Carb Counting?

mhoggarth

Active Member
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31
Hi Everyone.

I was diagnosed Type 1 in September and took the new well and have been handling my level very well since the beginning. My current dosages are NovaRapid 3 times a day (before each meal) and glargine at night time.
Currently i am studying at university and this system works well for me as i can eat around my lectures. At my last meeting with my Diabetic Nurse, she recommended moving on to counting carbs. However im not sure if i should as i am doing very well on this system, and it works with my uni lectures. Would it be better for me to change to carb counting?

Many Thanks
Mark
 

Grazer

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3,115
Hi Mark, can't help you as I'm a type 2; just wanted to say welcome! I'm sure you'll get some info soon, bit late so could be tomorrow now. Good luck!
 

noblehead

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Hi Mark,

Provided your bg levels are fine then don't feel pressurised to change if you are happy with your present routine, carb counting does give you greater flexibility to eat more/less carbohydrates at mealtimes and adjust your insulin to suit and most people do find this a very useful tool in their diabetes management.

Just change over at a time more suitable to your circumstances! :)
 

AMBrennan

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826
Carb counting allows you to vary meal sizes; however, you can obviously continue eating what you are eating now with the carb counting method (I.e. Trivial carb counting). As such, it wouldn't be more difficult to fit into your schedule than your current regime whilst allowing you to eat more (or less, or different things) depending on how you feel on the day
 

mhoggarth

Active Member
Messages
31
Hi guys,
Thanks for the replies. I think i will stay on my current routine. my bg levels are really good at the minute, and my HbA1c was 5.5. Both my Blood Uncles are type 1 as well and have been for 30 years. After talking to them and reading your replies i think i will stay on this routine until i finish university and then move on to it.
Theres still alot to learn and i dont want to get too confused will doing my stuides

Thanks
Mark
 

jopar

Well-Known Member
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2,222
Mark your routine that you've got at the moment is half way to carb counting, the only real difference is you will be adjusting your insulin to the amount of carbs you are eating, alongside exercise etc that also effects dose needed..

At the moment you are in what is termed as 'honeymoon' period where things can seem pretty stable, as you will still have some ability to produce your own insulin which helps to stabilise your present control but this doesn't last for ever, and general you come out of it around sometime within the first 12 months, you know when you are coming out of the honeymoon period when your levels start going all over the place and you need to keep adjusting your insulin..

At the moment your carb counting won't make a lot of difference to what you are doing, as all you will be doing is looking at the carb content of what you are eating and comparing it to what you are injecting, but when you start coming out of your honey period it will put you in good stead, as you will find it easier to work out the changes and ratio's that you need to maintain stability of your control..