Counting protein and fat

[Julia]

Hello Liam,
a big welcome to the forum. Sounds as if you have had an eventful journey with your diabetes.
I find it interesting you have to count fats and protiens as well as carbs.
Like you I have to do this as well.
.

I didn't want to hijack Amanda's thread in the pumping section, but this really caught my attention.

Firstly welcome to the forum Liam. I have read your posts with interest as alot of the things you have said are my experience too!

So how do you calculate insulin requirements for fats and proteins? They DEFINITELY effect me too. Pumper-Sue I know you have mentioned this before and thank you, I have taken your advice on board and now bolus for half the protein carbs if I am having a carb-free meal. I require a lot more insulin to cover carbs for dinner, when I am much more likely to have more fat and protein. At the moment I just overestimate carbs if meal high in protein, and underestimate if not. I have been ignoring fat and concentrating more on protein. So I am really interested to hear what you have discovered works for you.....

P.S. My consultant thinks I am a bit odd cos I mention this every time 🙄

 

[MaryPlain]

P.S. My consultant thinks I am a bit odd cos I mention this every time 🙄

Yep, I have exactly the same reaction! Every time I go for my pump appointment, I explain why basal tests can be very difficult when I am working, and they insist on telling me that I don't need to fast, I just have to eat meals without carbs. I've told them every time that this just doesn't work for me and they react as if nobody ever told them this.

 

[pgcity]

I have to bolus for zero carbs too. My dsn didn't believe me for ages. She thought my basal was off until I got a pump and showed her stable fasting readings.

I don't have any fab formula but I believe there is a tag system which stands for total available glucose. I haven't tried it tho as its hard enough just thinking about the carbs

 

[bev]

Hi Julia,

Alex (14) also has to count fat and some protein - but we dont use a specific formula.🙂

An example would be if having a pizza of say 100 carbs - we would make it about 120 carbs and also use a 'dual wave' of 8 hours to account for the fat delaying absorption. Fried eggs we count as 4 carbs. Cheese doesnt seem to affect it if not melted on a pizza for some reason - its allright in a sandwich! Bacon we add about 5 carbs on for the fat.🙂Bev

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

This page might give you a starting point - bear in mind that the conversion is usually slower - and as with all things D you will have to test your own body's responses against any supposed 'average'

http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/info/?page_id=438

 

[Julia]

Thank you for all of your replies. Some food for thought - thanks!
Interesting link Everydayupsanddowns. Think I'm going to start with that as a starting point, but imagine I might end with a technique like you describe Bev.
Have bolused for half the grams of protein in my chicken tonight. I will report back after a lot more trial and error! I wonder why protein /fat affect some people and not others? Why can't diabetes be simple?!!!

 

[trophywench]

You have to remember it takes longer to convert than carb too. So may necessitate a split bolus.

You can only play with it and see what YOU need to do.

I'm stunned that anyone needs to do this, though I don't dispute it cos it is reported reasonably often. Just can't get my head round it all frankly, cos if they do, why don't I?

 

[Pumper_Sue]

If I have a fatty or high protien meal then I tend to delay the bolus until the start of my meal give the full amount and then 2 hours later use and extended bolus for a 3rd of the amount over at least 6 hours. Results are mixed. So do this this very rarely. Mainly because I am not fond of fatty food and hate messing around with boluses.