Carbs

honda 123

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
old age
Hi everyone, if I don't eat carbs at a meal do I need to take insulin.? I am type 2 diabetic.
 

Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,796
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Hi @honda 123
I've no idea,!
But there will definitely be someone along soon.
I've tagged @daisy1 to give you the newcomers welcome information.

Welcome!
 
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novorapidboi26

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,828
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
depends if your an insulin dependent type 2..........

most type 2s will have some of their own insulin doing some of the work and so you could assume that you wouldn't need insulin if you had no carbs......

what insulin are you on......?
 

honda 123

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
old age
depends if your an insulin dependent type 2..........

most type 2s will have some of their own insulin doing some of the work and so you could assume that you wouldn't need insulin if you had no carbs......

what insulin are you on......?
Novomix30
 

novorapidboi26

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,828
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
ah, a mixed insulin, and in that case, yes, you have to keep taking it............

it may be possible to reduce the dose if you know your are going to have less/no carbs one day, but you will still need some.......
 

honda 123

Member
Messages
19
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
old age
ah, a mixed insulin, and in that case, yes, you have to keep taking it............

it may be possible to reduce the dose if you know your are going to have less/no carbs one day, but you will still need some.......
Hi, and thanks a lot appreciat that
 

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
@honda 123

Hello and welcome to the forum :) As mentioned above, here is the information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. If you have more questions just ask and someone will help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find over 150,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to bloodglucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
 
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Montyshrew

Active Member
Messages
29
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
White bread
Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Are these what they should be for a Diabetic? Or what they are over when you become Diabetic?
I have never been given my Blood Glucose level when I was tested, all my Nurse said was eat healthier, pack up smoking, cut down drinking and take Metformin first 1 X Day and the concurrently 2 X a day + Forxiga.
I have not been told when the best time to take my medication is so have resorted to taking Forxiga and 1 Metformin at Breakfast and my 2nd Metformin either at 6pm after evening meal or around 9-10 pm if I have a late Breakfast. So when should I take them?
I do not have a feeling of being worse or better after eating so don't have an indicator as to what the Drugs are doing.
Although if I have had a bad week I will Urinate more following a Forxiga tablet which is supposed to release something out in my Urine. I have noticed after a heavy lunch I will want to sleep around 8pm, if I have a good week exercising followed by healthy eating I don't feel tired in the evening.