Hi, I have recently been diagnosed with type 1, I have had a roller coaster time and not had the best medical support, I am injecting 15 units of slow acting once a day and 2 units of nova rapid before meals, but confused as I’m reading a lot about carb counting and units of insulin to the grams of carbs, unsure if I’m doing the right thing?
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Am I on the right path?
- Thread starter Jane1980
- Start Date
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There is a lot to learn when first diagnosed.
Therefore, it is common to start on fixed dose of insulin. Typically, the amount is conservative to bring your bg down slowly and reduce the risk of hypos.
Over time, it is likely you will be introduced to carb counting. This requires you, with help from your diabetes team to work out things like insulin to carb ratio which is different from person to person and not easy to calculate when first diagnosed when your body is likely to still be producing some of its own insulin. This is called the honeymoon period.
So my recommendation would be to stay in regular contact with your diabetes team and follow their advice.
In short, yes, you are doing the right thing but if you have any concerns talk to your diabetes team.
Edited to add:
If you are in the UK and have no diabetes team, demand one. A GP will not have enough experience of type 1.
If you want to learn about carb counting, take a look at bertie online course.
Therefore, it is common to start on fixed dose of insulin. Typically, the amount is conservative to bring your bg down slowly and reduce the risk of hypos.
Over time, it is likely you will be introduced to carb counting. This requires you, with help from your diabetes team to work out things like insulin to carb ratio which is different from person to person and not easy to calculate when first diagnosed when your body is likely to still be producing some of its own insulin. This is called the honeymoon period.
So my recommendation would be to stay in regular contact with your diabetes team and follow their advice.
In short, yes, you are doing the right thing but if you have any concerns talk to your diabetes team.
Edited to add:
If you are in the UK and have no diabetes team, demand one. A GP will not have enough experience of type 1.
If you want to learn about carb counting, take a look at bertie online course.
Last edited by a moderator:
Colin Crowhurst
Well-Known Member
I am not the most experienced person on here, BUT when I was first DX'd in Dec I was told to stick to what they say at first; Eventually you will be shown how to adjust (if needed!) I would also be careful of imformation overload, its very easy to get confused with different ideas being talked about, AND the fact that T1 and T2 are not particularly similar!
Hopefully you have contact details for a Diabetes Specialist Nurse (DSN on here often) if so don't be afraid to keep calling and asking questions as problems arise! Good luck and remember its a marathon not a sprint and it will take some time to level things out! Others will probably give you more (and better!) advice, hang in there its not always busy on here at night!
Incidentally I was also diagnosed type1 later in life, curiously it appears more common than I thought!
Hopefully you have contact details for a Diabetes Specialist Nurse (DSN on here often) if so don't be afraid to keep calling and asking questions as problems arise! Good luck and remember its a marathon not a sprint and it will take some time to level things out! Others will probably give you more (and better!) advice, hang in there its not always busy on here at night!
Incidentally I was also diagnosed type1 later in life, curiously it appears more common than I thought!
Daibell
Master
Hi. Views vary on the subject of carb-counting and often the diabetes team will 'sum up' the patient to decide how fast to take them down the line of carb-counting. My nurse viewed me (an engineer) as a bit of a nerd and taught me in 15 minutes when I started insulin. Others are left to wait months for a 1 week course. A good nurse will judge when you are ready. As I had been diagnosed, wrongly, as a T2 years earlier I was very accepting of my diabetes and the need to move to insulin. If you want to understand and get the best out of your insulin then do push the team to advise you on what to do. Come back here if you fail to get the right support from your team.
Marie 2
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 2,435
- Type of diabetes
- LADA
- Treatment type
- Pump
It is confusing at the beginning. You are likely still making some insulin which over time, months, probably years will slowly ebb and then stop. So there is no magic answer for carb counting and units right now, and whatever amount you take now will probably change. They will start you out slowly because it is better to be higher than you want than to be too low. Keep in mind that there is danger in running too high too. But be sure to ask for help from your diabetic team team whenever you think something is off or wrong. Type 1 is a constant learning curve.
