Hypos & Low Carbs

[Tracyann35]

Hey, does anyone have issues doing really low carbs and hypos? Had 3 yday although had raspberries and whole meal toast for breakfast lunch strawberry,blueberries and banana weighed everything out for insulin etc? Cut out milk and nothing else in between meals. Have asked my dietician but she takes forever to respond to anything!!!

 

[Juicyj]

Hi @Tracyann35 What type of insulin regime are you ? How often are you testing ?

If you're carb counting and matching your quick acting insulin to carbs eaten then reducing carbs shouldn't be an issue, so knowing a little more will help understand your issue better

Edited to add - sorry just noticed you are in the 'pump' section, are you on a pump ?

 

[Tracyann35]

I'm on nova rapid accu chek aviva insight test quite a lot throughout the day

 

[Tracyann35]

I weigh everything as well so thought that shouldn't be a problem, or is it an issue when not having Carbs maybe

 

[Juicyj]

Hi @Tracyann35 As a rule of thumb if you cut carbs and increase protein then generally it can go the other way as people don't realise you still have to bolus for protein, so are you exercising more, have you lost weight, could it be the heat ? I would just look at other factors besides decreasing carbs, as you're bolusing for the carbs your eating there shouldn't be an issue there. I am on a pump and have hypo-ed this morning, but put this down to the increase in temperature.

 

[Tracyann35]

I thought though we don't inject for protein? Although if I just eat eggs on their own my sugars are always high after! Thanks

 

[azure]

I thought though we don't inject for protein? Although if I just eat eggs on their own my sugars are always high after! Thanks

Many people find they have to bolus for protein when they eat it without carbs. It can cause highs and often delayed highs a few hours after eating.

@Juicyj has made some good suggestions above. I'd also add that sometimes I find a particular cannula gives unexpected lows if it's inserted not quite right. If the lows persist, then a change of set might be something to try.

 

[paulliljeros]

Hey, does anyone have issues doing really low carbs and hypos?

If you are on the pump, the basal rate should be such that if you don't eat anything, you will see a flat line all the way through, so if you are correctly bolosing for your accurately counted carbs, then it suggests your basal is not correct, and the first thing I would do is a basal test to confirm the basal is not too high. It could be that your basal rate in the morning, was supplementing your morning bolus rate, and you haven't noticed until you stopped eating carbs. You may need to investigate lowering your morning basal rate, and increasing you I:C rate for this period?

 

[Tracyann35]

Thanks for your help have been having a few issues so maybe that is the problem with basal rates have been fasting for dietician so just waiting for an update from her

 

[paulliljeros]

Thanks for your help have been having a few issues so maybe that is the problem with basal rates have been fasting for dietician so just waiting for an update from her

If you are deliberately fasting, then its a perfect time to do a basal test

 

[Resurgam]

Those foods would not be considered low carb - toast and fruit would push up my unmedicated blood glucose levels - and surely that was not all that you ate - surely?

 

[himtoo]

Those foods would not be considered low carb - toast and fruit would push up my unmedicated blood glucose levels - and surely that was not all that you ate - surely?

your definition would not be the same as a type 1 on a pump .

I am currently doing a low carb diet -- total carbs for a typical day is about 55-70.

as type 1 on a pump that certainly qualifies as low carb -- it is not the same as a diet you may be following which is ultra low carb ( less than 50) per day.

please remember who you are addressing in your replies -- thanks !

 

[azure]

Low carb can be up to 130g and some Type 1s refer to anything below the recommended 250g carbs a day as moderately low or lower carb.

Type 1 is a very different condition from Type 2.