[spyderveloce]

So my doctor said he wants to see me between 90 and 140 (150) at the highest. Now, the one thing I may have misunderstood is, is that before eating or overall? The nurse further confused me when I called to ask some other questions. Is it okay for my BG to spike a little over 200 2 hours after my meal as long as it comes down soon after. Today I ate lunch early (and splurged a little because I hit a BG of 65). 3 hours later I was at 265 but by the time I got home and checked at 6:00 I was back down to 90. Is this a normal rise and fall, or should I strive to keep it under the 150 max that my doctor mentioned?

[Sneezer]

You should probably check with your endocrinologist. However, usually you want to be 80 to 100 before meals and 140, 2 to 3 hours after meals. I rarely get those numbers, but that is the goal

[Granny Shanny]

No, it is not normal rise and fall.

Your spikes are too high and your drops are too low. Your doc gave you good advice. Between 90 and 140 isn't a bad place to be. (not sure why you wrote that as "between 90 and 140 (150) at the highest" . . . Which did he say - 140 or 150? I strive to stay under 140 myself, since I'm not in insulin.

[spyderveloce]

Well, the doc said 140 at the highest but he wouldn't be too concerned if I hit 150 on occasion. The nurse confused me when she mentioned that my "normal" should be in that range but to expect spikes to be higher after meals.

The doc did say that the 90-140 is a little higher than some doctors suggest but that those people that strive to do the low of 70 tend to have further health complications much earlier on than those that maintain a slightly higher "normal" range.

So I should be trying to keep it in that 90 to 140 range both before and after meals? I'm rather new to this but so far I'm having a bit of a hard time keeping it in that range. Because I went down to the 60's I went ahead and got that Steak Hoagie special that the sandwich shop in my office building had. It came with chips and I indulged in 2 of those but felt that the hoagie bun (which I picked apart and ate as little of as possible) was more than enough carbs to make up for my already low BG.

This now begs the question that I'm sure is asked by EVERY new diabetic that comes here. How does one contend with all of the fast food and sandwich shops out there? I had a chicken sandwich and onion petals from Arby's yesterday and I hit 290 2 hours after lunch. I was totally surprised, though I guess I shouldn't have been. I gotta say... salads are my absolute last choice when eating out. I don't like salad at all and can't seem to force myself to like it either, so what's left? Any suggestions?

[flowerbabe68]

I was out and about today, come lunch time, I stopped at McDonald's and got a chicken club sandwich and bottled water. Sat in the parking lot ,removed the bun and ate the chicken,bacon,lettuce & tomato with my fingers. Washed up before and after with the washkins I carry in the car.Went back to shopping.

[jer.lawrence]

You should check out some of the nutritional information -- if you HAVE to eat fast food, some of the choices are better than others. I tend to find (as a general rule of thumb) that the sandwiches off of the dollar menu have fewer carbs than the normal sandwiches, because they use the little dinky buns.

Wendy's double bacon cheeseburger is one of my go-to's. It's only got about 30g carbs which is doable for a meal for me. I usually get the side-salad with it though, because MORE than 30g is a bit high (for me).

As for sugar, I strive for the 80-120 range, personally. I'd like to be in the 70-110 range, but I've only been at this for a few months and haven't gotten down that low yet.

I don't know why your doc would have suggested that HIGHER is healthier. Most sources that I've seen any info on suggest that we should strive to stay under 140 at all times (including after meals). Pre-meal, my numbers are usually around the 90-100ish area.

Hope that helps.

[Tribbles]

My goto fast food is a Chipotle chicken fajita burrito bowl with no beans. The only carbs is from the rice and there isn't a lot of that.

[DannyK]

High for me was 581, and then a month of "trying" janumet, with daily #'s not falling below 300, usually around 350 to 400.... Insulin was prescribed and within 1 day, I saw the light....

[jillybean]

For fast food, I get any kind of burger or grilled chicken sandwich and toss the bun. I like McD's double cheeseburgers and Wendy's Baconators.

Or KFC grilled chicken.

At a regular restaurant, I'll order any kind of protein (chicken, steak, fish, etc.) or a burger and toss the bun with a veggie and/or side salad, no pasta, no rice, no bread, no potato products.

[fgummett]

I don't go in them much except for when travelling for my work but I have found fast food outlets quite obliging when I ask for a burger without the bun or condiments.

I guess I was brought up not to waste food plus I suspect that if enough folks make the same request it may have an impact on the fast food chain's future menu offerings... which is after all, driven by what we purchase there.

[NewdestinyX]

Originally Posted by spyderveloce

So my doctor said he wants to see me between 90 and 140 (150) at the highest. Now, the one thing I may have misunderstood is, is that before eating or overall? The nurse further confused me when I called to ask some other questions. Is it okay for my BG to spike a little over 200 2 hours after my meal as long as it comes down soon after. Today I ate lunch early (and splurged a little because I hit a BG of 65). 3 hours later I was at 265 but by the time I got home and checked at 6:00 I was back down to 90. Is this a normal rise and fall, or should I strive to keep it under the 150 max that my doctor mentioned?

