when to test 1 hour or 2 hour post-meal?

[Mark T]

The one problem with limited strips is that there is not much room for mistakes.

This weekend I tested myself on a breakfast something that I expected to hit a certain bg level - but it was high. What I had forgotten was that all my other tests had been on workdays when after breakfast I have a brisk 10 minute walk to the meet-up location for my car share. Not sure if 10 minute walk really makes all that difference - but it still made me question the result,

I've also done a couple of post lunch tests where I've been grazing and accidentally had something in my snack pot that contains carbs (sadly dull celery is the safest thing to have in my graze pot). Whoops! although not a wasted strip, it still looses value.

 

[FM001]

My own view on one hour postprandial spikes is nothing over 9 mmol/l will do, I test on the hour to establish what impact food has on my blood glucose, once I am certain it is safe then I will test less frequent on the hour when eating this type of food. The 2 hour test I will do most days, this is mainly for peace of mind and to make sure my insulin requirements haven't changed, I always test before eating again so that I can adjust my insulin should it be necessary. It's difficult for type 2's with test strip restrictions and I don't envy them having to decide when to test.

 

[Carina1962]

Well, this is interesting! - i am so glad that i have decided this week to test
1HPM instead of my usual 2HPM. For my lunch today i had a cup of soup
(16.6g carbohydrate per sachet), one Matzo large cracker (18g carb), and 25g of chick peas in the soup and when i tested 1HPM it was a shocking 9.8. Now had i waited until 2HPM my reading would probably have been 'acceptable' and i would have thought that particular meal was OK so it just shows that in a way i am being decieved with 2HPM. My evening meals this week have produced good readings for 1HPM ie 7.2, 7.4 so i will carry on with my testing and make it an every other week routine, but yes very interesting indeed

 

[Northerner]

Well, this is interesting! - i am so glad that i have decided this week to test
1HPM instead of my usual 2HPM. For my lunch today i had a cup of soup
(16.6g carbohydrate per sachet), one Matzo large cracker (18g carb), and 25g of chick peas in the soup and when i tested 1HPM it was a shocking 9.8. Now had i waited until 2HPM my reading would probably have been 'acceptable' and i would have thought that particular meal was OK so it just shows that in a way i am being decieved with 2HPM. My evening meals this week have produced good readings for 1HPM ie 7.2, 7.4 so i will carry on with my testing and make it an every other week routine, but yes very interesting indeed

Carina, do you know what your level was before your lunch? If it was around 7 then the 9.8 wouldn't be such a big rise. Sorry if I'm suggesting even more testing! 😱

 

[Carina1962]

I realised when i sent my post that i didn't mention i had not tested before lunch but what i will do is have the same lunch one day next week and test before as well - yes that would make a difference wouldn't it? Recently, my levels pre-meals have been high 5's and low 6's so if that was the same then it would have caused me to 'spike'