What should your glucose #'s be after eating? One hour after. Two hours after. I have read two different things and confused. Sounds like I should not follow ADA rules…someone please correct me or tell me what guidelines to look for?
Thank you!!
American Diabetes Association says under 180 mg/dl 1-2 hours after meals.
American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists says under 140 mg/dl 1-2 hours after meals.
Health-care providers may set tighter goals on a patient by patient basis.
The reason the organizations aren’t more specific about the time after a meal (and that’s measured by time elapsed after the FIRST BITE of food) is that the after-meal peak can come at different times depending on you, what you ate, if and when you excercised, and if and when you gave insulin, Byetta, or Symlin for the meal.
If you test fasting blood sugars, but don’t test often before and after meals, doing so for your largest meal each day can give you some useful blood sugar data and patterns. If you’re consistently spiking too high after meals, it may be time to adjust what you eat or start/adjust meds.
This is especially helpful if you use insulin (or other injectables) with meals, or if your A1Cs aren’t quite where you’d like them to be.
As with all things diabetes, guidelines are only guidelines and YMMV (your mileage may vary).
Thank you Kelly. I think I am over analysing things. Just want to do what is right. My doctor wants me to test each a.m. fasting for a month and send the results to him and then go from there. I am testing more on my own to see what spikes my blood sugar and what doesn’t. But sometimes I get sooooo hungry!! If I could just find something that fills me up enough, ya know?
Also, what number should it be when checking first thing in the morning fasting?
Colleen,
There is not ‘A number’ where you should be. Normal blood sugar is in the mid-80’s for non-diabetics, according to Dr. Bernstein. If you’re in the range of 80 to 120 you’re fine. Any lower you’re dangerously close to hypoglycemic.
Any higher, talk to your doctor about ‘dawn phenomenon.’
Besides testing two hours after meals you should also test before your meal in order to put the after meal reading in context. It’s a concept called testing in twos.
Terry
So, I should test right before I eat, 1 hour after I eat, and 2 hours after I eat?
Interesting because I asked my diabetes counselor about when to start counting time the other day and she told me that it was AFTER you finished eating.
I had wondered because I am a very slow eater, when I can actually sit down, and enjoy my meal. I can eat on the same plate of food for an hour or more, just picking… Of course at work, I don’t stop to eat, I just take bites as I can. I would imagine it is more structured for someone with a partner/family.
I usually pick a time, either 1 hour, or 1.5 hours, or 2 hours after the first bite instead of doing both. That’s so I don’t use too many strips and avoid obsessing over what’s happening to my blood sugar!
A low-fat, high-carb meal is likely to hit the blood stream more quickly than a fiber-rich-carb, high-fat meal, so I also take into account all the foods I’m eating (see why this is not an exact science?!)
If I’m trying a new food, I may do both 1 and 2 hours after because it’s a little experiment that can help me make a decision about portion size or insulin dose in the future.
I’ve heard that, too. Basically, it’s simply important to be consistent in choosing a point from which to start the post-meal countdown for yourself. That helps limit the number of variables if you’re trying to spot a pattern in blood sugars.