Ideal daily carb and sugar intake.

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pat daine

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Type 2
I am still new to diabetes.I have type 2. I inject insulin once a day also take empagliflozin and gliclazide tablets.would like to get an idea of how much carbs and sugar I should have daily.Thank you.
 
Sorry there is no universal amount and no definitive of what is low carb. It is generally regarded as under 130 grams a day.
As you are on Insulin and Gliclazide you need to be careful as you may have more hypos.
You say you are new are they sure you are Type 2 ? As those combinations are not usall for a new Type 2?
 
I have been told by the diabetic nurse and my GP I am type 2.My blood sugar levels are up and down They wont let me have anymore insulin later in the day because of hypos as I am 75 and live alone now.I was diagnosed in march only because I took along a urine sample because I had lost so much weight.Straight onto insulin that day.
 
pat daine said:
I have been told by the diabetic nurse and my GP I am type 2.My blood sugar levels are up and down They wont let me have anymore insulin later in the day because of hypos as I am 75 and live alone now.
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How were did your Diagnose come about!
 
They sent a special type of urine sample to the hospital lab.It came back saying I did produce some insulin but not a lot.
 
pat daine said:
I am still new to diabetes.I have type 2. I inject insulin once a day also take empagliflozin and gliclazide tablets.would like to get an idea of how much carbs and sugar I should have daily.Thank you.
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As you’re insulin (and other meds) you need to watch out for hypos. If you eat too few carbs, your blood sugar could go too low.

Can you give us an idea of what blood sugar test results you’re getting?
 
@pat daine - how often have you been told to test your blood via a fingerprick using the provided glucometer and strips?
 
Inka said:
As you’re insulin (and other meds) you need to watch out for hypos. If you eat too few carbs, your blood sugar could go too low.

Can you give us an idea of what blood sugar test results you’re getting?
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Inka said:
As you’re insulin (and other meds) you need to watch out for hypos. If you eat too few carbs, your blood sugar could go too low.

Can you give us an idea of what blood sugar test results you’re getting?
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Example yesterday. Breakfast- 7.3, Lunch 10.3, dinner 13,bedtime 18.3 (all pre)
 
Which insulin are you using?
I can understand why they are concerned about you dropping low overnight but to me they are using your age as a reason not to give you an appropriate insulin regime and I think you have a right to challenge that.
I think it is likely you are Type 1 (Weight loss is one of the significant differences between Type 1 and Type 2) and I think you should be pushing for a referral to a hospital clinic/consultant, In the meantime I would aim to lower your carb intake on an evening. What sort of things do you currently have for lunch and dinner?
 
rebrascora said:
Which insulin are you using?
I can understand why they are concerned about you dropping low overnight but to me they are using your age as a reason not to give you an appropriate insulin regime and I think you have a right to challenge that.
I think it is likely you are Type 1 (Weight loss is one of the significant differences between Type 1 and Type 2) and I think you should be pushing for a referral to a hospital clinic/consultant, In the meantime I would aim to lower your carb intake on an evening. What sort of things do you currently have for lunch and dinner?
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Very boring lunch always a slice of granary toast with butter and meat spread.Dinner something like cottage pie but never large portions.insulin 8 units isophane insulin.
 
Maybe try something like an omelette with whatever filling you fancy for lunch and avoid bread and see if that helps a bit and a similar low carb meal for dinner.... many of us use mashed cauliflower instead of potato. I don't think there is much chance of you going hypo with those dietary changes when your levels are currently escalating throughout the day as they are, but you could start off just changing to a low carb lunch and keeping dinner normal to see how you get on initially to play it safe.

You didn't say which insulin you are using?
 
I haven't a clue about the insulin.It says-Humulin KwikPen isophane insulin.Thank you for the advice I will try it out.
 
pat daine said:
I haven't a clue about the insulin.It says-Humulin KwikPen isophane insulin.Thank you for the advice I will try it out.
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Welcome to the forum @pat daine

It is important that you discuss any possible changes to your diet with your GP / nurse in the early days. Particularly since significantly reducing your carbohydrate intake may put you at risk of hypoglycaemia if you continue to take the same amounts of medication.

Humulin I is an intermediate acting isophane insulin which usually begins working within 1-2 hours and has a duration of 16-24 hours.

Your BG results do seem to be rising through the day, so it may be worth keeping on eating as you are for a week or so and keeping a food diary where you calculate or approximate the carbohydrate content of your meals alongside BG results before and perhaps 2hrs after your first bite of each meal.

This should help you spot which meals your body is struggling with, and how you are reacting to different carb loads.

With that information you could begin cautiously reducing the carbs in meals to see what the effects are.

Diabetes is generally quite slow moving, so you have plenty of time to experiment 🙂
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Welcome to the forum @pat daine

It is important that you discuss any possible changes to your diet with your GP / nurse in the early days. Particularly since significantly reducing your carbohydrate intake may put you at risk of hypoglycaemia if you continue to take the same amounts of medication.

Humulin I is an intermediate acting isophane insulin which usually begins working within 1-2 hours and has a duration of 16-24 hours.

Your BG results do seem to be rising through the day, so it may be worth keeping on eating as you are for a week or so and keeping a food diary where you calculate or approximate the carbohydrate content of your meals alongside BG results before and perhaps 2hrs after your first bite of each meal.

This should help you spot which meals your body is struggling with, and how you are reacting to different carb loads.

With that information you could begin cautiously reducing the carbs in meals to see what the effects are.

Diabetes is generally quite slow moving, so you have plenty of time to experiment 🙂
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Thank you so much .I will start keeping a diary of food and also take BG results after a meal.I must say I don't have much communication with the diabetic nurse she was phoning me once a week but that doesn't happen now.I have actually seen her only 3 or 4 times since I was diagnosed and I have never seen my GP.
 
pat daine said:
Example yesterday. Breakfast- 7.3, Lunch 10.3, dinner 13,bedtime 18.3 (all pre)
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Ok, so those results are higher than ideal. As said, they seem to go up through the day.

Are you taking your isophane insulin in the evening? I use isophane when I have a break from my pump and I find it only lasts 12 hours and requires two injections a day to give 24 hour cover. This seems to be especially true if you’re on a small dose.

If you’re not overweight (and you did mention you’d lost weight) then I’d think an adjustment to your insulin regime to control your blood sugar better would be more sensible than cutting down your carbs as it doesn’t sound like you eat many anyway.
 
pat daine said:
Thank you so much .I will start keeping a diary of food and also take BG results after a meal.I must say I don't have much communication with the diabetic nurse she was phoning me once a week but that doesn't happen now.I have actually seen her only 3 or 4 times since I was diagnosed and I have never seen my GP.
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I have never seen a GP about my Diabetes, the Nurse does all my checks and prescribing. Why not give your nurse a ring if you feeling adrift, and if you feel you need more contact ask.
 
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