High sugar levels - how long before body damage?
- Thread starter Tony
- Start Date
i know my lil girl is only 3 but reading this is really scaring me!! her sugar levels have been 18 28 21 27 etc for a while i cant wait to speak to her nurse on thursday! sorry i cant help tony im new to the diabetic world myself and still very much learning this sote seams to be VERY helpful though think il stick around 
. x
. xWait, wait, wait...this debate is entirely down to personal preference and experimentation. Yes, fine, what works for you is great but don't just blindly suggest that that is the miracle answer for everyone. 20-30 carbs a day, I mean, I couldn't even remotely exist on that amount and I have at least 100 carbs a meal no problem. My highest hba1c has been 6.1 over a four year period so it obviously works for me; and, I regularly eat chocolate bars to deal with hypos and my body fat is only 10%. Having said that I do alot of exercise and, therefore, I need the carbs quite badly. Yes, you need to test and re-test and work out what the best way of controlling your blood sugar is but don't have a go at people because they like a bit of chocolate. Get a food diary going and remember that your only diabetic; don't let it get you down, enjoy yourself.
Rick, Now hold on a minute. Your suggestion of 100g carbs per meal (x 3 meals per day = 300g carbs per day) is a diet that for most people (let alone diabetics) would be suicidal. Yes, we can all stuff our bodies with very high quantities of carbs and one of two things will happen as a result:
- you will not be able to produce sufficient insulin to deal with the carbs - result BG levels that will remain at a dangerously high level, or
- you will be producing excessive amounts of insulin to cope with the load - result hyperinsulinaemia
There has to be a sensible compromise and as you have rightly said what will work for some people will not necessarily work for another. Fergus can manage happily on 30g carb per day, as can many people, but I can't. However, I appreciate the need to keep carb intake to the lowest that your body can manage with, and in my case this is around 80 to 90g per day. On that regime, and combined with my meds, I have reduced my body weight by 7% and have almost halved my average daily blood test results.
- you will not be able to produce sufficient insulin to deal with the carbs - result BG levels that will remain at a dangerously high level, or
- you will be producing excessive amounts of insulin to cope with the load - result hyperinsulinaemia
There has to be a sensible compromise and as you have rightly said what will work for some people will not necessarily work for another. Fergus can manage happily on 30g carb per day, as can many people, but I can't. However, I appreciate the need to keep carb intake to the lowest that your body can manage with, and in my case this is around 80 to 90g per day. On that regime, and combined with my meds, I have reduced my body weight by 7% and have almost halved my average daily blood test results.
Dennis, I wasn't suggesting that people do what I do by any stretch and I certainly wasn't suggesting that fergusc was wrong to follow a low carb path either; I was simply stating that it must be understood that we are all different and it's all well and good ramming personal experiences down other people's throats but that it might not be helping (might - before people start complaining).
100g carb a meal is pretty easy to acheive: for breakfast all I have is a bowl of porridge oats, chopped banana and a couple of spoons of natural yoghurt, followed up with two slices of seeded toast and glass of orange juice; it may sound suicidal (I don't see how but there's personal preference for you) but I think it's a pretty healthy breakfast. 4 units of novo and a reading of about 5.5 every morning. Each to their own.
100g carb a meal is pretty easy to acheive: for breakfast all I have is a bowl of porridge oats, chopped banana and a couple of spoons of natural yoghurt, followed up with two slices of seeded toast and glass of orange juice; it may sound suicidal (I don't see how but there's personal preference for you) but I think it's a pretty healthy breakfast. 4 units of novo and a reading of about 5.5 every morning. Each to their own.
Sorry to post again but fergusc: how on earth do you have a diet that only takes in a maximum 30g carbs a day? Honestly, I'm totally perplexed, what do you eat to get you through the day? It seems a miniscule amount when even a single banana contains about that much. Genuinely interested, please come back.
i dont think comments like 100 yrs plus without complications helps either!!
Everyones body is different, what works for one does not mean it will work for another, so will people stop implying complications are our own fault!
Ive been diabetic type 1 30 yrs, now on a pump and still my bgs arent anywhere near perfect.
I can do exactly the same thing and eat the same 2 days in a row and my bgs will differ wildly.
Its not always down to low carbs, or not looking after ourselves or anything else!
Everyones body is different, what works for one does not mean it will work for another, so will people stop implying complications are our own fault!
Ive been diabetic type 1 30 yrs, now on a pump and still my bgs arent anywhere near perfect.
I can do exactly the same thing and eat the same 2 days in a row and my bgs will differ wildly.
