Average Readings or Individual Blood Sugar Level Readings?

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Permalink Reply by Hana Rous on November 6, 2009 at 1:35am

Dan have you tried berries?
I find I can handle them better than a banana or an apple. Yes I only have half of one too. I share with a grandchild when I can.
I don't test as often as you do, because cost of strips is an issue. I find first test each morning fasting and once more in the day has to be enough.
But the principle of>>if I don't eat it, it can't raise my BG<< works for me.
Hana

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Stamey on November 6, 2009 at 8:18pm

I will be trying about half a cup of sliced strawberries tomorrow. I love strawberries and would gladly eat them over even and apple or banana. Part of me is just glad I can reintroduce some foods I thought were no-nos. Hopefully the strawberries work out for me.

I am starting to back off testing so much. A couple of days ago, I tested just twice. When I am eating the same stuff that I know isn't going to impact my blood sugars, I don't need to test. I am testing more now to try some new foods to see if I can add them to my diet. Need to find some variety since I have chosen to be on such a low-carb diet (Dr. B, 30g carbs a day).

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Permalink Reply by Hana Rous on November 7, 2009 at 5:52am

Dan a 30 carb diet gives huge scope for variety. Try some of the Atkins cookbooks.
Hana

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Permalink Reply by Raeco Donalds on November 4, 2009 at 11:58pm

I explained to my doctor that he cannot get excited about my average because my lows drop my average alot, so that average doesn't mean much when I still have highs but my lows make my average deceiving. I am concerned about each total.

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Permalink Reply by Hana Rous on November 5, 2009 at 4:45am

That is the chieff problem with A1c. It gives an averrage and Not a range. Sometimes the Range is more important.
Hana

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Permalink Reply by Judith on November 5, 2009 at 5:47am

Yes. I would underline these last comments. It helped me a lot to understand that a couple years ago......

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Permalink Reply by Dori S on November 10, 2009 at 6:25am

I like to use both. Readings help at the time they are taken (you need to eat less, limit carbs, eat more, learn what you can handle, etc.) Being a T2 on oral meds they are a guideline to learning what I can and can not handle, which can change over time. I can not adjust and compensate with insulin so if I go high then I just have to wait it out, exercise, hope it comes down quick, and learn from it. I like the A1C (not meter averages) because it tells what your body has been doing over the past couple of months. We only see the BG at the time we are testing, not all the time.

I am currently attempting to wean off one of my meds (with Dr's approval) and was concerned last night because I was 172 1 hr pp, 162 2 hr pp, and 138 3 hrs pp. Then I realized that that was not so bad and I just need to adjust what I had eaten so next time it won't be that high. This morning it was 113. Now just the averages from those is 146 - on the high side but if you add in the earlier portion of the day 115, 95, 83 it drops to 125 which is better but still slightly high, however if I just averaged the morning and afternoon it would be 97 which is good. It is a numbers game and unless you are testing 24/7 (or on a CGM) it provides you with sketchy information because you only know what it is at the time of testing, whereas the A1C gives a better overall picture. Yes, use your testing for information purposes and to make adjustments. I am as concerned with lows as I am with highs. I try to stay within a range. Not as narrow a range as I would like and read that I should be in but at the same time I am going to enjoy life and if that means a 113 fasting is acceptable to me then it is acceptable to me. I have not fallen below 70 in months and the 172 I just got last night is the highest I have gotten in 3 1/2 weeks. Could I have been higher - sure I only know the readings from when I tested. Unless I get a really high number I get concerned but don't freak out. There's nothing you can do if you are already high (and not on insulin) but learn from it and move on. If we worry about every possible complication from every time we see a high number we will go batty and live only for those numbers. Do you worry about dying everytime you get in your car? Use the information but don't obssess over it.

So to sum this rambling thought up - I pay attention to the individual numbers and the A1C, not necessarily to the averages on my meter. Just my thoughts.

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Permalink Reply by JDavid on November 12, 2009 at 7:56pm

I look at ALL my numbers, a1c, indivual AND meter averages.

A!C gives me a good overall indication, but needs to be taken with a grain of sodium.

Meter averages, well my meter gives 7, 14 and 30 day averages. What I like about those is it shows TRENDS, or is my average going up or down. For me, since I normally test on a schedule, Before meals and bed time the indivual reading are reasonably consistant from day to day so its my control or BS number that vary or show up on the averages.

Indivual readings, well that lets me know where I am at, when I test and I do adjust my insulin accordingly.I DO NOT live for the numbers, they just guide me in my control and alert me of potential problems.

GOMER

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