Mike's Excellent Glucose Monitor Adventure

[KetoSnaps]

I’m not ‘unhappy’ with yesterday’s numbers. Just curious as to how I have normal glucose while in ketosis. I thought I’d be ‘low normal’.

No, I shouldn’t think you were unhappy - as I say, I’d be delighted with them! It’s great to have the means to see how great they are.

I’m reassured by your post that it’s possible for the body to have normal glucose when in ketosis (and in your circumstances of being without any metabolic disorder), because it shows (and I’m assuming based on your data that this might be the case for others) that the body isn’t having a blood glucose-related problem from being in ketosis.

Body’s working well, right?

[amwassil]

Yes, I also find it very interesting that gluconeogenesis keeps glucose within the normal range. What I plan to do, possibly in week #2 of this sensor’s lifespan, is to try a couple fast days and a couple of eating but zero carb days to see what happens to glucose. If gluconeogenesis is, indeed, maintaining glucose within the normal range regardless of carb intake, then fasting and zero carbs should have little if any affect. I think the following is relevant.

Metabolic Flexibility - Get Real

@lfod14 Here’s what I think currently. And as I pointed out in the OP, I am open to changing my mind if presented with convincing evidence to the contrary. I think folks have got ‘metabolic flexibility’ backwards. I posted a link in my OP that I think correctly defines metabolic flexibility. Unless one is diabetic and/or severely insulin resistant or otherwise metabolically deranged, we already have the capability to metabolize carbohydrates and utilize glucose. We don’t need to practice. Gluco…

[CFLBob]

What I plan to do, possibly in week #2 of this sensor’s lifespan, is to try a couple fast days and a couple of eating but zero carb days to see what happens to glucose.

This tendency to biohack or self-measure is why I’d like to get one of those GCMs. Here in the states it’s more of a hassle because I have to get my doc to prescribe one, which might mean another office visit to add to the cost. It would be interesting to have the data to be able to see the variation, but since I’ve never been Type2 (thanks to keto) I’m the only one who would be interested in those numbers.

I’ll be interested in your data.

I’ve noticed when I was doing ADFs that my BG was always lower at hour 36 of the fast than at hour 12. I don’t know how common that is, but my fasting BG runs around 100 now, while not doing those ~42 hour fasts.

[amwassil]

2020/03/05 Updates. Posting data for meals and glucose as I accumulate it during the day. I will simply overwrite the linked glucose plot as I update it during the day rather than post additional plots.

09:30 - 10:30 Keto coffee
13:30 - 14:00 Main meal
19:45 - 20:30 Secondary meal
22:15 - 22:30 Nightcap (Vanilla smoothy)
Day’s Meal Summary

Glucose Plot for day 3

Today’s glucose plot is more what I expected initially. So maybe the sensor was reading high the first couple of days while ‘breaking in’.

[amwassil]

What I plan to do, possibly in week #2 of this sensor’s lifespan, is to try a couple fast days and a couple of eating but zero carb days to see what happens to glucose.

This tendency to biohack or self-measure is why I’d like to get one of those GCMs…

I’ll be interested in your data.

Just in the couple of days I’ve been using this device, I find the data very interesting and I see ways to utilize it that never occurred before. I am even more convinced that monitoring glucose is probably more significant than monitoring ketones. Although I think it’s still a good idea to use some measure of ketones to confirm ketosis daily.

In Praise of N=1 Is Glucose the Key Metric?

BTW, this video has prompted me to purchase a continuous glucose monitor. This one which my local London Drugs has in stock. I’ve been thinking about it for nearly a year now, since I came to the conclusion that measuring ketones is not very useful for me. I don’t have any metabolic issues that necessitate maintaining a specific concentration of ketones. Based on the measurements I’ve done with my Ketonix and extensive reading about it, the concentration varies markedly and rapidly. So I’ve conc…

[amwassil]

2020/03/05 11:45 Well, this is very interesting, indeed! I just had a dizzy spell that lasted maybe a couple of minutes. It was enough to prompt me to hold onto my desk to make sure I didn’t fall over. I’m still not feeling quite back to normal and I’m going to lie down for a few minutes. Just checked the following:

BrAce: 14.1 ppm
Lumen: 3
Glucose: 5.2 mmol/L

So I’m in ketosis, burning fat and within the normal range of glucose. Not what I would expect to result in a dizzy spell. For those not following my Lumen discussion, you can see what I think the Lumen reading actually means here. I don’t get dizzy much. I can’t remember the last time it happened.

PS: Actually, I have a suspect. Low blood pressure. I’ve enjoyed blood pressure all my life on the low side of the normal range. I think sodium controls blood pressure and yesterday, while I drank my electrolytes (sodium) during my work shift, I did not consume any more at home. So I suspect my sodium is a bit low today so far. I’ll bump it up today to see if that fixes it.