Its not always down to low carbs, or not looking after ourselves or anything else!
True bonerp, we are all diffeent and that is why we need to find our own way through this maze of good advice and recommendation, but at the same time it is also encouraging to see that some people have had diabetes for such a long time and avoided complications, so is not all bad news, it gives hope.
To be fair to Sarah Q, she has pointed out in another post that some good genes may well be involved there as well as her uncle is diabetic and also without complications.
All the best
Karen
Challenges can be stumbling blocks or stepping stones, it depends how you view them
To be fair to Sarah Q, she has pointed out in another post that some good genes may well be involved there as well as her uncle is diabetic and also without complications.
All the best
Karen
Challenges can be stumbling blocks or stepping stones, it depends how you view them
Hi Megan,
I've lost my pump. I had it for 5 weeks before my consultant said it wasn't doing what he'd hoped.
I'm now back to mdi :cry: & taking 600 units of humalog and 300 of lantus a day. Am waiting for an appt at Addenbrookes.
Fergus whilst I admire your diet of very few carbs I was upset that your immediate reaction to my high bg was to assume that I was eating carbs by the bucketful. I'm not and have less than 100g a day. I have been on steroids for 20 years which has affected my bg more than carbs
I've lost my pump. I had it for 5 weeks before my consultant said it wasn't doing what he'd hoped.
I'm now back to mdi :cry: & taking 600 units of humalog and 300 of lantus a day. Am waiting for an appt at Addenbrookes.
Fergus whilst I admire your diet of very few carbs I was upset that your immediate reaction to my high bg was to assume that I was eating carbs by the bucketful. I'm not and have less than 100g a day. I have been on steroids for 20 years which has affected my bg more than carbs
Hi Rick,
I used to eat lots of carbs in my previous incarnation as an overweight type 1 with HbA1c's in the 7's and 8's, so I do ubderstand peoples scepticism about the low-carb approach. For me, it has been a revelation, and my salvation. Now my HbA1c's are in the 4's (last 3 were 4.7, 4.9, 4.7), my weight is good (BMI 21.5), I have lots of energy and participate in many sports.
Anyhoo, 30g carbs per day. Well, today I have had breakfast of 3 scrambled eggs and 2 slices of bacon, lunch on the run was a mackerel with mayonnaise and wholegrain mustard. Dinner was a blowout with fillet steak, steamed savoy cabbage with butter and chilli, and celeriac puree with nutmeg. Probably shy of 30g carbs today in fact.
I have never before eaten a diet that keeps my blood sugars anchored in the 'normal' range, uses minimal insulin, gives me lots of energy and never leaves me hungry. I have to remind myself to eat sometimes. I know you're physically very active and there is a belief that carbohydrates are vital in order to sustain that. In my experience, that's completely untrue.
But, as you say, each to their own.
All the best,
fergus
I used to eat lots of carbs in my previous incarnation as an overweight type 1 with HbA1c's in the 7's and 8's, so I do ubderstand peoples scepticism about the low-carb approach. For me, it has been a revelation, and my salvation. Now my HbA1c's are in the 4's (last 3 were 4.7, 4.9, 4.7), my weight is good (BMI 21.5), I have lots of energy and participate in many sports.
Anyhoo, 30g carbs per day. Well, today I have had breakfast of 3 scrambled eggs and 2 slices of bacon, lunch on the run was a mackerel with mayonnaise and wholegrain mustard. Dinner was a blowout with fillet steak, steamed savoy cabbage with butter and chilli, and celeriac puree with nutmeg. Probably shy of 30g carbs today in fact.
I have never before eaten a diet that keeps my blood sugars anchored in the 'normal' range, uses minimal insulin, gives me lots of energy and never leaves me hungry. I have to remind myself to eat sometimes. I know you're physically very active and there is a belief that carbohydrates are vital in order to sustain that. In my experience, that's completely untrue.
But, as you say, each to their own.
All the best,
fergus
Interesting........
To get out of a hypo (and this will work for any diabetic) is 200 ml of lucozade and 2 digestive biscuits. The luco will raise the sugar in 5-10 mins and the digestives or similar will keep it stable. Before I went on DAFNE I used to "eat the fridge" at 3 am and feel **** the morning after. SInce DAFNE I have had 3 or 4 hypos in 8 months. HBA1C down from 11 to 8.4.
