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Type 1 Fast acting insulin before meals

S

Samanthakate

Member
Messages
22
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi, I'm learning to carb count at the moment and I'm very sensitive to my insulin i.e. 1/2 a unit to 10g carb.

If I'm having a salad for lunch and it doesn't have hardly any carb in is it ok to just not have any insulin for that meal?

Or do I have to have enough carb every time to make sure I can have at least one unit?
Is my fast acting insulin needed 3 times a day or do I not have to have it if the meal doesn't require it?

Thank you!
 
I'm on 4 injections a day and I can say that you can eat 3 meals and skip 1 and it won't effect you but you still need to take the long acting insulin at night to cover you for the day as I have tried that and still needed insulin just for a small salad with a little bit of bread but I will let you try and see for yourself
 
If you're on a ratio of 1:20 and you are having a meal with considerably less than 20gs of carbs than yes, is fine to have no insulin with that meal. If you have your meal uncovered I would be carful to do a post prandial test at 2 and 3 or 4 hours after eating just to see what effect it has on your blood sugar and to check to see if you need to consider bolusing for protein - if you eat a meal without carbs your body can perform gluconogenesis turning the protein into glucose to raise blood sugar.

You don't have to take 3 shots of fast acting a day. That's kinda the point of DAFNE - just take as much as you need to cover whatever you choose to eat. If you were having carby breakfast lunch and dinner along with elevenses and afternoon tea you'd do 5 shots, if you skip lunch you don't do a shot for it. If you have a snack or meal that doesn't need a shot, just don't do a shot.

You should ask your DSN for a half unit pen on a 1:20 ratio it might come in handy.
 
Samanthakate said:
If I'm having a salad for lunch and it doesn't have hardly any carb in is it ok to just not have any insulin for that meal?
Click to expand...

Test postprandial for the answer, you'd be surprised at how many carbs a salad contains and it's likely to contain some carbs, I have to bolus for salads but that doesn't mean to say that you do.

Test test test.
 
Eat your salad without any insulin and just test your blood sugar to make sure it's ok.

The 3 injections are only because most people eat 3 meals a day. If you don't have a meal, then you don't need the injectiin for that meal. In your case you might well be able to eat some meals and not need a meal time injection, but do test to make sure all's ok.
 
Hi @Samanthakate . I think you've got your answer from all above. One thing to consider though is your BS level prior to eating in this case your salad. If your sugars are above where you want them, then a correction dose of insulin maybe required, not for the actual meal and it's carbs if any but just to get you back in range. This also applies the other way as well, for example if your sugar was low before eating then you could well skip insulin for a carbs meal and let the carbs raise you back to a safe level.
 
agree with everything said above -- some fabulous advice. !!!
 
I have to bolus for salads. I also bolus for half my protein.

I couldn't live without my half unit pen.
 
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