Hi there, newly diagnosed type 1.

[Inka]

Hello again, yes I was a bit weary myself of the low reading will probably have more biscuits like you say before bed, have been speaking to my diabetic nurse contact and he has taken me down from 10 Nova to 8 as I have been too low before my next meal, he has also advised me to slightly adjust my insulin dose by 1 or 2 units if I'm having a bigger portion of carbs. Have also been told if I'm having no carbs with my meal to not have any Nova. My question is do we still need insulin to break down foods with no carbs ? Thanks again.

Yes, protein turns to glucose too, especially if you don’t eat any carbs with it eg if I have a salmon fillet, green veg and a baked potato, I only need to count the carbs in the potato and can use my normal meal ratio. The salmon is ‘free’ (ie I don’t have to count it) as is the green veg. However, if I were to have the salmon with a green salad and no countable carbs, I’d have to take into account the protein in the salmon and the small amount of carbs in the lettuce too, which I could ignore in a normal meal.

It’s much easier and more predictable to have some carbs with each meal. Avoiding carbs doesn’t make it easy - just work in a different way. It also messes with insulin sensitivity, which is another reason I eat a reasonable amount of carbs.

It’s so very, very easy to start seeing food as the enemy. It’s not. You can just eat a normal healthy diet - all that’s changed is you have to think more before you eat and be your own pancreas.

 

[helli]

@Inka and @rebrascora (and others), I think we. have to remember that @Type1Pat is on fixed insulin doses and not carb counting at the moment.
The information about protein impact is valid but is it relevant (and not confusing) for someone newly diagnosed on fixed dosage?

My advice in this situation would be to avoid low carb meals until you have learnt about carb counting and dose adjustment.
If low carb meals are common, ask your DSN about carb counting.

Then we can move on to glucogenesis (apologies for the spelling ... it is probably not correct).

 

[Pat91]

Yes, protein turns to glucose too, especially if you don’t eat any carbs with it eg if I have a salmon fillet, green veg and a baked potato, I only need to count the carbs in the potato and can use my normal meal ratio. The salmon is ‘free’ (ie I don’t have to count it) as is the green veg. However, if I were to have the salmon with a green salad and no countable carbs, I’d have to take into account the protein in the salmon and the small amount of carbs in the lettuce too, which I could ignore in a normal meal.

It’s much easier and more predictable to have some carbs with each meal. Avoiding carbs doesn’t make it easy - just work in a different way. It also messes with insulin sensitivity, which is another reason I eat a reasonable amount of carbs.

It’s so very, very easy to start seeing food as the enemy. It’s not. You can just eat a normal healthy diet - all that’s changed is you have to think more before you eat and be your own pancreas

@Inka and @rebrascora (and others), I think we. have to remember that @Type1Pat is on fixed insulin doses and not carb counting at the moment.
The information about protein impact is valid but is it relevant (and not confusing) for someone newly diagnosed on fixed dosage?

My advice in this situation would be to avoid low carb meals until you have learnt about carb counting and dose adjustment.
If low carb meals are common, ask your DSN about carb counting.

Then we can move on to glucogenesis (apologies for the spelling ... it is probably not correct).

I did not know this, how come, you don't have to take into account the fibre when eating carbs but you do when there are no carbs .

 

[Pat91]

@Inka and @rebrascora (and others), I think we. have to remember that @Type1Pat is on fixed insulin doses and not carb counting at the moment.
The information about protein impact is valid but is it relevant (and not confusing) for someone newly diagnosed on fixed dosage?

My advice in this situation would be to avoid low carb meals until you have learnt about carb counting and dose adjustment.
If low carb meals are common, ask your DSN about carb counting.

Then we can move on to glucogenesis (apologies for the spelling ... it is probably not correct).

To be honest I do consume carbs with most meals anyway. And I look forward to learning more from you guys on here.

 

[Deleted member 25429]

Sure it's the beef and not what you eat with it? Beef is protein, Nil carbs. Roast spuds Boiled spuds Yorkshire Pud and the gravy all contain a decent amount of carbs, before you even start adding any accompanying veg.

