Carbs per meal

[cazuk]

Morning all,
I am a newbie so do excuse me if I am in the wrong place.
My husband was diagnosed with Diabetes on 29th January 2014, on top of his MS another thing to challenge us.
I noticed he wasnt feeling too well and a very dry mouth and quite confused he was admitted to hospital and his bloods have been sent away to Exeter to have an antibody test all which we have been told will take 6 weeks. The reason for this is hubby had ketones in his urine and they are not sure which type diabetes he has. He is being treated at present as if he has Type 1 with insulin twice a day and metformin morning and evening.

Do you know how many carbs per meal he should be eating?
We have yet to see the community diabetic nurse but hopefully when we do we will be told more.


Thanks

Caz

 

[pavlosn]

Hi and Welcome

Sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis.

Here's a link to some basic information usually given to the newly diagnosed who find there way to this forum.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/ind...-Newly-Diagnosed-Diabetics.26870/#post-247834

You are obviously a newbie otherwise you would know what a can of worms you have opened by asking how many carbs should be included in each meal. It is a major issue of contention.

My take on it is that he should restrict carb intake so as to keep his blood glucose levels two hours after a meal within 2 mmol/l of his pre meal level. Of course in order to know what this levels are, he will need to self test for which he will obviously need a glucose meter.

It is quite a lot to take in when first diagnosed, and it does not help when the advice given by doctors and dietitians often contradicts what other diabetics advise based on their own experience. Give it a bid of time and everything will become clearer and routine.

On the meantime use this forum to clarify what may not appear clear.

Take care

Pavlos


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[Garr]

Hi Cazuk, no right answer to your question until he gets a proper diagnosis really and even then you'll get a wide range of opinions. If his BS levels have been good so far with the insulin he's taking, then I wouldn't make any changes as the insulin will match the carbs he's having. Once diagnosed and still requiring insulin, he can ask about a basal/bolus insulin regime where you can carb count and match your insulin to your carb intake at each meal. If his BS levels are too high or low get in touch with his Diabetic Team who will be able to advise you. Good luck and welcome!

 

[cazuk]

Thanks everyone it can be quite scary but over time i am sure we will get the hang of it.

 

[Daibell]

Hi and welcome. It's good that the hospital are doing the antibody tests; many don't bother and get the diagnosis wrong. We don't know what type of insulin your husband is on. If it's a mixed insulin then he will need to use a glucose meter or ask the hospital based on the number of units he injects to determine the best carb level to take. If it's long-acting daily insulin (Basal) e.g. Lantus or Levemir then it will only manage his background insulin during the day and he just needs to keep the carbs down to a level that the meter shows is within a good range. If you haven't yet got a meter the DN should provide one.

 

[cazuk]

Hi and welcome. It's good that the hospital are doing the antibody tests; many don't bother and get the diagnosis wrong. We don't know what type of insulin your husband is on. If it's a mixed insulin then he will need to use a glucose meter or ask the hospital based on the number of units he injects to determine the best carb level to take. If it's long-acting daily insulin (Basal) e.g. Lantus or Levemir then it will only manage his background insulin during the day and he just needs to keep the carbs down to a level that the meter shows is within a good range. If you haven't yet got a meter the DN should provide one.

Hi there,
Hubby is on Humulin m3 16units in the morning and 10 units in the evening and 1 metformin in the morning and 2 metformin in the evening.
Unfortunately for him he has tremors in his hands and the district nurse administers the insulin and does the readings. This however means he cannot do a lunchtime reading. If I am home then I always do one. He is also not able t get around without a wheelchair as more or less bedbound.

 

[kerrygrant26]

Hi there and welcome, the amount of carbs per meal will vary depending on how much and what your husband eats. I found a small section on here that gave me a rough guideline for daily carbs which I go by for now, Im pretty newly diagnosed say I try to stay on the "low carb"

Here is what it says:

What counts as low carb?
Charity Diabetes UK provides the following brackets for daily carbohydrate intakes.
A research study in 2008[7] used the following brackets to categorise daily carbohydrate intake:

• Moderate carbohydrate: 130 to 225g of carbs
• Low carbohydrate: under 130g of carbs
• Very low carbohydrate: under 30g of carbs

I find the low carb pretty easy to stick to and usually find myself well under this guide. The way I see it is it's a start if nothing else until get on a DAFNE course x

 

[kerrygrant26]

Here's a link to the page if you want to take a look through it at some point
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diet/low-carb-diabetes-diet.html

 

[sugartoohigh]

I find it hard to carb count so try to cut them out as much as possible, but that doesn't work for everyone.