[row]

Hi guys,

So I have recently become an insulin-dependent diabetic, but... Have many many questions.

I will just ask the most important question here.

First of all, during my diabetics training with a nutritionist, sugar was not mentioned at all as a possible food, in any quantity.

Could you explain why? If I know how much sugar I will have 30 minutes from now, can't I just take extra insulin for it?

It seems like this is "cheating" even if both 1 hr and 2 hrs after the meal, the blood sugar is good. So, am I still doing something wrong even in this case?

 

[carbo]

Id say yeah your still doing something wrong. Your still clinging to old habits like sugar. You might as well forget about sugar now. Sugar to a diabetic is like kryptonite is to Superman.

You should be focusing on things like sugar alternatives.

 

[row]

Id say yeah your still doing something wrong. Your still clinging to old habits like sugar. You might as well forget about sugar now. Sugar to a diabetic is like kryptonite is to Superman.

You should be focusing on things like sugar alternatives.

could you explain why? And do you really mean any amount of sugar? If my sugar is already low (3.5/63 on the other scale) and I take plenty of insulin, why can't I have a bit of ice cream or whatever half an hour later? Following that, one hour later I'm fine (below 7 or 126 on the other scale) and two hours later (below 6 or 5 / 108 or 90) - so it seems that I didn't do anything wrong?

I'd just like you to explain in more detail...

 

[Gizmo]

It seems like this is "cheating" even if both 1 hr and 2 hrs after the meal, the blood sugar is good. So, am I still doing something wrong even in this case?

I wouldn't call it cheating, more like playing Russian roulette with yourself. Any time your bg goes to 140 or above, damage is being done to your body. I recommend artificial sweetener and a sensible diabetic diet. Glad you decided to join us.

 

[Shanny]

Row, I'm not on insulin yet myself, and there will be others along in awhile who can explain much better than I. What I know is that it begins to be unhealthy to just eat whatever carbs you want & cover it with insulin. Basically, the less insulin you can get by with, the better. When your carb intake rises, your insulin usage rises, and more insulin means weight gain.

When weight begins to accumulate, another diabetic issue develops, which is insulin resistance. That makes you a double diabetic, because you are not only insulin deficient & have to take extra insulin by injection . . . but you're insulin resistant, so you'll need additional oral meds to help your tissues absorb the insulin available.

I hope you'll tell us more about yourself, how often you test your blood sugar and what foods you eat.

Sugar isn't the only thing you need to avoid. You'll prob'ly have to cut way back on bread, potatoes, rice, pasta & other fast-acting carbs.

Welcome to DF.

 

[carbo]

Maybe I follow a more strict regiment when it comes to junk food.
There is no right or wrong answer really. Its a numbers game. Sugar raises your BG levels PERIOD! With this disease it would behoove you to continue to tease yourself mentally and physically with something that you know is bad for you even if you can take a shot to compensate for the imbalance.

In theory, yes you can do exactly what you are proposing and get away with it. Is it the smart thing to do? Id say no.

Its a judgment call only you can make.

I don't think anyone is going to come on here and enable you by saying its ok to eat ice cream as a diabetic.

 

[bigrosiegreenbaum]

"I don't think anyone is going to come on here and enable you by saying its ok to eat ice cream as a diabetic."

Certainly not on here, but you shoulda heard my ADA instructor go on about the joys of full-carb ice cream and junk food!

 

[carbo]

Makes you wonder doesn't it? I would have stopped him and asked if he could explain the logic behind a diabetic eating ice cream and junk food.

I think the joy he was referring to was the joy the pharmaceutical reps felt after leaving his office. Oh joy!

 

[bigrosiegreenbaum]

Makes you wonder doesn't it? I would have stopped him and asked if he could explain the logic behind a diabetic eating ice cream and junk food.

I think the joy he was referring to was the joy the pharmaceutical reps felt after leaving his office. Oh joy!

Oh believe me, I said something! I made that woman's life a living hell for all three weeks I took the class. She made a big deal of telling me that eating only 20-30 carbs a day was not healthy and that I should be eating about 40 carbs PER MEAL! Can you imagine? And her excuse for all this was, 'Well, you really should enjoy life even though you're a diabetic'. Well, I sure can't enjoy it if I'm footless, on dialysis or DEAD!

 

[jwags]

Diabetics on insulin are able to bolus and they can handle more carbs than those of us who are only on orals. That being said, is it a good practice to eat more carbs and just use more insulin, I am not sure. Many will tell you that the more insulin you have to use the more weight you may gain and you may even become insulin resistant. There are lots of sugar substitutes and it is possible to even bake low carb using other things beside flour. Diabetics don't only have to watch the sugar but all sources of carbs like fruit, cereal, pasta, rice and potatoes and breads. If your are routinely going very high and then crashing very low it is not a good scenario.

 

[bigrosiegreenbaum]

Diabetics on insulin are able to bolus and they can handle more carbs than those of us who are only on orals. That being said, is it a good practice to eat more carbs and just use more insulin, I am not sure. Many will tell you that the more insulin you have to use the more weight you may gain and you may even become insulin resistant. There are lots of sugar substitutes and it is possible to even bake low carb using other things beside flour. Diabetics don't only have to watch the sugar but all sources of carbs like fruit, cereal, pasta, rice and potatoes and breads. If your are routinely going very high and then crashing very low it is not a good scenario.

jwags, can you tell me what 'bolus' means? Every day I'm hearing new diabetic lingo...

