understanding blood glucose readings

[dingdong]

saw the diabetis nurse last week .she said my blood test showed my blood glucose was 120 confirmed i have type2 diabetes .when you test yourself with a blood glucose monitor i get readings between 11.6 & 15.5 where does the 120 come in is this a different reading

 

[Bruce Stephens]

where does the 120 come in is this a different reading

The term to google for is HbA1c. (48 and over (in these units) means you have diabetes (though as always there are reasons why the reading might be inaccurate). Your stick test readings are consistent with the 120 being correct.)

 

[dingdong]

The term to google for is HbA1c. (48 and over (in these units) means you have diabetes (though as always there are reasons why the reading might be inaccurate). Your stick test readings are consistent with the 120 being correct.)

still not sure i understand what does the 120 equate to thanks

 

[adrian1der]

The HbA1c measures glucose bound to red blood cells. Since red blood cells live for around three months, the test gives an average reading of your blood glucose over that period. A finger prick test measures your blood sugar at that moment in time and will fluctuate during the day. Most of us test first thing in the morning (approximates a fasting test). If you then test before meals and two hours after a meal you can check what effect the meal had on your system. Ideally you are looking for a rise of no more than 2 after two hours

 

[adrian1der]

You should try and reduce the amount of carbohydrates you are eating. That includes starchy things like bread, pasta, rice and potatoes and not just sweet and sugary things. The body rapidly breaks down carbohydrates into glucose.

120 on an HbA1c is high but we have members who were just as high at diagnosis. Finger prick tests in double figures are also high. If you reduce your portion size of carbs, and take some exercise (which also lowers BG) then the numbers will improve. The added benefit is that that combination will also lead to you loosing some weight which, if you need to, will bring further benefits and will also help with your BG. it is a virtuous circle.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your diet and we can then provide advice and encouragement. I know diagnosis is scary but there are simple things you can do. I now think of my diagnosis very positively as it provided the kick up the bum I needed to sort myself out!

 

[Rick B]

@adrian1der: "I now think of my diagnosis very positively as it provided the kick up the bum I needed to sort myself out!"

Me too @adrian1der. Whilst no one would wish for a T2 diagnosis, there can be positives to take away from the development of the condition. @dingdong, you will read about the many people on this site who've put the T2 diabetes into remission with lifestyle changes. Good luck with your journey.

 

[dingdong]

age 74 weight 76 kgs on metformin 4 a day 2 breakfast 2 with tea ,breakfast everyday is cereal with almond milk on lunch is a cracker with low fat cheese or ham .tea varies salads or meat with veg no potatoes .have tried a few diabetic recipies for cakes & biscuits but not fussed they all taste the same .

 

[adrian1der]

The first meal I would look at is breakfast as cereals can be very high in carbs. Try checking before breakfast and two hours afterwards and see if the rise is less than 2. If not then look for different breakfasts. Greek yoghurt and blueberries is good as is good old fashioned bacon and eggs. High in protein and fat (to keep you feeling full) and low in carbs. Once you have sorted out breakfast take the same approach to lunch. You will soon develop a feel for what your body can, and can't tolerate.

 

[Cherrelle DUK]

Hi dingdong,

Just popping this here for reference https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/managing-your-diabetes/testing. As rightly advised, in this context, your HbA1c is a 3 month average of your blood sugar levels and the finger prick test is your levels at that moment in time.

The link above is really helpful re testing in general so do take a look if you can and let us know if we can help in any way.

 

[dingdong]

The first meal I would look at is breakfast as cereals can be very high in carbs. Try checking before breakfast and two hours afterwards and see if the rise is less than 2. If not then look for different breakfasts. Greek yoghurt and blueberries is good as is good old fashioned bacon and eggs. High in protein and fat (to keep you feeling full) and low in carbs. Once you have sorted out breakfast take the same approach to lunch. You will soon develop a feel for what your body can, and can't tolerate.

Like the idea of bacon and eggs what is the best way to cook them could you have toast if so what is the best bread

 

[Rick B]

You need to be careful with bread in my humble opinion. I eat bread moderately and I always go for whole grain, rye and seeded sourdough. Basically, I'm looking for the lower Glycemic Index (GI) varieties. White bread is a no no as far as I'm conerned. I wouldn't have more than 1 slice a day. That's just my opinion, based on what I've read.

 

[adrian1der]

Same here - I cook almond soda bread from Tom Kerridge's Dopamine Diet book

 

[Burylancs]

saw the diabetis nurse last week .she said my blood test showed my blood glucose was 120 confirmed i have type2 diabetes .when you test yourself with a blood glucose monitor i get readings between 11.6 & 15.5 where does the 120 come in is this a different reading

Hi. The two tests are measuring two different things on different scales. The readings don't equates to each other and require a complicatef formula to compare them.

 

[dingdong]

The first meal I would look at is breakfast as cereals can be very high in carbs. Try checking before breakfast and two hours afterwards and see if the rise is less than 2. If not then look for different breakfasts. Greek yoghurt and blueberries is good as is good old fashioned bacon and eggs. High in protein and fat (to keep you feeling full) and low in carbs. Once you have sorted out breakfast take the same approach to lunch. You will soon develop a feel for what your body can, and can't tolerate.

blood gl7ucose before breakfast was 11.9 after breakfast it was 10.8 will have a go at making the soda bread .

 

[adrian1der]

Was that two hours after eating?

 

[Loobyloo]

saw the diabetis nurse last week .she said my blood test showed my blood glucose was 120 confirmed i have type2 diabetes .when you test yourself with a blood glucose monitor i get readings between 11.6 & 15.5 where does the 120 come in is this a different reading

Here is a conversion chart that may help explain your readings

 

[Christy]

@adrian1der: "I now think of my diagnosis very positively as it provided the kick up the bum I needed to sort myself out!"

Me too @adrian1der. Whilst no one would wish for a T2 diagnosis, there can be positives to take away from the development of the condition. @dingdong, you will read about the many people on this site who've put the T2 diabetes into remission with lifestyle changes. Good luck with your journey.

Me too @Rick B & @adrian1der . Sadly it was a kick up the bum I'd been needing for a while. If you can, @dingdong, use this as an incentive to sort out any weight/eating/lifestyle issues that apply and hopefully you too will benefit. Without sounding corny it's made such a difference to my daily life.

 

[dingdong]

Was that two hours after eating?

yes 2 hours after eating

 

[Drummer]

Hello @dingdong I see you have been trying to eat a low fat high carb diet - I was doing the same thing for almost two years before diagnosis but I only reached a Hba1c of 91.
Your 120 equates to some rather high blood glucose levels, so you are almost bound to get wobblies if you lower your intake of carbs too swiftly though they are false sensations of low blood sugar they can be alarming.
Making a few swaps gradually over a period of weeks would be the safest route to take, and adding in low carb vegs and berries so things don't get boring can really help.

 

[Drummer]

yes 2 hours after eating

the usual routing is to test just before starting to eat, and then 2 hours after the first test, not after the end of the meal. It is not necessary to time it to the minute, but you'll get the best information by making things repeatable.