Hello. I've been invited out for food, but it's later than I normally eat, so I was wondering whether I could inject around my normal time, have something light to eat, then eat later without any risk in between of a hypo, or later of a hyper?
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Type 1 Injection and eating times.
- Thread starter Howie7
- Start Date
Rokaab
Well-Known Member
Are you on a bolus/basal regime and do you carb count - if so it shouldn't matter when you eat as long as you take the correct amount of insulin for it.
Though if my glucose level is on less than 6 I might have a very small snack (5 carbs) at normal time just to make sure I don't hypo and to make it so I'm not starving by the time the food is going to turn up.
Though if my glucose level is on less than 6 I might have a very small snack (5 carbs) at normal time just to make sure I don't hypo and to make it so I'm not starving by the time the food is going to turn up.
I am on bolus/basal, but not carb counting.
Thank you for your reply.
db89
Well-Known Member
Have you been taught to take your bolus doses (and therefore meals) at the same time each day? When I was initially not carb counting in the first few weeks I was still told that I could take the fixed bolus dose before a meal but the basal was to be at a similar time each day. You should in theory be able to take the dose before the time that you eat otherwise if you take it earlier you run the risk of it peaking before you have eaten a proper meal causing a hypo.
How do you normally decide how much to inject for a meal?
I'd agree with Rokaab, and add to maybe test more to be sure, if you're 'lucky' enough to have a Libre then it's no sweat, if not then a bit of a nuisance, but a worthwhile one for what you learn about your levels.
Something to bear in mind if you eat at regular times is a later tea can sometimes have you going to bed with active insulin on-board.
Something to bear in mind if you eat at regular times is a later tea can sometimes have you going to bed with active insulin on-board.
Yes, I've always tried to maintain the same eating times.
I base it on my blood glucose reading, and how active I've been, and/or will be.
Those are certainly things to take into account, but the amount of carbs in the meal are the biggest factor. I don't count carbs myself, I go by what worked last time I had a similar meal. That only works because I'm aware of what foods have many carbs and what foods have few carbs. I live and eat very irregularly, both regarding time of eating and amount of carbs in a meal (carbs vary from like 8 grams or so a meal to an occasional 100 grams or more carbs a meal). My basal insulin usually keeps me steady between meals, and I inject my mealtime insulin before meals, not on certain times.
If you are going low when not eating at a certain time, you might want to see if your basal dose is right. Nothing wrong with eating at the same time each day, but certainly not necessary from a diabetes point of view. It used to be that way, when people were on mixed insulins, but with the basal/bolus regime there really is no need.
Good luck, and I hope you'll have a wonderful night out!
kitedoc
Well-Known Member
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Hi @Howie7, It sounds like you have a way to estimate how much short-acting (bolus) insulin you need before a meal.
Of course with restaurant food you may not have had the experience to work out how much insulin to take. But by perhaps doing a course on carb counting you may then become more flexible in your meals times (Daphne, Desmond ?other courses), coping with social situations etc..
Of course the timing of restaurant food can be trying. You inject say at the time of ordering and might wait 20 minutes, 30 minutes sometimes more. If things are getting past 20 minutes since injection I will order an orange juice to boost my carbs and BSL or order dessert before the main meal as most desserts are usually quicker to prepare. I always carry jelly beans and the like in case of hypos or impending ones.
I inject at the table, usually turning around so as to hide what I am doing from onlookers. I will not go to the bathroom/toilet to inject and have declined orders to do so by staff . I ask them would they agree to accept an injection they were ordered by a doctor in the hospital loo. If there is a quiet, clean, screened area to go to I will accede to that request. Doing the injection in the car, walking to the restaurant, waiting for others to arrive, then for orders to be collected and food to arrive is a disaster.
Best avoided as a strategy.
I avoid sauces, sweetened foods and the like. This is sometimes tricky with Chinese cuisine.
I leave anything over and above what my carb limit is. Trying to get my money's worth by eating it all is only going to hurt later with a high BSL.
If it is a heavy protein meal (big steak or fish meal for example) I can expect some rise in my BSL at the 3 + hour mark as up to 50% of that protein is likely to be converted to glucose. So I may need to do a correction dose of short acting insulin later,
or see # split dose below.
I find that the BSL peak Indian and Italian food is later, nearer 2 1/2 hours to 3 hours after eating - something to do with the pasta, flours etc used. For those type of meals I would # split the dose of short acting - only experience will show you what that split is - of the estimated bolus insulin dose ? 70% pre meal and 30% at 1 to one and one-half hours etc
In place of a sweet dessert I will order and fruit and cheese platter.
