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How much of a rise in blood sugar is too much for you?
If you have a cgm, or test a lot, so you can watch your reactions to food closely, how do you decide what is reasonable and what is a result that makes you think you should try something different the next time?
Is it about the height of the curve (e.g. I try to eat meals that don’t raise my blood sugar by more than X points, and if so what is X?)
Or the high point your blood sugar reaches (e.g. I want to stay under Y point so if I am
at 100 I make different choices than if I am at 160, again or so, what is Y)
Or is it about the steepness or the curve (going up quickly is bad, gentle curves are better?) or how long it stays high (making gentle curves worse?)
Thanks!
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Diabetes is such an individual thing with so many factors to consider: the type you have, the testing you do, the treatments prescribed for you, the technology and devises you use…..
I have found it helpful to have target blood sugar ranges given to me by my providers. There are more than one because it varies during the day. I also have been given instructions on what to do if I start to routinely be above or below these targets.
Other factors to consider included pre and post prandial (before and after eating) conditions, I:C ratio (insulin : carbohydrate ratio), duration, correction factor, insulin sensitivity or resistance, other co-morbidities…..
It is an important question and the answer should be customized to the individual with input from the provider.
I used to take a fixed amt of insulin before every meal but I have found that I can better control my glucose if I switch the amts based on my current readings every day. My diet is pretty good so everything depends on activity and sleep. I notice that if I take my highest insulin dose in the morning and the least at night it works better for me especially as I walk for 1 hr after dinner every day.
The ADA recommended levels between 70-180, 70% of the time. With a CGM (Continues Glucose Monitor) and an insulin pump it isn't difficult for me to be in that range. That said, diabetes does not play by any strict rules at all. Medication and food intake that works well for several days doesn't work at all the next day or days. I've heard that there are over 53 variables that affect glucose control. And if you are female, that adds in a few more. From food intake, medication, type of exercise, stress, things you have no control over, and even the weather have an affect. One would need to watch glucose readings 24 hours a day, eat just boiled chicken and kale, have multiple fast and ultra fast acting insulins' along with glucagon to accomplish what a working pancreas does. You playing the part of a working pancreas will never get you an Oscar. A CGM is a must have to get a handle on glucose control. The arrow indicating rising, steady, and falling glucose levels is the first thing I look at and then the number. I don't care to see spikes after meals. A healthy person also sees spikes. How high and for how long is the difference between the two. If I can keep it between 90-150 all day I'm a happy camper, but it doesn't happen often. Try to determine what may have caused it and look ahead and not behind. Walking will bring glucose down faster than insulin. Half hour walk works well for me. Found out this week, what I have heard, but found hard to believe, is lifting weights will raise glucose levels. Worked with PT in training using a walker and crutches, my glucose readings rose 30+ points after the training. Doing a bunch of pull-ups or push-ups won't work whereas climbing a few flights of stairs will. Weird! Ask your doctor what he/she would like to see from you. Short term spikes won't make you a bad diabetic. Long term high readings need to be addressed. To many variables to get an Oscar so give yourself some grace.