Help!!!

Lovinlife

Active Member
Messages
36
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Just cant control this ****** disease anymore i HATE insulin I either go too low or too high and everyday I say tomorrow im gonna start low carb coz i know id only need one shot of Levemir then which is ok but then I get weak and eat carbs and the rollercoaster begins again and I end up drained just so fed up any tips or good advice much appreciated!
 
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urbanracer

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
5,186
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Not being able to eat as many chocolate digestives as I used to.
How many carbs are you eating per day?
 

catapillar

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,390
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
everyday I say tomorrow im gonna start low carb coz i know id only need one shot of Levemir

Sorry, but low carb does not mean no bolus doses! You might be taking fewer units, but low carb isn't no carbs and you would still need insulin to cover the carbs you are taking in. In addition, those who do low carb very often find they need to bolus for protein.

If you find your bolus doses aren't working for you you need to consider if you have correctly worked out how many grams of carbs you are taking in and, if you are confident your carb count was correct, then think about whether your current insulin to carb ratio might need adjusting. I would also look at the timing of your boluses - do you inject in advance of the meal or with it? Whether the other macros are having an impact - something really fatty will slow down the carb digestion and so your insulin might work before the carbs are active but you go high hours later (pizza effect). I would also look at whether my basal dose was working with some basal testing.
 

Juicyj

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
9,018
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
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Hypos, rude people, ignorance and grey days.
Hey @Lovinlife how are you today ?

If your running high/low then as suggested above are you carb counting correctly and have you tried any basal testing ? Getting background levels right is fundamental to good control. Low carb isn't a way to stop taking basal insulin, it's just another way to regulate blood glucose levels and insulin is still required for protein as well as any carbs eaten. It can make life easier if your in the roller coaster but requires some trial and error to get doses right, but it can make bg levels much easier to control if your current diet is carb heavy, and getting more stabilised bg levels will help you feel more energetic, what's stopping you from trying ? Hope you feel better today ;)
 

Lovinlife

Active Member
Messages
36
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Thanks for all of the replies! Love this forum! I was diagnosed in 2013 at the age of 30 had to plead with GP for the test as he thought noway did I have diabetes as I was slim and too old for type 1!!! I was managing pre pregnancy with low carb glucophage and bedtime levemir since pregnancy didnt want to do low carb as not good for baby and now I am just used to that way again and I try to stick to low gi carbs and feel my life is more like a normal persons when I dont cut a whole food group out anyway I was basically told eat something see the result and adjust dose next time if you get bad result I dont really carb count as such. Usually take 3 novorapid with porridge and in the 6s two hrs later which is great but 4 hours later I go too low but if i reduce the dose then no low but too high at 2 hours this is what confuses me???
 

Lovinlife

Active Member
Messages
36
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Sorry, but low carb does not mean no bolus doses! You might be taking fewer units, but low carb isn't no carbs and you would still need insulin to cover the carbs you are taking in. In addition, those who do low carb very often find they need to bolus for protein.

If you find your bolus doses aren't working for you you need to consider if you have correctly worked out how many grams of carbs you are taking in and, if you are confident your carb count was correct, then think about whether your current insulin to carb ratio might need adjusting. I would also look at the timing of your boluses - do you inject in advance of the meal or with it? Whether the other macros are having an impact - something really fatty will slow down the carb digestion and so your insulin might work before the carbs are active but you go high hours later (pizza effect). I would also look at whether my basal dose was working with some basal testing.
How do you basal test? If I avoid bread potatoes rice and pasta I can usually get away without a bolus however I cant avoid these forever plus my pancreas may worsen so could evetually need insulin for protein also.ps pizza effect definitly happens to me