clarifying something

[arlenecarol]

My doctor has told me that the most important b/g reading is the +2hours after eating ...

most people on this list seem to support the fasting b/g reading...

okay...run this by me again...

after eating, your b/g is at a 'max' (?)
+2 hours after eating?

what about if your b/g level +1 after eating?? or isn't this important to test for?

i really do need to stop this manic b/g testing...it's costing me a fortune in test strips!! :burnout:

if i only want to test twice a day, what are your recommendations?

thanks ya'll

a.

[Peter Lee]

The diabetes consultant that my doctor sent me to (I'm in the UK) says that from a medication control point of view, the fasting (i.e. overnight) reading is the important one. This reading also indicates how well the medication(Metformin) is performing in curbing the liver pumping glucose during the fast.

I also test occasionally during the day on a needs must basis in order to know what to eat, particularly when I am doing physical work and burning up blood sugar quite fast.

My observation of this forum is that the two hour after eating test is more applicable to Type 1 diabetics.

[arlenecarol]

My observation of this forum is that the two hour after eating test is more applicable to Type 1 diabetics.

(maybe my doctor thinks i'm really T1??)

the more i learn the more questions i have...sorry..i have to ask this then...
my doctor is of course turkish..he's had some training in the US however..
he never told me about the fasting rate...he also was seriously thinking about putting me directly on insulin after our first meeting and without any testing on his part...just going by my monitor record. okay...a bit aggressive but i told him that i wasn't ready for insulin yet...let's try the other stuff first.
eventually, i'll probably have to have insulin but not now...

another really important question that i still haven't been able to nail down an answer to...WHEN should i take my meds? before meals, with meals or after meals??

when do you take your metformin? how does it work exactly and shouldn't that determine when to take it? also the avandia...my dr. said 1/2 hour before meals...but on those days when i forgot to take it before and either took it with or immediately after, my readings seemed better at +2 hours. or maybe i just didn't pay enough attention.

i'm sure that as soon as i get all this 'regulated' - my body will decide to play games and i'll have to start all over again!

i think that's the name of the game!!

sheesh... :(

arlene

[MarkMunday]

My doctor has told me that the most important b/g reading is the +2hours after eating ...
Arlene,

The two-hour-after-meals reading is important because it shows how well a glucose load is being metabolised. The closer to normal that reading is, the better. If the 2 hour reading is very high, your meds aren't doing what they are supposed to.

In answer to your next question, Metformin and Avandia are insulin sensitizers. T2 diabetes is characterised by "insulin resistance". Which means that the insulin your pancreas is producing is not being effectively used to enable your cells to absorb glucose. So your blood sugar goes up. These meds brings your blood sugar down by increasing your sensitivity to the insulin you are producing.

If you are in fact T1, these meds wouldn't help much and your blood sugar levels would probably detriorate quite quickly. You can find out for sure if you are T1 by having the anti-body tests done. But if you can't arrange that, you will just have to wait and see.

Hope this helps,

Mark

[liz32]

I find that the 2hr test is the best at judging how foods react. I usually do it when i'm trying something new to eat. For instance, I wanted to eat pizza but didn't know what it did to my sugars. I did a two hour test and found that I was not under 8 which is my goal for a 2hr post. I tried again another time with a thinner crust and again tested 2hr. My sugars still were above 8 so I now know that if I eat pizza my sugars will be up for a longer time than if I ate something else. If you want good control you might need to test more than 2x a day at least until you're sure how things react with your body and your meds.

[trowter]

My diabetes educator told me that it the fasting is the important one...But when it comes to the one or two hour after meals, it completely depends on the individual as to which is the best one. In my case, she told me to use the 1 hour instead of two. My pancreas still seems to be keeping up really well, and so I spike right around one hour, and then by the time 2 hours comes around, I'm almost 100% of the time back to within what she says is fine (under 7.0)

[mg_2204]

My doctor has told me that the most important b/g reading is the +2hours after eating ...

most people on this list seem to support the fasting b/g reading...



In my humble opinion, both readings are important. With that said, in my case, fasting sugars are a problem. That is why I focus on this problem area. But it doesn't mean other readings throughout the day aren't important to me.

I think for us T2 fasting sugars are always a problem. It has to do with the dawn phenomenon.

after eating, your b/g is at a 'max' (?)
+2 hours after eating?

You mean before and after? Before I'm mostly between 5 and 6.2 mmol/L (90 and 112 mg/dl). Two hours after I will be back at the same levels. Unless I've had pizza, pasta, or something very high in carbs for supper.

Carbs don't seem to affect BG the same way depending on the time of the day I have them. For that reason, I have most of my carbs for breakfast, a bit less at lunch time, and I avoid bread, pasta, potatoes, and rice at supper time. It seems to work well for me.

Experience has shown me I do need carbs and a lot, especially when I'm at work. I'm a carer and the job is quite hard. I also walk to and from work. I exercise in the evening on top of that. But for supper, I favour vegetables and a bit of lean meat only.

what about if your b/g level +1 after eating?? or isn't this important to test for?

I don't test after 1 hour. It's a matter of personal choice and individual needs I think.

i really do need to stop this manic b/g testing...it's costing me a fortune in test strips!!

I can really relate to what you're saying here. There was a time when I would obsess about testing. And yes, it drove me crazy too! I slowly cut down. Now I test every morning before breakfast, occasionally during the day if I feel strange (especially when working hard), and before bed. My doc said I could get away with testing 2 to 3 times a week only. But I prefer to keep an eye on BG. If I'm sick, I'll test more. If I'm on holidays, I'll test a bit more. Again, a matter of personal choice and individual needs.

The very best to you! :)

[Peter Lee]

(

when do you take your metformin?
arlene
I used to have to take the Metformin either during or immediately after eating a meal because of the gastro intestinal side effects and taking it then minimised these.

Now after 8 months I seem to have got used to it and the side effects are almost non-existent. I now take it around meal times whenever convenient, usually just before a meal so that I don't forget.

On a couple of occasions my itinerary went wrong and I missed a meal. I still took the Metformin at the usual time on the empty stomach with no ill-effects. I think I must me lucky. My fasting sugars are now consistently between 5.2 and 6.2 (93.6 & 111.6) which I am very pleased with. :)