takes a few weeks or months depending upon the starting point.
It is also worth pointing out that these are only guidelines and there will be non diabetic people who spike higher than 8.5... but then they may be eating rather unhealthy foods or portions to cause that rise.

Having a Libre sensor certainly enables you to get a much better idea of how your body reacts to certain foods and the amazing speed of the body's digestive system to extract glucose from food from the moment it enters your mouth. It blows my mind almost as much as how clever a fully functioning pancreas is!

 

[Kaylz]

Also I see not having to try and match the bolus with food as a slight benefit, a non insulin user would tend to get away with a higher fat meal so could use fattier things to fill up whereas that could be dangerous territory for an insulin user should the insulin hit the system first, also you think as a Type 1 we should all eat as we want when in fact even with the "benefit" of insulin many of us can't as we still spike and most try to avoid that as much as possible

 

[trophywench]

Yes Kaylz - but there are spikes and then there are spikes - one of the crucial things is how long the spike lasts, surely? And how often you have them. If you have one spike a week lasting for 15 minutes, or one lasting for 6 hours? 7 a week of either?

And at what point does a spike start? 10? 15? 20?

 

[Nick Cliff]

The recommended increase 2 hours after is no more than 3mmols but no more than 2 is better... obviously.
When you are first starting out (as the OP is) a rise of no more than 3mmols is a realistic target and then maybe look to reduce that by fine tuning portion sizes once your overall levels come down. I believe it is suggested that your post prandial reading should not be more than 8.5, but that only applies once you get your fasting readings down to more normal levels which takes a few weeks or months depending upon the starting point.
It is also worth pointing out that these are only guidelines and there will be non diabetic people who spike higher than 8.5... but then they may be eating rather unhealthy foods or portions to cause that rise.

Having a Libre sensor certainly enables you to get a much better idea of how your body reacts to certain foods and the amazing speed of the body's digestive system to extract glucose from food from the moment it enters your mouth. It blows my mind almost as much as how clever a fully functioning pancreas is!

Thanks for the more detailed explanation. FYI, regarding "post prandial reading should not be more than 8.5, but that only applies once you get your fasting readings down to more normal levels" - FYI, checked back on my stats and post-prandial habitually 8.5 or below except during the time preceeding being "on the naughty step" and prescribed Metformin. My notional post-prandial target had been to be back to the pre-prandial level or at least somewhere near 7. My stats show that my post-prandial increases are in the range of 2-3 and normally below 8.5 - excepting the odd misdemeanour 😳 (which as a Type 2 I can get away with more easily than a Type 1 can, I imagine). Very occasionally post-prandial is lower than pre. So I'm doing a little bit better than I thought. Thanks again! Nick

 

[Ditto]

Hello @Overwhelmed don't eat Weetabix, eat eggs. 🙂 All cereals are rubbish imho, ymmv, but they just got that food information triangle wrong back in the day and can't change it now, peoples would go out of business and shareholders would lose money. The phrase 'healthy whole grains' makes me shudder. On the other hand I fantasise about six Weetabix, a tablespoonful of sugar and a pint of ice cold whole milk... no wonder I'm type 2!

You learn such a lot on this forum, thanks guys for various interesting snippets of information, now if I can just get some of it to stay in my brain...