Snacks - What to do

[SB2015]

Hi Chris, you are doing brilliantly already and have a good analytical approach which will be so helpful.

I tend to take a fairly measured a punt of carbs if I drop low. I use quick acting carbs such as jelly babies, as they are easy to eat a whole one or a part of one or a few if I drop into hypo range.

As others have said it is knowing the carbs that will help you to work out how much insulin you need. I found at the star it was good to keep a record of what I had done, and then I used the carbs and insulin to find out what my ratio was and then had to keep changing it as at the start things are always a bit wobbly.

 

[Peapod87]

I always wonder this too actually because I'm a real snacker but rather not have to inject myself any more than I do already so was gonna ask my DSN. I've not done whole carb counting yet as I'm leaving the honeymoon phase atm . But people on here are fab and you sound like your doing so well already. If I want snacks then you guys are saying I need to inject for things that have carbs in? Is there a limit to how many injections you should do daily or I guess the less the better? . Some snacks I have had which were recommended by hospital were hummus And carrots, nuts,cheese, plain scone, or I just boil eggs and snack on them xx​

 

[Amberzak]

Hi. Sorry to hear your diagnosis. Welcome to the forum.

I snack. But I was advices in the beginning not to. This was because I was still getting used to how much insulin I needed and adjusting to it all.

Same thing when i first went on an insulin pump. It gives me a constant supply of insulin and then more when I eat, based on carb counting. Because it was a change, when I first went on the pump I avoided high sugar food and snacking.

The problem with snacking is that the quick acting insulin you inject for food actually stays in your body for about 4 hours. So if you snack, especially when you are first getting used to how much insulin you need. So it's usually to not complicate things.

This isn't for ever though. I have always been a snacker. I don't really eat meals. Never have. I also don't eat breakfast. I usually get up at about 7 then won't eat until about 11.

I also do eat sweet things. In moderation. I just had a slice of homemade apple pie for example. As you carb count and get used to it, you can start to be more confident in things you want to try. Nothing is forbidden, as long as you carb count. However, you'll learn that there are some things that just aren't worth eating or drinking because of the problems it causes. Egg fried rice does this for me when I get it from a particular Chinese. The key is moderation. You probably shouldn't go out at eat 10 jam donuts (which I did when I was first diagnosed because I thought I'd never be allowed to eat them, but now I can't because I'm a coeliac). But it wouldn't be too healthy for a non diabetic to eat 10 jam donuts either.

Good luck. Don't be too hard on yourself. And this is an amazing forum for advice and help.

 

[trophywench]

Well if the object of the exercise is to increase your BG - then the only things that will do it are foods or drinks with carbs in them.

This is more or less the opposite to what a T2 not on insulin needs (although I'm not convinced that anyone ever actually 'needs' a snack!) cos they're usually looking for things either totally without carbs or with very few. Hence pork scratchings may be very nice for a T2 but it's a complete waste of time for T1s whose BG is low.

And a consultant advised having a Mars Bar for a hypo? I assume he's been struck off by now for giving dangerous advice to insulin users!

Yes, indeed there are lots of carbs in a Mars Bar. However because there is a shedload of chocolate round them, and there's shedloads of FAT in chocolate - the fat slows down the absorption of the carbs - so you'd be flat on the floor and mega hypo before a gram of the carbohydrate even got there.

As Mike said - it sounds like too much Novorapid for lunch to me. I mean a person can need different ratios for different foods at different times of day so there's nowt written in stone. But - the carb ratio they recommend trying first when you start off your carb-counting and dose adjustment journey - is actually 1u to every 10g of carbs - and see how you get on. If it isn't enough - have a bit more if too much, have a bit less. It isn't rocket science and you won't drop dead whilst 'playing' !

Mind you if I were you and knowing it WAS too much bolus - I'd probably be more cautious - and for instance try 6u instead of 7u at first. Still too much? Try 5u next time etc .....

