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Not taking insulin with meals

J

joelcam

Well-Known Member
Messages
167
Hi all,

Can anyone please help with this one?

I just ate lunch without injecting. This was because I was 4.0 and my lunch was 4 boiled egg whites, soem grated cheese and a piece of wholemeal bread. I know this will take my levels up to about 6.5 in 2 hours. No problem so far, however if insulin is needed to transport the nutrients and goodness into my muscle cells to make me funtion is it fair to say that the food has served me no goodf whatsoever even though I feel full?

I hope you understand my point. To reiterate, everything I have ever read has said that without insulin, then sugar just stays in the blood and doesn't get transported out of the blood into the cells, so if all I ever ate was a high protein and low carb diet without injecting, would I eventually just collapse as my body isn't getting what it needs?

Thanks

JC
 
Hi Joelcam!

Did you take your basal insulin this morning? If so, your body probably has enough insulin to deal with that meal. Just a thought.

Smidge
 
Good point actually - didn't think of that...I guess there is still insulin at work even without Bolus..
 
Without any insulin you're body would get it's energy from the breakdown of fats and protein in your body - which would release ketones into your blood, ultimatley leading to diabetic ketoacidosis.. soo yes, you would collapse eventually!

excellent point by smidge though
 
..and even without insulin many of your cells can access some glucose. The muscle/skeletal cells in particular have 2 forms of receptors, one activated by insulin, one by muscle contraction, so when you move it's really very easy for insulin to get into the cell. Thats why many of us must eat/ reduce insulin prior to exercise.
On th other hand, without any insulin, your liver would attempt to continue to supply you with glucose. Insulin acts a bit like a brake on this function. It also acts to control the breakdown of fats mentioned by the poster above. If there isn't any insulin, then that fat will continue to breakdown, producing ketones regardless of food intake, or energy need. Without any insulin , It is possible to be literally starving (little or no food) and even have relatively low glucose levels and still develop DKA. There are young people in developing countries diagnosed in this state.

Many T1s, particularly if diagnosed beyond childhood, also still produce a tiny amount of their own insulin. This can help delay problems a bit.
 
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