Insulin dose per carbs

jordanneshort · Mar 20, 2017

I've been told my set units but not to do with carbs

azure · Mar 20, 2017

jordanneshort said:
I've been told my set units but not to do with carbs

Well, that makes it extremely difficult then.. Once you get the hang of carb counting, you'll probably find your blood sugars are better

I think sometimes people aren't taught carb counting because the nurses/doctors think not teaching them makes it easier, but it actually makes it harder because you have no path to follow to get good results.

Medusa41 · Mar 20, 2017

Hi @jordanneshort - as others have said carb counting is crucial. Don't worry though it'll be much easier to control your sugars once you know. Do push for the course as they'll teach you the basics & made some friends on the course too who I'm still in touch with 4 years' on. Good luck at your appmt.

Kristin251 · Mar 21, 2017

Grumpy ole thing said:
In a usual day, where you don’t take any additional exercise and don’t eat carbohydrate your Background or Basal insulin (the Levemir) should keep you between 5-8 (your DSN will advise you).

If you eat carbs your blood sugar will rise and you need to find the ratio of fast acting insulin (your novo rapid) to carbs to bring it back down to your base level. If you excercice your blood sugar will fall and you will need to eat carbs, or you can reduce your background insulin, to bring your blood sugars back up to your base level.

You might find you need different ratios of carb to insulin units at different meal times.

Hope this helps, your Dafne course will show you how to do this, I would definitely recommend it.

Good luck x

My bs spikes like crazy with exercise. Never drops. Everything is individual.

Leanna1980 · Mar 21, 2017

I've never been on the course either and have had it 36 years. When i was younger they never had these sort of things around. Every time they say about it i cant do it as i work and have 2 children. But am doing a 3 hour course now in june. Its amazing how things have changed. I also have no clue and just try to cut out insulin if i dont eat a lot.

azure · Mar 21, 2017

richardpearman said:
I've never been on the course either and have had it 36 years. When i was younger they never had these sort of things around. Every time they say about it i cant do it as i work and have 2 children. But am doing a 3 hour course now in june. Its amazing how things have changed. I also have no clue and just try to cut out insulin if i dont eat a lot.

I assumed the not teaching carb counting was a recent thing as I was taught at diagnosis 23 years ago. Are you on a basal/Bolus regime?

There's an online course if you can't make 'real life' ones

Grumpy ole thing · Mar 21, 2017

.

richardpearman said:
I've never been on the course either and have had it 36 years. When i was younger they never had these sort of things around. Every time they say about it i cant do it as i work and have 2 children. But am doing a 3 hour course now in june. Its amazing how things have changed. I also have no clue and just try to cut out insulin if i dont eat a lot.

Things have certainly changed. I did the dafne about 2 1/2 years ago, and have been on insulin 40 years next month. Its scary too the crazy things we have been told over the years. I agree with @Kristin251 , everyone is different, it just takes time to find out what works for you x

Leanna1980 · Mar 21, 2017

azure said:
I assumed the not teaching carb counting was a recent thing as I was taught at diagnosis 23 years ago. Are you on a basal/Bolus regime?

There's an online course if you can't make 'real life' ones

Never got taught about carb counting. When i was younger i used injections that was pre mixed and you only ever did them 2 times a day. I think i was 16 when i changed and started using pens. Yes working on all that now had a device stuck to me for 2 weeks. Also going to the course. Maybe i got offered it as a teenager and never took notice.

novorapidboi26 · Mar 21, 2017

I completed DAFNE back in 2009 and before this I was completely clueless.....

I was on a mixed insulin and the only adjustment I knew was to test before breakfast and dinner and if high, the previous dose went up 2 units....

Totally opened my eyes and changed my life...

Grumpy ole thing · Mar 21, 2017

richardpearman said:
Never got taught about carb counting. When i was younger i used injections that was pre mixed and you only ever did them 2 times a day. I think i was 16 when i changed and started using pens. Yes working on all that now had a device stuck to me for 2 weeks. Also going to the course. Maybe i got offered it as a teenager and never took notice.

My bruv and I started on Lente, once a day, and ate carbs to match the insulin profile, (and keep growing). What machine have you got?

Leanna1980 · Mar 21, 2017

Grumpy ole thing said:
My bruv and I started on Lente, once a day, and ate carbs to match the insulin profile, (and keep growing). What machine have you got?