[KetoCancerMom]

Here are my recent numbers. Gaps from a sensor error show up, and bad sleep on the 3rd skewed things.

[amwassil]

2020/03/06 Updates.

10:30 - 11:30 Keto coffee
14:15 - 14:45 Main meal
19:00 - 19:15 Secondary meal
20:30 - 20:45 Nightcap (creamy bone broth)
Day’s Meal Summary

Glucose Plot for day 4

I’ll be doing a 12 hour IF between now and my keto coffee at about 9-9:30 tomorrow morning.

[amwassil]

2020/03/07 Updates.

08:15 BrAce 16.5 ppm
09:00 - 10:00 Keto coffee
12:15 - 12:45 Secondary meal
19:15 - 20:15 Main meal
Day’s Meal Summary

Glucose Plot for day 5

The night’s IF got my glucose down to 2.9 mmol/L or 52.25 mg/dL. [REF]

[Saphire]

Any way to get this in the US without a prescription? So annoyed because I just came back from Italy twice in the last month and forgot all about getting one while I was there, ugh. I think that is one of the few countries that uses the same 80-100 count the US does instead of MMOL which would be too much for me to deal with

[KetoCancerMom]

No. You have to have a prescription. But maybe your doctor will have you one

[amwassil]

2020/03/08 Updates.

10:30 - 11:00 Keto coffee
13:30 - 14:00 Secondary meal
17:30 - 18:00 Main meal
20:00 - 20:15 Creamy bone broth
Day’s Meal Summary

Glucose Plot for day 6

I’ll be doing a 12 hour IF between now (8:15-8:30) and my keto coffee at about 8:30-9 tomorrow morning.

[amwassil]

2020/03/09 Updates.

09:30-10:30 Keto coffee
12:30-13:00 Main meal
18:00-19:00 Secondary meal
Day’s Meal Summary

Glucose Plot for day 7

The night’s IF got my glucose down to 3.7mmol/L or 66.67 mg/dL. [REF]

[amwassil]

2020/03/10 Updates.

10:15-11:00 Keto coffee
12:30-13:00 Main meal
18:30-19:00 Secondary meal
20:30-20:45 Nightcap
Day’s Meal Summary

Glucose Plot for day 8

The night’s IF got my glucose down to 3.7mmol/L or 66.67 mg/dL. [REF]

[amwassil]

2020/03/11 Updates.

09:00-10:00 Keto coffee
12:15-13:00 Main meal
17:00-18:00 Secondary meal
Day’s Meal Summary

Glucose Plot for day 9

[amwassil]

2020/03/12 Updates.

09:00 - 10:00 Keto coffee
15:45 - 16:15 Main meal
Day’s Meal Summary

Glucose Plot for day 10

The night’s IF got my glucose down to 3.1mmol/L or 55.86 mg/dL. [REF]

PS: I missed a couple meals today due to my work schedule. View the Summary to see the caloric deficit and macro results. I suspect I’ll be hungry in the morning.

[amwassil]

2020/03/13 Updates.

09:15 - 10:15 Keto coffee
01:30 - 12:30 Main meal
18:30 - 19:30 Secondary meal
Day’s Meal Summary

Glucose Plot for day 11

Note: This was an interesting overnight experience related to IF. See here for a discussion.

PS: I got in 3 meals today, but still ended up 600 calories short of my daily target. I had planned to drink a creamy bone broth nightcap when I got home, but couldn’t get out of Walmart soon enough to do so. Crazy busy today. Managed to hit my fat/protein macros bang on and carbs just a smidgen more than 5 grams. I finished my last meal at work at 18:30 so I’ll get in another 14 - 15 hour fast by the time I have my morning keto coffee.

[Knnn]

Fascinating. I also just purchased the same meter from Shoppers in Lynn Valley.

I will be reading your thread in far greater detail and with keen interest when I have more time, i.e. at work, LOL. It will be interesting to compare our results, since I was pre-diabetic, believe I am still strongly insulin resistant and my carb consumption is less controlled than yours. Certainly my morning glucose bumps up higher than yours in the morning.

PS with a BG of less than 3.5 most Doc’s would have a heart attack and immediately send you to hospital. The power of ketones!

[amwassil]

2020/03/14 Updates.

09:15 - 10:15 Keto coffee
11:30 - 12:30 Main meal
18:30 - 19:30 Secondary meal
23:45 - 24:00 Nightcap
Day’s Meal Summary

Glucose Plot for day 12

[amwassil]

2020/03/15 Updates.

10:00 - 11:00 Keto coffee
13:00 - 13:45 Secondary meal
18:00 - 18:30 Main meal
21:45 - 22:00 Nightcap
Day’s Meal Summary

Glucose Plot for day 13