
January 11, 2002
Blood Tests and Insulin Injections
Question from Jackson, Wisconsin, USA:
I have type 2 diabetes treated with pills, and usually test first thing in the morning and then two hours after meals, so I can see what effect my diet was having on my blood sugar levels. When is the best time to test?
Answer:
Good for you for testing when you do! You are correct in testing first thing in the morning (fasting) and then two hours after meals. These after meal [postprandial] tests give an indication of how your meals affect your blood sugar as you described. Remember, two hours after a meal is two hours from when you begin the meal, not from when you finish it.
I encourage patients with type 2 diabetes to use the result of after meal testing to learn what foods raise their blood sugars more and then to make dietary changes that might help reduce the blood sugar.
TB