Accu check mobile.

noblehead · Mar 21, 2017

richardpearman said:
I've never been on the course either and have had it 36 years. When i was younger they never had these sort of things around. Every time they say about it i cant do it as i work and have 2 children. But am doing a 3 hour course now in june. Its amazing how things have changed. I also have no clue and just try to cut out insulin if i dont eat a lot.

I was diagnosed around the same time @richardpearman , remember being told that you had to eat a fixed amount of carbs with each meal and were taught in carbohydrate exchanges, one exchange was 10g of carbs, very basic but nonetheless it was all what was on offer at the time.

Dodo · Mar 21, 2017

noblehead said:
I was diagnosed around the same time @richardpearman , remember being told that you had to eat a fixed amount of carbs with each meal and were taught in carbohydrate exchanges, one exchange was 10g of carbs, very basic but nonetheless it was all what was on offer at the time.

Years ago you weren't taught to carb count just put on a fixed insulin dose and told how many portions to eat at each mealtime. A portion was equal to 10g carb. I went on a STILE course three years ago, which is the Shropshire equivalent of DAFNE. At that time I had been diabetic for 47 years, but learnt so much more by doing the course.

Leanna1980 · Mar 21, 2017

noblehead said:
I was diagnosed around the same time @richardpearman , remember being told that you had to eat a fixed amount of carbs with each meal and were taught in carbohydrate exchanges, one exchange was 10g of carbs, very basic but nonetheless it was all what was on offer at the time.

Yes exactly how it was

i do think that i may have lived a bit to much when i was younger and missed appointments as i was busy being a teenager . But now im getting older i worry, so going to try anything to stay healthy as i can. Only joined today and love that people remember all these things.

TheBigNewt · Mar 21, 2017

I've been on basal (ultralente before Lantus)/bolus from the get go and rarely carb count. I pay attention to carbs, just don't seek out how many grams I eat. And as I've said elsewhere, non carbs require insulin too, the other foodstuffs are converted to glucose, just more slowly. I have a cheese omelet with salsa for breakfast at work and it's 4 units every time. I pay more attention to the glycemic index of carbs than I do the quantity of carbs. I opt for carbs with a low glycemic index which helps keep my BS from spiking way high. I have to take more insulin for white pasta or white rice than I do for brown rice or whole wheat pasta. So I avoid those.

noblehead · Mar 21, 2017

Dodo said:
Years ago you weren't taught to carb count just put on a fixed insulin dose and told how many portions to eat at each mealtime. A portion was equal to 10g carb. I went on a STILE course three years ago, which is the Shropshire equivalent of DAFNE. At that time I had been diabetic for 47 years, but learnt so much more by doing the course.

Nice one @Dodo , experience tells us that we are never too old to learn

richardpearman said:
Yes exactly how it was i do think that i may have lived a bit to much when i was younger and missed appointments as i was busy being a teenager . But now im getting older i worry, so going to try anything to stay healthy as i can. Only joined today and love that people remember all these things.

Like you I was in my teens on diagnosis @richardpearman , tbh I've only missed one, possibly two diabetes appointments but attending the clinic was always an ordeal as my control wasn't good, when your young you just want to enjoy today and not think too far into the future

Welcome to the forum btw and look forward to your contribution

Leanna1980 · Mar 21, 2017

Im in my late 30s now got it when i was one. Can't believe I've not joined sooner. Can't look into the future life is way to short. Lets just enjoy

Dodo · Mar 21, 2017

noblehead said:
Nice one @Dodo , experience tells us that we are never too old to learn

Like you I was in my teens on diagnosis @richardpearman , tbh I've only missed one, possibly two diabetes appointments but attending the clinic was always an ordeal as my control wasn't good, when your young you just want to enjoy today and not think too far into the future

Welcome to the forum btw and look forward to your contribution

Hey, who are you calling old?.! XX

jnk001 · Mar 21, 2017

jordanneshort said:
I've heard of other type ones doing DAFNE but I've never really understood the carb counting, I take novo rapid and levemir insulin, I was wondering roughly how many units of the novo rapid I should take per carbs with food? I have no idea what I'm doing so looking for some answers

you can do an online course similar to dafne on this site https://www.bertieonline.org.uk/

Leanna1980 · Mar 21, 2017

Dodo said:
Hey, who are you calling old?.! XX

Insulin dose per carbs

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