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When to test???

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
N

Newtothis

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I only have 1 testing strip left until my new batch arrive from Ebay. Should I:-

Test 1hr after my sunday dinner:-
Chicken (cooked in the oven)
Brussell Sprouts
Leeks
1 potatoe (not keen on spuds)
Small amount of sage and onion stuffing (Husband made me eat it)

OR 2hrs after

OR

test in the morning when I wake up.

My concern would be if my 1hr test is high I'll worry about it all-night or should my meal be ok?

Diagnosed Aug '11 - slightly paranoid but very anxious. HbA1c 7.2
(Diet and exercise for 3 months). Amanda x 🙂
 
I'd personally go for morning and enjoy your evening with the taste (and smell 😱) of stuffing to savour. :D

If you test tonight and you're normal, you won't know if it's going to go up further anyway, so won't really tell you much in isolation.

Rob
 
I'd test in the morning too.
 
If I test in the morning is that an indication of how my bloods were today? Am I right in assuming the stuffing was a bad idea? 🙂
 
Newtothis said:
If I test in the morning is that an indication of how my bloods were today? Am I right in assuming the stuffing was a bad idea? 🙂
Click to expand...

Did you enjoy it ?

Rob
 
Robster65 said:
Did you enjoy it ?

Rob
Click to expand...

No because my stomach was saying "don't eat me"; but husband was saying otherwise....is it a no no?🙂
 
If I have a roast, I'll generally have some but I can cover it with insulin and hope for the best.

I'd go with your instincts for now until you can test it properly. If you're higher than normal in the morning, you can maybe try without one or two of the items and see what happens. It's such a long game of trial and error that eventually you have to decide what level of naughtiness you can live with. But if you're not going to enjoy something because of the guilt factor, then IMO you may as well go without for now at least and you can enjoy the rest with a clear head 🙂

But you could really do with a T2 on D & E to advise better on the specifics.🙂

Rob
 
I'm not aware of any direct correlation between a morning reading and what you were yesterday. Except if you have poor control (which from what you've said up to now is not the case), it is likely you will have a poor morning reading too.

However, it is also possible that due to the dawn phenomenon effect, you could have a high morning reading even though the evening one was perfectly fine.

Regarding the stuffing. On the basis that you had very few potatoes and there wasn't much carb in the meal, I'd suggest that the stuffing was perfectly fine. But, you'd only have an answer about that if you did a before and after test.

I would also like to emphasise that your readings are really good for the stage that you are at (they're on a par with what mine were at the same stage and my last HbA1c was 5.9%). I'll lay odds that you'll be under the guide HbA1c of 6.5% in short order.

Andy 🙂
 
Andy HB said:
I'm not aware of any direct correlation between a morning reading and what you were yesterday. Except if you have poor control (which from what you've said up to now is not the case), it is likely you will have a poor morning reading too.

However, it is also possible that due to the dawn phenomenon effect, you could have a high morning reading even though the evening one was perfectly fine.

Regarding the stuffing. On the basis that you had very few potatoes and there wasn't much carb in the meal, I'd suggest that the stuffing was perfectly fine. But, you'd only have an answer about that if you did a before and after test.

I would also like to emphasise that your readings are really good for the stage that you are at (they're on a par with what mine were at the same stage and my last HbA1c was 5.9%). I'll lay odds that you'll be under the guide HbA1c of 6.5% in short order.

Andy 🙂
Click to expand...


Thanks Andy; the highest reading I've ever had was yesterday after a tin of sugar/salt reduced beans and I went from 6.9=10.2 (1hr) and then 10.9 (2hrs); it really shocked and scared me. It then went down to 7.4. This morning my reading was 5.7 (highest I've had prior to breakfast). I only had a small portion of stuffing and 1 potatoe. My dinner portion was quite small but I love sprouts and leeks - good job I didn't have any yorkshire puddings or gravy - but followed with plenty of water.

I'm still losing weight, lost 2lb this week so have lost a total of 22lbs since July 1st. Have increased physical exercise.

I'm doing everything I've been told to do (apart from increase starchy carbs - only because I don't tend to eat a lot of bread; rice; pasta etc) so hoping my HBa1c will come down in December. Its all a learning curve x :confused:
 
Newtothis said:
Thanks Andy; the highest reading I've ever had was yesterday after a tin of sugar/salt reduced beans and I went from 6.9=10.2 (1hr) and then 10.9 (2hrs); it really shocked and scared me. It then went down to 7.4. This morning my reading was 5.7 (highest I've had prior to breakfast). I only had a small portion of stuffing and 1 potatoe. My dinner portion was quite small but I love sprouts and leeks - good job I didn't have any yorkshire puddings or gravy - but followed with plenty of water.

