Bolus insulin for low carb diet

[CLIFFROSS]

I am a type 1 diabetic on a low carb diet. I currently am using FIASP as my bolus insulin but am finding that it takes my blood sugar down too quickly causing me to have to correct by eating carbs and then causing my blood sugar to rise too high before I have my next main meal. I notice that Dr Richard Bernstein recommends that people on a low carb diet should be taking a slower acting regular insulin like humulin-R. However I have asked my diabetic nurse advisor about this and she tells me that this type of insulin isn’t available in the UK and she can’t think of a substitute which would act the same way. Can someone in the low carb community give me some advice on what insulin’s you use as I find it hard to believe that in the Uk there aren’t any slower acting short acting insulin’s than FIASP or Novo Rapid.

 

[Jaylee]

Hi @CLIFFROSS ,

& welcome to the forum. Wow first post too!

I'm not sure how low you go on the carb content? We all have our limits

I have no knowledge of the use of Fiasp. But it does seem to be developed for faster acting digestible carbs regarding a more moderate diet choice.
Of course any bolus for whatever is on the menu needs consideration with timing of the dose to compliment digestion & metabolism with the insulin working profile.
As @Kim Possible mentioned Novorapid (or "Novosluggish") can when timed wrong can cause all sort of trouble when bolusing for higher carbohydrate meals.

I've found Novorapid works for me at the lower end of the carb count. Treatment for any hypos? Are minimal. Sometimes 5g can be too much. Any Novorapid corrections needed, work without the feeling of being on a "rollercoaster" too.
But that's my personal experience.

I'll tag in @michita , who I believe adopts a LC diet approach.

 

[LooperCat]

The U.K. equivalent to R is Actrapid. It is still available here, I have low carb friends using it. I find Novorapid suits my own low carb diet well, but I don’t eat meat. I dose as I’m about to eat, a little earlier if I’m running high.

 

[CLIFFROSS]

Hi @CLIFFROSS ,

& welcome to the forum. Wow first post too!

I'm not sure how low you go on the carb content? We all have our limits

I have no knowledge of the use of Fiasp. But it does seem to be developed for faster acting digestible carbs regarding a more moderate diet choice.
Of course any bolus for whatever is on the menu needs consideration with timing of the dose to compliment digestion & metabolism with the insulin working profile.
As @Kim Possible mentioned Novorapid (or "Novosluggish") can when timed wrong can cause all sort of trouble when bolusing for higher carbohydrate meals.

I've found Novorapid works for me at the lower end of the carb count. Treatment for any hypos? Are minimal. Sometimes 5g can be too much. Any Novorapid corrections needed, work without the feeling of being on a "rollercoaster" too.
But that's my personal experience.

I'll tag in @michita , who I believe adopts a LC diet approach.

Many thanks, appreciate your thoughts, will try novo rapid and if it doesn’t work will try actrapid
,

 

[CLIFFROSS]

NovoRapid is slow acting compared to Fiasp - many of us refer to it as NovoSluggish.
(NovoRapid's generic name is Aspart. Fiasp stands for Fast Insulin Aspart.)
I am not on a low carb diet but have heard from some that are that they use NovoRapid.

Is another option to take your bolus later?

Many thanks, will try novo rapid or actrapid if need be

 

[Circuspony]

I have a 1/2 unit pen for Novorapid which is really useful for low carb meals

 

[michita]

Hello & welcome to the forum.

I eat 30 to 50g carbs a day and use novorapid. I had the same thought as you after reading the Dr B’s book and have seen other people asking the same question in the past on this forum. For me novorapid works fine and I quite like it because it does not stay too long in my body.

If you get hold of actrapid please let us know how you like it

 

[scotteric]

I am a type 1 diabetic on a low carb diet. I currently am using FIASP as my bolus insulin but am finding that it takes my blood sugar down too quickly causing me to have to correct by eating carbs and then causing my blood sugar to rise too high before I have my next main meal. I notice that Dr Richard Bernstein recommends that people on a low carb diet should be taking a slower acting regular insulin like humulin-R. However I have asked my diabetic nurse advisor about this and she tells me that this type of insulin isn’t available in the UK and she can’t think of a substitute which would act the same way. Can someone in the low carb community give me some advice on what insulin’s you use as I find it hard to believe that in the Uk there aren’t any slower acting short acting insulin’s than FIASP or Novo Rapid.

Actrapid is the European brand name for Novo Nordisk R (Regular human) insulin. It is equivalent to Humulin R, so it is the same as what Bernstein recommends. It works great for low carbs meals and would recommend it over NovoRapid, which should still work too fast and not last long enough if you are eating low carb.