OK, I've puzzled and puzzled 'till my puzzler is sore.
How, after eating the self-same breakfast at the same time several days running, can there be such a disparity in my darling's blood glucose (B.G.) readings.
Usually, a small bowl of jumbo porridge oats (cooked the same way every day) results in a fairly consistent reading an hour after breakfast of high 5s or low 6s (mmol/l). But not today. Today, the same breakfast caused a spike of about 8 mmol/l. How? I just don't get it and that bothers me.
Even stranger (or is it? - I don't know) is that the readings from tests 2 hours after eating all seem pretty similar, sitting neatly in the low-mid 5s or low 6s.
I don't even know if this is something I should be getting hung up about, or if this may just be down to inaccuracies in the testing process (read somewhere that test strips can vary by c.0.5 mmol/l at the c.5.5 mmol/l range and the meters are not infallible either).
That aside, there are other things bothering the fat lass. A couple of nights ago I turned over in bed and felt the most appallingly excruciating pain in my left kneecap. I kid you not, it felt like the darned thing was coming off! By holding it really tight and first flexing my leg then straightening it, I managed to get it back to bearable, but it's not exactly what I'd describe as OK.
Now I know I haven't done my poor old joints a lot of favours over the years, carrying so much excess weight for so long, and do have the odd problem, but this was something new. The knee is still a bit swollen although there's no bruising I can see, and it's still quite painful, especially coming down slopes and steps or if I twist. I've put off the rower for a day or two but continue to walk (carefully), but I just want it to get better again... and fast!
It's scary how something so silly and simple can affect daily life so drastically. Ho hum... onwards ever!
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Hey look, it's your favorite motor-mouth again! :D I don't know much about knees -- other than if it doesn't go away in a couple of days, go to the doctor before it gets worse! -- but I have some thoughts on the b.g. readings. Surprised? ;)
Couple of questions first of all.
Had he tested his glucose every morning BEFORE eating? Your body actually starts making glucose throughout the night, which is why many uncontrolled diabetics will go to bed with a normal reading and wake up with a sky-high reading. It's part of the normal circadian rhythm. Had he slept longer than usual, or eaten anything heavier on carbs closer to bedtime? Any alcohol, which also raises blood sugar? Midnight snack?
Also, were there ANY changes to his breakfast? I don't really know how porridge oats are cooked or served. Do they get milk or butter, was anything else subtracted -- if they normally have butter on them and he went without that morning, that would increase the rate of sugar absorption in his intestine. Or were the oats cooked longer that particular morning? Longer cooking breaks down the starches more which causes quicker absorption and therefore high glucose readings. Any additional beverages?
I wouldn't get upset about it either way; the 8mmol/l reading is still well within the normal range for a post-meal glucose reading (the normal range is up to 10mmol/l). If he's getting that low of a reading from a breakfast that seems like it's primarily starches, it seems like he's doing great! :)
(And again, thanks for letting me let out my inner lecturer, lol.)
You are a darling! Thanks, as always, for the input and for confirming that I'm probably stressing without real cause, which I kind of wondered. However, to answer your questions...
He fasting tests, then tests 1 hour and 2 hours after breakfast, and both fasting and 2 hour ones seem OK. It's just this one-off 1 hour spike that struck me as odd and a bit concerning because I don't understand how it could happen.
No changes to the porridge (it's 2 little 'cups' dry oats, 1 same cup skimmed milk, 4 same cups water, 10 mins cooking time). Big cup of tea as usual - even the time we ate was the same (this working gal has a bus to catch!).
A nice low carb meal last night which gave the lowest readings for a while :-) No booze, no snacks. Reasonable night's sleep (I think).
So, I guess put it down to 'one of those things' and only fret if it happens again.
As to the knee... if I keep it moving it isn't too bad :-)
Hmm. Well, it definitely is a little odd, but then again our bodies don't always work perfectly right? :) Unless his post-meal readings keep going up, I wouldn't worry! Glad the knee isn't too bad. :)
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