Pre-dinner drinks and testing specifics

[sdkikikins]

Ok, some of the very nice folks in the Introductions section said that I could ask as many questions as I want! (Little did they know...)

Last night, I went out to dinner. Here is the timeline and corresponding numbers:

6:00 - Had a beer while waiting to order
6:30 - Started dinner
8:00 - 126
8:30 - 138

So, what's the deal? Should I go by the 8pm number or the 8:30 number? When I go out to dinner, should I make sure I don't eat/drink anything until I'm ready to do the whole meal from start to finish? What about when people have appetizers at a restaurant? Do I just say "screw it" and not test for those meals?

Also, when does your BS actually tend to spike? I had also taken my BS at 7:30 (just to see), and it was only 99. I was surprised to see it keep going up significantly until the 2 hour mark. Is it possible it went higher than that? If so, are the "spikes" what I am supposed to be monitoring? Do some people spike at different times than others?

Thanks!

Kim
Former GDM, and now "officially" Pre-Diabetic, but close enough to treat like T2...

[Middle Aged Man]

What I was taught was to take my blood sugar at regular points each day. Wake up time, before main meal, 2 hours after starting main meal. By following that pattern, you can see the variations whereas doing it constantly through the day can lead to lots of questions.

I was told to look for bg to be below 140 in the two fasting tests, and below 160 in the after meal test.

Then again, tonight I did my post dinner reading and got 209. I will test again shortly to see if it's gone back down yet.

As for diet, you need to figure out how to keep your carbs under control. I'm undereating a lot, and it's not helping . . . my liver dumps sugar instead. Have you seen a dietician?

Ah, just took the bg. Down to 135.

[birds_eye]

I have the same questions as you do Sdkikikins, with regards to appetizers and drinks before dinner and so on. I generally just get to the party, have a look what's to offer, and decide what I'll snack on, and estimate carbs. Then I'll take a shot to cover them. This takes a lot of self discipline to stick to what you've decided to eat, but isn't self discipline the name of any diabetics game?

I'll always snack on something though, before I take a drink. and If i drink, i'll stick to something that I know won't throw my sugars out, like whiskey or red wine.

You could also just snack on protein goodies, and then not need to take a shot. experiment experiment experiment.... :beer:

keep us updated

[sdkikikins]

Since I'm not on insulin, I guess my question is more a matter of the test timing. I'm not sure if I take my 2 hour post-prandial test 2 hours after that first drink, or 2 hours after I start the actual meal. The results would definitely be different.

I guess the BEST case scenario would be to just drool over the frosty cold beverage and wait until I'm ready to start the entire meal... bummer.

[Harold]

Two hours after you start the meal, and I don't count the drink as the start. Alcohol slows down the digestive metabolism and keeps the liver busy so it does not release glucose. The idea is to eat something that will peak and have glucose readings in the target range by two hours. Sometimes we do that and sometimes it takes more than two hours to peak. It all depends on what you eat, and the only way you can tell is to test like every half hour for about three hours. I did that once and posted the results somewhere on here. The interesting thing was that it looked like I peaked twice before the two hour mark. It all depends on what you eat and where your body is at that day. Because what it does today it may do differently tomorrow.

[sdkikikins]

Two hours after you start the meal, and I don't count the drink as the start. Alcohol slows down the digestive metabolism and keeps the liver busy so it does not release glucose. The idea is to eat something that will peak and have glucose readings in the target range by two hours. Sometimes we do that and sometimes it takes more than two hours to peak. It all depends on what you eat, and the only way you can tell is to test like every half hour for about three hours. I did that once and posted the results somewhere on here. The interesting thing was that it looked like I peaked twice before the two hour mark. It all depends on what you eat and where your body is at that day. Because what it does today it may do differently tomorrow.

Thanks! Exactly the info I was looking for. So, a follow-up question...

If I find that I peak consistently at the 3 hour mark (or any other time other than at 2 hours PP), does that mean that I should be testing then? Or, stick with the "gold standard" of 2 hour post-prandial? I thought that the object of testing was to capture those peaks and make sure THEY are in range?

Also, what if I were to have a small appetizer 30 minutes prior to the "real" meal? Would I test 2 hours after start of the appetizer, or meal? Or, should I just skip the appetizer all together cuz this is all just too much work and I am just too freakin' anal...
:confused:

Wow, there is a LOT of information out there, but I'm finding that theory is really different than practice. Ho hum... <sigh>

[koblenz]

I thought that the object of testing was to capture those peaks and make sure THEY are in range?
As I have been told and read, the object of testing is for you to acquire knowledge. How you react to certain foods... to exercise... etc. You then use that knowledge to make any necessary changes. I think it is fantastic that you are testing a lot; that is one of the keys to taking good care of yourself.

You should be ready to adapt your testing to your situation. Testing at 2 hours is the "standard", but if you find that 99% of the time you are pretty good and spike at 3-hours, then you should consider discussing this with your diabetes care team and perhaps adjust your testing schedule. Your goal with testing is to learn, adjust and adapt. One system of testing may work for you, but not for me.

Also, what if I were to have a small appetizer 30 minutes prior to the "real" meal? Would I test 2 hours after start of the appetizer, or meal? Or, should I just skip the appetizer all together cuz this is all just too much work and I am just too freakin' anal...
On first reaction, I would say test at 2 hours post meal and forget the appitizer if it was small, low carb, or there was some time between it and the meal. If it was higher carb or close to the main meal, then I would count that as your "start".

But then I have to ask if you are taking any medication in conjuction with your meal (insulin, pills, etc.). If you are taking any meds, then I think you need to consider the timing of the meds, timing of your meal and testing. I think the key is to test to determine how the meds are affecting you in conjuction with the food. Once you learn what your personal patterns tend to be, you can make better decisions.

Let us know how it goes...

[Harold]

The goal given to me was to be finished with peaking by the 2 hour post meal. Bg's are never consistant, or so it seems, over time they are always going up or down. This is the result of what you eat as well as your activity and the liver releasing glucose to meet your bodies demand. We are constantly burning up glucose and to get between meals we use glucose from what we store in the liver and for more immediate use what's stored in the muscles. CGMS would make it so much easier for us to determine if we are seeing a peak from what we have eaten or what's released from the liver. Without it it's hard to say that what you are seeing at 3 hours is from your meal or from a liver release. However some food in combination with other food will cause a delayed peak and a CDE would tell you to stay away from meals of that type.

I treat a three couse meal the same as having a single couse meal from the start of eating. Now what do you do with a seven course meal that takes 45 min. to an hour to go through? I test twice, 2 hours post start and end of the meal.