Two hour rule

[lgvincent]

I've seen this talk of checking your blood sugar two hours after eating a meal but I have a question. Because of digestive problems, I have to eat slowly and it can take me 30 minutes to eat a meal at times. Am I supposed to check two hours after I start eating the meal or two hours after I finish it?

[Ashtur]

From what I've seen... it's two hours from the time you start eating.

[HeatherP]

I think it's two hours after injecting, but if you have slower digestion, then 2 hrs after beginning to eat is probably your best bet.

[BeadieJay]

that's what I've seen as well - 2 hours from the time you begin your meal

[lgvincent]

I've been checking it 2 hours after I've finished the meal because as I said, it sometimes takes me a while to eat. If I eat too fast, I can get this intense pressure which makes it feel like I'm going to explode so I have to eat small bites and take a few moments between bites.

[BeadieJay]

I'd like to know for certain when we're supposed to check after meals. Like you lg, I take my time to eat, although not for the reasons you have, but because the longer I take to eat, the less chance I'll be hungry again 2 hours later!!

I did start out checking 2 hours after I finished eating, but I know I've read in several places that you should check 2 hours after starting

So, I'm interested to see what other people say, and if there's an expert who can set us straight!

[KLD]

I've always been in the habit of checking two hours after my meal, but I eat quite quickly so it probably doesn't make much difference. I asked my endocronologist and he says it doesn't matter as long as you're consistent, so that you're comparing the same thing.

Karen

[BeadieJay]

that makes great sense Karen! Thanks :D


I'm going to stick to 2 hours after I start eating - but that's only because I often forget to make a note of the time, but if I've tested before a meal, I just have to check my monitor, which stores the time of each test.....then I just work out approx 2 hours from that time!! Great for someone with a lousy memory LOL

[KLD]

Makes sense to me, Sue!

Karen

[Harold]

I'm a slow eater and had this same question back when this forum started. The consensus at that time was was from the start and several months later I found it on a website that could be considered official. Like Karen's endo said what's important is consistancy and if you have an established system that works keep with it.

[Shalyndria]

Hmmm, I was always taught to test two hours after injecting/bolusing insulin. My doc's/CDE's reasoning for this is that I am testing the action of the insulin, not the digestion of food. I may have to have another discussion about this with him...

Karen, your endo's suggestion to be consistent is a great nugget of advice. :) On that note, one should also be consistent with injecting insulin; whether injecting before or after meals.

Shy

[KLD]

Originally posted by Shalyndria
Hmmm, I was always taught to test two hours after injecting/bolusing insulin. My doc's/CDE's reasoning for this is that I am testing the action of the insulin, not the digestion of food. I may have to have another discussion about this with him...
Shy That's a good point too, Shy, for those on insulin. Maybe the timing is less important for those of us who are type 2s not on insulin.

On second thought, though, what you're really testing for is the combined effect of the food and the insulin, isn't it? Or is it - I don't know very much about insulin.

Karen

[Belinda]

HMMM there are too many rules!!!! I have just check mine at any given time of the day. Always when I get up and before going to bed. Usually around lunch and the rest of the time it is how I am feeling or the habit of doing the finger prick a various intervals. I do check mine probably more than I need too in a given day! But hey if it keeps my A1C 7.0 ond below and it keeps me well and the Doc happy I am game!

[SunniD]

I remember the CDE on the lifescan site saying to check 2 hrs. from the start of a meal no matter how long it took to eat that meal. The 2 hr. post meal bg can be checking for gastroparesis. One of the many solutions for gastroparesis is to take the dose of insulin earlier so I would tend not to agree with starting the 2 hr. clock when the dose of insulin is given, imho.
Consistency does sound like a good key to follow also.
Take care all and have a lovely day.

SunniD

[mg_2204]

... I was told to test 2 hours after my last bite. That's what I've been doing ever since!

Marie
:)

[rzrbks]

NOw you see that Medicine is indeed an ART not A Science.

When I was having troubles this spring, the CDE and Clinician told me to start checking at 3 (Three) hours after meals.

I did get everything straightened out and am back to checking 2 hours after I finish eating , as originally Trained/Told to do.

Proviso: at times, I can't eat right after injecting, students/job interferes with meal consumption at times so I was told "Don't worry about it. Just test 2 hours after you finish eating.":rolleyes:

[ScottWagner]

Hi all,

I am using a pump, and I usually test two hours after a bolus. I was told by my doc and cde to bolus right after finishing eating, even if you have an accurate count prior to eating. (which is the opposite of my prior endo...) Who knows?!?!?!?!?! Two hours after bolus seems to work well for me :-)

[ScottWagner]

SEE ABOVE MESSAGE The DEVIL was not intentional, it was apparantly the result of a series of periods... Ooops

[soremom]

I bolus after I eat, otherwise I usually bolus too much if I do it before I eat. With my new pump, it has a feature to remind you to check you bgs after you bolus. I set mine for two hours after each bolus. This seems to help me. Though drives my husband mad. When he comes home from work (at 4 in the morning) I keep beeping. lol

Kim

[rzrbks]

:topic:

OK, so here's the way I see it.

In Basketball, if you you don't shoot the ball within thirty seconds after crossing the time line, the Refs blow the whistle and give the ball to the other team.


So, following the same logical thinking, if we quit doing the two hour check after we eat/bolus does this mean the Refs will take our Diabetes away from us and give it to someone else?


Where do I find the Refs?