how quick???

[Diabetic-Canada]

How quick do you find things affect your blood sugar?

for example, some chocolate, does your blood sugar rise almost emediately? or does it take half an hour? Please do tell,

Thanks

David

[HeatherP]

Probably depends a bit on the individual, and the carb to insulin ratio and the person's sensitivity to insulin.

Personally, I find my b/s is the highest an hour after my meals.

Did the dr put you on insulin? If so, what are you taking and how many shots a day?

HeatherP

[Tony]

Originally posted by Diabetic-Canada
How quick do you find things affect your blood sugar?

for example, some chocolate, does your blood sugar rise almost emediately? or does it take half an hour? Please do tell,

Thanks

David Chocolate does not rise your blood emediately. I'm not to sure, but I'm thinking about 2 hours or more.

[rzrbks]

How quick do you find things affect your blood sugar?


for example, some chocolate, does your blood sugar rise almost emediately? or does it take half an hour? Please do tell,


OJ is one thing I use to jump my BG quickly. I over-estimated Carbs for lunch today and was down to 58(3.2). I drank a 6 oz.(177mL) can of OJ and 15 minutes later I was 92(5.1)--weak as a kitten though and I have to use spell check on everything right now LOL.

Chocolate, on the other hand, takes a long time. Even Chocolate frozen custard. I tried that once while out shopping with my wife when I got hit by a low and it really didn't have an effect. I was forced, FORCED, I say:D to drink some regular Coke to get BG back up in the normal range.

[Diabetic-Canada]

Originally posted by HeatherP
Probably depends a bit on the individual, and the carb to insulin ratio and the person's sensitivity to insulin.

Personally, I find my b/s is the highest an hour after my meals.

Did the dr put you on insulin? If so, what are you taking and how many shots a day?

HeatherP

About an hour... ok, well, I'll experiment and see how my body reacts.

The docter was actually pretty pleased with my progress, he is going to do a few more tests, but right now, I have my blood sugar pretty stable between 5 and 8 with diet and excersice, so no insulin yet.


David

[Diabetic-Canada]

Originally posted by Tony
Chocolate does not rise your blood emediately. I'm not to sure, but I'm thinking about 2 hours or more.

So, I guess that would mean that chocolate is slower releasing. :thumbsup: I love chocolate :p I just have to limit myself now and figure out how it affects me.

[WiseWords]

Originally posted by Diabetic-Canada
So, I guess that would mean that chocolate is slower releasing.
:thumbsup: {Not Necessarily}
I love chocolate :p I just have to limit myself now
and figure out how it affects me.
I'll tell you exactly how it will affect you.
It will send your blood sugar up.

The exact time for digestion may vary with
your particular metabolism, and the end results
will be affected by the amount of insulin that your
pancreas is able to produce in relation to the increased
BG from the candy bar.

When a diabetic has a low BG, and the body is
looking for carbs, juice is digested quickly in a matter of minutes,
but I have found that for me, even a chocolate candy bar
will act almost as quickly. I do believe that most people
would have the same results.

However, being low, is not an issue for you.
And therefore, the time for digestion may vary,
although it should not take two hours. Your BG should
rise, from the candy bar, in about 15 to 20 minutes,
if you have no digestive problems.
It may take up to two hours for it to come back down,
or even longer because your pancreas has slowed
down in the production of insulin.

My advice, no candy bars, whatsoever,
until you have your diabetes under control.
Then, you can experiment, by testing your BG
with your meter, before and after eating a candy bar.
You can also check to see if extra exercise helps to
lower your BG after having a candy bar.
It may turn out that you need to run about ten miles
to burn up the carbs, and you might decide that the
chocolate is not worth it. Same for chocolate cake or
ice cream. I like all of those things, and do have them,
on occasion, but as I am on insulin, I can take a little extra,
when needed to cover the extra carbs.

For now, as a newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic,
your doctor is tying to see if you can be regulated on
diet & exercise. He may add Glucophage/Metformin,
which helps to control the intake of Glucose into the blood.
Later, you may be put on drugs which stimulate the
pancreas to produce the needed insulin.

