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Carb counting with a pump

Poosecat

Well-Known Member
Messages
68
Location
Bristol
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I'm very excited to be recieving my first pump next week. I've been working g hard to master carb counting, and it's starting to become easier. I just wanted to ask a few questions to experienced counters/pumpers just to see if what I'm doing is normal.
1) I'm using carbs and cals. At the moment, at home I'm weighing most of my food which doesn't have a carb value on a packet. Eg spuds, pasta as opposed to 'this lot of yogurt contains this many carbs'. This is fine until I eat outside of the home. I did ask the for the mass of linguine in a restaurant the other day. Also fine. But what do you do when your mother serves you up a dollop of something? How would you estimate carbs for example, in a bowl of stew that you haven't made? Does this just come with experience?

When out and about do you just get better at estimating the size of the portions you are served? I've tried with the carbs and cals pictures but have found I've often underestimated the portion size. I feel like I want to take a set of kitchen scales in my handbag with me wherever I go! What's normal??

I do understand that I need to be accurate when pumping, so just want to get it right. Is this just another thing I'm obsessing about???
 
Hi @Poosecat - I pump and use carbs and Cals as it’s easier to just see a portion size and calculate carbs on this. I don’t do this all the time as it becomes instinctive to view a portion and do the maths most of the time now. I don’t eat out very often but when I do I just eat a low carb option as it’s easier to manage this than guesstimate the carb value, also I prefer to take my bolus when I can see what’s in front of me as otherwise at home I would pre-bolus by 20 minutes. You will settle into a rhythm soon enough with the pump and how you manage carbs
 
Thank you. I'm glad to hear it becomes a bit more instinctive.
 
My approach is slightly different: I have familiarised myself with what 10g carbs of pasta looks like and equivalent of potatoes, etc. So when I have no scales with me, I mentally split my plate into 10g portions of carbs.
This came about because, when injecting, I knew how much insulin to take for 10g carbs. My pump makes these calculations for me now but it is what I am used to.

It is not a exact science. But then nor is Carbs and Cals or reading the carbs from the packet and weighing. For example, an over ripe banana would contain a different amount of carbs to an under ripe one; a slice of cake may have more fruit in than average, ...

And, of course, when you get it wrong, you can correct it.
 
I think you just seem to know what they contain cabs wise, I still can't tell you what a pizza contains (even after all these years) but pasta and potatoes I can as I don't deviate from my portion sizes (I also don't mash potatoes makes it easier for me) I find going out to eat I will over estimate, to compensate for all the fats that can be in the sauces, and the hidden carbs, to this day not been poorly (touches wood) Good luck when you get the pump !! best thing ever for me
 
Thank you for this. It's really handy to find out how other people do it.
 
Thank you. I'm feeling excited and nervous about the pump. I've been advised that things might get tough before they get better. I'll probably stick to simple food rather than dining out for a while until I have a better idea of my new ratios once I'm on the pump. One day I'm going to eat a massive pizza and feel great about it. At the moment, thinking about it makes me feel ill and guilty so I'll wait until I can enjoy it mentally as well as physically. Life goals! Tee hee
 
when they sort out your ratios on the pump, if like me , I thought this is brilliant all I have to do is tell my pump what carbs I have eaten. Happy days!! but just remember that if you are going a bit awry, don't panic just bolus yourself to start getting a handle on your BS's, you will still have days when it all goes belly up around meal times, and if your nurse has given you their number, use it, for the first few months they know more than you about your ratios, until you live with the pump, then you will find YOU know more than them, as you live with it not them.. But I will say enjoy the freedom that a pump gives you, I still think its the best thing that has happened to me in over twenty years a diabetic. Good Luck with it all
 
Thank you so much. I really appreciate the support. I don't suppose you have any tips on wearing the pump with a little black dress?
 
Poosecat said:
Thank you so much. I really appreciate the support. I don't suppose you have any tips on wearing the pump with a little black dress?
Click to expand...

As long as the dress has got a v or scoop neck, you should be able to put the pump inside the bra if your bra has padded cups and is a 34 or larger. If the pump has a bg meter that is also able to deliver a bolus by remote, then you can put the pump in your bra or inside your pants and not worry. I use lycra stretch bras and most pumps can be kept safe in the centre part of the bra vertically.
What pump are you getting?
 
Hi @Poosecat !

I don't have a LBD to my name, but I am a laydeeeee and if I'm dressing up I find my pump doesn't get in the way if I wear it in a band just below my bra. See link - the middle pic on the top row is where I tend to wear it.

My pump is an Insight so doesn't need fishing out to 'do' stuff on it, as it has a remote - so if your pump doesn't have a remote then perhaps you'll need it somewhere more accessible.

These days I tend to wear the band on my hips so I can get to the pump if I want to, but if I don't need it to be 'out in the wild' I'll have it under my bra.

http://www.hid-in.com/shop/multiway-body-band
 
Poosecat said:
Thank you so much. I really appreciate the support. I don't suppose you have any tips on wearing the pump with a little black dress?
Click to expand...
My bras are smaller than 34. As a consequence, I don't "have enough" to provide a "shelf" to hide something under my bra. My LBD option is a garterbelt type affair. I use Hid In pump belts and loop them round my leg twice. To be honest, I am still conscious I can see the pump bulge from certain angles but I don't think anyone else can.
To be honest, hiding my pump is the biggest bane of having it. I could take set changes every day but when it ruins the line of a tailored jacket or causes a bulge in my favourite dress, I have to give myself a stiff talking to stop me throwing it across the room. A little aesthetic problem is not very much to pay for the convenience and control it provides.
 
I'm having the animas vibe. I think it's quite big. Although my boobs have been destroyed by breastfeeding - I reckon I could probably tuck it underneath one of them
 
The Vibe is only a tiny bit bigger than the Insight so will fit ok in the centre part of a bra vertically or at the side part of a padded cup. For special events, insulin can be given by pen if need be as a pump is only a battery operated insulin delivering device so no one is going to die if they can't get to the pump because of what they are wearing dress wise.

Make sure that the Vibe rep adjusts the settings on the pump so that the time out function is 60 seconds and the contrast is set to 10. That will give you time to enter the carb that you want to eat in the wizard without the pump switching off. Also, when delivering a bolus! Instead of doing loads of button presses to get to the home screen, just wait for the 60 second time out function to work and then when pressing the OK button, the pump is at the home screen without all the button presses. The light bulb button at the top of the pump can be pressed to immediately show the IOB which is handy to use sometimes to work out if some carb might be needed to be eaten if bg levels have dropped below a desired target.
 
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