Measuring glucose

I have had trouble getting the same number if I repeat the test. But I am starting to think that cleaning and drying well the fingertip that is pricked is important in getting repeatable results. Anyone else taking glucose measurements, and have advice?

[DFZ4835]

Martin,

The test should be close on repeated tests but not necessarily the same. Like taking your blood pressure repeatedly they are almost never the same. Get some alcohol wipes and clean the finger with that. That is the best you can do.

Dennis

[Hidden in reply to DFZ4835]

do you take your glucose levels?

[DFZ4835 in reply to Hidden]

Yes I do. Before my gastric bypass I weighed 400 lb and I was a diabetic. That was 12 years ago. I am now at last weigh in a 180 lbs. It seams my pancreas could only make enough insulin for a 300 pounder. I continue to test my blood every week. I know it can come back so I continue to check weekly.

Dennis

[Cantabrigian51]

I was told by my pcp to take my blood glucose every morning since I am pre-diabetic. The strips I use, FreeStyle Lite have a margin of error of 19(!) centered at 95. While I find the lack of precision annoying/scary, the idea is simply to know when my bgl is out of control. I don't think the difference of a few points is important, but rather trends or a number that is really high or really low. In that case I would retest.

Marty

[Frankandhazel]

I have the same issue. I have tried repeating the test with the same needle prick and it is still different. Any ideas?

[Hidden]

The idea about cleaning the finger tip is that such a small amount of blood is used these days, and glucose is an even smaller amount of the sample, that anything on the skin could throw off the concentration or the chemical reaction. So I clean the finger and rub against a paper tower with friction, then try to take from the top of the blood drop.

It seems to be working better. Variations of say 2 or 3, rahter than 10 or 15, but is the cleaning what is doing it? Dont feel confident of that yet.

I suppose I will try not cleaning again, and then clean and re-try. See what happens. ...

[herb1]

Hey guys: what makes you think the test the doc does in his office is any more precise? At least not if he/she is using a similar test strip method. With a larger blood sample and a "wet" method, maybe. Ask the lab, they better know the range.

herb

[Hidden in reply to herb1]

I don't think that.

[Hidden]

I hope you guys with prediabetes or T2DM know that both can almost always be cured and reversed with simple dietary changes, regardless of your doctors' insistence that they are not curable and require drugs even to merely slow their progress. The same technique is an extremely sound, healthy, enjoyable, free, risk-free, drug-and-surgery-free way to lose an excess 20 or 800 pounds. Read up on ketogenic diets and fasting, such as Moore and Fung's new book on fasting at

amazon.com/Complete-Guide-F... .

Do. Not. Pooh. Pooh. Either. Concept. I'm not a doctor, but I have studied nutrition intensely for decades and am very convinced that the VAST majority of physicians don't know CRAP about it (many don't even know the difference between ketosis and ketoacidosis). Even then, I've been very surprised at the number and variety of health issues of my own that a dozen physicians had given up on but which were cured very quickly and clearly with just keto eating, let alone the addition of totally effortless intermittent fasting. Read a book or lose your legs and your lives. It's your choice.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I have read a good deal about that. Introduced to it by Dr Lustig, and then Gary Taube. Both very good. And it's true that the study that showed the efficacy of metformin, showed that lifestyle changes (diet and exercise) had a greater effect.

But it remains true that Dr Atkins had a wing where he tried to cure cancer with his diet, and he eventually abandoned that. So, it's not the only thing in all cases.

I think most people understand by now that diet is important. Michael Pollan has been writing best sellers since 2006.

And calorie restriction has been shown to significantly extend life in a lab setting.

What is T2DM? - oh type 2 diabetes.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hippocrates and his peers wrote about the danger of excess carbs, too, as have many since then. Since we don't NEED to eat ANY carbs (our bodies run ... and win endurance competitions ... better on ketones), there is renewed interest in severe carb (not calorie) restriction to fight cancer. One obstacle is the tumor's ability to manufacture the glucose it MUST have to survive out of "thin air" ... from proteins inside the tumor cells.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

The whole body needs glucose. Since ATP is the energy molecule, I assume that glucose is involved in the synthesis of ATP. Glucose is made in the liver, from here:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2...

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I didn't say we don't need glucose. I said, and your reference (along with thousands like it) agreed, that we don't need to consume it. Only protein and fat must be consumed. The vast majority of people, especially fat-assed, carb-addicted Americans, function much better running on ketones rather than glucose, whether we're trying to cure T2DM, win the Tour de France, or just manage our health in general.

[Spitzz]

I wouldn’t worry about finger prick glucose testing. The meters / strips we use have a margin of +/- of 20%, that’s one hell of a spread, just be concerned about your A1-C..

Good luck

[Hidden in reply to Spitzz]

i've been getting better than that.

[erjlg3]

I hope you're doing well Martin. I Haven't seen you in here in a bit. Maybe I'm just missing some posts. Take good care

Jackie