I think I'm making progress

Lucie75

Well-Known Member
Messages
302
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I'm feeling a bit better about my control lately. I've had much fewer hypos, nor the rebound highs which generally follow my hypos. I haven't been dreading testing for fear of being too high (or far too low without realising I'm hypo). I have some very subtle hypo warnings back (albeit still easy to miss but better than nothing) - generally confusion and so so tired, still hoping to get the 'sweats' back at some point but probably quite unlikely.

AND I think I have my basal insulin correct now, after weeks of trying to get it right. Yesterday I had a roast dinner without any carbs and was reluctant to inject any insulin for it, so I missed the injection. After 2 hours my bg was still near enough what it was before I'd eaten, so I just took 2 units with a couple of biscuits in the afternoon.

I have to say that despite being diabetic for 25 years and for the majority (up until 5 years ago), being in good control, I have a much better understanding of insulin and how the body reacts to both it and carbs since finding this website. Before I came on here I'd never even heard of insulin/carb ratio. I've been going to my clinic every 6 months or so since diagnosis and I'd still not been advised that it was actually a better way of keeping good control.

I so hope things are on the up from here on.....

:D
 

fergus

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,439
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Glad things are looking up for you Lucie. :D
It's very empowering, finding the tools to build a trustworthy method of control no matter how long we have had the condition.
One thing I was puzzled about though, you said your bg was virtually unchanged 2 hours after your meal? That surprises me if you took no insulin at all to cover it. It suggests either you are still making some insulin of your own (some T1's still do) or your basal dose is high enough to deal with the release of glucose from the food (even zero carb meals metabolise some glucose.)
All the best,

fergus
 

Lucie75

Well-Known Member
Messages
302
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Does that mean then that my basal is too high or does it do no harm to leave it as it is? Surely it's okay to be able to have a carb free meal without having to inject any bolus?

Carb free meals are very few and far between for me!
 

fergus

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,439
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi Lucie,

The thing to keep in mind regarding basal insulin doses is that they are designed to offset the production of glucose by the liver, not the glucose metabolised from the diet. On that basis, for example, if your basal was sufficient to offset the glucose generated from the protein in your roast dinner, what would have happened if you hadn't eaten it?
In my own experience, there ain't no such thing as a free lunch! In other words, even a carb free meal will need a bolus dose to cover it since almost everything we eat will at least partly be turned to glucose.

fergus