carb counting

[Tracey167]

Hi All

I went to see my diabeteic nurse on wednesday and told her all about my problems with HYPOS. She was very helpful and told me to start on a 1 to 1 ratio (10g carbs to 1 unit of insulin) I rememmber my mum doing this for me when i was first diagnosed when i was 13, but when you are a kid you don't really take much notice. The nurse told me to get myself the Collins Gem on CARBHYDRATE COUNTING
Is this the best book to get? I started doing the carb counting but im having to look at the wrappers on foods, I must admit its gonna take a bit of getting used to because i am so used to just injecting an amount of insulin without thinking about carbs. The diabetic nurse told me that a bowl of soup has not got no carbs but when i looked on the tin it shows something like 12g of carbs for half a tin could'nt really work that one out. Has anyone got any advice on carb counting and getting started.

Thanks

Tracey167

 

[catherinecherub]

Hi Tracey,
There is an online course that some find useful,

http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/

Cannot help as am Type 2.

Catherine.

 

[noblehead]

Hi Tracey,

The books just fine, but while your at it get yourself a good set of digital kitchen scales to weigh your food. Soup do contain carbs, as most soups contain sugar and corn flower for example, so always check the tin first.

Ask your diabetes nurse to enroll you on a DAFNE course, this is a course which teaches people how to count carbs and match their insulin accordingly, a very worthwhile course and one that you will get a lot of knowledge from to enable you to get far better control of your diabetes.

Nigel

 

[Tracey167]

Hi Catherine

Thank you for that I will take a look, I did'nt realise there was so many websites to help people with diabetes until i joined this forum its been a great help.

Thanks again

Tracey

 

[Tracey167]

HI Nigel

Thanks for that, yes i thought that was strangebecause it would'nt have carbs on the tin if they was'nt in it, luckly i accounted for them but when i done a glucose test around 9pm my sugar level was 3.3 so that why i wanted to check. I took into account the soup, the 2 slices of med sliced bread.
My husband asked a good question last night about it. "what happens during the time you don't eat after your tea, because surley some people burn sugar faster than others" this i could not answer.

Tracey

 

[noblehead]

Tracey,

The simple answer is to test!

Always, and more-so whilst getting use to insulin/carb ratio's regime, is to test on the 1, 2 and 4 hour mark after eating, this way you will know that your ratio is correct. It is really all about eating and testing to establish the correct amount of insulin for each 10g of carbs.

Without causing to much confusion, you will find that your insulin requirements will differ at different meal-times throughout the day, this is why you need to enroll on the DAFNE course as soon as possible.

Nigel