Is there a way for me to increase the insulin to carb ratio? Right now I use 1:3 during the midday and night while in the mornings I use a 1:2 ratio. It drains my Novorapid like crazy so im looking for ways to reduce it (other than reducing my food intake). Thankss
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Increase Insulin : Carb Ratio?
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Inka
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First check your basal dose is right @commit How’s your blood sugar in the few hours after eating? Are you going low a lot? If not, and your basal dose is ok, then those ratios are just what you need.
To improve your insulin sensitivity, you could try a very low fat diet and exercising more. I trialled a very low fat plant-based diet and improved my insulin sensitivity even though it was already very good.
To improve your insulin sensitivity, you could try a very low fat diet and exercising more. I trialled a very low fat plant-based diet and improved my insulin sensitivity even though it was already very good.
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Are you on MDI / pens or an insulin pump @commit ?
The body tends to be more slightly more sensitive to infused insulin - though you’d need to meet the criteria for an insulin pump to test that theory.
T1s with insulin resistance who need higher than average insulin doses can sometimes find it effective to add metformin which can help improve insulin sensitivity.
Or as @Inka says, there is some evidence that shows a very very low fat diet can help with insulin sensitivity in some people.
The body tends to be more slightly more sensitive to infused insulin - though you’d need to meet the criteria for an insulin pump to test that theory.
T1s with insulin resistance who need higher than average insulin doses can sometimes find it effective to add metformin which can help improve insulin sensitivity.
Or as @Inka says, there is some evidence that shows a very very low fat diet can help with insulin sensitivity in some people.
beating_my_betes
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Here's an interesting video demonstrating the idea of lowering fat and increasing carbs as a mean to improving insuin sensitivity and getting much better mileage from insulin used:
Tdm
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I was doing low carb and got insulin resistant. I upped my carbs* and my body adjusted quickly...only took about a week
* not delibratly..i had kidney stones and went off my grub and the only stuff i wanted to eat was high carb...bread, etc. Comfort food
* not delibratly..i had kidney stones and went off my grub and the only stuff i wanted to eat was high carb...bread, etc. Comfort food
Woww thanks for the feedback guys! So far it’s looking pretty interesting. I am quite aware of the effects of exercise. A bouldering session got my insulin needs shooting down from 1:3 to 1:5 for as long as 2 days after the workout. As much as I love that idea, it’s also not as consistent as I’d like it to be. The low fat idea isn’t too bad, but it’s quite challenging for me as I am a full time student in Malaysia, where homecooked food isn’t quite available to me and the various cuisines offered aren’t very helpful in keeping me disciplined (im a fatass at heart). I wouldn’t call that matter off the table, but I would say this would be more of a last resort.
Since posting this thread, I have made a visit to my diabetologist and he actually advised me to reduce my insulin as my HBa1c was actually 5.4 (a little too low). He told me that I had too much hypos (very true as I was basically experiencing it every few days) and advised me to reduce my insulin intake. However, it’s very jarring to me now because I struggle much more with highs now than I do lows (everyday) and as little as a 1:3 to 1:3.5 reduction seemed to throw my levels all out of wack. I’m at a loss right now.
Ultimately, the end goal for my insulin needs is to be able to have my pen last for at least 25 days (as near to the expiration of the insulin as possible without risking defection). I’m not sure how plausible this goal sounds at my current state.. let me know what you guys think. Once again, thank you all so much for responding to my messages.
Since posting this thread, I have made a visit to my diabetologist and he actually advised me to reduce my insulin as my HBa1c was actually 5.4 (a little too low). He told me that I had too much hypos (very true as I was basically experiencing it every few days) and advised me to reduce my insulin intake. However, it’s very jarring to me now because I struggle much more with highs now than I do lows (everyday) and as little as a 1:3 to 1:3.5 reduction seemed to throw my levels all out of wack. I’m at a loss right now.
Ultimately, the end goal for my insulin needs is to be able to have my pen last for at least 25 days (as near to the expiration of the insulin as possible without risking defection). I’m not sure how plausible this goal sounds at my current state.. let me know what you guys think. Once again, thank you all so much for responding to my messages.
Proud to be erratic
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A couple of things flashed through my brain, @commit as I read your post.
Firstly, if your basal (slower acting) insulin is not right then you will constantly struggle to keep your BG management in good shape.
Secondly, you need whatever insulin you need and it's a false hope to think in terms of whether your pen lasts a certain number of days. I appreciate that in Malysia your medical bills may well be managed very differently to us here in UK (where prescriptions for Diabetes meds are free). But I don't think it's plausible to hope you can "pace" your insulin usage to match it's "shelf-life". That might work out well by good luck - but I strongly suggest you shouldn't try to make that regularly repeatable at the expense of not managing your D properly.
Firstly, if your basal (slower acting) insulin is not right then you will constantly struggle to keep your BG management in good shape.
Secondly, you need whatever insulin you need and it's a false hope to think in terms of whether your pen lasts a certain number of days. I appreciate that in Malysia your medical bills may well be managed very differently to us here in UK (where prescriptions for Diabetes meds are free). But I don't think it's plausible to hope you can "pace" your insulin usage to match it's "shelf-life". That might work out well by good luck - but I strongly suggest you shouldn't try to make that regularly repeatable at the expense of not managing your D properly.
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