Question about BG levels.

[Lilsis]

I'm testing when I get home from work, which is normally around 2 o'clock. My readings are normally around 5.3 - 6.4, which I think isn't to bad? Newbie, still learning..
Today, I went from work to my osteopath so it was around 3 when I tested and I was 3.7 which I think is to low?. I found a couple of biscuits and had them with a cuppa.. I've just tested again and I'm 6.4. I will test again in another hour.
Did I do the right thing?

 

[helli]

@Lilsis are you taking any medication like Glicazide or insuin?
If you are not, any reading above 3.5 is fine. It is not uncommon for someone without diabetesa to get a reading like 3.7, especially if they have been rushing around.
If you are taking Glic' or insulin, anything under 4.0 is considered a hypo and must be treated with fast acting carbs. Anything containing fat (like biscuits or chocolate) is not fast acting.

 

[Lilsis]

@Lilsis are you taking any medication like Glicazide or insuin?
If you are not, any reading above 3.5 is fine. It is not uncommon for someone without diabetesa to get a reading like 3.7, especially if they have been rushing around.
If you are taking Glic' or insulin, anything under 4.0 is considered a hypo and must be treated with fast acting carbs. Anything containing fat (like biscuits or chocolate) is not fast acting.

Thank you. No, I'm not on any medication.. It's the first time I've had a reading that low so I shall look at it as a positive

 

[Leadinglights]

You will see variation in your blood glucose level throughout the day, depending on what you have eaten and how much you have been doing. If you are testing is really need to be for a purpose rather than just random otherwise it doesn't tell you much.
Testing before and 2 hours after your meal will tell you if your meal is tolerated if the increase form before to after is less than 3mmol/l or less than 8-8.5mmol/l, if more than you can look to reducing the carbs in your meal.
Testing in the morning before you get out of bed can track your progress day to day, week to week.
Testing if you feel unwell can indicate if it MAY be due to high or low blood glucose so you can take action.
People would be aiming at 4-7mmol/l before meals or fasting (morning) and less than 8mmol/l 2 hours after meals. Consistently within those parameters should be reflected in a normal HbA1C, I suspect it is not quite that simple.

 

[Lilsis]

You will see variation in your blood glucose level throughout the day, depending on what you have eaten and how much you have been doing. If you are testing is really need to be for a purpose rather than just random otherwise it doesn't tell you much.
Testing before and 2 hours after your meal will tell you if your meal is tolerated if the increase form before to after is less than 3mmol/l or less than 8-8.5mmol/l, if more than you can look to reducing the carbs in your meal.
Testing in the morning before you get out of bed can track your progress day to day, week to week.
Testing if you feel unwell can indicate if it MAY be due to high or low blood glucose so you can take action.
People would be aiming at 4-7mmol/l before meals or fasting (morning) and less than 8mmol/l 2 hours after meals. Consistently within those parameters should be reflected in a normal HbA1C, I suspect it is not quite that

 

[Lilsis]

Thank you for your reply @Leadinglights . I'll get to grips with replying correctly at some point..
I'm trying to learn what my "normal" is.. I get up at 4a.m. on work days so testing before I get out of bed won't go down well with hubby. Is it OK to test just after getting up?. Work days, I normally eat breakfast around 9.30 - 10 o'clock so I thought, if I were to test when I get home from work, it would give me an idea of what is "normal"..
I seem to have miss understood what had been written in some of the books I've been reading, as they stated anything under 4 was not good..
There is a lot for for us newbies to take in.. Really grateful for any guidance.

 

[Leadinglights]

Thank you for your reply @Leadinglights . I'll get to grips with replying correctly at some point..
I'm trying to learn what my "normal" is.. I get up at 4a.m. on work days so testing before I get out of bed won't go down well with hubby. Is it OK to test just after getting up?. Work days, I normally eat breakfast around 9.30 - 10 o'clock so I thought, if I were to test when I get home from work, it would give me an idea of what is "normal"..
I seem to have miss understood what had been written in some of the books I've been reading, as they stated anything under 4 was not good..
There is a lot for for us newbies to take in.. Really grateful for any guidance.

The reason for testing before you get up is that some people suffer from something referred to as Foot on the Floor or Dawn Phenomenon when the liver releases glucose to give people the energy to go and hunt for breakfast, a hangover form our ancestors really so they will often show a higher reading than if testing in bed. But I suppose if you are consistent from day to day that would be an OK comparison.
Testing at some random time during to day will not be telling you much are there will be too much variation from what you have eaten and what you have been doing so will not even give you 'what is normal'
The thing about being below 4mmol/l really applies to people who are taking certain medications that could cause hypos like insulin when they would need to treat it.