Food is driving me mad!

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sue63

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Hi
I feel frustrated today (again!)

Just been to do some shopping and so confused what to buy for my son to eat in terms of treats as he is going a bit loopy and so am I.

All the help from the hospital has been.....don't eat anything with sugar in the top three ingredients...this rules out all puddings, yogurts.cakes, biscuits,ice cream etc etc. It's early days (6 weeks) but there must be more flexibility than this

He is back at uni in the autumn and food is going to be a nightmare for him if it stays like this. Sorry but it's driving me mad. I know Joel should be looking at this but at the moment he is just gritting his teeth and avoiding anything 'nice'
He is coping well but I think feeling constantly deprived of anything chocolatey is getting to him.

Sorry I am fed up with the stress of food today! x
 
Hi Sue

Am I right in thinking that your son is on two injections a day? If so, things will get easier if and when he switches onto multiple injections and is carb counting, because then he will be able to cover these things with insulin.

When I was on two injections a day, I was allowed sweet things like yoghurts, puddings, chocolate etc as part of a main meal, and I'd just have a little bit less carbs for the meal. So for example I'd have some cake after dinner and just have a bit less potato or pasta. Is this a feasible option? Obviously, I am not speaking as a medical professional here, I'm just saying what worked for me. 🙂
 
Sugar free jelly and angel delight was my pudding saviour when I was on 2 injections a day!

Also, strawberries are very low carb, how about them with some cream?

I can share his frustrations, it was very hard at the time. Hope he can change insulins soon!
 
I've just made up a batch of sugar free jelly! Nice with some ice-cream. I think there is supposed to be a good non-sugar ice cream called Franks, although I've never tried it - would be good in this weather though. As has been mentioned before, high cocoa content chocolate can be a satisfying treat in just two or three squares, or as Pigeon suggested, swap some of the carbs around in the meals so he can have a yoghurt or similar. Nuts are a good snack - walnuts are particularly good.

I was very 'good' for a few months after diagnosis, partly because I was learning what I could and couldn't eat - unfortunately it does take time but he (and you!) will get there! 🙂
 
Franks ice cream is stocked at our local Tesco - I can't tell the difference, and goes good with strawberries and other low sugar fruits.
Also I think Craim Fraiche (spelling) is better than creams due to fat content (cholesterol control). Tescos or Asda also stock sugar free wine gum type things. With all of these just watch how much due to laxative effect. It's tral and error for different peoples tolerances. Good luck on his return to Uni
 
My sister-in-law cooked up a very acceptable trifle using sugar-free ingredients.

Now, usually I run a mile from things like that, but even I had to accept that it was perfectly OK. :D

Andy

p.s. It wasn't what I'd call a trifle though. There wasn't any sherry in it! 🙄
 
strawberries and cream are good as there are hardly any carbs in them. Good quality dark choc. as already mentioned is also fine. I try (when I just have to have something sweet) to go for a small portion of something really nice not a huge portion of something else.

Is it worth looking at non-sweet treats e.g. nuts as Northener suggested, posh olives or really nice ham/cheese all of which have hardly any carbs in them.
 
if he craves chocolate go for the darkest you can as the higher the cocoa the less sugar ...at xmas for example i always have a few wrapped individually for ME only ...dont buy the dibetic stuff ...he wont thank you after being on the wc all night !!!

http://www.aubergechocolat.co.uk/buy/signature-dairy-free-range

these are LOVELY in moderation of course xx
 
I would absolutely agree that you need to avoid anything labelled 'diabetic'. Expensive, give you terrible wind and/or the runs (even in small doses) and they're nothing like as nice as the real thing.

Hard to remember back to my days on mixed insulin. Occasional treats/puddings much easier to manage on basal-bolus. I seem to remember needing snacks at the time (I was in my last term at Uni). My mum got a book called 'sugar free cakes and biscuits' by Elbie Lebrecht (faber & faber) which had lots of higher fibre/lower gi recipes.

Having said that bear in mind that Weetabix has the same GI as a doughnut so the only real way for him to know what will cause chaos for his bg levels is to eat-to-the-meter. You might find some pleasant surprises!

The other thing I've always done (though I know it's not really what you are supposed to do) is use chocolate and/or sweets as a hypo remedy. The fat slows down the absorption in theory glucotabs etc are a much better bet, but the odd 'chocolate medicine' fix makes saying no the rest of the time much easier for me.
 
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When i have hypo's that probz the only time i have sweets and choc, Im allowed to eat it, but i dnt enjoy it, cuz sum times i cnt remember eatting it, or i too busy trying to scoff it dwn my throte lol! but yes eatting sweet and choc isn't breaking the rules when yuu are having a hypo
 
food drives me mad too!

what about baking him some treats - using as little sugar as possible - banana cake? home made cheesy breadsticks? get him to be creative with meats and cheeses - as someone has already said. Cook him some meals savoury for his uni kitchen?

JP's grandparents hold the same miffed opinion - 'what can we bring as a treat?' well at only 2yrs old toys work well but that doesn't help your uni aged son.

not alot of help from me there then!
rachel
 
Northerner said:
I've just made up a batch of sugar free jelly! Nice with some ice-cream. I think there is supposed to be a good non-sugar ice cream called Franks, although I've never tried it - would be good in this weather though. As has been mentioned before, high cocoa content chocolate can be a satisfying treat in just two or three squares, or as Pigeon suggested, swap some of the carbs around in the meals so he can have a yoghurt or similar. Nuts are a good snack - walnuts are particularly good.

