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Panic about what to eat, starting insulin this week

Just take it one day or one meal at a time. Go with what your blood sugar tells you two hours after eating. Your nurse can't argue with stable numbers. You will find what works for you. Take small steps. Try to do something nice that takes you away from thinking about diabetes. I am a newbie too. Reading everything and learning so much from others. Sometimes I need to switch off too. Shame it's not like other groups in the community like AA or OA or something like that where there is face to face support every day. This forum really kicks ass with the wise folk on it. Keep the faith.
 
Hello, I can relate to your story. I’ve also had a Nurse who was very against my wish to eat low carb. I told them I didn’t want to take gliclazide and want to start insulin. Really they should support what each patient feels most comfortable as much as they can. I had a difficult time with HCPs. As type 1 it’s also important to keep good relationships with HCPs as we are dependent on them in terms of getting the prescription and renewing driving license. It might help your situation if you don’t mention low carb too much to your anti-low carb nurse. But it’s up to you how you manage your type 1. Your nurse probably doesn’t have type 1.
 
I was also a bit underweight when I was diagnosed. I made gaining weight my priority. You need to maintain normal BMI. Apparently the combination of being newly diagnosed type 1 and underweight and low carb diet make the alarm bell sound.
 
It might help your situation if you don’t mention low carb too much to your anti-low carb nurse. But it’s up to you how you manage your type 1. Your nurse probably doesn’t have type 1.[/QUOTE]
I think it's important, to be honest with your nurse and choose to do what you will with their advice. The main issue with low carb and type 1 is a higher risk of DKA. Your nurse doesn't have type 1 but does understand this, which is why they would be advising you under NHS guidelines to not go low carb.
 
DAFNE says four hours after, rather than 2 as injected insulin follows a fixed curve. It's different to your own insulin.
 
michita said:
I was also a bit underweight when I was diagnosed. I made gaining weight my priority. You need to maintain normal BMI. Apparently the combination of being newly diagnosed type 1 and underweight and low carb diet make the alarm bell sound.
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Hi, yes - that sounds right. My priority is to put weight on (and as soon as possible) and once I’m a good weight and stable then mention swapping some meals to lower carb. It’s frustrating having such a high metabolism, seems like it might be a real nuisance with lower carb
 
Personally as type 1 on low carb diet I don’t feel I have a higher risk of DKA. I feel quite certain of this. I’ve researched a lot and I feel quite comfortable doing low carb diet that for me it is the safest option. Might not be the same for others. It’s a personal choice.
 
Thanks, I’ve been trying to keep myself upbeat with small things like cups of coffee and tea, dark chocolate, meditation and Netflix. I feel hopeful for Spring, that I will have gained weight and be able to shed all the layers I’m hiding under just now. The goal is to to wear a dress and be able to have nice baths.
I think I’ll probably spend a little less time researching as I’m getting really confused with insulin doses etc. I’ll stick to what the nurse says I should do/take and before I know it it will be April hopefully
 
ert said:
It might help your situation if you don’t mention low carb too much to your anti-low carb nurse. But it’s up to you how you manage your type 1. Your nurse probably doesn’t have type 1.
Click to expand...
I think it's important, to be honest with your nurse and choose to do what you will with their advice. The main issue with low carb and type 1 is a higher risk of DKA. Your nurse doesn't have type 1 but does understand this, which is why they would be advising you under NHS guidelines to not go low carb.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, do you follow a lower carb diet too? I’ll try and spend the next month getting some weight on and getting used to the new routine of insulin and keeping an eye on my blood sugar more often. Then maybe one day I’ll get brave and whisper ‘low carb’ to my nurse She’s really lovely and has been amazing so I don’t want to seem ungrateful or that I somehow know better than them (I’m pretty clueless!)
 
Thanks, do you follow a lower carb diet too? I’ll try and spend the next month getting some weight on and getting used to the new routine of insulin and keeping an eye on my blood sugar more often. Then maybe one day I’ll get brave and whisper ‘low carb’ to my nurse She’s really lovely and has been amazing so I don’t want to seem ungrateful or that I somehow know better than them (I’m pretty clueless!)[/QUOTE]

I eat about 30 grams of carbohydrates a day, which my nurse is unhappily aware of, but my specialist is on board with after seeing my data. I regularly check for blood ketones (the result of a low carb). When I'm above 3 mmol/l I inject insulin and eat. Ketones can rapidly build up above this level and cause DKA if you're unwell or have high blood sugars. I'm also very stable and not hypoing. The specialists will want you to run your blood sugars higher if you are hypoing.
 