Unfortunately it is the beef don’t eat potatoes or Yorkshire’s . Had it with a salad . Every time I eat it I have to inject an hour after eating it and even then I what I call a significant rise in my sugar levels. I do tend to stick to a veggie diet but don’t eat potatoes, pasta or rice

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry, long way of saying I am looking forward to reading other's experience of Libre 2.

I’ve got one on at the moment. Gathering info to give it a bit of a write-up. 🙂

 

[nonethewiser]

Unfortunately it is the beef don’t eat potatoes or Yorkshire’s . Had it with a salad . Every time I eat it I have to inject an hour after eating it and even then I what I call a significant rise in my sugar levels. I do tend to stick to a veggie diet but don’t eat potatoes, pasta or rice

Ain't that odd, thought I was only one who did same, don't have issue with chicken lamb pork for sunday roast only beef requires extended bolus.

 

[trophywench]

@Type1Pat - where did you get that about fibre from? Can't see that anyone here has mentioned it at all.

Here in the UK - and most of Europe - carb measurements automatically exclude fibre.

Only in the USA (as far as I know) do you first need to deduct the fibre content from the total carb figure. And amounts in recipes are expressed as 'cups' - always found this hilarious as all my mom's were different sizes, as mine always have been - and these days nobody hardly gets married so probably won't have even received a tea set off a neighbour of their mother which they keep at the back of a cupboard 'just in case' Mrs Bloggs turns up, as an unsolicited extra wedding present!

 

[Deleted member 25429]

Ain't that odd, thought I was only one who did same, don't have issue with chicken lamb pork for sunday roast only beef requires extended

Ain't that odd, thought I was only one who did same, don't have issue with chicken lamb pork for sunday roast only beef requires extended bolus.

I’m glad I’m not the only one

 

[helli]

I did not know this, how come, you don't have to take into account the fibre when eating carbs but you do when there are no carbs .

I think, when you write “fibre”. You mean “protein”.
The reason why you don’t need to worry about protein when you eat carbs but do need to consider it when you eat no carbs is that the body needs glucose. Normally, our body gets glucose from carbs. If it has not carbs, it can break down the protein you eat instead. This is called something like glucogenisis.
If you eat carbs, the body knows not to break down the protein into glucose so you don’t need to worry about dosing insulin for the protein.

Incidentally, technically, fibre is a carbohydrate. However, the body cannot digest fibre so it does not absorbs the glucose from fibre.
Thankfully, in the UK, food labels have subtracted the fibre from the carbs so we don’t have to.
It is useful to know this if we use recipes from the internet which may have been sourced from American where the fibre (or “fibre”) is included in the carb content on food labels.

 

[helli]

And amounts in recipes are expressed as 'cups' - always found this hilarious as all my mom's were different sizes,

Cups as measurement for recipes are fantastic.
Just like teaspoons and tablespoons there is a definition of the size of a cup and you can buy cup measures.

Scooping out a cup of flour rather than weighing it is time saving and easy.
The Americans know what they are talking about with baking recipes that measure with cups and spoons.

 

[Pat91]

I think, when you write “fibre”. You mean “protein”.
The reason why you don’t need to worry about protein when you eat carbs but do need to consider it when you eat no carbs is that the body needs glucose. Normally, our body gets glucose from carbs. If it has not carbs, it can break down the protein you eat instead. This is called something like glucogenisis.
If you eat carbs, the body knows not to break down the protein into glucose so you don’t need to worry about dosing insulin for the protein.

Incidentally, technically, fibre is a carbohydrate. However, the body cannot digest fibre so it does not absorbs the glucose from fibre.
Thankfully, in the UK, food labels have subtracted the fibre from the carbs so we don’t have to.
It is useful to know this if we use recipes from the internet which may have been sourced from American where the fibre (or “fibre”) is included in the carb content on food labels.

Thank you for that, our bodies are amazing really aren't they.