I was very 'good' for a few months after diagnosis, partly because I was learning what I could and couldn't eat - unfortunately it does take time but he (and you!) will get there! 🙂
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Franks is THE BEST!! I have tried Sedish Glace too but that was awful (but my mum - not a diabetic -loves!)
 
THANK YOU all so much. yes..we are only on 2 injections a day so very limited.

Are things like a mini mars bar or milky way or big cookie acceptable after a meal if we have a smaller portion of carbs?

Off for the ice cream...I have seen it in tesco and some strawberries and cream.

Trouble is I did loads of baking...but naughty things like brownies, caramel slice lots of cakes which he loves. I assume he will be able to eat a small portion of these when he injects more??

Thank you again xx
 
With your son on 2 injections a day, best plan is to eat the same total amount of carbohydrate at each meal, consisting of starch and sugar is virtually whatever proportion he wants eg if having brownie, then have less pasta first.
By the way, don't buy strawberries, grow them - we've been getting at least 4 portions per day for a couple of weeks, and so many recently, I've had to bring them in for work colleagues. Negligible effect on my blood sugar, but if they did effect, I've got the option of bolusing more. I really feel that a young adult (as I was when diagnosed) should not be left on bimodal insulin any longer than essential. I'm sure I could have coped on basal bolus right from beginning, but in 1996, I hadn't heard of it, and it was only after the mother of a friend with whom I travelled in Belgium heard about it and sent me a photocopied article from her Tasmanian pharmacy journal, that I knew to ask the clinic. Not much internet in those days....
Just got to work out how much food to take on mountain marathon this weekend - very hot & dry, so won't want much hot food, just enough fuel to heat water for cous cous & a couple of hot drinks each, with muesli bars, water and energy gels / powders on the hill, I reckon.
 
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Sue,
Not sure why your son is on 2 injections? This is far too restrictive and he needs to move to MDI which will allow him to eat more often and when he is actually hungry rather than eating when he has to at a set time etc..

Once on MDI he will be able to eat all those goodies that he is missing! Perhaps you could contact your team and make an appointment to ask for MDI?🙂Bev
 
Thank you so much and I will contact our team.

I know this routine can't last much longer as when he goes back to uni in Leeds for his final year it will drive him mad and he will want to lie in and eat at different times etc He is on a teaching placement at the moment so the routine is keeping him in a routine...this won't last long...he is a chaotic student!

I am trying to get him more involved but there is a touch of denial at the moment and frustration as he can't be as spontanteous as he likes.

He is determined to live a normal life...he is very strong willed! but food is setting him back at the moment.

We haven't heard from out team since week 1 (week 6 now!) though we do have an appointment end of july and I am insisiting we see the nurse next week...floundering around on our own really...not sure what i would have done without this forum...I want excellent care for him.

xxx
 
These days there might well be an argument to skip straight to a pump (if your son likes the sound of that). That way he would be able to make minute adjustments to his mealtime insulin and basal (background) requirements from the start, rather than learning the MDI approach and then having to relearn for pumping if that ended up being the better bet.

There's an excellent account of a person's experience of switching to a pump with a CGMS (continuous glucose monitoring system) here:

http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/06/what-made-the-difference/
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
These days there might well be an argument to skip straight to a pump (if your son likes the sound of that). That way he would be able to make minute adjustments to his mealtime insulin and basal (background) requirements from the start, rather than learning the MDI approach and then having to relearn for pumping if that ended up being the better bet....
Click to expand...

I think the chances of being put forward straightaway for a pump are probably slightly above nil these days, on the NHS at least and especially with the cuts. We've had people here who have been waiting years and others who should meet the criteria being refused. Unless you're hypo unaware and have shown poor control on MDI then it's extremely difficult to convince the powers that be. :(
 
In the early days, i did alot of baking, cakes and biscuites , snack bars, its a great way to know what is in what your eating and you can get things how you like them.
There are plenty of sweeters good for baking, and you can still use a little chocolate and things.
If he cuts out all sweet things complety it might make life more hard work.
My consutlant told me to get my fave sweets for when i have hypos that why you can still east things you like and they are doing you good rather than giving you high bs.
There are plenty of diabetic cook books out there too which have good pudding sections, worth buying 😉
xxx
 
Northerner said:
I think the chances of being put forward straightaway for a pump are probably slightly above nil these days, on the NHS at least and especially with the cuts. We've had people here who have been waiting years and others who should meet the criteria being refused. Unless you're hypo unaware and have shown poor control on MDI then it's extremely difficult to convince the powers that be. :(
Click to expand...

You also have to show a certain level of carb conting ability to pump, something which comes with practice (and lots of trial and error) on injections.

However i would definately push for a basal/bolus regime. It will give him much, much, much more flexibility! Im at a loss why they wouldnt have started him on this straight away.

Also, cant remember if anyone has already said this, but "ask" (push very hard!! 😉) for a carb counting course like DAFNE. It will give him so much confidence in what hes doing and allowing him to make sensible decisions/adjustments for food, excercise and even alcohol which he might want to deal with going back to uni. 😱
(Some hospital like to wait a bit for this, to make sure you have finished honeymooning though, but it cant hurt to start asking straight away)
 
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