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- Thread starter anilp
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SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome to the forum @anilp .
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but pleased that you have found this forum.
It will seem pretty complicated at the start, but it does get easier. I liken it to learning to drive.
After a while what you have to do becomes automatic, but you need to keep a watch for bumps on the way.
You need a bit of patience at the start as it does take some time to get ratios sorted out and they may want to bring down your higher levels gradually first. Working out the ratios is a case of starting somewhere and then going up a bit or down a bit as necessary. But it is not a science, and we are juggling quite a few different factors alongside the carbs.
When eating out the sensible thing would be to avoid high carb options. In theory I will avoid chips, pasta, curries. However sometimes I just go off piste and guess as best I can. You will be taught how to correct highs, so if things go wrong you can put it right later. Talk to your DSN about this. So being sensible I will go for a salad. On the other hand who wants to pay someone else to put a salad together. So ....
There is a good app for your phone called Carbs and Cals which gives pictures of portions, so you can do a bit of a comparison. I knew nothing at the start but have become reasonably adept at working these out now (after nearly 12 years)
Lots to learn at the start. Plenty of help and support available on here, and you can ask absolutely any questions you have. Nothing is considered silly, and I have learnt most of what I know from others on here.
Keep in touch.
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but pleased that you have found this forum.
It will seem pretty complicated at the start, but it does get easier. I liken it to learning to drive.
After a while what you have to do becomes automatic, but you need to keep a watch for bumps on the way.
You need a bit of patience at the start as it does take some time to get ratios sorted out and they may want to bring down your higher levels gradually first. Working out the ratios is a case of starting somewhere and then going up a bit or down a bit as necessary. But it is not a science, and we are juggling quite a few different factors alongside the carbs.
When eating out the sensible thing would be to avoid high carb options. In theory I will avoid chips, pasta, curries. However sometimes I just go off piste and guess as best I can. You will be taught how to correct highs, so if things go wrong you can put it right later. Talk to your DSN about this. So being sensible I will go for a salad. On the other hand who wants to pay someone else to put a salad together. So ....
There is a good app for your phone called Carbs and Cals which gives pictures of portions, so you can do a bit of a comparison. I knew nothing at the start but have become reasonably adept at working these out now (after nearly 12 years)
Lots to learn at the start. Plenty of help and support available on here, and you can ask absolutely any questions you have. Nothing is considered silly, and I have learnt most of what I know from others on here.
Keep in touch.
Toucan
Forum Host
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hello Anilp,
Welcome to the forum. As you will already see, there is a lot of knowledge here to help you through.
I am a Type 2 so don't have quite the same problem in restaurants, but still try to eat low carb. I do find that restaurants are beginning to more helpful about this in the last couple of years, and prepared to swap out the high carb items sometimes.
Welcome to the forum. As you will already see, there is a lot of knowledge here to help you through.
I am a Type 2 so don't have quite the same problem in restaurants, but still try to eat low carb. I do find that restaurants are beginning to more helpful about this in the last couple of years, and prepared to swap out the high carb items sometimes.
stephknits
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi and welcome! Eating out can seem like a minefield when starting out. Lots of chains provide carb values on their websites with a nutritional values sheet. If I'm going out to an independent restaurant for a three course meal, I tend to try to pick a very low or no carb starter, thus not doing any insulin til I've got my main in front of me. Some meals are easier to eyeball than others. For example, a mixed up sort of dish in a sauce where you can't really see the component parts is more difficult than a steak and chips in a way. If your carbs are presented seperately like chips or potatoes etc, you can judge how much you want to eat and look at the carbs and cals app to guess how much you are having. I will also ask for swops - so, for me, I would rather eat some hand made chips than a burger bun, so ask for my burger without bun and with extra salad.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
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Welcome to the forum @anilp
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but glad you have found our friendly and supportive community.
I think @SB2015's suggestion of Carbs and Cals could be very helpful for you. It is a very useful skill to build up a feel for estimating carbohydrate by eye. As others are saying, eating out can be a tricky business, but generally it's quite an infrequent event, so won't have too much impact on your levels overall.
Diabetes UK also have a large section on their website called 'Enjoy Food' whihc includes an introduction to carb counting which might be worth checking out?
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but glad you have found our friendly and supportive community.
I think @SB2015's suggestion of Carbs and Cals could be very helpful for you. It is a very useful skill to build up a feel for estimating carbohydrate by eye. As others are saying, eating out can be a tricky business, but generally it's quite an infrequent event, so won't have too much impact on your levels overall.
Diabetes UK also have a large section on their website called 'Enjoy Food' whihc includes an introduction to carb counting which might be worth checking out?
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food
trophywench
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Anil - the word you are looking for is 'boLus' but watch out for autocorrect because when saying 'Bolusing' or 'Bolused' it frequently unhelpfully changes it to read 'bloused' or 'blousing' ! Quite annoying when you don't notice quickly and change it back.
Anyway - especially whilst you find your way through this particular minefield - when eating out, never bolus before the food is presented on the plate in front of you. 'Fast acting' ie bolus insulins start to work at different times at different times of day for different people. For instance, for me Novorapid starts to take effect within 10 minutes of me delivering it so if I bolus as soon as I order and there's a delay delivering it - I can start going hypo before I've taken more than a mouthful or two - so do be careful !
Anyway - especially whilst you find your way through this particular minefield - when eating out, never bolus before the food is presented on the plate in front of you. 'Fast acting' ie bolus insulins start to work at different times at different times of day for different people. For instance, for me Novorapid starts to take effect within 10 minutes of me delivering it so if I bolus as soon as I order and there's a delay delivering it - I can start going hypo before I've taken more than a mouthful or two - so do be careful !
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