 

[Pat91]

@Type1Pat, One week into insulin therapy: Well done.
You have taken a decisive step coming to a forum and dipping your toe into the big pool. There's much to learn, but don't worry there's plenty of time to splash around.
You have been started on fixed doses of insulin to take each day, this will help bring your daily glucose levels down to a more normal range, and help you regain the weight you lost before diagnosis.
I don't think anyone has mentioned 'diabetic honeymoon' yet:
Over the next few weeks you will most likely see your insulin requirements drop; experience hypos creeping in; want to start managing both your own insulin dosage and carb count. If you are lucky you might be able to enjoy a period of very low amounts of injected insulin as your pancreas' beta cells briefly flex their renewed muscles.
Type 1 has no cure, so the respite will be temporary, but allows you plenty of time to absorb as much information as you can and prepare mentally.
Good luck mate

@Type1Pat, One week into insulin therapy: Well done.
You have taken a decisive step coming to a forum and dipping your toe into the big pool. There's much to learn, but don't worry there's plenty of time to splash around.
You have been started on fixed doses of insulin to take each day, this will help bring your daily glucose levels down to a more normal range, and help you regain the weight you lost before diagnosis.
I don't think anyone has mentioned 'diabetic honeymoon' yet:
Over the next few weeks you will most likely see your insulin requirements drop; experience hypos creeping in; want to start managing both your own insulin dosage and carb count. If you are lucky you might be able to enjoy a period of very low amounts of injected insulin as your pancreas' beta cells briefly flex their renewed muscles.
Type 1 has no cure, so the respite will be temporary, but allows you plenty of time to absorb as much information as you can and prepare mentally.
Good luck mate.

Thanks mate.

 

[Deleted member 25429]

I think, when you write “fibre”. You mean “protein”.
The reason why you don’t need to worry about protein when you eat carbs but do need to consider it when you eat no carbs is that the body needs glucose. Normally, our body gets glucose from carbs. If it has not carbs, it can break down the protein you eat instead. This is called something like glucogenisis.
If you eat carbs, the body knows not to break down the protein into glucose so you don’t need to worry about dosing insulin for the protein.

Incidentally, technically, fibre is a carbohydrate. However, the body cannot digest fibre so it does not absorbs the glucose from fibre.
Thankfully, in the UK, food labels have subtracted the fibre from the carbs so we don’t have to.
It is useful to know this if we use recipes from the internet which may have been sourced from American where the fibre (or “fibre”) is included in the carb content on food labels.

Thanks for this really explains a lot appreciate it

 

[stillgoing]

In the old days we used to count calories. All food has some calories. all those calories end up in your blood as glucose. The lantus insulin is meant to deal with all this background processing. The fast acting insulin deals with the spikes caused by eating carb.

It was too difficult for most people to count calories. Its bad enough counting carb but it helps in control.

The insulin reacts with the glucose in the blood stream so that it can enter the cells and be used as energy. If the cells cannot get energy from a glucose supply they get it by breaking down your body fat. This process causes ketones. If you have surplus glucose the body turns it into fat ready for later use. Can be very easy to gain weight when eating with insulin.

The rate all this happens is different for everybody so you have been started on an average wet finger in the air levels.
After a while the DSN will be able to refine them and then you will learn to do it too.

Try not to run. I was on fixed rate for 54 years. I have now moved to a varied rate and playing with the numbers. Take your time. Lots of conflicting information and (mostly) all right. A very individual condition

 

[Inka]

I’ve never counted calories nor am I fat. Insulin doesn’t make you fat nor do carbs - unless, of course, someone is over-eating and making poor food choices. Then it’s the excess and the poor choices that cause the fat not the insulin.

There are far too many people with Type 1 with eating disorders, and I know how easy it is to fall into that hole without realising.

Just to be clear @Type1Pat Eating a normal diet and taking your insulin will NOT make you fat. I eat cereal, bread, pasta, desserts sometimes, chocolate, etc etc and I am most definitely not fat! My BMI is around 20 and I’m slim and wiry. I’ve had almost 30 years of insulin and it’s not made me fat - not now nor in the past. My weight has remained stable and I believe my weight now is the same as it would have been if I’d never developed Type 1.

 

[stillgoing]

sorry inka. Didn't mean to imply that the insulin makes you fat. As you rightly say that is the excess food. However when on fixed insulin you can end up eating to the insulin to prevent hypos. You then end up eating too much rather than cutting the insulin down. The balance is the amount you eat to the insulin to the amount of energy you need.