Blood glucose meter newbie

(mindhunter88) #1

Just received a blood glucose meter! What are the proper protocols for testing fasted blood sugar and what range is considered to be healthy? Additonally, what is the best method for using this meter to test my reaction to artificial sweeteners, which may be the culprits of my current 7 week stall?

(Richard Morris) #2

In general a fasting value of 3.9 - 5.5 mmol/l (70-100 mg/dl) is a normal result.
Officially the ADA recommends for someone with diabetes: 4.5–7.2 mmol/L (80–130 mg/dl )

2 hours after a meal a normal result is less than 7.8 mmol/L (140 mg/dl).
For a diabetic managed with drugs by the ADA the expected values are less than 10.0 mmol/L (180 mg/dl).

I vehemently disagree with the ADA on both the fasting and the pp numbers. We have a right to normal glucose and on a keto diet we can have just that.

So glucose jumps around like a cat on a hot tin roof and is affected by a lot of things. But there are specific times to test that are less subject to external influence.

You can test first thing in the morning. That will not be affected by food, and that value day to day will tell you how your overall glucose control is going. If you do that and then try an intervention and your numbers start going a little lower, then the intervention is improving your glucose control. However it’s worth noting that that morning fasted test is still subject to influence - for example @tdseest found that whenever he had a nightmare that his glucose was significantly elevated … so you really need to smooth other the day to day changes and look at the long term trend.

Another common place to test is 2 hours AFTER eating. That post-prandial (after digesting) measurement should return to normal ranges 90-100 mg/dl in normal people within 2 hours of eating a meal, in a type 2 diabetic it could stay high for 4-5 hours.

I wrote an article on my blog on how to chart a glucose curve to test foods

Testing to see if food will cause a glucose spike
Sweeteners!
Blood Glucose/Insulin Response from LaCroix Water
Aspartame
(mindhunter88) #3

Exactly and succinctly what I was searching for. Thank you!

(Justin Blow) #4

Do you recommend the freestyle neo that is in your link’s pictures? It can be used to test ketone levels as well correct?

(Warren ) #5

Good Question. Im in Canada and have been unable to find Ketone Blood testing strips and any of the big pharmacies. I also have read they are outrageously expensive.

(Jacquie) #6

I’m in rural NS and can order the ketone strips from my local Walmart. Granted I rarely use them but use the glucose strips daily. They are covered by our private medical plan. I think some folks get them off ebay.

(Warren ) #7

Thanks I didn’t try WalMart, Shoppers told me they stopped handling
them…,
Im on Vancouver Island, Originally from south shore NS.

Thanks again

(Jacquie) #8

Warren, too funny! Hubby and I lived in Vancouver for over thirty years before retiring to the Annapolis Valley over by the Fundy shore. :grinning:

(Warren ) #9

Lol. My mom and sister are in Chester. Wife and I try to get home every
year. We love the west, Campbell River.

(Jacquie) #10

I’ve been. It’s beautiful!

(I like to post memes!) #11

Don’t forget about the Dawn Phenomenon. Your glucose may be higher upon waking!

https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/dawn-phenomenon-t2d-8/

I don’t test until 9:30 or 10:00am or so because I was getting frustrated with my numbers over 100 upon waking.

Also, I use the iphone app Sugar Sense to enter all of my numbers. My monitor stores the history, however I find the app easier to manipulate to look at trends.

(TaraLC) #12

Thank you for posting this. On my first 3 months of keto I experienced going from low blood sugar to higher than 100 upon waking and it had me worried. I will try testing an hour or two later to see if this dawn phenomenon applies to my numbers.

(Sarah Elam) #13

My first post!

Anyway, we got one but haven’t even tried to do anything with that yet. My husband is stalled and he said maybe consider tracking some things.

(Morgan Rose) #14

I really wanna get a meter to start testing…I mean granted I’m 30 days into keto…NO I’m not a diabetic, I simply choose this WOE because of the science really, just all points this should be the WOE… too many in my family have diabetes :pensive: but I want to test to know I’m staying in that correct range I should be and to test how sweetners affect me. I just don’t know which one I should buy.

(I like to post memes!) #15

@Morgan_Rose I’m not diabetic but I test bc my goal is to bring down the amt of insulin in my body. There are lots of companies that will send you a free monitor (because you’ll need to purchase their strips). Just google free glucose monitor and pick one. They may ask for insurance company, just select one. They do not ask for policy info and never contact an insurance company. I have a Precision Xtra because it also tests ketones. However the ketone strips are expensive so I only test glucose.

Edited to upload a pic of my monitor. I use the Sugar Sense app to track my readings. I test late morning to accommodate the dawn effect, and then if I’m hungry I check to confirm that I’m not over 100

IMG_0901.JPG2448×3264 2.52 MB

(Morgan Rose) #16

@Ketoberry Do all glucose monitors also measure keotone or no? And silly question can u just measure glucose to determine if u are in ketosis

(I like to post memes!) #17

@Morgan_Rose Not all monitors measure both ketone and glucose, so you’ll need to look for that specifically if you want both. I measure glucose only because if I keep my glucose down, there is less insulin requirement, which indicates that my body is becoming more insulin-sensitive. My goal is between 70-100 mg/dL. If my blood glucose is over 100 and I think I’m hungry, its probably just a craving and not true hunger. This book was really helpful:The Glucometer: A Self-Empowering Tool to a Healthy and Lean Body.

(Jo Lo) #18

Blood glucose is only half the story. You really want to know your insulin level. Get that tested and multiply that value times your A1C number. It should be below 400. This is called HOMA-IR.

Even with moderately high blood sugar (100-110) you can be OK if your insulin is low (less than 4).

I went to my doctor (Naiman), concerned that my blood sugar remained high even though I was very low carb/keto. But my insulin came in low (under 4), so there is no problem. I’m no longer worried about blood sugar readings of ~100. The body is using gluconeogenesis to make the blood sugar, although I am quite fat adapted. I’m going to assume that it knows what it’s doing.

(Morgan Rose) #19

Blahh I honestly have 0 idea hahaha I just wanna know if I’m in ketosis and test from time to time or after I try certain foods. I’m not a diabetic. I see the meters all the time but never the keotone strips?

I’ll def read the link u sent me tomorrow or tonight while I’m in bed lol thanks for your help

Edit: I just realized it’s for a book! Haha maybe I’ll purchase it! Thanks

(Becky Searls) #20

Wow! So just got a free glucose meter form my doctor just to test out of curiosity (not diabetic).
First of all you can’t set the normal range to be lower than 120 at the high end? Is that normal? I set my normal rage to 70-120

And second, my fasting blood glucose was as follows:

IMG_9483.JPG3024×4032 2.48 MB

:flushed: should I be concerned? I know levels are often higher in the morning…but I don’t even have PRE-diabetes. Is this weird, @richard ??