Type1. New to low carb- not getting it right

[Lowcarbmission_]

Hello,

I'm a type 1 for 18 years, on a pump and a long time lurker on this board. I have read Dr Bernstein and a lot of other info on going low carb online. I decided to give it a go and I started on the 23rd February.

Everything went brilliantly for the first 2 weeks- all levels below 7 and very few hypos. In fact I was only having a hypo at 5am each morning, so I decreased my basal slightly and all was good. I felt great and lost 7lbs. I was eating between 30-50g carb a day. I was so delighted- it seemed like a miracle!

Then for some unexplained reason I started to go high after my breakfast. No sky high, just up to 12 or so 2 hours/3 hours afterwards. I was eating the same thing, 9g carb that I was previously able to cover with my normal ratios. I've tried doubling my bolus, but that didn't work. I tried eating other things- and the same effect.

It then started to happen after dinner- I will be 11 before bed- having counted carbs and bolused correctly. I then tried counting 50% of the protein but no joy. It's like my body's default is to sit at around 11 now. I have had no very high readings, and no hypos either.

So I guess what I'm asking is has anyone else experienced this? I have scared myself reading other forums where people say you can desensitise yourself to insulin with low carb. I also was hoping to decrease my insulin levels overall- but if I have to put Basals and boluses up then it's slightly pointless eating like this.

Can anyone help please? Thanks!

 

[tim2000s]

Welcome @Lowcarbmission_ . That's certainly an interesting phenomenon, and not one I've experienced. I'm tagging @robert72 and @Wurst (although Wurst is no longer low carb) how have quite a long time of Low Carb experience to see if they've seen this.

As you say, it sounds like a protein reaction but I wonder what others have to add.

 

[robert72]

hi @Lowcarbmission_

Not sure I can say this happened to me. I worked my way down to low-carb gradually over many months and I think my carb ratios began not to work when I got more into ketosis. I am taking around 15u of NovoRapid a day for probably around 30g carbs (most of those in evening meal). If I try and go back into higher carb my old ratios no longer work either so there might be some kind of insulin resistance going on, although my TDD is lower than when I wasn't low-carb. Don't know if that's any help.

 

[Wurst]

The only time I've experienced anything like this is when I'm ill , low carb or non-low carb. Before Xmas I had a dental infection and my normal ratios would not work , a tin of sardines in the morning sent me sky high when normally I'd be flat lining. Another time I had full on flu with the same effect.

What are you eating exactly ? When I was full on low carbing I noticed the more saturated fat I ate the more insulin resistant I became, but not on the scales you mention.

 

[Lowcarbmission_]

Hello everyone, thanks for responding. I'm not sick at the moment, and actually have never felt better. I put that down to the fact I'm having less swings between high and low levels. I'm not eating high levels of fat really either. For example today the breakfast I always eat is a low carb granola that's 5.4g carb for 40g plus 100g plain yogurt that comes in at 3.6g carb. Lunch is 2x rice cakes with 2 tsps peanut butter (10g carb) with a sugarfree jelly pot (1g carb) and a pepperami (0.9g carb). Dinner will be chicken breast with stir fry veggies and enough carb to bring me to about 30g carb total. I might have some olives and a piece of cheese watching TV later- but 2 cheese slices and a handful of olives- nothing crazy.

It's after I eat, and once I take corrections later I'm fine- until I eat again. I have emailed my diabetes nurse but haven't heard back- I attend a unit where the consultant isn't great- doesn't even reckon diabetics should do a lot of exercise etc.... So I'm not hopeful.

I'm thinking it must either be related to the protein, or else something to do with glycogenesis (I think that's the correct spelling) in the liver or maybe I hit ketosis and my body is having some strange adjustment. I am genuinely stumped as after 18 years I was pretty good at calculating and adjusting. Maybe I just have to keep increasing insulin and see how I go- I'd really prefer to stick to low carb if I can just figure it out!

 

[cookie13]

Hello everyone, thanks for responding. I'm not sick at the moment, and actually have never felt better. I put that down to the fact I'm having less swings between high and low levels. I'm not eating high levels of fat really either. For example today the breakfast I always eat is a low carb granola that's 5.4g carb for 40g plus 100g plain yogurt that comes in at 3.6g carb. Lunch is 2x rice cakes with 2 tsps peanut butter (10g carb) with a sugarfree jelly pot (1g carb) and a pepperami (0.9g carb). Dinner will be chicken breast with stir fry veggies and enough carb to bring me to about 30g carb total. I might have some olives and a piece of cheese watching TV later- but 2 cheese slices and a handful of olives- nothing crazy.

It's after I eat, and once I take corrections later I'm fine- until I eat again. I have emailed my diabetes nurse but haven't heard back- I attend a unit where the consultant isn't great- doesn't even reckon diabetics should do a lot of exercise etc.... So I'm not hopeful.

I'm thinking it must either be related to the protein, or else something to do with glycogenesis (I think that's the correct spelling) in the liver or maybe I hit ketosis and my body is having some strange adjustment. I am genuinely stumped as after 18 years I was pretty good at calculating and adjusting. Maybe I just have to keep increasing insulin and see how I go- I'd really prefer to stick to low carb if I can just figure it out!

Hi, I started low carbing in November 2015 and had a very similar experience - I posted on here about it at the time but nobody else seemed to have had similar problems. Like you I started to think was it worth it but I persisted with the low carb diet and eventually things stabilised to the point that my HBA1C has come down substantially to 49 and I have significantly reduced my insulin requirements from 18 - 20 units of novorapid per day to around 9-10 and my levemir dose from 16 to 9. I am currently feeling extremely well but it has been a long journey with lots of hypos and no support from my hospital team, who were anti LCHF. There are alot of people on here who are extremely knowledgable which is really helpful but I just try to do the best I can as I just don't have the time to research everything. I just feel that for me personally it has taken my body a bit of time to adapt to a new diet but like others on here I do find that I am very carb sensitive now and if on occasion I want to go off the rails a bit - it really messes things up for a couple of days. I also signed up for a libre and finally got one in december and it has really helped me to see what is going on with my blood sugars, I just wish it wasn't so expensive to use ! Persevere with the low carb diet, it is definitely worth it !!!

 

[Mrs Vimes]

Hi, I get protein spikes, I also get liver dumps half hour after I get up and around 4 in the afternoon. Fat can also slow down things so the spike is later on. I use the Combi bolus quite a lot. 4 units for tea, 2 straight away and 2 over 2 to 3 hours. Also temp basal if I know I've stuffed me face with cheese. 50% for 4 hours as I go to bed. But I've found this out by testing and keeping track. It is worth keeping on with it. Soon your highs will be 8s.

 

[donnellysdogs]

I would be doing a basal test... If you say altering your bolus's are ineffective then it may well be that your basal is incorrect.
Yes, normally if you are getting highs 2-3 hours after a meal then it would normally indicate your bolus not being sufficient.. But if you've tried changing it and giving more it may be that your 50/50 ratio is now out of sync...