I haven’t been through carb counting with them yet but tried to see if I can get the hang of it. I don’t really know why 12 units of novorapid isn’t enough to cover what I eat though? I know that type 1 is more about getting insulin right and can’t seem to do that effectively? I’ve been eating quite low carb and it spikes to much, if I ate more carbs it would be even worse? Thanks for the reply
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Making bread
- Thread starter vicky1974
- Start date
This is today’s graph for example. No carbs all day, 12 units of novorapid and hr before tea. Omelette with a couple of new potatoes in and veg and it’s gone up again? Don’t know if I need more bolus or the novorapid doesn’t work for me?
I also don’t know if everyone gets these spikes and I’m overthinking it or should I stay in range with the novorapid before meals?
dannybgoode
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I'm trying at the start of so if this as well and just getting to grips with doses etc. Likewise I haven't had the full DAFNE training sheet however I have started playing around with the number of units.
I'm also on NR for the bolus.
Couple of things I've learned. Firstly, it's your BG 4 or so hours after eating that are important as NR stays active for.
So, before you eat lets say your BG is 7. You take x units of NR and then eat. If after 2 hours your BG is 12 or 13 this is ok so long as it's back to 7ish in 4 hours or so before you next eat.
The number of units you need are dependent on you and what you're eating for a meal. If you need 1 unit of NR for every 5g of carbs then 12 units isn't going to cover a meal with 80g of carbs in it.
It is so very confusing at first and I'm just beginning to monitor the account of carbs in a meal and seeing what effect sightly different doses have.
I'm finding I'm needing about 1 unit of NR for every 8g of carbs but time of day and type of carbs have an impact too.
Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
It depends how few carbs you’re eating. Contrary to expectations, control is actually easier with a reasonable amount of carbs. Too few carbs causes a form of insulin resistance. I’ve had this and I think I read that @Tdm has too. They’ve not had Type 1 long so more similar to you.
Thank you. It’s such a minefield isn’t it? I hadn’t looked at it that way, that if doesn’t matter as long as it’s back down before my next meal which it normally is. I need to read more up on carbs and dosing. Hope you’re doing ok
Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Eating no carbs will do that. That’s a very good example of what happens. If you don’t eat carbs, your body will start extracting glucose from protein and anywhere it can. It will make your blood sugar stubbornly high. You’d probably find it a lot easier to eat a normal diet.
Thanks Inka, I didn’t know that. I’ve been trying to eat little carbs (except the bread) maybe that’s where I’m going wrong.
Brilliant advice thank you!
Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
It sounds like that’s a strong possibility @vicky1974 I keep saying it - probably to you and definitely to others - but Type 1 is nothing about diet and everything about insulin. A high blood sugar after a meal isn’t due to the wrong food, but the wrong insulin. We’re having to do the job our pancreas once did.
If you eat hardly any carbs and then have a sandwich, for example, your blood sugar will go high because you’ve probably developed some insulin resistance from your no carb diet. If you’d had that same sandwich as part of a normal healthy diet with carbs, you’d probably have got better results.
I actually can’t get over this. Since my diagnosis my whole effort has been on eating low carb. I live mostly on eggs and salads. No one has pointed out to me that I don’t need to do this? Or at least within reason. It makes perfect sense what you said about spikes and eating no carbs can have an adverse affect. I get it now, it’s about insulin. I think I need to increase my bolus and carb count my rapid better. Thank you so much, I really mean that.
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I think many pick up on the advice and what they read that really applies to people with Type 2 where they do need to be mindful of their carb intake.
Comes from the willy nilly generic use of the term diabetes which covers a multitude of types.
Comes from the willy nilly generic use of the term diabetes which covers a multitude of types.
I make white when I make something like ciabatta or baguettes or sourdough but not a "boring" white loaf.
With wholemeal, I prefer 2:1 white to wholemeal ratio. Too much wholemeal flour leads to a very heavy, dense bread. My pittas are usually wholemeal.
I cheat on seeded loaves and but ready mixed flour. At the moment, I am enjoying Matthew's Cotswold Cobbler or 8 grain flours.
If you are not eating "enough" carbs , your body will break down the protein to get the glucose it needs. Some people with Type 1 choose a low carb diet but also bolus for protein. I found it too complex because the insulin to protein varies according to different proteins.
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Other half has had great success with M & S seeded and malted bread flour and the Wessex Mill ones usually work well.
mashedupmatt
Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
If I don't have enough carbs then it defo has an impact on the insulin I'm taking - and don't worry about the spikes, they are inevitable, and as many people before on this thread have said, they are ok, as long as the insulin you have taken brings them down again - if they go up to the twenties then consider whether you have taken enough, but I'm not concerned at all around the 15 mark (at the top of the spike) - you're doing great @vicky1974 - and I love white bread FYI and consume quite a lot of it, it's about getting the insulin right to cope with it
Thank you
Oo. I have just had another thought about your "spikes".
As @mashedupmatt mentions they happen.
The thing to remember is that "fast acting" insulin is active for about 4 hours. Therefore, it can take that long for your BG to return to "normal".
Like low carb diet, another recommendation for people with Type 2 that can be assumed to get valid for everyone with diabetes is testing after 2 hours. This is NOT the case for Type 1.
When taking fast acting insulin, the important reading is after 4 hours (or when you eat your next meal)..
As @mashedupmatt mentions they happen.
The thing to remember is that "fast acting" insulin is active for about 4 hours. Therefore, it can take that long for your BG to return to "normal".
Like low carb diet, another recommendation for people with Type 2 that can be assumed to get valid for everyone with diabetes is testing after 2 hours. This is NOT the case for Type 1.
When taking fast acting insulin, the important reading is after 4 hours (or when you eat your next meal)..
Thank you