My husband is type 1!

[Feebiecat]

Hi

My husband has just been diagnosed with Type 1 yesterday after a few weeks of not feeling very well - bit of a whirlwind really and now he's on insulin! I have been type 2 for about 4 years now so I low carb and take metformin. I know that some of the type ones on here also low carb so i wondered if that is best or is it ok for type 1's to have carbs and if so how many?
I've also not heard of the insulin he is taking either so that makes me worry as it seems different to what i see the people on here are having. They started him on Humulin yesterday - 2 x 14 per day.

I am just worried about some of the diet advice he has been given relating to carbs but maybe that is because i know what carbs do to me....will they be bad for him too now or can he be pretty much normal?

Thank you
Feebie
x

 

[AMBrennan]

Carbs are much less of a problem for T1 than T2 spectrum, so carbs are not really an issue (I can have 60g starchy carbs in form of wholemeal pasta without BG going above 6.5); having said that, there's a whole range of Humulin products and if he's on twice daily then it's probably a mix. If it is, then he will have to eat a certain amount of carbs each meal and possibly snacks to avoid hypos, and I would definitely stick to the HCP's advice.

With more flexible regimes (basal bolus, usually Levrmir/Lantus and Humalog/novorapid/apidra, or pump) it's possible to have more flexible meals, including very low carb. I'd keep ketones nil though (i.e. total carbs > 50g or whatever it is), if only to be able to reliably tell DKA from miscounted carbs.

 

[Elc1112]

Hope your husband is doing ok, Feebie?

When I was diagnosed I was put on two injections a day. It was a long time ago so I can't rememberthe name of it. I was kept on the two injections a day until my levels were under control and I was used to the diabetes. I was then put on the basal bolus (four injections a day) regime. The two injections a day is a bit more limiting in that you have to eat x grams of carbs at set times during the day. It is, however, very effective for newly diagnosed.

As for carbs, the more carbs you eat the more insulin you will need. The more insulin you take the easier it is to put on weight. I find I put weight on very easily as my insulin dose increases. I therefore try and follow a low carb diet.

Your husband should follow the advice from his diabetes team. He may well be told to have a set amount of carbs at each meal time for the first few months.

Take care, both of you. Hope the next few weeks go well. Ant questions, just ask!

Emma

 

[Feebiecat]

Aww thank you for your replies!

I just see his readings and see what he's eating and think there's no possible way that those numbers are going to come down!!!

You've put my mind at rest - i'll show him what you've said and stop interfering! It's amazing how different type 1 and type 2 are though and even though we know quite a bit, actually doing it is so different.

He is looking forward to feeling better now but i think it might take a while. He's off sick from work though so having a rest.

Thanks again
Feebie x