 

[Christopher James Leman]

I always wonder this too actually because I'm a real snacker but rather not have to inject myself any more than I do already so was gonna ask my DSN. I've not done whole carb counting yet as I'm leaving the honeymoon phase atm . But people on here are fab and you sound like your doing so well already. If I want snacks then you guys are saying I need to inject for things that have carbs in? Is there a limit to how many injections you should do daily or I guess the less the better? . Some snacks I have had which were recommended by hospital were hummus And carrots, nuts,cheese, plain scone, or I just boil eggs and snack on them xx​

The hummus and carrots sound really good. I think what I'm going to do is generate a list of snacks that are low carb for when I'm hungry and another list for snacks that will increase my BG when a little low. I've been researching the carb counting, doesn't look too difficult, just needthe DN to officially tell me how many carbs an insulin unit equates to.

 

[Christopher James Leman]

Hi. Sorry to hear your diagnosis. Welcome to the forum.

I snack. But I was advices in the beginning not to. This was because I was still getting used to how much insulin I needed and adjusting to it all.

Same thing when i first went on an insulin pump. It gives me a constant supply of insulin and then more when I eat, based on carb counting. Because it was a change, when I first went on the pump I avoided high sugar food and snacking.

The problem with snacking is that the quick acting insulin you inject for food actually stays in your body for about 4 hours. So if you snack, especially when you are first getting used to how much insulin you need. So it's usually to not complicate things.

This isn't for ever though. I have always been a snacker. I don't really eat meals. Never have. I also don't eat breakfast. I usually get up at about 7 then won't eat until about 11.

I also do eat sweet things. In moderation. I just had a slice of homemade apple pie for example. As you carb count and get used to it, you can start to be more confident in things you want to try. Nothing is forbidden, as long as you carb count. However, you'll learn that there are some things that just aren't worth eating or drinking because of the problems it causes. Egg fried rice does this for me when I get it from a particular Chinese. The key is moderation. You probably shouldn't go out at eat 10 jam donuts (which I did when I was first diagnosed because I thought I'd never be allowed to eat them, but now I can't because I'm a coeliac). But it wouldn't be too healthy for a non diabetic to eat 10 jam donuts either.

Good luck. Don't be too hard on yourself. And this is an amazing forum for advice and help.

Good advice, thanks for your kind words

 

[Christopher James Leman]

Hi Chris, you are doing brilliantly already and have a good analytical approach which will be so helpful.

I tend to take a fairly measured a punt of carbs if I drop low. I use quick acting carbs such as jelly babies, as they are easy to eat a whole one or a part of one or a few if I drop into hypo range.

As others have said it is knowing the carbs that will help you to work out how much insulin you need. I found at the star it was good to keep a record of what I had done, and then I used the carbs and insulin to find out what my ratio was and then had to keep changing it as at the start things are always a bit wobbly.

Hi, thanks for your kind words

 

[Christopher James Leman]

Well if the object of the exercise is to increase your BG - then the only things that will do it are foods or drinks with carbs in them.

This is more or less the opposite to what a T2 not on insulin needs (although I'm not convinced that anyone ever actually 'needs' a snack!) cos they're usually looking for things either totally without carbs or with very few. Hence pork scratchings may be very nice for a T2 but it's a complete waste of time for T1s whose BG is low.

And a consultant advised having a Mars Bar for a hypo? I assume he's been struck off by now for giving dangerous advice to insulin users!

Yes, indeed there are lots of carbs in a Mars Bar. However because there is a shedload of chocolate round them, and there's shedloads of FAT in chocolate - the fat slows down the absorption of the carbs - so you'd be flat on the floor and mega hypo before a gram of the carbohydrate even got there.

As Mike said - it sounds like too much Novorapid for lunch to me. I mean a person can need different ratios for different foods at different times of day so there's nowt written in stone. But - the carb ratio they recommend trying first when you start off your carb-counting and dose adjustment journey - is actually 1u to every 10g of carbs - and see how you get on. If it isn't enough - have a bit more if too much, have a bit less. It isn't rocket science and you won't drop dead whilst 'playing' !

Mind you if I were you and knowing it WAS too much bolus - I'd probably be more cautious - and for instance try 6u instead of 7u at first. Still too much? Try 5u next time etc .....

Hi Jenny
Thanks for your reply, what you're saying makes perfect sense and I did actually drop the novorapid from 7u to 6u and it has made a difference. I think 7u of NR against a ham sandwich was a one sided battle where the sandwich was only ever going to lose.
The carb counting sounds manageable if working on the 1u to 10g carb.