Hi Spyderveloce! Welcome to the forum. Can you give us a little more info? Are you on any oral meds like Metformin? And has your doctor diagnosed you a Type 2? Type 1.5? Type 1?

As others have suggested, the 'very safest' scenario is to stay between 70-110 the whole time which is the most 'conservative' range I see in medical articles. But a range of up to about 90-140 is what the American Diabetes foundation and their educators say. For some here that is too 'giving' a range to assure your best health but I subscribe to it. If the educators of the ADA say it I pretty much know I can live by it since they avail themselves of the newest science out there and follow the progress of thousands of diabetics over decades now. But I personally like to hedge my bets and be even lower.

There is nothing I've read that suggest 200 or over is 'ever' okay. I mean a 'spike' of 200 or over in your early attempts to control your Blood sugar isn't 'life threatening' but consistent spikes that high are to be avoided at all costs. Try not to consider a low fasting/premeal number, like that 65 you had, as a 'license' to sorta 'go nuts' at your next meal. '65' IS low and you DO need to get that up at the next meal but I've found that I sometimes overreact when I start that low (because I'm really hungry and jonesin' for something sugary/carby) that I overcompensate on the carbs at my next meal and then get a big spike.

Suffice it to say 65 - 265 is not a pattern you want to repeat often. Have you already made some diet changes and added some exercise to your regimen since your diagnosis? Even a 'little bit' of change goes a LONG way I've found. I don't eat as low carb as many here but my numbers have stabilized within a range with lowering my carb intake from when I started, a lot of exercise and now with the help of some basal insulin.

[davef]

My targets are to be below 105 in the morning and before meals, I strive to be around 90 before meals. Then to stay below 140 two hours after first bite of a meal. This is pretty much inline with your Doctors targets of 90-140.

Sometimes I will spike above 140, but this generally only happens if I treat myself to food that I normally avoid or if I'm ill. But the key thing is, to go above 140 occasionally is ok, the operative word being occasionally - for me that does not mean once a day or even once a week.

[kgm0612]

No two diabetics are alike, which simply means, your target range will differ from someone elses.

I prefer to be between 80-110 prior to eating and under 150 two hours after. I follow a low carb diet and very rarely eat fast foods.

My suggestion, pack your own lunch and bring it to work with you. Lean deli meats (turkey or chicken breast) on either whole wheat or light wheat bread has under 30g of carbs. Fruit & veggies are good sides or snacks.

Karen

[spyderveloce]

Originally Posted by NewdestinyX

Hi Spyderveloce! Welcome to the forum. Can you give us a little more info? Are you on any oral meds like Metformin? And has your doctor diagnosed you a Type 2? Type 1.5? Type 1?

As others have suggested, the 'very safest' scenario is to stay between 70-110 the whole time which is the most 'conservative' range I see in medical articles. But a range of up to about 90-140 is what the American Diabetes foundation and their educators say. For some here that is too 'giving' a range to assure your best health but I subscribe to it. If the educators of the ADA say it I pretty much know I can live by it since they avail themselves of the newest science out there and follow the progress of thousands of diabetics over decades now. But I personally like to hedge my bets and be even lower.

There is nothing I've read that suggest 200 or over is 'ever' okay. I mean a 'spike' of 200 or over in your early attempts to control your Blood sugar isn't 'life threatening' but consistent spikes that high are to be avoided at all costs. Try not to consider a low fasting/premeal number, like that 65 you had, as a 'license' to sorta 'go nuts' at your next meal. '65' IS low and you DO need to get that up at the next meal but I've found that I sometimes overreact when I start that low (because I'm really hungry and jonesin' for something sugary/carby) that I overcompensate on the carbs at my next meal and then get a big spike.

Suffice it to say 65 - 265 is not a pattern you want to repeat often. Have you already made some diet changes and added some exercise to your regimen since your diagnosis? Even a 'little bit' of change goes a LONG way I've found. I don't eat as low carb as many here but my numbers have stabilized within a range with lowering my carb intake from when I started, a lot of exercise and now with the help of some basal insulin.

I started at a 578 and within a week of taking 40mg Avandaryl once a day I was into the 100s. Doc was completely surprised that I bounced back that quickly. I'm still on the same doseage and maintaining but still learning what foods I can handle and what I can't.

[genie86333]

Hi, Welcome to the forum!

Yes, ideally you want to stay *at all times* under 140. That's the level that is believed to be where damage starts occurring to our organs.

Watch white foods especially: rice, bread, pasta, potatoes, anything with flour or sugar (even naturally occuring sugar like in fruits & juices.)

For fast food, if you can't take lunch with you, as others have said, toss the bun, or find a place that will wrap the meat in lettuce - In 'N' Out does that - order "protein style" burgers & they'll wrap it in lettuce instead of a bun.