Insulin ratios

[Sheppie84]

Hi all,

I have recently started insulin and have been told I can try carb counting. I'm gonna start in a 1:10 ratio but had some questions.
Should the ratio vary throughout the day?
If I eat a meal of 17 carbs do I round up or down?

Thanks.
Sarah



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[mrman]

Re: Insulin ratios

I always used to round up on mdi, but be careful with lower carb meals as I used to find my ratios would change depending on carb amounts per meal.
Did and do have different ratios for breakfast/lunch/tea. Just to complicate things totally different lower ratios for snacks between meals due to the fact of insulin stacking.

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[fractureman]

I'd call that a ratio of 1. My ratio is 0.25 I always round up & never change my ratio


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[Sheppie84]

Does a ratio of 1:10 sound right? I'm just starting out so will listen to any advice.
Sarah


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[mo1905]

Re: Insulin ratios

Does a ratio of 1:10 sound right? I'm just starting out so will listen to any advice.
Sarah


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That's probably about average and is the ratio taught on DAFNE courses. Test regularly and please ensure you let your health care team know. Depending on other factors, stress, exercise, work etc, be prepared to possibly make adjustments.

 

[mrman]

Re: Insulin ratios

1~10 is a good starting point usually recommended by dsns. Test, record and adjust from there. If going to low change ratios to 1~12, if going to high change to 1~8 etc. does help to be 100% certain of carb amounts, and test record for every meal to see if ratios do fluctuate at different times of day.

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[Sheppie84]

Thanks, I'll start tomorrow and give it a few days, I'm still in honeymoon so my levels are a little unpredictable.

Should I inject for snacks also or just keep snacks under 10g carbs?



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[mrman]

Re: Insulin ratios

If eating a small snack in between meals generally so not inject if 10~15 carbs, doing so would probably result in a hypo.

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[mrman]

Re: Insulin ratios

If more carbs than that should inject of your previous dose was correct. Would suggest no snacks between whilst you are trying to sort our ratios though.

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[noblehead]

Re: Insulin ratios

I:10 is a good starting point as already said. At 17g I'd round up, if your carb-counting I'd highly recommend a pen that doses in half units like the NovoPen Echo, there's an on-line version of DAFNE that should get you on your way with carb-counting and working out insulin ratios:

http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/

 

[Sheppie84]

I'll try not to snack, I'm a grazer though - every 2-3 hours I'm eating crackers or something.
I'll aim for 3 meals and a light supper.

Thanks for the link, I've had a read through the carb counting but and gave planned a brekkie of 15g carbs so will do 1 unit. Or should I round it up?

Lunch tomorrow is soup which is 18g carbs. Unsure about dinner. I'll worry about that when it comes along.



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[mrman]

Re: Insulin ratios

At 15 carbs for breakfast would be 1.5 units. Ok if on a half unit pen. If not as in mayhs if .5 or more round up, so 2 units. Often people are more insulin resistant first thing so may be ok, keep a close eye on levels though and remember to account for any unusual activity.

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[fractureman]

When I was on my course yep 10g carb 1 unit was always referred to as 1. So my 0.25 is 10g =0.25 unit. I have a half unit pen a bd luxura one. We were always taught that 20g or less of carbs = no insulin
I average about 160g of carbs with my main meal & about 115 with my lunch I love my carbs lol


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[noblehead]

Re: Insulin ratios

The DAFNE way is to talk in CP's (carbohydrate portion), 1CP is 10g of carbs. I still go back to grams but have had diabetes long enough to remember the exchange method of counting carbs.