Lisa --

I just noticed in another thread that you discussed doing postprandial (after meal) testing at 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, and 2 hours if you are especially concerned about the effect of a new food.

I've really been wondering about something, and since you've done this kind of multiple postprandial testing maybe you can help me understand.

When Dr. Bernstein (and others in this forum) say that the goal is to maintain normal BG's round the clock, including after meals, does that really mean that your BG doesn't go up at all after meals, even for a short time? Or does it mean that by the time you take the 2 hours postprandial reading, it should be the same as before eating?

Thanks again --- I've been asking a lot of questions since I joined the forum, and I appreciate everyone's patience.

Marjorie

If I remember correctly, Dr. Bernstein stated in his book that the goal was to see no more than a 30 point rise in your blood sugar at any point after eating. It's very normal for even a non-diabetic to have a blood sugar rise after eating. The question is how high does it rise, how fast, and how quickly does it return to normal again? The goal in returning to normal range readings is within 2 hours of eating (note that doesn't mean fasting readings, but within the range of normal for blood sugar readings). Many (most) type 2 diabetics have a delayed or absent phase 1 insulin response which basically means that the insulin that would have been released as soon as you began to eat to help control the initial rise of blood sugar doesn't happen or happens later than it should so we will see a much quicker and higher rise in blood sugars after eating a meal that contains the amount of carbs an average person would eat and then a slow return down as the phase 2 insulin response kicks in. It's that initial spike that we seek to control with low carb as well as keeping our blood sugars on an even keel between meals. Keeping the post prandial rise small will also aid the body in being able to bring the blood sugar back into the normal range again within 2 hours.
For me, for example, I might expect to see a blood sugar reading of 90 before eating. After eating a meal with 12 grams of carb, it might rise as high as 120 but within 2 hours, I would want to see it back around 100. Keep in mind that reading of 90 was taken when I had been without food for 4 or more hours, so I would expect it to be a bit lower than it is 2 hours after eating. What I look for when testing a food I'm suspicious of is how high does my blood sugar go, how fast does it get to the high point and is it in line with the number of carbs reported on the label knowing that 1 gram of carb raises my blood sugar, on average, about 2-3 points. If my test results don't line up with what's reported on the label then I know that either the label isn't accurate or I am sensitive to that particular food and should avoid it either way. I also wouldn't go with just one test since other things can influence it as well such as TOM and the possibility that I may be coming down with something and not know it yet.
I do this only rarely now since I'm pretty much a creature of habit and tend to stick with a generally the same kinds of foods that I know are okay for me. I'll go back to doing this when I try a new product that markets itself as low carb to see how my body reacts to it before making it a regular part of my menus.

Lisa,

Thanks for giving me some of your typical numbers before and after eating. That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for.

I just said to my husband that it makes me feel a little stupid and kind of angry that in the 10 years I have had diabetes I have never been told that I could achieve (and should expect to achieve) numbers like that.

I made a lot of improvement when I cut back on my carbs and started the Zone about 7 years ago, but even then I never had FBG's better than about 130.

I am thrilled (and very thankful as we start Thanksgiving week) to have had a couple of FBG's below 100 this past week for the first time EVER!

But I am unhappy with the way I seem to be obsessing about my BG's now. If I get a FBG under 100 I am ecstatic ... if my FBG is in the low 120's I am totally bummed and wonder if the plan will really work for me. It seems like this is all I am thinking about all day long.

My husband keeps reminding me that less than 2 months ago I was in the mid 200's all the time. I am such an all-or-nothing perfectionist kind of person <sigh>!

I have already received a lot of support from this group!
Many thanks!

Marjorie

Marjorie....

I understand completely the feelings of betrayal at finding that not only are normal blood sugar readings possible for a diabetic, they should be the standard if we want to avoid long-term complications. For years, I would register A1Cs of 6 and above and my doctor would tell me I was doing okay "for a diabetic". Little did I know then...
As for obsessing about those blood sugars; to some extent it's to be expected. For many of us, blood sugar readings mean the difference between avoiding complications such as kidney failure, blindness, diabetic neuropathy and possible amputations, early death and developing complications. No wonder those of us who have researched what this disease can do to us if it isn't controlled can be a little obsessive. You're also still in a period of learning curve where it seems like all you think about is what you're learning. Once you get a better handle on controlling your blood sugars and feel more comfortable with knowing what you can eat and what it will likely do to your blood sugars, you will probably find that you don't think about it constantly anymore. I know I don't.
Having said all that, considering where you were a few months ago you should be very pleased and proud of the progress that you have made so far! Going from readings in the mid 250's all the time to fastings below 100 is a marvelous achievement in such a short time and you should give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back for working so hard. Considering that developing diabetes likely took years, getting it under the level of control you've achieved in a short 2 months is awesome! Give yourself some time and keep working at it and I'd be willing to bet that those fastings will be below 100 most of the time very soon.