How to test for Spikes with Food

I am curious to ask how would you do it ???? I know few weeks back after having machine in to test my Glucose that Shreddies are a NO NO for me as i spike well over 17 even with a healthy BG of 8 in morning however when i ate my Oats so simple i remained level So i would like to have a go and see what Cereals in particular are Bad for me
Marie

Hi Marie,

Almost everyone will have 'spikes' or peaks after a meal, this is quite normal. A blood test two hours after a meal will normally show this. I often peak higher than 20. I am surprised that Shreddies do that though, I would have expected them to be slower acting. Of course I don't have a clear picture as you haven't said what insulin(s) you are on or when you take them relative to eating.

Don't take precipitate action. Keep looking for patterns and take a few extra blood tests about two hours after eating to get a clearer picture. There really should be no NO-NO foods if you have your base insulin right (always the first step), your ratios right for each meal and your timings right. It's a matter of trial and error, for evermore as things change constantly, but change only one thing at a time and wait a minimum of two days before making another change.

Best of luck,

Roger

Thanks Roger

I am on Novorapid + Levimir With the Glucose machine in the 4 mornings i had Shreddies i peaked but the Oats so simple i was ok so bit of a Mistery I have QA normaly just as i eat and BI 10.30AM AND 10.30PM WHICH IS 20 + 20. Will do 2 hrs after i eat to see what BG IS I know diffrant foods that you eat will have diffrant reaction because of the absorbtion rate I am just curious to see if i have things right but do need help
Marie

hi Marie. I thought testing 2 hours after a meal wasn't incouraged in Dafne? Because you still have at least 40% of your short acting on board (I find my QA lasts 5 hours) that the result in itself (unless you're going hypo) shoudn't be touched i.e. corrected

Hi Jenny

I know if you you test 2 hrs after food you kinda get a false reading however i just want to see how my sugars are after Breakfast Cereals in particular. Mayb it not a good idea to do

Hi Marie and Jenny,

I was advised that a test two hours after a meal was adviseable to check on the 'peak'. If you think about it, this would be about the time it would take for the carbohydrate you have eaten to be fully transferred to the blood. After this the level of carbohydrate in the blood would continue to fall due to the insulin which, as you point out Jenny, is still in the system.

I should make it clear that this check, two hours after eating, is not routine. It is only needed when investigating the cause of unusual BG results at mealtimes.

Roger

Reading the posts again I think I should add two things.

1. Jenny is correct when she says that a high reading at two hours after a meal should not be corrected.

2. Depending upon the time at which you have breakfast Marie, your levemir will be tailing off. This may be a small contributory factor.

Roger

Roger
Having Breakfast bout 8am and Levimir at 10.30 am Does that make any diffrance ???

So is it ok to try having Breakfast at 8am and test at 10 am to see what BG is ?? If it is ok does that mean BI is working iwhat should i really be looking out for as in my Sugar level if that makes sence

Hi Marie,

Levemir lasts about 14 hours, during the last two hours it is falling quite quickly therefore if you take your evening dose at about 10.30 pm at around 8.30 am it starts to fall quickly, just at the time you are taking in carbs for breakfast. The amount of carbohydrate you take in should be covered by your QA insulin but your blood glucose level is regulated by the action of both insulins working together, so if the levemir is tailing off it could result in higher than expected blood glucose by lunchtime, even though your morning Levemir has kicked in by then. Please remember though that this is only a possibility, it may have nothing to do with your particular case. Discuss this with your HCP and see how he/she feels about the option of changing your BI injection times.
Have you done any carb-free meals to check how your BI is working?
Doing a BG test two hours after meals gives you an idea how high your peaks normally go. They also give you an idea about the amount of QA you are taking for a given meal, in conjunction with your normal tests. If your BG is up in the 20's two hours after the meal but is back within range by the next meal it suggests that things are working reasonably well but you may need a slight reduction in BI with a corresponding increase in QA. Please don't take any action on what I have said (apart from the testing) without discussing it with your HCP. I may be wrong, it has been known. Back in 1987 I went around for a whole week thinking I had made a mistake, but I was wrong. I hadn't!

Roger