What you learn on the DAFNE course is that you can eat whatever you want so long as you inject the right amount of insulin for what you eat. e.g. if I had a mars bar now I would do 4-5 units of insulin as 10g of carb = 1 unit of insulin. Now obviously everyones different and I have found that my insulin "works" better at different times in the day. I'm on a 2:1 ratio in the morning (2 units per 10g), 1.5:1 at lunch (1.5 units per 10g) and a 1:1 ratio at tea time (1 unit per 10g). OK granted sometimes I calculate my carbs wrong but 4 blood tests a day I can correct my blood sugar by the DAFNE rules (1 unit can lower BS by 3 mmols). So for example if I wake up in the morning and blood sugar is 14 and I have 2 weetabix with milk I'd do 12 units of insulin. 2;1 ratio for 50g of carbs = 10 units and 2 correction should bring my BG down to 8 by lunchtime. All this I have learnt and has done me no harm. Also Chocolate is BAD for Hypos unless your taking it after the luco as the absorption rate of choc is slow!! Hope that helps someone!!!
To get out of a hypo (and this will work for any diabetic) is 200 ml of lucozade and 2 digestive biscuits. The luco will raise the sugar in 5-10 mins and the digestives or similar will keep it stable. Before I went on DAFNE I used to "eat the fridge" at 3 am and feel **** the morning after. SInce DAFNE I have had 3 or 4 hypos in 8 months. HBA1C down from 11 to 8.4.
What you learn on the DAFNE course is that you can eat whatever you want so long as you inject the right amount of insulin for what you eat. e.g. if I had a mars bar now I would do 4-5 units of insulin as 10g of carb = 1 unit of insulin. Now obviously everyones different and I have found that my insulin "works" better at different times in the day. I'm on a 2:1 ratio in the morning (2 units per 10g), 1.5:1 at lunch (1.5 units per 10g) and a 1:1 ratio at tea time (1 unit per 10g). OK granted sometimes I calculate my carbs wrong but 4 blood tests a day I can correct my blood sugar by the DAFNE rules (1 unit can lower BS by 3 mmols). So for example if I wake up in the morning and blood sugar is 14 and I have 2 weetabix with milk I'd do 12 units of insulin. 2;1 ratio for 50g of carbs = 10 units and 2 correction should bring my BG down to 8 by lunchtime. All this I have learnt and has done me no harm. Also Chocolate is BAD for Hypos unless your taking it after the luco as the absorption rate of choc is slow!! Hope that helps someone!!!
Babro,
I agree with the last poster that you need to not overtreat a hypo. I used to use hypos as an excuse to eat chocolate and drink fruit juice etc. and would often have far more than I needed, but since getting good advice from a dietician, I now treat my hypos with glucose tablets - treating it like the illness symptom it is. But unlike the last poster, I find I usually need 4 tablets. My dietician also recommends waiting 10 minutes after the glucose, before eating a slower-absorbed carb, as the biscyuit or fruit or whatever will slow down the action of the glucose.
I also agree that correction doses of insulin are needed when the BG is high - in order to feel well and also to prevent ketones. However, you also need to get the dose right, and a good dietician/DSN should be able to help you with this. I take 1 unit of novorapid to bring my BG down by 2 mml/l. If you over-correct, you'll end up hypo again and back at square one. I spent many years with this type of "himalayan" control - massively improved since doing a version of the DAFNE course. Ask your care team about doing a course - it could change your life.
Good luck! :?
I agree with the last poster that you need to not overtreat a hypo. I used to use hypos as an excuse to eat chocolate and drink fruit juice etc. and would often have far more than I needed, but since getting good advice from a dietician, I now treat my hypos with glucose tablets - treating it like the illness symptom it is. But unlike the last poster, I find I usually need 4 tablets. My dietician also recommends waiting 10 minutes after the glucose, before eating a slower-absorbed carb, as the biscyuit or fruit or whatever will slow down the action of the glucose.
I also agree that correction doses of insulin are needed when the BG is high - in order to feel well and also to prevent ketones. However, you also need to get the dose right, and a good dietician/DSN should be able to help you with this. I take 1 unit of novorapid to bring my BG down by 2 mml/l. If you over-correct, you'll end up hypo again and back at square one. I spent many years with this type of "himalayan" control - massively improved since doing a version of the DAFNE course. Ask your care team about doing a course - it could change your life.
Good luck! :?
miss e j said:
Babro
The 3 tablets was out of my DAFNE knowledge which is what was suggested. Everyone is different and needs to find their own levels to treat a hypo but doing what we both used to do of stuffing 10 mars bars in obviously wasnt the way to go about it!!!
Cheers
