skipping meals/routine

[howie]

when i was first diagnosed their was a big emphasis on routine, 'don't skip meals', 'eat within certain time frames' etc.

i don't find skipping meals a problem, i find my levels are more stable when i don't eat. is this way of thinking just left over from when people couldn't check their BG's and for people who still choose not too? sometimes i have 2 meals a day, sometimes 4 and it doesn't make a difference to my control. i started of paranoid that if i didn't eat on time i'd 'hypo'.

i am strict with my basal, always on the dot. + I don't find messing with my sleeping routine a problem either.

are these just myths that the nurses tell people or do some people find they have to stick to a strict routine to maintain good BG's?

howie

 

[hanadr]

If you are keeping well, confirmed by blood tests, Carry on.
Hana

 

[kegstore]

Historically - before the advent of basal/bolus therapy and faster-acting insulins - it was quite important to stick to a fairly strict routine and not skip meals. This was because on only 1 or 2 injections a day you couldn't stop the insulin already injected from reducing blood sugar, leading to a hypo if you did forget lunch etc. I guess this is still the case if you're not on basal/bolus or are still using an early slower insulin, progress is a wonderful thing!

 

[phoenix]

Personally, I find that keeping fairly regular meals helps. Two major reasons:
If I skip breakfast my levels rise by about 2mmol, if I have a even a very small breakfast with appropriate insulin my level normally be in target at lunchtime. Obviously a mild form of dawn phemena as this doesn't happen if I miss lunch
If I eat late, my levels tend to be higher overnight. (whether that's because of the type of meal eaten late ( perhaps eaten out) or the timing, I don't know. Its certainly difficult to be sure of what your glucose level signifies at bedtime if its still within 3 hours of the mealtime bolus.