JackPurvis

Member
Messages
10
I'm a recently diagnosed type 1 diabetic, and with university starting back up next week, I've began to think about what's best and quickest thing that I can have for my lunch whilst out and about on campus. There is a subway right outside which would be absolutely ideal. Therefore over the last couple of days I've tried a few different options at subway to see how I manage.

Normally I have a turkey sandwich every single day for lunch anyways at 40g of carbs and 2 unitis of rapid insulin, therefore I knew I wouldn't react significantly to the bread, However I was quite shocked at how good my results were. I normally aim for around 45-50g of carbohydrates per meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and in 1 6inch ham and cheese wheat bread sub from subway there are 40g which for someone who aims for 45 seems perfect to grab and go. However after doing the math completely wrong, I order a footlong instead of a 6inch meaning I ate 80g of carbs instead of my usual 40g. However after testing every hour after eating the 12inch sub, my bloods basically didn't move and were 5.9 before, then 6.1, 6.0 and then 6.0 again before dinner.

Now I understand that brown bread does have a lower GI and is slow releasing, hence why I didn't spike and instead kept a consistent reading. However I'm now confused since I thought I had worked out my carbs to insulin ration at 22g cabrs per unit of rapid insulin. But after eating almost double that and then going onto have arguably best readings in terms of not fluctuating to date, I'm unsure whether or not this means I can stick to footlongs at subway or whether its still best to stick to the 6inch at most.

I know alot of people would cut out the bread entirely but after looking at my readings, unless there are any other reasons to cut back on bread as a diabetic, then there seems to be no reason as to why I cant have a subway for my lunch 2-3 times a week.

One of the main reasons for making this post is that I see alot ( and I mean the majority) of people saying to basically avoid bread/brown bread completely, and to go for the salad options instead as even just one slice of bread sends their blood sugars sky high. Now I understand that we are all different and all react in different ways to different foods, but I just cant seem to find any else who also seemly eats sandwich as much as much as I do and for it not to affect their bloods badly at all.

If my readings are good after having a subways whether it be a 6inch or the 12inch, then does that basically mean I can carry on the way I am. Or is there something that I'm missing, and instead should be keeping it as a one off/treat?

Note: I would only ever order the 9-wheat bread and either ham/turkey, therefore the fat content is very minimal and the only carbs I consume come solely from the bread. Thanks!!
 

Antje77

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
19,284
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
One of the main reasons for making this post is that I see alot ( and I mean the majority) of people saying to basically avoid bread/brown bread completely, and to go for the salad options instead as even just one slice of bread sends their blood sugars sky high.
Please keep a close eye to the type of diabetes people posting have!
We have more members with T2 than with T1, and not many of those use insulin. So if they go sky high, there's nothing they can do but sit it out.

Being a newly diagnosed T1, you're likely experiencing 'honeymoon period', where you still produce some insulin yourself. This insulin production can be very erratically, changing from day to day.

I think you're doing very well, testing, injecting, trying to work out your ratio's, but keep in mind diabetes doesn't always play fair!
So please keep doing what you do!
 
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JackPurvis

Member
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10
Please keep a close eye to the type of diabetes people posting have!
We have more members with T2 than with T1, and not many of those use insulin. So if they go sky high, there's nothing they can do but sit it out.

Being a newly diagnosed T1, you're likely experiencing 'honeymoon period', where you still produce some insulin yourself. This insulin production can be very erratically, changing from day to day.

I think you're doing very well, testing, injecting, trying to work out your ratio's, but keep in mind diabetes doesn't always play fair!
So please keep doing what you do!

You're completely right I didn't think about type 2 not taking insulin so that makes total sense. My doctor has advised me a couple of times that I'm definitely in a honey moon period at the moment (my C-peptide is currently around 526 pmol/L) therefore there are a couple of days where my BS do what they want even though my diet is consistent, but I'm aware that it will change one day once I stop producing my own insulin.

Just to follow up from my post, for type 1 would you say 50g carbs per meal is reasonable, as long as I'm taking the correct amount of insulin for the 50g, even if the majority of the carbs in the meal are coming from from things like bread? Thanks alot!
 

Antje77

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
19,284
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Just to follow up from my post, for type 1 would you say 50g carbs per meal is reasonable, as long as I'm taking the correct amount of insulin for the 50g, even if the majority of the carbs in the meal are coming from from things like bread? Thanks alot!
There is no one way fits all!
If it works for you, it's perfectly fine. After all, you're only giving the insulin your pancreas should have given you!
However, if you start to see you can't eat this amount of carbs anymore without spiking, you can always adjust your food a little.
For now it seems to be working very well. :)

I'm a bit jealous, as unlike you, I need a lot more insulin and it works slower too, so I do need to cut carbs to prevent spikes. But I'm a fat 44 year old with insulin resistance, completely different scenario from being a healthy 21 year old!
One of my T1 friends loves to eat sugared donuts and such, and she manages to eat them without spiking, so for her they are just as (un)healthy as for a non diabetic. I couldn't do that, so for me less carbs is better.
 

Grant_Vicat

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,176
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Dislikes
Intolerance, selfishness, rice pudding
There is no one way fits all!
If it works for you, it's perfectly fine. After all, you're only giving the insulin your pancreas should have given you!
However, if you start to see you can't eat this amount of carbs anymore without spiking, you can always adjust your food a little.
For now it seems to be working very well. :)

I'm a bit jealous, as unlike you, I need a lot more insulin and it works slower too, so I do need to cut carbs to prevent spikes. But I'm a fat 44 year old with insulin resistance, completely different scenario from being a healthy 21 year old!
One of my T1 friends loves to eat sugared donuts and such, and she manages to eat them without spiking, so for her they are just as (un)healthy as for a non diabetic. I couldn't do that, so for me less carbs is better.
I always called donuts "Death on a plate"!
 

Antje77

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
19,284
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
I call them yummy and perfectly edible for someone with Type 1 diabetes who knows how to dose for them.
It's not only about knowing how to dose for certain foods, it also depends on how our different bodies respond to both insulin and food.
For some of us it doesn't matter how much we know, it simply won't work.
Very happy it works for you though!
 

Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,213
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I call them yummy and perfectly edible for someone with Type 1 diabetes who knows how to dose for them.
I don’t eat them often but do eat them. I do not avoid any carbs. Tonight I had a great pizza.

I've mentioned this before. Especially Using a CGM set up for the past 2.5 years.
Pizza can work very well BG wise across the board on a gig night for me, after the show giving my basal a couple of hours late & bolusing for it upfront on MDI. Chased down with a couple of Diet Coke & vodka scoops.

I can appreciate you may adopt a different method using a pump.

@JackPurvis , I don't feel there are any "absolutes" in this game. You say you are recently diagnosed? The "honeymoon" could be helping you out. But if it works? It works.. :)