 

[carbo]

I'm starting to see a trend on these boards with these so called dietitians and nutritionist's. I haven't had a chance to see one yet but I'm coming to the conclusion that it would be a waste of my time.

 

[bigrosiegreenbaum]

I'm starting to see a trend on these boards with these so called dietitians and nutritionist's. I haven't had a chance to see one yet but I'm coming to the conclusion that it would be a waste of my time.

There are almost exclusively trained by the ADA and recommend high-carb/low-fat diets, which we diabetics know DO NOT work. For example, at my classes - which I was forced to attend by my insurance company - they gave us individualized meal plans. One of my classmates - a very heavy guy - they gave him a meal plan telling him to eat 75 carbs at every meal. That is UNACCEPTABLE. Basically, just do the opposite of whatever the ADA or any "nutritionist" tells you to do and you should be fine.

 

[Shalynne]

jwags, can you tell me what 'bolus' means? Every day I'm hearing new diabetic lingo...

I'm not JWags, but I bolus!

Most of us take 2 types of insulin: one that lasts (very) roughly 1/2 - 1 full day. That's called basal or background insulin. The second type -- the bolus -- lasts anywhere from 2-6 hours, depending on whether the bolus is regular or rapid-acting insulin, and on the body it's going into.

I bolus before a meal to cover any carbs I eat (I try to limit carbs and take fewer/smaller shots). Sometimes I bolus afterward, to correct a high BG (in my case, that's called math-challenged).

The amount of bolus taken, and the dosage strategy, depends on the amount of carbs and/or the amount needed to correct a high. Which is yet another thing that varies wildly among diabetics.

Hope that makes sense!

 

[bigrosiegreenbaum]

I'm not JWags but I bolus!

Most of us take 2 types of insulin: one that lasts (very) roughly 1/2 - 1 full day. That's called basal or background insulin. The second type -- the bolus -- lasts anywhere from 2-6 hours, depending on whether the bolus is regular or rapid-acting insulin, and on the body it's going into.

I bolus before a meal to cover any carbs I eat (I try to limit carbs and take fewer/smaller shots). Sometimes I bolus afterward, to correct a high BG (in my case, that's called math-challenged).

The amount of bolus taken, and the dosage strategy, depends on the amount of carbs and/or the amount needed to correct a high. Which is yet another thing that varies wildly among diabetics.

Hope that makes sense!

Gosh, I'm lucky not to be on insulin or meds now - hope I can keep it that way!!!

 

[Shalynne]

Gosh, I'm lucky not to be on insulin or meds now - hope I can keep it that way!!!

Weirdly, I kinda like the flexibility it gives me. But yeah, the best of all worlds would be No Meds.

No, that's wrong. The Best Of All Worlds would be to find out I'm Type Zero! :hippie:

Ahhhh, well. Time to refill some prescriptions.

 

[bigrosiegreenbaum]

Weirdly, I kinda like the flexibility it gives me. But yeah, the best of all worlds would be No Meds.

No, that's wrong. The Best Of All Worlds would be to find out I'm Type Zero! :hippie:

Ahhhh, well. Time to refill some prescriptions.

I want to make sure I stay off meds altogether because medical insurance in this country terrifies me. I'm on medical assistance and since my state is basically broke, I worry every day that I'll get a letter saying 'time's up!' It's hard enough worrying about strips, let alone meds.

 

[Shalynne]

I want to make sure I stay off meds altogether because medical insurance in this country terrifies me. I'm on medical assistance and since my state is basically broke, I worry every day that I'll get a letter saying 'time's up!' It's hard enough worrying about strips, let alone meds.

Excellent point!

I'm in good shape, insurance-wise ... for now. Good thing, 'cause I have zero choice about staying off meds. But I'm always aware things can change, and they won't change for the better.

Fingers crossed that your situation improves, both medically and financially.

 

[bigrosiegreenbaum]

Excellent point!

I'm in good shape, insurance-wise ... for now. Good thing, 'cause I have zero choice about staying off meds. But I'm always aware things can change, and they won't change for the better.

Fingers crossed that your situation improves, both medically and financially.

I know it's not really that wise, but because I'm sticking to a pretty strict diet, I tend to think my bg's are about the same after my meals so I'm not testing as much as I probably should (maybe 3 or 4 times a day). Still I tell my doctor I'm testing A LOT so I can stock up on as many strips as possible just in case I suddenly don't have insurance. My health plan gives me 200 strips every 22 days so I'm taking them up on that as much as possible since the strips are free and don't expire till 2013!

 

[Shalynne]

I know it's not really that wise, but because I'm sticking to a pretty strict diet, I tend to think my bg's are about the same after my meals so I'm not testing as much as I probably should (maybe 3 or 4 times a day). Still I tell my doctor I'm testing A LOT so I can stock up on as many strips as possible just in case I suddenly don't have insurance. My health plan gives me 200 strips every 22 days so I'm taking them up on that as much as possible since the strips are free and don't expire till 2013!

I was taught to check 5 times a day -- waking, before meals and bedtime. Especially given insulin calculations, I've increased that a lot. But if I had to reduce my testing, I'd likely switch to after meals.

Before I reduce, though, I'd probably stock up on free meter deals wherever I could! I believe they come with a few strips each.

This test strip thing ... can't believe re-usables don't exist. Smells like another racket.