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Spike

D

DavidBastin

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi all. Recently started using the Libre 2 sensor, a huge eye opener. What is worst, a high short spike or a medium longer spike?
 
DavidBastin said:
Hi all. Recently started using the Libre 2 sensor, a huge eye opener. What is worst, a high short spike or a medium longer spike?
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The only thing I've read is that a graph that looks like gently rolling hills is better than one that looks like a Toblerone bar.
 
DavidBastin said:
Hi Martin. Thank you for your reply. Have been having porridge for breakfast thinking I was doing well, my spike hits 21 mmol/L
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Do you fingerprick to check that @DavidBastin ? A 21 on the Libre can actually be a 16 or whatever in reality. Still not ideal but not as worrying.
 
What was your starting level before you ate the porridge? If you are waking up in the teens then a jump to 21 isn't as bad as going from 5 pre meal to 21 post meal.

That said, porridge is a high carb food and many of us can't tolerate it despite it's supposed slow release and "healthy" reputation. How big was your portion? Portion size is particularly important with high carb foods, so you might find that the portion size of porridge your body can manage is so small that it is not worth bothering with and you could have a much bigger portion of something lower carb which would fill you up more.

Many people find by double checking with a finger prick that Libre exaggerates the highs and the lows, but still a spike up to mid teens would not be good and I would doubt Libre is more than 4 or 5mmols out at that level.
 
Hi Barbara. 6mmol/L rising to 8mmol/L before breakfast, porridge 21mmol/L back to 8mmol/L 2.5 hours later. Large bowl of porridge.
 
Ok, that definitely looks like you need to reduce the portion of porridge and retest until you find a portion size which spikes you a lot less or abandon porridge find another breakfast option that your body tolerates better. many of us have creamy Greek style natural yoghurt with a few berries and mixed seeds.

You can also play around with different qualities of oats used to make your porridge. The more processed packets are likely to raise your levels more quickly than quality steel cut jumbo oats. Making it with water and then adding cream can help to slow the release of glucose from the oats as fat slows digestion without adding as many carbs as milk which contains a sugar Lactose. Then you have to consider what you are having on your porridge..... Did you add any thing sweet like sugar, honey or syrup or fruit? Fruits like bananas and pineapple are higher in carbs than a few raspberries or blackberries, which is why many of us have berries with our yoghurt.

If you don't have a finger prick BG meter kit then I would recommend you get one so that you can get a better idea of how much Libre may be exaggerating those spikes but I certainly think it is telling you that your current breakfast isn't good for you even if the spike is slightly lower than 21.
 
DavidBastin said:
Thanks for your input. I thought cut out the sugar and im sorted. What a fantastic source of information this forum is.
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Sugar is just one form of carbohydrates in our foods. It is often one that will change to glucose very quickly. However all the carbohydrates we eat will change to glucose once inside us. I knew absolutely nothing about the carbs I was eating before diagnosis, but if necessity soon learnt just how many I was eating at each meal and started to adjust our portion sizes to get to a target of number of carbs to have at each meal. This target varies for each of us.

Porridge is a breakfast that I had been eating for years as a healthy option. It was when I got my sensor that I saw how big my spike was. Even reducing the portions I still spiked. I chose to switch to other breakfast options. I make my own cereal and use quinoa flakes instead of oats and that seems to have done the trick for me.

Let us know how you get on with any changes you choose to make.
 
DavidBastin said:
Thanks for your input. I thought cut out the sugar and im sorted. What a fantastic source of information this forum is.
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I recommend a good quality set of scales @DavidBastin You’d be surprised how ‘little’ a portion of oats is. It also means you’ll be able to ensure you’re getting the right quantities of carbs for you.
 
Hi. Is there a graph/chart (NHS) that would show acceptable food spikes, postprandial hyperglycemia? I understand age, diabetic conditions, etc would contribute but as a starting guide. Thanks again everyone for your help. David
 
DavidBastin said:
Hi. Is there a graph/chart (NHS) that would show acceptable food spikes, postprandial hyperglycemia? I understand age, diabetic conditions, etc would contribute but as a starting guide. Thanks again everyone for your help. David
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Not sure about that but many who are dietary managed or diet and oral medication will look to try to achieve 4-7mmol/l before meals and fasting and no more than a 2-3mmol/l increase from before eating to 2 hours after or no more than 8-8.5 mmol/l after 2 hours.
If your 2 hour post meal is more than that then your meal is too carb heavy
 
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