Trying low carb on pump - having a Mare!

[Kazzabon]

Hi All

Don't really want to get into the debate for or against low carb but pre-pump it worked for me whereby I was able to cut carbs and reduce insulin = loss of weight. However, now I'm on the pump I'm finding that my blood sugars are rising quite a bit even after non or extremely low carb meals.

I also tried a protein drink for breakfasts on the run - just 2g of carb per drink - and my BS again rocketed..........

My weight didn't move either which is a bummer but it's the blood sugars I really can't get a handle on.

Anyone out there experienced similar?

 

[meela83]

I recently discovered that I can't eat gluten so generally eat a low carb diet. I have found that I still need insulin for even a purely protein mean or blood sugars climb rapidly! It is still sort of trial and error but generally take about 1.5 units for a protein based breakfast/lunch e.g. scrambled eggs/tuna salad. Hope that helps

 

[ebony321]

I've heard people say on the forum that when low-carbing your body converts protein into glucose when there is a lack or absence of carbohydrates.

as Meela says you may need to work out what dose of insulin you will need for protein based foods, such as your protein shakes.

 

[donnellysdogs]

To me from a purely pumper aspect...low carbing isn't that much different to basal testing....you will just have to find out a balance for the lower carbs that you are having......no carbs or low carbs or high carbs...those of us on a pump need some level of insulin to keep us within the limits....unless ou find like a few of us when walking our dog etc we actually need now't!!!!!

It will be just finding out a balance that suits......test, test, test seems to come to mind!!!!!

 

[jopar]

Low carb works with pumps, just got some other things to consider..

Protein does break down into glucose, generally don't notice the impact on your bg when you eating normal carbs meals as much as when low carbing though

A rough guide that 50% of protien will turning into glucose, so 10gms of protien will be 5g of carbs, but this is a rough guide though.. It's a case of testing to find out.

Another thing to bare in mind when low carbing is generally you will have more fat in your this will mean that it's very likely that you will need to extend your bolus or further extend ones you already extend..

Another are were you will low carb/high fat is not so much the now, but the start and finish of the raise which can be 4-6 hours later, you will need to watch this

Basal testing also becomes slightly more difficult, because the fats/protein is being slower to impact on the blood glucose, it's harder to ensure that it stopped impacting on your blood glucose before you start basal testing..

Here's a link to a guide about setting up a basal test to enure food or bolus insulin isn't still impacting on your blood glucose levels..

http://www.diatribe.us/issues/13/learning-curve.php

Hope this information helps

 

[Kazzabon]

Thanks for all your replies - I've not had an Internet connection for 4 weeks (the joys of living in the backend of nowhere) and have been itching to find out what you guys thought the problem might be. I have had a couple of days now where I've had some carbs at meal time and my bloods have evened out so it is defo the protein causing the problem.

Will try combo-bolusing and test, test, test. It's good to know that other pumpers low-carb thou as my specialist here in France is horrified that I do it (or try to). Shame about having to bolus for protein as I low carb to try to cut insulin thereby losing weight

 

[jopar]

Shame about having to bolus for protein as I low carb to try to cut insulin thereby losing weight

Higher doses of insulin doesn't mean that you will automaticall put on weight, bit of an urban myth to a certain extent..

Two ways a T1 puts on weight,

1, eating a diet that provides more engery than the body requires to maintain a healthy weight.
2, they feed the insulin!

1st one this is common to any human being diabetic or not, verious factors, such as age, sex, height and activity levels determine what engery needs are body needs to maintain a health weight... Doesn't matter what diet you chose an healthy one or other wise if you food consumption provides more energy/fuel than required the body will store this as fat for lean periods..

2nd one, the diabetic is feeding the insulin, rather than taking the insulin to match what they are eating, causing the first effect to happen..

When I was first diabetic, you had a exchange system of carbs, which meant that your carb allocation was prescribed to you similar to your insulin being prescribed no good, as what would happen if you suffered a lot of hypo's the first suggestion you were given was increase your carbs to soak up the excess insulin... So no wonder diabetics would put on weight as they ended up feeding the insulin with carbs, going past the engery/fuel their body needed, so the insulin laid this spare fuel down as fat..

I used to go home and do the opposite, drop my insulin rather than increase carbs..


The extreme low carbing can have the reverse effect actually increasing the insulin you need to maintain blood glucose control, as carbs aren't just the only think that effects the amount of insuin one needs, Protien does and Fat content can effect the insulin dose.. I find that for high protein and fat meals will need more insulin than a meal with slightly higher amount of carbs in them..

You can't give somebody a figure of a daily amount of carbs, this has to be sorted out by the individual the best combination/ratio's of carbs/protien/fats if these are pitched right at individual level, then you find that healthy weight is maintained, and insulin use is kept to a minimal level etc..

So if you find you have better control with a slight raise in carbs, then you probably find that this will also enable you to maintain a healthy weight while using the right amount of insulin to avoid increase of weight...

 

[carty]

Somebody get rid of this spammer PDQ
CAROL

 

[donnellysdogs]

Already exclamation marked!!!!

 

[Kazzabon]

Somebody get rid of this spammer PDQ
CAROL

What's happened??

 

[donnellysdogs]

A spammer had come on and put a posting against yours...it's been deleted by admin...nothing to worry about now...back to you!!!