hi everyone, i know that everyone is dealing with the same thing, and for years ive been trying to cope. ive had type 1 since i was 8 and im 23 now, so 15 years, and ive never been stable. I was given the new insulin, novorapid and levemir when i was at school, but ive only recently been told about carb counting etc, and the old regime (mixed insulin is all i know) is drilled in! im really worried about my long term health, but im worried that 15 years of bad control is going to effect me really badly, sometimes i just cant be bothered! well actually most of the time! im away travelling in south america at the moment and i thought that would kick me into being well behaved, but its still quite bad...please help.... ( im sorry to seem so incompetent, i know we are all going through the same thing! xx
cant cope
- Thread starter notsogoodhelen
- Start Date
Hi Helen,
I'm sorry you're having a hard time. We've all been there-especially during the late teens early 20s! I know I did (I'm 28 now).
You can do this.
Firstly, I can't believe your doctors would change your regime without making sure you understood the ins and outs of carb counting! That is their fault not yours.
I was going to suggest that you go back to them and insist that you get sent on a dafne course (a carb counting course). Obviously, if you are away travelling this is not possible.
If you search for carb counting courses on goggle there are a couple of online ones available (someone might give you a link?!). I never went on the dafne course (not available in my area) so I found these incredibly helpful.
I assume 'they've' explained the 2 insulins to you? Your levemir is your background insulin. In theory, if you ate nothing all day, if your dose is correct your BS should stay relatively stable. I found splitting this dose into 2 worked best for me (but my Dnurse suggested otherwise). For example I take 6 units when I wake up and 22 before bed-but that is a personal dose. You can check you've got it right by checking your BS first thing in the morning. It should be similar to the one before you went to bed (assuming you haven't eaten in the past 3 hours before bed).
Your novarapid is also a personal dose. They often suggest that you start with 1 unit for every 10grams of carbs (did you use 'carb portions' when you were first diagnosed? 1 portion = 10 carbs). So for a 60g carb meal of rice for example try 6 units of novarapid. Try this for a day or so and check your BS approx 2 hours after you've eaten. If it is below 7ish you've got it right. If your low you've got to reduce your ratio (possibly 0.5units to 10g carb) or higher (2 units to 10g).
Obviously this only works if your BS was ok before your meal. If it's high or low to start with take slightly more or less insulin with the meal.
I know this is complicated to start with. But you'll be amazed at how easy it is to adjust when you understand how carbs affect your body. Also, you'll have so much more flexibility with meal times and what you eat. I'm sure that will be of benefit when you are traveling!
Hope this hasn't scared you. Not my intention. If you need any more help please ask and check out the online courses
T x x
I'm sorry you're having a hard time. We've all been there-especially during the late teens early 20s! I know I did (I'm 28 now).
You can do this.
Firstly, I can't believe your doctors would change your regime without making sure you understood the ins and outs of carb counting! That is their fault not yours.
I was going to suggest that you go back to them and insist that you get sent on a dafne course (a carb counting course). Obviously, if you are away travelling this is not possible.
If you search for carb counting courses on goggle there are a couple of online ones available (someone might give you a link?!). I never went on the dafne course (not available in my area) so I found these incredibly helpful.
I assume 'they've' explained the 2 insulins to you? Your levemir is your background insulin. In theory, if you ate nothing all day, if your dose is correct your BS should stay relatively stable. I found splitting this dose into 2 worked best for me (but my Dnurse suggested otherwise). For example I take 6 units when I wake up and 22 before bed-but that is a personal dose. You can check you've got it right by checking your BS first thing in the morning. It should be similar to the one before you went to bed (assuming you haven't eaten in the past 3 hours before bed).
Your novarapid is also a personal dose. They often suggest that you start with 1 unit for every 10grams of carbs (did you use 'carb portions' when you were first diagnosed? 1 portion = 10 carbs). So for a 60g carb meal of rice for example try 6 units of novarapid. Try this for a day or so and check your BS approx 2 hours after you've eaten. If it is below 7ish you've got it right. If your low you've got to reduce your ratio (possibly 0.5units to 10g carb) or higher (2 units to 10g).
Obviously this only works if your BS was ok before your meal. If it's high or low to start with take slightly more or less insulin with the meal.
I know this is complicated to start with. But you'll be amazed at how easy it is to adjust when you understand how carbs affect your body. Also, you'll have so much more flexibility with meal times and what you eat. I'm sure that will be of benefit when you are traveling!
Hope this hasn't scared you. Not my intention. If you need any more help please ask and check out the online courses
T x x
jopar
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 2,222
Tasha
Has given a good explanation, here a link for a carb counting course designed by Bournemouth diabetic department http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/
Don’t get too hung up on what has happened in the past (you can’t change that) as for the future really the same, if you take one day at a time if you have a bad day, start afresh the next day… If you look after the day to day, and maintain good control you will find that the future will look after itself in many respects..
Has given a good explanation, here a link for a carb counting course designed by Bournemouth diabetic department http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/
Don’t get too hung up on what has happened in the past (you can’t change that) as for the future really the same, if you take one day at a time if you have a bad day, start afresh the next day… If you look after the day to day, and maintain good control you will find that the future will look after itself in many respects..
hi im new here read your post .firstly to have diabetes the length of time you have has showed you have coped ,so well done helen ,lve only had it 2 years and when l found out l cried for weeks ,lol the only good thing for me is l lost 6 stone , they thought at 1st l woz type 2 and put me on metformin then got blood results 6weeks later and got put on insulin,then 6 months ago l got told it was worse so l inject 5 times a day now and l really thought my world had ended but you just got to tell yourself you can do it and just think if you want to be here you got to do it ,chin up helen im sure you,ll be fine 
