Blood glucose meter newbie

(What The Fast?!) #34

Ok, I waited another 90 minutes after waking, no food or drinks, then tested again and I’m up at 73 (from 66 when I first woke up). Thoughts?

(Richard Morris) #35

We’re all going to be a little different. Early in the morning my glucose is higher than later in the day and my ketones lower. You see to be the other way round.

Our brains run on glucose and ketones. In the context of a normal diabetic on a mixed diet, 66 mg/dl (3.7 mmol/l) would indeed be considered too low.

The reason why a glucose of 66 mg/dl (3.7 mmol/l) is not too low for you is because you are making a decent amount of ketones and your brain is using so many ketones that it’s not asking for your liver to release more glucose.

I’d say that’s perfectly OK.

That could be your body waking up, releasing some fight/flight hormones to make sure you are alert … and they cause us to make a little extra glucose (useful if fighting or fleeing).

It all sounds fine to me.

(What The Fast?!) #36

Thanks!! I’m not diabetic and don’t have any other health issues (yay!) so had no idea what to look for. I’m going to be using your charting blood glucose method later to test Stevia and other sweeteners. Thaaaank you!!!

(Richard Morris) #37

yeah someone with type 2 might have a higher BG reading first thing in the morning because their system has to make more dramatic course corrections because their insulin is slower to respond and often eventually over corrects.

(bulkbiker) #38

66-73 could also just be variance on your meter… they aren’t all that accurate. If I test from the same blood droplet I can get up to 10% variations within seconds.

(bulkbiker) #39

check out this thread…Home Meter Accuracy

(What The Fast?!) #40

Hey guys! I just charted my blood glucose for Stevia but had a weird T0 result. Here’s been my day so far.

Woke up and took BG - it was 58.
Ate breakfast (bacon, eggs, cheese, and coffee) about 8:30/9:00AM
Decided to take my T0 for Stevia just now (a little after 12pm) and it was up at 98. That seems like a big jump from my waking glucose, especially since it’s been 3 hours since I had breakfast. Is that weird?

Stevia Test:
T0 - 98
T30 - 93
T60 - 87

So, this means I’m cool with Stevia, right? Or do I need to test again since my T0 was weird?

Side note: no diabetes or other health issues, just curious about BG and want to see how I react to sweeteners.

(Michelle) #41

Hi - I don’t have a lot of experience, but @Brenda mentioned that BG drops since insulin is being secreted, meaning you may be spiking your insulin if your BG is dropping postprandial.

(8 year Ketogenic Veteran) #42

Yes. This

(8 year Ketogenic Veteran) #43

Test before eating and 30 minutes after

(What The Fast?!) #44

Ohhh…I thought increased BG meant I was sensitive to the food. So, what results would show that a good is okay? I’m so confused about the relationship between Insulin and BG.

T0 was 98, T30 was 93, T60 was 87

@Brenda @MKChitown

(8 year Ketogenic Veteran) #45

Barely a change.
I’d call it a safe sweetener if those results were mine.

(What The Fast?!) #46

WOO HOO!!!
THANK YOU!

Last question (probably)…is it normal that I woke up at 58 and it was all the way up at 98 3 hours after breakfast? I’m trying to figure out what “normal” is and what the variation means.

BTW…your posts are amazing, thanks for being so helpful and sharing your knowledge! I just listened to your podcast episode and am excited to see strength results like yours! I don’t do straight lifting anymore - more HiiT with TRX or kettlebells + pilates and yoga, but I do endurance cycling and I’m looking forward building more power in my legs for that!

(8 year Ketogenic Veteran) #47

Your normal won’t be my normal as I have a history of insulin resistance.

I can tell you that everyone’s blood glucose rises when they eat. Also that normal fasting blood glucose needs to be under 100.

You’ll have to spend some time researching this.

(8 year Ketogenic Veteran) #48

Thank you and you’re welcome.

(What The Fast?!) #49

Thanks. I’ve been reading and reading and reading some more. :slight_smile:
I don’t know if I’m insulin-resistant but I have a feeling I may be, after a lifetime of calorie restriction and diets. I also have a hard time understanding “satiety” as I don’t really get “full” signals from my body.

Once I’m fully fat adapted, I’m going to experiment by eating way more than usual to see if a few extra hundred (or thousand) calories of fat will turn that fullness signal on or not. I’m finally understanding that CICO is garbage.

(8 year Ketogenic Veteran) #50

Pick up "The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living " by Phinney and Volek

It’s the keto bible.

(Casey Brown) #51

I just took my blood glucose level (after FINALLY producing enough blood to test) and I got 34 mg/dL. This can’t be right…can it?

(Chris Pazdernik) #52

Hi all, I hope it’s OK to resurrect this week and a half old thread.

I’ve toward the end of my fifth week doing keto and have gone all in and done a lot of info gathering. It’s been going pretty well and I’ve gone through all of the “normal” stages I think. I’m not diabetic but always struggled with weight. I have a 4 year curve tracked online that goes up down up down withing a 30 to 40 pound window.

I feel like just this weeks I’m becoming pretty good on the fat adapted status. I’ve just started skipping breakfast to do a 16:8 to 18:6 IF. I’ve also started adding in ACV at meal times and in the morning.

I do have a ketone/blood glucose meter and have been running 2.0 or higher on Ketones. I have also been checking glucose levels and during the day they seem to range between 80 sometimes after work to 110. In the morning after I wake up theough there can be as high as 120. It was 120 today. I have read about dawn phenomenon on here and understand it but not sure I’ve read much about it being that high with DF.

Should I not worry about that higher 120 reading and do some more scientific testing as Richard suggests?

Otherwise things are going great. Scale has sort of been in a stall for a couple weeks but I’m feeling good and I feel my clothes fitting differently. I also recently learned that the fitbit aria scale I use can estimate readings to not give you too much variance. What? Oy.

Edit to add that my FBG was 91 at my last doctor visit about 3 months ago. I’m non-diabetic.

Thanks!

(Linda Culbreth) #53

Good information, Thanks.