Counting carbs

[Libby17]

Hi, I have been a type1 for 57 years I haven’t been part of a hospital clinic, for at least 20years, just having 6monthly HBAIC + a yearly review with a practice nurse
2 weeks ago I had a very bad 1.1 hypo, woke up to find 2 lovely Paramedics with me.
Since then I have had phone calls from 2 lovely diabetic nurses. They asked me to try the low carb diet.I have been on it for 3days Help please
Just some basic advise would be great Thank you

 

[urbanracer]

Hi, I have been a type1 for 57 years I haven’t been part of a hospital clinic, for at least 20years, just having 6monthly HBAIC + a yearly review with a practice nurse
2 weeks ago I had a very bad 1.1 hypo, woke up to find 2 lovely Paramedics with me.
Since then I have had phone calls from 2 lovely diabetic nurses. They asked me to try the low carb diet.I have been on it for 3days Help please
Just some basic advise would be great Thank you

Hi and welcome to the forums.

I think you may need to be a little more specific with your question.

Are you struggling with carb counting, or the type of foods to eat?

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Do you know why you had the hypo? A low carb diet can be the way to reduce your insulin needs and hence BS swings?

 

[fishpalace]

If you want to count carbs and not go low card then ask about the DAPHNE course.

I did it a few years back and really helpful in counting carbs and keeping blood sugars under control.

Paul

 

[Resurgam]

What very up to date advice.
The carb count of many foods can be found on line, but you need to be aware that sites in the US include the fibre in the carbs, but other places list it separately. This can make a big difference to the totals.
I have quite a few sets of kitchen scales (I use them to weight wool and other craft stuff, parcels and finished projects) and they are useful for comparing raw and cooked foods, so as to be able to weigh out the raw and know what you might get when coked, and you can zero (aka tare) then add something to a plate to get a very accurate count for a meal. I used to have a notebook with the carb content, as a percentage, of many foods when I first started low carbing. It was useful for a few years.

 

[KK123]

Hi, I have been a type1 for 57 years I haven’t been part of a hospital clinic, for at least 20years, just having 6monthly HBAIC + a yearly review with a practice nurse
2 weeks ago I had a very bad 1.1 hypo, woke up to find 2 lovely Paramedics with me.
Since then I have had phone calls from 2 lovely diabetic nurses. They asked me to try the low carb diet.I have been on it for 3days Help please
Just some basic advise would be great Thank you

That is certainly unusual advice for a type 1 just having had paramedics out to a hypo. I am not against low carb for a type 1 but they need to explain exactly how to do it and what the consequences might be if you don't adjust your insulin regime, especially given you have probably been following the same diet for years. Did they explain why? x

 

[KK123]

What very up to date advice.
The carb count of many foods can be found on line, but you need to be aware that sites in the US include the fibre in the carbs, but other places list it separately. This can make a big difference to the totals.
I have quite a few sets of kitchen scales (I use them to weight wool and other craft stuff, parcels and finished projects) and they are useful for comparing raw and cooked foods, so as to be able to weigh out the raw and know what you might get when coked, and you can zero (aka tare) then add something to a plate to get a very accurate count for a meal. I used to have a notebook with the carb content, as a percentage, of many foods when I first started low carbing. It was useful for a few years.

Up to date advice and bad advice if they've done it without explaining exactly how to do it, let's hope they have gone through the mechanics of insulin or it'll be Paramedic time again. x

 

[SueJB]

Hello @Libby17 I do hope you're OK now.
I had a little hypo 2.6 so can't imagine yours. You ask for advice but as you have been with this condition for so much longer than me, you've obviously been doing brilliantly. Just a blip
My little suggestion would perhaps be a little more BG testing but since you've been doing it for 57 years, it's a bit like gram ma and eggs.
I'm certainly not going to ask you a lot of questions or comment on comments rather than replying to your original post.
The hypo might have been one of those weird one off things so I'd still say lots of BG testing.
I do hope this helps, if only to support.

 

[MarkHaZ123]

1.1, ouch. I went down to 1.9 the other night before bed without even realising then bang I was hit with dizzyness, shaking, weakness etc and I felt awful all through the night
I couldn't imagine being woken by paramedics, you must have really been bad and felt awful the next day.

Strange you have been told to go low carb. Iv always been told as type 1, only for around 8 months now, that I can eat whatever but just be healthy as a normal person and know you have your insulin to adjust

Had you taken too much insulin?

 

[Libby17]

Thank you all very much for your replies. It was the nurse I spoke to on the phone, who suggested trying counting carbs. I have been with WW for the last 2 years, been very successful with weight loss. When she mentioned carb counting thought I would give it a go.
Because my mornings can be low, I was asked to reduce my Lantus. Because I’ve not seen a diabetic nurse for a long time, I didn’t know my night insulin determined my morning blood sugar. I am speaking to the nurse next week, so I’ll wait until I go on the DAFNE course. Thank you all for you messages
The day I had my 1.1 hypo, I had my breakfast 8.30 tested my blood at 11,
6.9, then then the paramedics were her around 12ish. Not sure now about the dose.

 

[KK123]

Thank you all very much for your replies. It was the nurse I spoke to on the phone, who suggested trying counting carbs. I have been with WW for the last 2 years, been very successful with weight loss. When she mentioned carb counting thought I would give it a go.
Because my mornings can be low, I was asked to reduce my Lantus. Because I’ve not seen a diabetic nurse for a long time, I didn’t know my night insulin determined my morning blood sugar. I am speaking to the nurse next week, so I’ll wait until I go on the DAFNE course. Thank you all for you messages
The day I had my 1.1 hypo, I had my breakfast 8.30 tested my blood at 11,
6.9, then then the paramedics were her around 12ish. Not sure now about the dose.

Ah, so you were advised to count carbs rather than go low carb? That makes more sense, thanks for clarifying. x

 

[Wardy29]

If you want to count carbs and not go low card then ask about the DAPHNE course.

I did it a few years back and really helpful in counting carbs and keeping blood sugars under control.

Paul

Hi
One is in the process of changing insulin and doing carb counting, may I ask what DAPHNE is?

 

[Antje77]

Hi
One is in the process of changing insulin and doing carb counting, may I ask what DAPHNE is?

DAFNE is a course in the UK to help you learn to adjust insulin to carbs. It stands for Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating.

 

[fishpalace]

Hi
One is in the process of changing insulin and doing carb counting, may I ask what DAPHNE is?

It is a 5 day course by the NHS that helps to work out and monitor your carb intake and how to dose the right amount of insulin.

Simple things like reading labels and working out carbs. Looking at different food groups to understand how some have low to zero but others have lots. Also how some are slow intake like rice and pasta so how do you deal with that if they can take 2 to 3 hours to effect blood sugars whereas an orange juice is immediate.

As a result you feel like you can eat a wider range of foods as you can manage carbs v insulin.

Was a game changer for me on how I manage this condition

Paul