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Newly diagnosed. Needing tips.
- Thread starter Rebecca95
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Kaylz
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi there and welcome to the forum 🙂
There aren't really any tips to be honest, you'll always have days where you won't be able to understand and cant explain what happened with your levels for numerous reasons but once you've got your insulin doses tailored to your needs then it is a bit easier but that doesn't just happen overnight
In regards of eating, learn to carb count and adjust your insulin doses to suit the carbs as soon as you can, there are courses but of course they aren't running at the moment but there are some available online, I however self taught with the say so of my team less than a month after I was diagnosed, there isn't anything you "shouldn't" be eating really but maybe go easier on portion sizes of carbohydrate rich foods
If you have any questions a little more specific then please do feel free to ask 🙂
xx
There aren't really any tips to be honest, you'll always have days where you won't be able to understand and cant explain what happened with your levels for numerous reasons but once you've got your insulin doses tailored to your needs then it is a bit easier but that doesn't just happen overnight
In regards of eating, learn to carb count and adjust your insulin doses to suit the carbs as soon as you can, there are courses but of course they aren't running at the moment but there are some available online, I however self taught with the say so of my team less than a month after I was diagnosed, there isn't anything you "shouldn't" be eating really but maybe go easier on portion sizes of carbohydrate rich foods
If you have any questions a little more specific then please do feel free to ask 🙂
xx
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome to the forum @Rebecca95. I am glad that you have found us.
It sounds like you have had a rough time in the run up to your diagnosis, but now that you know what the problem is it is something that is manageable, and needn’t stop you doing what you want.
As @Kaylz has said life becomes a lot more flexible once you start to do carb counting, and so learn to adjust your own doses of insulin to match what you choose to eat. I too was diagnosed as an adult and at the time new nothing at all about carbs, but you soon become an expert, especially on what you choose to eat. There is nothing specific off the list for those of us with T1, you just need to find what suits you and that you can work with, keeping your levels within the targets you are set/choose.
If you are happy to do so, can you tell us what insulins you are using?
Do also come back with any questions at all. Nothing is considered silly on here.
It sounds like you have had a rough time in the run up to your diagnosis, but now that you know what the problem is it is something that is manageable, and needn’t stop you doing what you want.
As @Kaylz has said life becomes a lot more flexible once you start to do carb counting, and so learn to adjust your own doses of insulin to match what you choose to eat. I too was diagnosed as an adult and at the time new nothing at all about carbs, but you soon become an expert, especially on what you choose to eat. There is nothing specific off the list for those of us with T1, you just need to find what suits you and that you can work with, keeping your levels within the targets you are set/choose.
If you are happy to do so, can you tell us what insulins you are using?
Do also come back with any questions at all. Nothing is considered silly on here.
trophywench
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi Rebecca and welcome to the club nobody wanted to join!
Which insulins are you using, and is it fixed doses at mealtimes, or what?
Which insulins are you using, and is it fixed doses at mealtimes, or what?
Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi @Rebecca95 🙂
My tips are:
to test lots
to carb count and keep a food diary so you can see what doses work for what meals
to always have hypo treatments with you
to understand that you can do everything right and still have off target results so don’t feel despondent or blame yourself
to learn to be your own expert (learn how your body responds and what works for you and your diabetes).
Not a tip but it does get easier. The first weeks and months are hard. It’s a huge change and it’s completely normal to feel a range of emotions. Take one day at a time and just do the best you can.
My tips are:
to test lots
to carb count and keep a food diary so you can see what doses work for what meals
to always have hypo treatments with you
to understand that you can do everything right and still have off target results so don’t feel despondent or blame yourself
to learn to be your own expert (learn how your body responds and what works for you and your diabetes).
Not a tip but it does get easier. The first weeks and months are hard. It’s a huge change and it’s completely normal to feel a range of emotions. Take one day at a time and just do the best you can.
Toucan
Forum Host
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hello @Rebecca95
Welcome to the forum.
As you can see from the replies you already have, there is a great deal of knowledge and experience available on the forum.
I hope you will keep posting and ask any questions you have and let us know how it is going for you.
Welcome to the forum.
As you can see from the replies you already have, there is a great deal of knowledge and experience available on the forum.
I hope you will keep posting and ask any questions you have and let us know how it is going for you.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Welcome to the forum @Rebecca95
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but glad you have found the forum.
My suggestion would be to eat what you always have to start with, but to begin looking at packs and ingredients to estimate the carbs on your portion. This may feel a little overwhelming, and a bit of a faff to begin with, but very quickly you will build up an ‘ish’ library of carb amounts in your head that will make life much easier later. So a slice of bread is often about 15-20g of carbs, a bread roll is often 35-40g of carbs, a piece of fruit like an apple or a pear is 15-20g of carbs.
Then if you use your BG meter to check before each meal you should find that your BG has returned to approx the same level by the next meal. If it’s higher there wasn’t enough insulin for the food you ate*... if it is lower there was too much insulin for the food you ate*
* and activity you did and a hundred other factors...
If you would like to begin to get an understanding of carb counting, this page might be helpful
www.diabetes.org.uk
For more detailed information, there is a full online course available here
www.bertieonline.org.uk
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but glad you have found the forum.
My suggestion would be to eat what you always have to start with, but to begin looking at packs and ingredients to estimate the carbs on your portion. This may feel a little overwhelming, and a bit of a faff to begin with, but very quickly you will build up an ‘ish’ library of carb amounts in your head that will make life much easier later. So a slice of bread is often about 15-20g of carbs, a bread roll is often 35-40g of carbs, a piece of fruit like an apple or a pear is 15-20g of carbs.
Then if you use your BG meter to check before each meal you should find that your BG has returned to approx the same level by the next meal. If it’s higher there wasn’t enough insulin for the food you ate*... if it is lower there was too much insulin for the food you ate*
* and activity you did and a hundred other factors...
If you would like to begin to get an understanding of carb counting, this page might be helpful
The nuts and bolts of carb counting
When you live with type 1 diabetes, carb counting is a great way of managing your blood sugar or glucose levels. It can give you more freedom and flexibility in what you eat when you're preparing meals at home, grabbing food on the go or eating out. Carb counting does take some time and effort...
For more detailed information, there is a full online course available here
Bertie Diabetes
www.bertieonline.org.uk
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