You may not feel it yourself, but the medical professionals believe low carb it a higher risk of DKA.
Here is a podcast by Carrie Diulus who is even more low carb than myself. She follows her ketones and corrects for them as I do. She's also had DKA.
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-low-carb-cardiologist-podcast/id1255009497

LCCP040: Carrie Diulus M.D. —Vegan Keto, Type 1 Diabetes, Exercise and Self Experimentation
 

Really ? But you yourself follow a low carb diet? Why would you if you feel it put you on a risk for DKA ? I will read the link but In my view as long as you don’t miss your basal insulin and you inject minimum basal for your low carb diet there is no risk of DKA. Anyway it’s up to each of us what to believe and follow.
 

So I’ve listened to the first 20 minutes or so of the link you pasted and I gave up but I didn’t hear anything on type 1 on low carb diet having a higher risk of DKA. I really doubt that would be the case.
Diagnosed type 1s are at risk of DKA when they don’t use insulin, not they when are on low carb diet in my view.
 
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My specialist says that our immune system can destroy the basal insulin you've injected, you could have injected into a lipohypertrophy site, the basal doesn't last the full length stated, your injection could have failed, basal used up helping lower blood sugars or with exercise, alcohol etc, etc. I've certainly had rising ketone levels beyond nutritional ketosis which normal people can't achieve.
 
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Sorry it's 50 minutes in. She says that after ketones reach 5 mmol/l they suddenly launch out of control high, even with her normal blood sugars which suggests that she should have enough insulin, but doesn't seem to clear the ketones for some reason.
 
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Hi there, have you always been underweight or just at diagnosis? The reason I ask is that I had always been a normal weight (right in the middle of the BMI chart) until around 12 months before diagnosis when I lost weight gradually (without trying). I didn't even realise at the time but right before diagnosis I realised I had dropped to an underweight category. It wasn't my metabolism, it was the impact of rising glucose levels and a lack of insulin. I went back to my normal weight when I started on insulin. x
 

Hi there, I was always very slim but not underweight (natural weight 8 stone 3 - up to 8.6 only if I stuffed my face! My metabolism is so fast) - at time of diagnosis had split up with long term boyfriend (I know, I have had the worst few months) and been on the FODMAP diet after a stomach virus and kidney infection, stress from the floor collapsing in my flat, work/money worries and cervical issue (2019 sucked) and has dropped weight so not sure how much was due to diabetes etc. I don’t know my current weight, I asked the nurse not to tell me, but it’s up from my low carb experiment. I can tell I’m super skinny though but the dr said insulin will help convert the sugar to fat so I’m hoping to limp to 8 stone in the next few weeks. Weight loss is horrible, I think my legs must look like cocktail sticks! Uurgh, not looking!
 

JMoli I won't comment on your weight except to say that when it goes on, it is highly unlikely to go back onto places like your legs where you want it most. It's a bit like when we lose it, we lose it from our lady curves, not necessarily an area we may think we could afford it.

As someone who recovered from an eating disorder (which is obviously very different to your situation), I was reassured that for most people, as they regain weight, for whatever reason, it most usually goes to the central areas - hips, tummy, torse first, then over time it seems the body redistributes it a bit more appropriately. So, please don't be alarmed if your legs take a bit longer to get back to the shape they were before. It's all (very annoyingly!) natural.
 
Hi jMoli just wondering how you are getting on? I posted a reply a while back now as I was diagnosed with LADA in January. My weight loss took me to just around the 18 BMI and I was skinny with extra skin. I put on a stone initially at was happy with this but then lockdown hit and I was working from home (sitting for a minimum of 8 hrs a day), and couldn’t use the gym. My weight has gone up and up and I am now around 26 BMI. I wish I could have settled for a happy medium. I was advised to aim for 40g carb at 3 meals a day and no snacking to help with BS and weight. I’m struggling to stick to a diet again after not calorie counting for 5 years and losing weight the low carb (and undiagnosed type 1) way. I think I am still in denial and not really doing what I should be doing, despite having all the tools I need.
 

Hi there, it’s so tricky isn’t it (diabetes) - are you still in the honeymoon period so you think? I can’t help with weight loss I’m afraid as I’m still struggling to keep weight on which gets me down too.
Do you have a dietician to speak to? I kept bugging my diabetic nurse, leaving garbled messages about bolus and digestion haha. Eventually they assigned a dietician - I think they had forgotten I didn’t have one (due to Covid lockdown timing) but it’s been the best thing that’s happened. He/she can advise you and check your Libre readings (if you have one) to see what’s happening.
I stuff my face with avocado, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, cheese, low carb chocolate mousse and cake and still can’t keep my weight up, currently eating 35g carb breakfast, 50g lunch and 30g dinner (struggle with late high bs then) but have a high metabolism although wish I didn’t so I could low carb. I did find lower carb made me lose weight (I didn’t want it to!), maybe that’s something to discuss with your nurse? Good luck, hope you get things worked out and definitely push to speak to a dietician
 
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