[eliza0104]

Hi, I'm new here with a question, first a little background,
I'm 34 yrs old, was told in college I have hypogyclemia (did GTT) My maternal grandmother and paternal grandfather both have diabetes. I recently went to the doctor for headaches and constant thirst symptoms. FBS (done 2.5 hours after I woke up, if that matters) was 88. Doctor did an A1C and results are 6.4%, so slightly elevated. I was told to go on a diabetic diet and exercise and come back in 6 months. I am getting a monitor from the doctor and told to check my FBS and 1-2 hours after any meal (just once a day) My question is this considered pre-diabetes? Should I check my BS after every meal and 1 or 2 hours after? Also, if only checking once a day after a meal, which meal? I was just dx with Medullary Sponge Kidney disease, so want to err on the side of caution in regards to diabetes. I don't need any complications, esp. on my kidneys. I have an endocrinologist anyway, b/c I have hypothyroidism, so plan on asking her some ?? when I see her in two weeks. Thanks for your help!

[sumi]

Hi Eliza,
In answer to your testing question: Is the cost of test strips a concern? If not, keep a food journal and test before and 2 hours after first bite of each meal. This will give you information on what foods your body can handle (everyone is different). If cost is a concern, try testing around breakfast one day, lunch the next, supper the next and so on. Your goals should be about 80 to 110 before a meal and under 140 2 hours after. Remember to keep a record to show to your doctors. This will give them a good starting point for treatment, and will impress them with your diligence. Your fasting number is great, but your A1C isn't. If you look on the right hand side of the screen, you will see under diabetesforums, the word converters. According to the converter, your average bg level is 150 which is too high. Many people do have higher than expected A1C's, it is not always accurate, but is probably why your doctor has you monitoring. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

[foxl]

Welcome!

We had a recent discussion about whether there is such a thing as pre-D. Most seemed to think it is a bad idea.

I personally think either you have a problem with glucose metabolism, or you do not.

Get a meter and eat to it. Learn what works for you.

And read a ton here!

[eliza0104]

Susan~the cost of test strips is not an issue. I will do every meal before and two hours after.

[GayleM]

Yup, test yourself and take control - your monitor is the only thing that really shows what's going on.

2 hours after a meal testing may not tell you what you need to know. What is your peak? That's what tells you if what you are eating is okay for your body's ability to manage the BG effect. For a few days test right before each meal, then 45 minutes, 1 hour and 90 minutes. You'll see a pattern reveal itself and when you reach your peak. That's the best time to test yourself after meals going forward because you want to eat foods that will keep you within 30-40 points of your before meal peak. I was shocked when I saw how high I was going, even though my 2 hr. numbers were really good.

[eliza0104]

Originally Posted by GayleM

Yup, test yourself and take control - your monitor is the only thing that really shows what's going on.

2 hours after a meal testing may not tell you what you need to know. What is your peak? That's what tells you if what you are eating is okay for your body's ability to manage the BG effect. For a few days test right before each meal, then 45 minutes, 1 hour and 90 minutes. You'll see a pattern reveal itself and when you reach your peak. That's the best time to test yourself after meals going forward because you want to eat foods that will keep you within 30-40 points of your before meal peak. I was shocked when I saw how high I was going, even though my 2 hr. numbers were really good.

Thanks Gayle. Should I do this after every meal? Or just one meal for a few days.

[GayleM]

Originally Posted by eliza0104

Thanks Gayle. Should I do this after every meal? Or just one meal for a few days.

A couple days should do it. Test on the left hand only one day, right hand the next day as often one hand will consitently read a bit higher than the other. Most people I've read about peak at about an hour. I peak at 45 minutes. Everyone is different so there's no right or wrong answer. And it's kind of fascinating seeing how your body handles it!

And although it sounds like a lot of "sticks," it isn't bad at all and the effort is worth it.

Take care!

[princesslinda]

I'd suggest you test quite often until you get a good idea of how various foods affect you. I kept a journal when first diagnosed, writing down everything I ate and the corresponding 2 hr blood sugars. Before too long, I had a good-sized list of "safe" foods and eating became less stressful.

Now (nearly 3 years post-diagnosis), I test a fasting, before and after a different meal each day and a random test at some point each day. If I get a higher reading than I expect, i'll test again to make sure its coming down as it should. I also test with any new food.

[GayleM]

Originally Posted by princesslinda

I'd suggest you test quite often until you get a good idea of how various foods affect you. I kept a journal when first diagnosed, writing down everything I ate and the corresponding 2 hr blood sugars. Before too long, I had a good-sized list of "safe" foods and eating became less stressful.

Now (nearly 3 years post-diagnosis), I test a fasting, before and after a different meal each day and a random test at some point each day. If I get a higher reading than I expect, i'll test again to make sure its coming down as it should. I also test with any new food.

Excellent advice!!!

[DannyK]

GayleM...

T1 or T2 ? How long? Just wondering.....

[GayleM]

Originally Posted by DannyK

GayleM...

T1 or T2 ? How long? Just wondering.....

T2 - sorry, I must've missed posting that!

[eliza0104]

Interesting about using left hand one day and right the next.

Does anyone suggest testing after each meal or just after one meal (at 45m, 1 hr, 90 min)?

My doctor's nurse said one fasting a day and one 2 hr's after one meal. I'm going to ask my endo, next week (I see her for hypothyroidism anyway)

[cyberus]

Originally Posted by GayleM

T2 - sorry, I must've missed posting that!

(for both Gayle and Eliza)

There is a place in the user control panel to set your diabetes type, saves time later

Also setting your location (just state/country is fine if you have worries) will help for people wanting to point out places to buy things, restaurants that are diabetic friendly and so on.

Another helpful thing is to put some of your medical info in your signature so people trying to help have something to base advice on.

[cyberus]

Another thing to look out for is if you happen to be trying something like Dreamfields pasta or other things advertised as "low GI" or "diabetic friendly" is you may want to test at the 3 and 4 hour point, some of these products have a tendency to produce a late spike in some people

[eliza0104]

Updated my siggy and type