Low carb on remission without any insulin

[808303]

First of all I want to say hi to everyone I'm T1D in remission perion, I was diagnosed 5 months ago. Right now I don't use long acting insulin at all, my doctor asked me to stop. I started ketogenic diet a week ago, since than my average blood sugar is 80-100, and it's very stable. I am eating about 10 grams of carbs in one meal, so usually I don't have to take the fast acting insulin either ...and here's my question! Is it a good idea to take no insulin at all? Or should I take a small amount of long acting one? I'm affraid that with that low blood sugar, taking long acting insulin will lead me to some hypos. I also noticed quite high level of ketones in my urine (4-8 mmol/l). I'm confused, I've hard that high ketones with norml/low blood sugar doesn't cause ketoacidosis. Should I worry about it? Thanks for all the answers

 

[Guzzler]

As far as I know there is no remission in Type 1 Diabetes. Do you mean LADA perhaps, in the honeymoon phase of T1 or Type 2 insulin dependant now using keto to come off insulin?

Welcome to the forum.

 

[808303]

Yes it's LADA, I forgot to mention.

 

[Guzzler]

Yes it's LADA, I forgot to mention.

Thank you for the clarification, I will bow out and let those with LADA or T1 answer your questions as they have the appropriate know how. Good luck with the keto.

 

[808303]

Thank you for the clarification, I will bow out and let those with LADA or T1 answer your questions as they have the appropriate know how. Good luck with the keto.

Thanks Guzzler.

 

[Guzzler]

No problem. I will tag @Antje77 and @Mel dCP who may be able to give you some pointers.

 

[Antje77]

Hello, and welcome to the forum, @808303 !
You're not the only one who can go without insulin for a while after diagnosis. In the honeymoon period your pancreas can give you sufficient insulin, as proven by your bg. So I'd say DKA would be impossible as long as your bg is good and you're not on other diabetic medication.
You don't provide that information in your profile, so please tell us what medication (or none) you're on whenever asking a question. It might be very important to the answers.

There are a few things I would keep an eye on if I were you:
- I'd keep testing religiously to keep from being lulled in a false sense of security and only finding out you have when you find yourself in hospital with DKA.
- Beware of any sickness bug! All the rules change when being ill and the risk of DKA is a lot bigger when your body is fighting an illness. (I forgot how it works, I figure I'll use google as soon as I catch something. Last time was over 2 years ago for me when I'd just started using insulin and presumably being T2, and that was only a minor cold)
- Make sure your insulin doesn't get past it's use by date. You'll find out your pancreas has given up on a friday night while camping in the woods, would be stupid if your insulin doesn't work anymore.
- Your pancreas may splutter and burb erratically for a while. Don't be surprised when your insulin needs keep changing.

If you're worried about DKA you might consider eating enough carbs to stay out of ketosis. In that case ketone strips are useful again. I have never eaten low carb enough for ketosis but I don't own any ketone strip either. MelDCP eats low carb so she knows a lot more about that side of things than I do.

Good luck!

(Thanks for the tag, @Guzzler !)

 

[808303]

Hello Antje77, thanks for the answer. I take no medications except for insulin.

 

[DCUKMod]

I'm not an insulin user, so can't offer you any wisdom, but I think my colleague @Jaylee might be on line. He is an experienced T1, so may have a viewpoint

 

[Jaylee]

Hi @808303 ,

Welcome to the forum..

I can't really add much to what @Antje77 has covered.

I'd stick my neck out & suggest the keto diet maybe helping ,regarding a "honeymoon" phase..?
& thus keeping exogenous insulin requirements low or non applicable, at least for for now...? Especially on the BG meter results you report.?

If the evidence suggests normal blood sugar levels on a keto diet in your case with keytones in the urine?
The keytone levels maybe due to the diet & not down to insulin omition or under calculation...

I'm not sure when you test, however I would be looking at what happens prior to your meal & test 2 hours later.
Mornings on waking & just before bed. If you can test waking during the night for what ever reason? The more the merrier...

i seriously wouldn't wish your current position to change quickly into "ketoacidosis" should & when things change blood wise...

I'm not sure of your geographic location? But as a caveat as a UK citizen myself, I'll give you a link regarding the dagerous state of "ketoacidocis." Which is normally associated with rapidly climbing blood sugar levels associated with diabetes. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/

 

[808303]

Thanks DCUKMod and Jaylee

 

[Monkeyman888]

any updates on your experimentation with low carb diets and its impact on your insulin needs? My 3yo son was recently diagnosed with Type 1 and he is off insulin as of yesterday. 2-3 wks after being discharged from the hospital due to DKA.

 

[Monkeyman888]

any updates on your experimentation with low carb diets and its impact on your insulin needs? My 3yo son was recently diagnosed with Type 1 and he is off insulin as of yesterday. 2-3 wks after being discharged from the hospital due to DKA.

Forgot to add that he has been on a low carb diet, hence my interest in this post.

 

[Oldvatr]

Forgot to add that he has been on a low carb diet, hence my interest in this post.

You are asking your question in an old thread that has beem dormant since April 2019. The OP has been active on the forum in Nov 2022 so may respond. I am unable tp assist your enquiry apart from bumping this thread I am tagging member @808303