When exactly to test .......

[Browser]

I’m interested to hear how others test their BG. We know that the basic procedure is to test just prior to eating and then again after two hours. However, what is the optimum time to test, depending on when you start and end your meal. For example if you start to eat at, say 6 pm and have a short meal, I assume you would be expected to remonitor at around 8.10 pm. Then again, if you started to eat at 6 pm and had a fairly long meal, finishing at around 7 pm. Should you still remonitor at 8.10 pm or two hours after finishing your meal at around 9 pm?......... or am I just splitting hairs?

 

[Ljc]

When testing to see how carbs affect me I test two hours after starting to eat.

 

[Lanny]

You brought up an interesting point @Browser as I was quite confused by this very issue last year when after medicating, first 11years, then injecting insulin, 6 years, straight after eating for 17 years I made the switch to pre bolusing before eating for better control that I learnt from this forum.

It’s made a big difference getting the insulin there first before I start to eat. But, from when do I start the count for the 2 hour test? I stuck with what I knew 2 hours after I finished eating but, wasn’t catching the peak & the lower BS gave me a false sense of security as I didn’t catch the higher peak earlier & the BS had already started to go down. My HbA1c was about 20 higher than what I thought it would be from my daily readings.

So, I tested 2 hours after I started eating & my BS was indeed higher but, that gave me extra incentive to work harder to keep my BS in better control. My HbA1c was still higher than what I thought but, the margin was less at about 15 higher.

Now, I test 2 hours after the insulin goes in & my BS was even higher still. I also started testing at different times from 1 hour to 90 minutes after the insulin goes in & I’ve found that around 90 minutes after insulin is when I, in italics, peak: 1 hour BS is still going up; 90 mins plateaus & starts to go down soon after. So, that’s when I now test: 90 minutes after the insulin going in.

So, my routine is now test, inject, cook, eat & test around 90 minutes after the insulin goes in. My last HbA1c was only slightly off about 10 higher & was actually better than I expected after a REALLY tough Winter with injury & illness!

The only variable is the amount of time I take to cook depending on what it is that makes a slight difference in that I might go lower, or hypo, before I eat. So, I start cooking first sometimes before testing & injecting then, finish cooking. The time of day makes a difference too as I need about 20 minutes after insulin to eat in the mornings, about 10 minutes at lunch & only 5 minutes or straight before eating in the evening.

This last year I learnt more about insulin & timings from all you helpful folk here than I ever did before. Also, learnt how I, in italics, am affected by food & insulin.