Not a newbie to diabetes

[Sparkz]

Hi first post here as a new to insulin treatment, just been taken off oral meds due to other medical compliance ations, meds were shooting through my system in under an hour! So started on insulin twice daily and still getting used to it.

My question is how do others deal with hospital good that seems to be more carb orientated especially at breakfast, it is making my bs shoot up!

 

[Vonny]

Hi Sparkz and welcome to the forum 🙂

It's a good question! I spent two sessions in hospital last year for ops on a broken ankle, and as I recall it was v carb heavy. However, salad was a slice of lettuce and a slice tomato and cucumber, not enough to keep body and soul together.

Can anyone bring you in something which is a bit more diabetic friendly? Had I been diabetic when I was in hospital (well I might have been but hadn't been diagnosed at that point) I'd have weighed out some portions of nuts for breakfast, and asked my partner to bring in some cheese or meat and salad for tea every day. I know that's not an option for everyone though.

Have you spoken to staff to see if there is anything more suitable? I know catering is out-sourced now so it's unlikely, but worth a shot. Good luck.

 

[Sparkz]

Hi vonny, the staff have asked what I usually have for breakfast, eggs,ham, tomatoes type thing, the nut snack idea is great and will keep that in mind for my hospital bug out bag, like preppers have 'just in case '.but this time was an emergency as my kidneys went on strike!

 

[Vonny]

No time to pack anything then! Hope you are soon on the mend x

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Sparkz

Sorry to hear about your kidney problems

Twice daily insulin isn’t the most flexible regimen unfortunately, so it’s trickier to adapt to higher carb foods than you are used to, because the ‘food’ and ‘background’ parts of the dose are all lumped in together.

@Ljc is a T2 member who may be able to give you some pointers and share experiences of a more flexible basal:bolus MDI system where meal doses and background insulin are taken separately - so carbier meals can have a larger insulin dose.

 

[Sparkz]

My other questions are where do I store my insulin pens before use and during? Do I need a special carrier for my own when on holiday?
if I am on 10 units twice a day how long would my own last?

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Spare pens can live in the fridge. But ‘in use‘ ones are absolutely fine out of the fridge for 28 days.

If travelling mostly it is adequate to just keep insulin in your hand luggage (it can’t go in the hold if you are flying) or in the middle of a suitcase buried in the boot if driving long-distance so it doesn’t get cooked (eg if left in a parked vehicle in the glovebox).

If you are concerned there are Frio pouches which use evaporation to keep insulin cool, or you can use a stainless steel ‘soup’ flask which you’ve left open in the fridge overnight before your journey.

It all depends where you are going, and what temps are likely... but for the most part, just keeping at room temperature and out of the sunlight is perfectly fine 🙂

 

[Ljc]

Sorry to hear about your kidneys and needing to be rushed into hospital.
I hope you are soon in the mend .

When flying keep your insulin in your hand luggage as if it goes in the hold it could freeze and tough though insulin is it can’t withstand being frozen. I would also keep as much of my diabetes gear in hand luggage too.
Their is a lot more info you need if flying, but I’ll leave that to others.
as
As @everydayupsanddowns has explained I am on a Basal / bolus (otherwise known as MDI regime).
Which I highly recommend as it is far more flexible than the mixed insulin, which you inject twice a day and have to eat to the insulin , ie a specified amount of carbohydrates at each meal, afaik you shouldn’t miss meals .

With MDI it means more injections but our insulin needles are so tiny and you normally don’t feel them at all.
You can miss meals .
You can eventually learn how many units you need for the amount of carbs you are going to eat. At first you’ll probably start out on fixed units and told how many carbs to eat.
I know this may all sound very complicated to you but honestly it soon becomes second nature and you’ll soon learn how to adjust the insulin units yourself.

You have a Basal (slow acting insulin) once or twice daily , this is to deal with the glucose your liver puts out between meals to fuel your body and brain.

The Bolus (Rapid) insulin for meals/ snacks. I normally now only eat breakfast and dinner so that’s two injections of bolus insulin, but if I am hungry I can inject again for some lunch.
If I am not hungry and don’t want that meal , I just miss out the bolus jab and all is well.

I hope the above helps.

 

[Ljc]

I have just re read your first post and see that you are on mixed insulin.
Having had several stays in hospital since going on insulin, , hospital food is vey carb heavy . I found it difficult and I was on MDI at the time. Luckily for me the salads were really good at one hospital .
Can someone bring you in something suitable to eat.
I don’t know if you are well enough to do this, The hospitals near me allow patients to use the staff restaurant, their is much more choice there but you do have to pay.

 

[trophywench]

If you are going to be there a while - you could ask if it's possible to see a Diabetes Specialist Nurse while you are in there and seeing if you can get changed over to a basal/bolus system?

They MUST have other things available - after all I know 2 people (nowt to do with each other and in different parts of the UK) who are so violently allergic to gluten any hint of it makes them both literally violently ill, both ends for starters and confined to bed in between bathroom visits, blinding headaches, skin rashes and unable to function for about a week.