The less you make the pancreas work, the longer it
is going to last. Chocolate bars do not cause it to
work less !
Some Type 2's prefer to follow a low carb diet,
along with lots of exercise, in order to avoid the meds for
as long as possible. If you can do that, it may help.
The fact is, your pancreas is not going to get better or
heal itself. It will only get worse, meaning less insulin
production, although no one can predict an exact time frame.
You may never need to go on insulin, but you
will need to follow a diet, which limits
high carbohydrate foods, and foods with a high
glycemic index. The better you take care of yourself,
the better you will get along. Chocolate bars are not
high on the list of low carb foods that are good for you.
Even if it would be absorbed slowly into your system,
that would keep your BG high for a longer period of time.

You have probably had slightly high blood sugars for
some time, but not high enough to have been of concern
for tests. There is current thought that a Type 2 diabetic
may have slightly high blood sugars for as much as ten years
before diagnosis. That can put a strain on other organs
such as the kidneys and heart. Type 2's are much more
prone to heart attacks or stroke from the risks
associated with high blood sugars.

Talk to a dietitian, as well as a certified diabetes educator,
and learn to make use of your meter for info on your BG level.
;)

[mg_2204]

... sometimes I ask myself : Is it better to just forget about stuff like that, chocolate, ice cream ans such? Even if I know how they will affect me, in how much time and for how long I'll be feeling not too good... is it really worth it? I don't know if you guys are like me but the more I eat, the more I want. The more I keep away from it, the less I crave it. And once I get into that vicious circle, it's really hard to get out. Sometimes takes me days. Just a thought...

Marie
:)

[rzrbks]

According to C.S. Lewis (and others), when we indulge in a thing that is proscribed, we are only asking for trouble. It is only when we deny ourselves a thing, except in context, that that particular thing obtains true value.


Your friendly English teacher.

[Diabetic-Canada]

Originally posted by WiseWords
My advice, no candy bars, whatsoever,
until you have your diabetes under control.

Ok, just to clarify, when I said chocolate, I didn't mean Chocolate bars as in Snickers or Mars bars, etc. I was talking about pure dark chocolate. Which would probably contain far less sugar.

Originally posted by WiseWords
Then, you can experiment, by testing your BG
with your meter, before and after eating a candy bar.
You can also check to see if extra exercise helps to
lower your BG after having a candy bar.
It may turn out that you need to run about ten miles
to burn up the carbs, and you might decide that the
chocolate is not worth it.

I actually tried this a bit yesterday, I tested my BG, then ate a small bit of chocolate, 15 min later I tested it again. It had gone from 5.5 to 6.7. So I jumped on the stationary bike, and rode for 15 min. (turned out to be about 4 miles) and then checked my BG again and it was 5.2. So the little bit of biking brought it down again.

I don't mind doing this, I like excercising, and can only see benefits from it, so I think this might be ok, but I'll ask my doctor about it.


Originally posted by WiseWords
Some Type 2's prefer to follow a low carb diet,
along with lots of exercise, in order to avoid the meds for
as long as possible. If you can do that, it may help.

This is what I would like to do, and have been doing for about a week now, and it seems to be working quite nicely.


Thank you for the informative post, I learned a lot. :)

David

[rzrbks]

Diabetic-Canada

It had gone from 5.5 to 6.7.

Neither of those is a bad number. In fact, the 6.7 is the upper end of what my normal range should be. According to my Dr. and my CDE, my target range is 5.0 to 8.3. They/I would prefer to keep it nearer to the 6.7. And, since my last A1c was 5.2, I do succeed in keeping BG reading 7.5 or under.


Seems as if you're doing well and understanding what is required of you.

Good job.:thumbsup:

[Harold]

chocolate, does your blood sugar rise almost emediately?

A piece of chocolate three hours after eating will give me a rush before it hits my stomach. Sometimes before it hits my stomach and it's legal, yipee!!!!!!!:thumbsup: