is it ok to eat a lot of sweet food and inject lots of novo?

[the_anticarb]

Hi all

I've recently become adept at carb counting and injecting novorapid to cover it. I have done some reading and understand that with the new very fast acting insulins such as novorapid the insulin gets into your system as fast as sweet / high GI carb foods. A few times now I have got a bit carried away with myself particularly when eating sweets/treats but even just hi carb stuff like bread and jam and if I'm honest eating more than i should, and thought well i'll just keep injecting novorapid to cover it, then testing one hour after and my blood sugars are normal eg 6s 7s.

Is it okay to do this occasionally? I know if I did this every day it could lead to a lot of weight gain but as an occasional treat eg once a week is it okay so long as I cover with the novo and test one hour after doing a correction dose to correct for any highs?

 

[Angeldust]

Re: is it ok to eat a lot of sweet food and inject lots of n

As an 'occasional treat' that is absolutely fine. Moderation is key!
But if your levels are remaining that good then you got the carb counting sussed. I eat what I like because of this.

The way I look at it is if you can keep your levels in a good range then there's no need to put restrictions on yourself.

 

[Dollyrocker]

Re: is it ok to eat a lot of sweet food and inject lots of n

I've always understood that Novo is less predictable the more you inject so taking 20 units so you can gorge on cake is probably not the best idea. I also find that it's still having an effect up to 4 hours after injecting so you won't know if you've 'got away with it' for a while after eating. I try and stick to a maximum of 10 units for any meal (though I'm usually well under that)

Moderation is always the key

 

[the_anticarb]

Re: is it ok to eat a lot of sweet food and inject lots of n

Thanks, I am trying not to indulge too often but I do have a passion for liquorice gums which were off limits before! I seem to err on the over-inject rather than under-inject side just to cover it of course not great if you then go hypo later....best to stick to very occasional methinks...

 

[Dollyrocker]

Re: is it ok to eat a lot of sweet food and inject lots of n

I tend to use the 'treats' to fix a hypo

 

[the_anticarb]

Re: is it ok to eat a lot of sweet food and inject lots of n

Problem with that dollyrocker is that unless you've only just dipped into hypoland, then you are too ill/worried/uncomfortable to enjoy what you are eating and savour the flavour! I tend to just shovel stuff down my throat when i'm having a real hypo, Also I find that unless I am really disciplined, I can just go on munching and munching and overtreat the hypo, which means taking more novo, which means potentially going hypo again later, unless I get the dose bang-on.

Maybe i'll just have to accept that sweets are still off-limits most of the time...

 

[Dollyrocker]

Re: is it ok to eat a lot of sweet food and inject lots of n

I see what you mean, I guess I'm quite lucky in that respect, hypos don't seem to hit me as hard as some people get them,, I can function properly down to 1.3 (lowest i've tested) and once I'm back in normal range I'm usually fine.

I'd only use somethign more rapid if I was at 2.5 or less, anything higher than that, chocolate is my weapon of choice for treating the hypo

 

[sue32]

Re: is it ok to eat a lot of sweet food and inject lots of n

Dollyrocker!!! At last someone else who has low BM's like me and can function perfectly well. My bloods usually range from 3.4 to 4.6. I function perfectly well and usually get hypo symptoms at 2.8. My GP has said there's nothing to worry about as I am sensible enough to know not to drive if I'm feeling exceptionally low. AND I do test before I go out - always, even if I'm not driving.

 

[noblehead]

Re: is it ok to eat a lot of sweet food and inject lots of n

Dollyrocker!!! At last someone else who has low BM's like me and can function perfectly well. My bloods usually range from 3.4 to 4.6. I function perfectly well and usually get hypo symptoms at 2.8. My GP has said there's nothing to worry about as I am sensible enough to know not to drive if I'm feeling exceptionally low. AND I do test before I go out - always, even if I'm not driving.

Sue, I notice on your profile that you are a type 2 on insulin, so can't believe that your gp would suggest that running hypo is 'nothing to worry about'. I wonder if he is aware that research is on-going into the effects of long-term hypoglycemia to the brain, or that the people who run low blood glucose levels are at a higher risk of mortality. What your gp has said is simply not true and perhaps you would be better speaking to your diabetes consultant for clarification on this matter.

Nigel

 

[JamesA]

Re: is it ok to eat a lot of sweet food and inject lots of n

I've always understood that Novo is less predictable the more you inject

You don't happen to have any links to more information or evidence for this?