Changing carb ratios and basal rates at home.

[Little_Lucy]

Hi all,

I’m currently still in the children’s outpatients as I’m only 16. I just wanted to ask a question on whether or not you change your carb ratios or basal rates at home by yourself, without the help of a doctor. Or does your doctor do it?

I have noticed while being on this site, if I am to suggest changing them yourself it is almost frowned upon and people have said to leave it for the doctors to do.
I am told by my doctors to change it at home on the regular as my hospital appointments are only every 3 months. Do your doctors tell you to do the same?

I think that leaving it for the doctors to do is something you shouldn’t do as if your basal rates are wrong and your blood sugar is going low at a specific time, do you just leave with going low at 7am for 3 months until the doctors fix it? If it were me I would decrease the basal rate in that time slot by 20%.

Do you change yours at home or is just me?

 

[Antje77]

When I started insulin my HCP told me to start with x units of long acting and go from there but not adjust doses more often than every 3 days. A month later I begged for bolus insulin and asked for permission to play around with it for 2 weeks and then evaluate, with a promise I would be very careful.
That worked very well for me but I would never advise it to someone else.

When people ask advise about changing their doses they're probably not sure about how to do it, which could end very sad. Much better if they speak to their HCP about how to do it safely.
If they really want to do it themselves, and HCP isn't cooperative, there is lots of information to be found about how others make their decisions in the threads on this forum. It takes quite a lot of knowledge to safely adjust, without that knowledge you shouldn't fool around with a deadly substance like insulin, guidance from a HCP may be very much necessary.

 

[MeiChanski]

Hello

I understand the whole situation of diabetes can be self managed but I wouldn't do it without some sort of guidelines from your consultant or diabetes team. I think there's a fine line with insulin, it's saving your life or killing you. I did DAFNE and had a better insight in dose adjustments and giving insulin a chance to work. Pre-DAFNE, I was quite unwell 95% of the time and I could only see my consultant every 6 months, whether they cared or not, I don't know. I saw a dietitian but it wasn't as in-depth as DAFNE.

I'm sure you can contact your team via email or telephone.

 

[becca59]

I would never advise anybody on what to do re insulin. That is for you to decide along with your medical team. As I only see somebody once a year I change my own levels. Basal alone varies between 7 and 10 depending on weather alone. I wear a self funded Libre which helps me make informed decisions. At nearly 60 I’m a bit of a rebel and don’t feel the need of an ok from a Dr to manage my day to day life. You are still young and growing and changing so need to take care.