Testing For Basal Rates And Icr, Going To If Diet, Any Advice?

[slaxxfb]

recently i had been looking at IF (intermittent fasting) and came across a blog detailing some personal experiences and sharing advice. i asked some questions and she (blogger) replied that maybe i should test for my basal rate and ICR first before i head into IF. my doc hasn't taught me about this but i'm gonna try to do the tests first.

so, how did you do yours? was it easy to pinpoint your ideal rates/units?
how does your basal insulin work for you? did you have to adjust/split doses?
any factors observed that might disrupt test results? (besides carb intake)
and if you also did go/are practicing IF, how is it working for you? do you see changes in your blood sugar levels? needed adjustments? (besides skipping the bolus for the skipped meal)

do share your exp, would be glad to see how it worked for you. maybe i can glean some explanation if i exp hurdles through the test. TIA!

 

[kitedoc]

Fasting when on insulin is tricky enough when fasting before an operation.
I found it easier when on an insulin pump than on MDI.
To do it intermittently risks hypos and perhaps hypers. I have done some 24 hour fasts for example to check my basal rate. I found that ketones from starvation presumably (my BSLS were all below 8) started to occur around the 16 hour mark.
So I only do 12 hour fasts when testing basal levels as any ketone formation might affect the sensitivity of my insulin.
I also check for ketones at the 12 hour mark. And never perform such fasts if I am feeling ill and needing extra insulin.
And if BSLS are high, fasting can add to ketone levels so I have personally avoided such situations..
I have not used CGM or Libre for my occasional fasting/basal testing but it plus ketone checking seem like wise precautions if one is committed to the intermittent fasting. Just my thought, not a professional opinion or advice.
And I have to ask, what advantage does intermittent fasting hold for you? What do you hope it might achieve? And how are you going to avoid hypos?

 

[Juicyj]

Hello @slaxxfb try this: http://www.salforddiabetescare.co.uk/index2.php?nav_id=1007

 

[slaxxfb]

Fasting when on insulin is tricky enough when fasting before an operation.
I found it easier when on an insulin pump than on MDI.
To do it intermittently risks hypos and perhaps hypers. I have done some 24 hour fasts for example to check my basal rate. I found that ketones from starvation presumably (my BSLS were all below 8) started to occur around the 16 hour mark.
So I only do 12 hour fasts when testing basal levels as any ketone formation might affect the sensitivity of my insulin.
I also check for ketones at the 12 hour mark. And never perform such fasts if I am feeling ill and needing extra insulin.
And if BSLS are high, fasting can add to ketone levels so I have personally avoided such situations..
I have not used CGM or Libre for my occasional fasting/basal testing but it plus ketone checking seem like wise precautions if one is committed to the intermittent fasting. Just my thought, not a professional opinion or advice.
And I have to ask, what advantage does intermittent fasting hold for you? What do you hope it might achieve? And how are you going to avoid hypos?

hello @kitedoc, thanks for the sharing and advice. i am curious, are basal levels given continuously while on pump? wondering because i have seen instructions to "change basal level in the afternoon" or something similar, but i inject mine to last the whole day.
i'm planning to go IF because last year i had to suddenly change jobs, and while the stress of transfer (and other reasons) have slowly dissipated, i am finding myself becoming too sedentary and slowly but surely gaining weight. i'm still in the ideal weight range right now but at the higher edge of it, so i want to lower it a bit and keep it that way. i'm planning to do 16hr fasts (dinner today to lunch tom) but keep caloric intake regular, healthy and fit for my diabetes.
i should probably try ketone tests too if i will continue with the 16hr fasts, esp since some of my readings are pretty erratic as is.
my current setup is 11u Lantus in the morning and 3-4u Apidra every meal, but the Apidra units might change soon as i am also in the process of learning to carb count and check my ICR. i'm not very scared of hypos or hypers happening during IF as long as i'm sure of my basal rate and ICR, as it means that there's little insulin working while i'm fasting (although if it does happen, i will have to cut the fast and either inject or eat/drink). finding the best combo is so far the biggest hurdle to overcome. i'm also not on CGM or Libre, just do blood tests, currently around 5-6x a day because learning to carb count.

 

[slaxxfb]

oh, good guide! thank you @Juicyj (couldn't quote as the link marks me as a spammer lol)