I'm still losing weight, lost 2lb this week so have lost a total of 22lbs since July 1st. Have increased physical exercise.

I'm doing everything I've been told to do (apart from increase starchy carbs - only because I don't tend to eat a lot of bread; rice; pasta etc) so hoping my HBa1c will come down in December. Its all a learning curve x :confused:
Click to expand...

I've never understood this increase starchy carb advice either! Utter drivel in my opinion and it wasn't what I was told when diagnosed.

I can relate to how you feel about the odd high reading though. Early on it really bothered me too. These days I consider an 8 as a bad reading 2hrs after a meal but they only crop up when I have knowingly been 'bad'!

I'm coming up to 2 years post diagnosis now and can say that I haven't been as good health-wise for well over ten years (probably more actually). In many ways, my diagnosis was a change for the better. I hope the same will be true for you too.

Andy 🙂
 
Andy HB said:
I've never understood this increase starchy carb advice either! Utter drivel in my opinion and it wasn't what I was told when diagnosed.

I can relate to how you feel about the odd high reading though. Early on it really bothered me too. These days I consider an 8 as a bad reading 2hrs after a meal but they only crop up when I have knowingly been 'bad'!

I'm coming up to 2 years post diagnosis now and can say that I haven't been as good health-wise for well over ten years (probably more actually). In many ways, my diagnosis was a change for the better. I hope the same will be true for you too.

Andy 🙂
Click to expand...


Hi Andy,

My pre-breakfast blood testing figure was 4.9. Which is the lowest yet. Normally between 5-5.7. Amanda x 🙂
 
Newtothis said:
Hi Andy,

My pre-breakfast blood testing figure was 4.9. Which is the lowest yet. Normally between 5-5.7. Amanda x 🙂
Click to expand...
Amanda, well done on the 4.8 mmol/L :D

From a presentation that was linked on here a while back, that would be pretty much where you would expect a non-diabetic to start from in the morning. The chart I saw looked like all the (non-diabetic) participants where below 5.5 mmol/L in the morning so your "normal" readings where absolutely fine in any case.

Although I would be concerned from your other posts that you could be starving yourself a little to achieve those figures. Please be careful with that.
 
Mark T said:
Although I would be concerned from your other posts that you could be starving yourself a little to achieve those figures. Please be careful with that.
Click to expand...

A very valid point Mark.

Be careful Amanda that the numbers don't become so important to you that they overrule everything else. It can become an obsession and, although important, near enough can often be good enough, at least at this stage.🙂

Rob
 
Robster65 said:
A very valid point Mark.

Be careful Amanda that the numbers don't become so important to you that they overrule everything else. It can become an obsession and, although important, near enough can often be good enough, at least at this stage.🙂

Rob
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more. There are some people I've known who have taken to trying to get their HbA1c down to 'silly' levels. One can become a little too obsessed at times (something I have to keep reminding myself of occasionally!).

Andy 🙂
 
Thanks guys, I must admit I did wake up in the middle of the night hungry and then realised I didn't eat a lot yesterday - I am worried about becoming obsessed and feel out of control because I am waiting for test strips to arrive.

I had a hearty breakfast this morning - porridge and blue berries and going to get some lunch in a while. I'm going to keep a food diary so that I can see where I need to improve; snacking on walnuts which I know are fattening but better than snacking on crisps and chocolate x 🙄

Thanks for your continued support x Amanda
 
Had to do with weight-watchers bread so 2 x slices; tin of mackeral in tomotoe sauce and an orange.

Does anyone know if weight-watchers bread is a no-no; I tried the Bergen but after a reading of 10.9 I'm giving it a miss although I know it was probably the reduced fat/sugar baked beans.

Amanda x 🙂
 
Newtothis said:
I tried the Bergen but after a reading of 10.9 I'm giving it a miss although I know it was probably the reduced fat/sugar baked beans.
Click to expand...

Haven't tried WW bread, but I wouldn't give up on Burgen Linseed/Soya just yet. Give it another go or two (without the beans) just to make sure. I've found it by far the best slowest releasing bread available. Well for me anyway!

Some people find oranges quite 'spiky' (at one stage orange juice was suggested as a hypo remedy for T1s)
 
Hi Amanda

Sorry I can't help with the bread :(

Just wanted to say if you do get a higher than normal reading try going for a short stroll.
When mine goes up to 9/10.x mmol/l, I head out into the garden for a bit with the birds, just general pottering, taking photo's works wonders in fetching my numbers back to better figures.


Sarah 🙂
 
Bit of a side step here.... I would never have thought of buying strips on ebay.... I presume you are happy that you are getting the real thing... do you stick to one Known/recommended seller... if so can you let me know which seller you use.... would save me a fortune as I supplement the "ration" I am allowed on NHS by buying them in Boots, thanks for any guidance on the subject
 
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