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Carbohydrate counting

S

Sam5966

Member
Messages
8
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi, I was wondering if you can help me, I am a type 1 diabetic and have been for 13 years, I live in Cornwall and I'm now 21 and realise that to help me control my diabetes I need to learn how to carb count. I have seen specialists who have told me they will refer me to a carb counting course for up coming months (they have come and gone) and I have had no contact whatsoever from anyone regarding the course of a follow up appointment and it is getting very fustrating at the lack of help offered. Have you got any idea how I can get into contact with someone regarding a course? I try to make appointments to see my gp to ask him but with the clinic being so overpopulated and working lots it is very very difficult to get an appointment! I really need to do this carbohydrate to help me with my control and I am getting nowhere! Any help would be appreciated. Thanks


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Hi @Sam5966
while you are waiting you could do the BDEC online course -- link here http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/

it must be frustrating not being able to get the help you need.
if you have a look at the course and ask on here there are loads of people that can offer assistance while you wait for your apoinntment
I taught myself carb counting in 1996 and got on my DAFNE course in 2004
 
Hi @Sam5966

I think the course you're thinking of is DAFNE, and not all areas run it. It's not available in my area, so do you actually know that it's being run in your area.

In addition to the info from @himtoo you might also find this online resource useful.

http://www.dafne.uk.com

Good luck.
 
There's a lot of info about using carb ratios correctly on the forum which is what carb counting is all about really but DAFNE courses give safer guidance regarding
Eating pizzas and other every day fast food and alcohol. The BDEC site is very good. To get the best out if carb ratios, it's necessary to bg test about 6 times per day and use a bg target to calculate the insulin to.
 
Hey Sam - welcome to the forum.

How do you currently manage with taking your novorapid for food ? And what sort of blood glucose readings do you get each day ?
 
Hi, I currently manage by roughly knowing what my body needs for what I eat, I do a correction does of 1 unit for every 3 points over 8 and my blood sugars are good in the mornings and sometimes lunch, but after lunch and tea, where my meals vary the most and I eat more I'm finding it hard to work out a logic for doing insulin.


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In my opinion the complexity of carb-counting is over-stated. My DN started me on carb-counting from the start and it took 10 minutes in the surgery. I've never been on any NHS course. Now we are all different and I'm a nerdy engineer, but getting started is easy. Most people are started on a ratio of 1 unit of rapid insulin to 10 gm of carb and this can be tweaked over time using your meter to guide you. My DN gave me a pretty leaflet by Roche showing 10 gm pictures of various foods and said Google the web for more info. Yes, many T1s adjust their ratio for each meal of the day; I don't as I don't find it varies much for me. If you are worried about over-dosing at the start then go lower on the rapid insulin units until you gain knowledge of the right ratio for you. DAFNE I'm told does cover a wider range of issues but a week - really?
 
I agree with @Daibell as much as it probably is worth going on the course & there will be useful things to learn you can teach yourself carb counting with the links at the top and having a read around. I simply couldn't spare the time required to go on the course so taught myself, it is fairly simple


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