counting carbs

[colinw]

hi without much sucess im carb counting
Im sure that it will get better however the nurse said that im not taking much insulin and that she has children who are taking more \I take 10 slow acting
and 3 3 4 quick. my ratio is 25 grams to i unit and my corrective dose if required is 5 to one
What levels do you take,and any advice for me Please
colinw

 

[aymes]

It's difficult to compare other people's insulin requirements with your own as it is all so individual so I wouldn't worry too much what others are taking. I'm currently on a 1 unit for 10g carbs breakfast and lunch and 1.5 units for 10g in the evenings. I'm on around 20units of lantus although that's being reviewed at the moment!
Advise for carb counting, I only really started doing it when I did dafne which was pretty intense but a great introduction to carb counting which I'd reccommend. I'd advise reading up on it and seeing if you can have a session with the dietician, really then it's just a lot of weighing your food and appreciating that initially it might take a bit of time, I certainly had a lot of luke-warm meals at first! Have you got a book/list giving you typical carb contents of things?

 

[diagonall]

Hi Colin, you need the amount of insulin for your needs and nobody elses.
Your nurse is extremly ignorant to even consider comparing you with anyone else.

 

[sofaraway]

are you doing a fixed kind of carb counting? as you have given ratio of 1:25g and also said that you take set doses (or are those doses 3,3,4 averages for those meals?)

You're insulin needs are pretty similar to mine, I am currently taking 12 units of basal lantus (in a 6/6 split) and my fast acting novorapid is around 6-10 a day.

As Sue said you take the amount of insulin that controls your blood sugars whatever that amount is.

Have you seen a dietician I've found them very good at teaching carb counting

 

[Deano]

Hi Colin, There is no set ammount there are guides but that is all it is very much an individual thing this is due to the fact that your body may be still producing a little of its own insulin and also how active you may be your weight and many more factors. I am quite active and do a fair bit of running i now take 6 units of lantus and just 2 or 3 units of novo before meals. My advice would be just go with your levels you will soon know what you need for different meals and what extra you may need if you have a treat.
Good luck
Dean

 

[rossi_mac]

As everyone says we're all different, I'm on similar although more Levemir (18) But I was wondering Colin, did you start at these rations or start higher as I have only been at these type of ratios for a month now and I'm wondering if I will return to nearer the 1:10g ratio.

 

[Adrienne]

hi without much sucess im carb counting
Im sure that it will get better however the nurse said that im not taking much insulin and that she has children who are taking more \I take 10 slow acting
and 3 3 4 quick. my ratio is 25 grams to i unit and my corrective dose if required is 5 to one
What levels do you take,and any advice for me Please
colinw

Sounds like your nurse doesn't really know much about carb counting and ratios etc etc. As the others have said it is dependant on your diabetes and age, weight etc etc. Normally (and this is only general) you will need more novorapid for breakfast than tea time as you are more insulin resistent in the morning. This is not everybody as I said, but does apply as a general rule.

When I started carb counting for my daughter aged 6 we used 1 unit to 15 for all meals and then started tweaking. She ended up on about 1 unit to 10carbs for breakfast, 1 to 18 for lunch and 1 to 26 for tea.

She now pumps and the ratios are 1 to 10, 1 to 15 and 1 to 16 with correction factors of 1 unit brings her down by 6.5 mmol during the day and 1 unit brings her down by 10 mmol overnight.

Carb counting is very hard to get your head around. You need to keep percevering and you will get there. You may get very despondent and cross but keep going. You can always ask here what something is if you are stuck, I know I'll be able to help somehow.

I still don't always get it right as there are so many different factors but it is so much better than not carb counting.

Good luck and its fantastic that you are even trying.

Take care