Eating out.

[gillrogers]

How do people insulin dependant cope with eating out? The prospect terrifies me. Not being able to calculate carbs and on a very fast acting bolus. It seems I'm either risking the evening being ruined by a hypo or risking the evening ruined by going way to high.
How to do you cope with it?

 

[helli]

High @gillrogers
I understand your anxiety but would say it gets easier as you learn to "eyeball" a dish and guestimate the carbs.
I tend to intentionally under-dose and then correct later when I see my levels rising. This is one of the great benefits of have a LIbre where I can spot when my dose was not enough. It also means I have the flexibility not to eat the whole dish if I don't like it.
With the faster fast acting insulins, there is less need to pre-bolus which removes one of the problems.

For the first few meals I would suggest trying to eat something you are familiar with and similar to what you eat at home. Alternatively, you could try a lower carb meal which would reduce the insulin dose and room for error. However, I find most restaurants manage to "hide" carbs in otherwise low carb dishes.

 

[nonethewiser]

One word Experience, eyeballing food is art you cant teach.

 

[JJay]

Personally I count the obvious carbs, but don’t stress about what might be in unfamiliar dishes. Using an app can help - I use NutraCheck as it has such a huge database including lots of restaurant/pub meals. Sometimes you can use a similar supermarket ready meal carb count to give you a ball park figure. Carbs and Cals can be useful for assessing portion sizes. Eat the amount you are comfortable with - if it’s a huge portion, you’re not obliged to eat it all!

I bolus for those carbs just as the food is served and keep checking with Libre to see how things are going. The “hidden” carbs and anything eaten on a whim can be mopped up later with a correction.

This usually works for me, but on the odd occasion when I get it wrong or things go unexpectedly awry, it’s not the end of the world. Tomorrow is another day.
Above all, don’t panic and remember you’re there to enjoy yourself!

 

[Lucyr]

I just test bg, guess the carbs and inject the insulin. Or sometimes I decide how many carbs I plan to eat, inject the insulin, then eat to that many carbs. But usually the first way round.

 

[gillrogers]

Thanks everyone. How do you deal with dosing? I envisage myself having to go of to the loos to do it as I use my thighs. Tummy is way to sensitive for me as I'm a skinny bean with not much fatty tissue round it. Not too much of a problem if I'm high to start with 10 plus but if I'm lower that can be a problem being on the Lyumjev.

 

[helli]

I dose at the table. It is rare for public toilets to be clean and I see no point in jumping up and down.
I usually injected into my belly but if I was wearing a dress, I woul use my thighs and just lift my skirt a little under the table.

 

[nonethewiser]

Never use toilet, could inject in arms as its quick & easy to do, tbh dont have any hang ups about injecting in public, wasnt always case mind.

 

[JJay]

Sorry, can't really help with injecting as I invariably wear separates and inject in my muffin top - I do envy you your flat tum! Thighs are reserved for basal only, but if I did want to bolus there a skirt/dress would make it easier. Where you sit helps - we always try to get a table round the edge of the room (best for people-watching anyway!) I sit next to the wall and inject on that side.