I personally no longer have drink alcohol. I have heard of too many bad outcomes. Alcohol in the blood stream stops our liver from releasing stored glucose when our BSL drops to low levels. So it blocks our body's emergency mechanism which is designed to keep our brain replete in glucose supply. Those on insulin who drink alcohol and end up vomiting and going hypo need urgent ambulance attendance (which is not always possible) in order to receive intravenous glucose. Glucagon injections do not work in the case of alcohol on board. Also if I had had a drink and then go hypo, I might be mistaken as being drunk and end up in a police cell when what I really need is glucose. This has happened to diabetics in the past. Wearing some form of ID and medical information, say on a bracelet or necklace (brands of these exist) is something police are trained to look for and may save you one day. Whether you wish to drink alcohol is up to you, I am just providing some information for you to consider.
Having said that, part of being social is sometimes about eating out, at a restaurant, a party or a dinner at a friend's place.
You do not have to miss out. Best Wishes and Good Luck.
Of course with restaurant food you may not have had the experience to work out how much insulin to take. But by perhaps doing a course on carb counting you may then become more flexible in your meals times (Daphne, Desmond ?other courses), coping with social situations etc..
Of course the timing of restaurant food can be trying. You inject say at the time of ordering and might wait 20 minutes, 30 minutes sometimes more. If things are getting past 20 minutes since injection I will order an orange juice to boost my carbs and BSL or order dessert before the main meal as most desserts are usually quicker to prepare. I always carry jelly beans and the like in case of hypos or impending ones.
I inject at the table, usually turning around so as to hide what I am doing from onlookers. I will not go to the bathroom/toilet to inject and have declined orders to do so by staff . I ask them would they agree to accept an injection they were ordered by a doctor in the hospital loo. If there is a quiet, clean, screened area to go to I will accede to that request. Doing the injection in the car, walking to the restaurant, waiting for others to arrive, then for orders to be collected and food to arrive is a disaster.
Best avoided as a strategy.
I avoid sauces, sweetened foods and the like. This is sometimes tricky with Chinese cuisine.
I leave anything over and above what my carb limit is. Trying to get my money's worth by eating it all is only going to hurt later with a high BSL.
If it is a heavy protein meal (big steak or fish meal for example) I can expect some rise in my BSL at the 3 + hour mark as up to 50% of that protein is likely to be converted to glucose. So I may need to do a correction dose of short acting insulin later,
or see # split dose below.
I find that the BSL peak Indian and Italian food is later, nearer 2 1/2 hours to 3 hours after eating - something to do with the pasta, flours etc used. For those type of meals I would # split the dose of short acting - only experience will show you what that split is - of the estimated bolus insulin dose ? 70% pre meal and 30% at 1 to one and one-half hours etc
In place of a sweet dessert I will order and fruit and cheese platter.
I personally no longer have drink alcohol. I have heard of too many bad outcomes. Alcohol in the blood stream stops our liver from releasing stored glucose when our BSL drops to low levels. So it blocks our body's emergency mechanism which is designed to keep our brain replete in glucose supply. Those on insulin who drink alcohol and end up vomiting and going hypo need urgent ambulance attendance (which is not always possible) in order to receive intravenous glucose. Glucagon injections do not work in the case of alcohol on board. Also if I had had a drink and then go hypo, I might be mistaken as being drunk and end up in a police cell when what I really need is glucose. This has happened to diabetics in the past. Wearing some form of ID and medical information, say on a bracelet or necklace (brands of these exist) is something police are trained to look for and may save you one day. Whether you wish to drink alcohol is up to you, I am just providing some information for you to consider.
Having said that, part of being social is sometimes about eating out, at a restaurant, a party or a dinner at a friend's place.
You do not have to miss out. Best Wishes and Good Luck.
KK123
Well-Known Member
Hi Howie, I know people sometimes to choose to eat meals at set times but you don't have to. In my job I do not have set meal breaks anyway and I rarely follow set meal times at home. I tend to have 3 meals a day though (sometimes two or sometimes one) but all at varying times. If you are a little hesitant, maybe just test a couple of times between the time you would normally have your meal up to the time you have it with your friend. You can always top up with a glucose tablet if you do go a bit low. Otherwise, test before your (later) meal as usual, have your insulin and off you go. Your basal insulin (if it's at the right level) should keep you steady between meals as well. Because it's a stray from your normal times, you can check a few extra times after it as well, especially before you go to bed just to check it's ok.