 

[trophywench]

It's easily manageable even if it isn't 1u to 10g Chris - there are several meters now, that do the calculations for us! Two of such that I'm aware of are the Accu-Chek 'Expert' and the Insulinx one.

But I agree, the mental arithmetic is pretty easy for me. I have had an insulin pump since 2009 and actually, the meter that went with my first pump, was the 'Expert' one - but 'with knobs on' to enable it to communicate with the pump.

So at one stage whilst I was still getting to grips with it all - my carb ratio was 1u to 11g. Gosh! said my consultant, Doesn't that make the calculations difficult for you?

Not really, I responded, with a grin. I was actually forced to learn all the way up to my 12 times table at Junior school approx. 50 years ago so can still recite the lot if necessary. But in any case - I normally always use the 'pump' meter, anyway! Oooh yeah - I'd just forgotten that! said he, sheepishly.

🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

The hummus and carrots sound really good. I think what I'm going to do is generate a list of snacks that are low carb for when I'm hungry and another list for snacks that will increase my BG when a little low. I've been researching the carb counting, doesn't look too difficult, just needthe DN to officially tell me how many carbs an insulin unit equates to.

A handful of peanuts (or other nuts) has been my go-to 'nibble' for years when I'm just a bit hungry. There are carbs there, but so few as to make little difference as long as I don't have too many!

For raising BG I always make sure I have some fast acting carbs on my person at all times. Many people here like jelly babies. I find Skittles pretty 'pocket-proof' and available in small funsize bags or little boxes that allow me to carry them easily. They are approx 1g of carbs per skittle so make it very easy to count out various different levels of BG boost.

Oh and don't be all that surprised if the 'official' numbers given by your DN don't swap and change at various points over the year and/or over the next few years (changes in temperature, stress, weight, alcohol consumption, general levels of fitness/activity and all sorts of other things can make you more or less sensitive to insulin). Diabetes is a tinker for messing with things just when you *think* you have an idea what you are doing! There are no 'perfect doses' - just 'doses that more or less work OK for now' 🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I always wonder this too actually because I'm a real snacker but rather not have to inject myself any more than I do already so was gonna ask my DSN. I've not done whole carb counting yet as I'm leaving the honeymoon phase atm . But people on here are fab and you sound like your doing so well already. If I want snacks then you guys are saying I need to inject for things that have carbs in? Is there a limit to how many injections you should do daily or I guess the less the better? . Some snacks I have had which were recommended by hospital were hummus And carrots, nuts,cheese, plain scone, or I just boil eggs and snack on them xx​

@Amberzak makes a really good point about doses for snacks and duration of insulin. Yes it *is* possible, but many of us find that the complication of assessing multiple overlapping insulin doses which may each have been slightly too much or not quite enough, alongside foods which are all being absorbed at different rates makes working out what on earth is going on quite tricky! Essentially if you snack on carby things you DO need to cover that with insulin, but the extra effort and mental acrobatics of trying to balance it all puts many of us off carby snacking very regularly. Technically there is no limit to the number of injections you could have in a day, but practically there will come a point where it just becomes unmanageable and doses stacked one on top of the other often do not behave quite as you had expected.

 

[Christopher James Leman]

It's easily manageable even if it isn't 1u to 10g Chris - there are several meters now, that do the calculations for us! Two of such that I'm aware of are the Accu-Chek 'Expert' and the Insulinx one.

But I agree, the mental arithmetic is pretty easy for me. I have had an insulin pump since 2009 and actually, the meter that went with my first pump, was the 'Expert' one - but 'with knobs on' to enable it to communicate with the pump.

So at one stage whilst I was still getting to grips with it all - my carb ratio was 1u to 11g. Gosh! said my consultant, Doesn't that make the calculations difficult for you?

Not really, I responded, with a grin. I was actually forced to learn all the way up to my 12 times table at Junior school approx. 50 years ago so can still recite the lot if necessary. But in any case - I normally always use the 'pump' meter, anyway! Oooh yeah - I'd just forgotten that! said he, sheepishly.

🙂

I knew my times tables would come in handy one day 😉