Unknown Carb Amounts

5919 Views 26 Replies 6 Participants Last post by shelley7456, Jun 27, 2010

breezeonby

Discussion Starter · Jun 13, 2010

I went to eat at my sister's house this evening and I knew we would be ordering pizza. She also ordered a double stuffed sub and a chef's salad. The sub & salad was split 3 ways and I had absolutely no idea of how many carbs there was in my portion of the sub. I just took a guess at the amount of carbs and based my Novolog bolus on the guess. I made sure I checked 1 hour post meal to see how far off I was. I wasn't even close. I had to take a correction bolus. We can't possibly know the exact carb amount in a situation like this. Would you have had the sub, not knowing the carb amount? This doesn't happen very often but I do feel like the oddball who can't enjoy a simple sub.

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Diabrarian

· #2 · Jun 13, 2010 (Edited)

I would have it, but I'd alter the way you eat it, especially not knowing. Put half the fillings onto a bed of lettuce and enjoy them. Double stuff? Doesn't that mean enough fillings for two people in one bun? That can be a meal in itself, all the veggies and cold cuts turns a bed of lettuce into a chef's salad. If you're craving starch, and you know the effects the type of bread has on you, cut the rise in half and eat just the top half of the bun. With the oil and flavour it probably absorbed from the fillings, it's good as a side.

Improvise

I usually use the half rule for high-carb foods, desserts, etc. Less guilt, smaller portion, easier burnoff, faster BG decrease.

ett

· #3 · Jun 13, 2010

I would not have eaten it.
Since being DX'd 18 months ago; I have sworn off all junk food.
And whenever I go anywhere I bring my own food.

Bringing my own food has hurt my in-laws feelings.
But I say tough ! My health is more important than someone else's feelings.

-ET

breezeonby

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 13, 2010

Diabrarian said:
I would have it, but I'd alter the way you eat it, especially not knowing. Put half the fillings onto a bed of lettuce and enjoy them. Double stuff? Doesn't that mean enough fillings for two people in one bun? That can be a meal in itself, all the veggies and cold cuts turns a bed of lettuce into a chef's salad. If you're craving starch, and you know the effects the type of bread has on you, cut the rise in half and eat just the top half of the bun. With the oil and flavour it probably absorbed from the fillings, it's good as a side.

Improvise I usually use the half rule for high-carb foods, desserts, etc. Less guilt, smaller portion, easier burnoff, faster BG decrease.

The bun was the same size as any 9" sub. Double stuff meant twice the meat and veggies. It was split 3 ways, my sister, my brother-in-law and myself. There was no nutritional info on the food, ordered it from a local pizza joint. I guess since this is a rare occasion of eating food without knowing the exact carb content, there really wasn't much harm done. I just don't like to be in the dark when it comes to carbs.

breezeonby

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jun 13, 2010

ett said:
I would not have eaten it.
Since being DX'd 18 months ago; I have sworn off all junk food.
And whenever I go anywhere I bring my own food.

Bringing my own food has hurt my in-laws feelings.
But I say tough ! My health is more important than someone else's feelings.

-ET

Do you consider a sub junk food? It was loaded with veggies and had mostly turkey breast & ham and cheese.

ett

· #6 · Jun 13, 2010

breezeonby said:
Do you consider a sub junk food? It was loaded with veggies and had mostly turkey breast & ham and cheese.

I do consider a sub to be junk food.
The bread is full of processed carbs, chemicals, ingredients from genetically modified foods, and most likely high fructose corn syrup.
The turkey breast & ham and cheese are full of salt, and growth hormones.

Sorry; but that's my opinion.

--ET

breezeonby

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jun 13, 2010

ett said:
I do consider a sub to be junk food.
The bread is full of processed carbs, chemicals, ingredients from genetically modified foods, and most likely high fructose corn syrup.
The turkey breast & ham and cheese are full of salt, and growth hormones.

Sorry; but that's my opinion.

--ET

No need to be sorry, I asked for your opinion and we all have one.

onaughmae

· #8 · Jun 13, 2010

breezeonby said:
I went to eat at my sister's house this evening and I knew we would be ordering pizza. She also ordered a double stuffed sub and a chef's salad. The sub & salad was split 3 ways and I had absolutely no idea of how many carbs there was in my portion of the sub. I just took a guess at the amount of carbs and based my Novolog bolus on the guess. I made sure I checked 1 hour post meal to see how far off I was. I wasn't even close. I had to take a correction bolus. We can't possibly know the exact carb amount in a situation like this. Would you have had the sub, not knowing the carb amount? This doesn't happen very often but I do feel like the oddball who can't enjoy a simple sub.

I would have done exactly what you did. Have what I wanted and make my best guess. I tend to low ball it when I am guessing because I would rather be a little high and take a correction dose than to over shoot it and go low. Sometimes you just have to do things like that I think to be able to enjoy a meal with family or friends. Sometimes it is all about the sharing of the time and meal with people you enjoy.

I have something like this situation coming up this week...hubby and I are planning to spend the whole day at Seaworld...surrounded by theme park food! I figure I will do the best I can...and hopefully all the walking around will help keep things in check. I am already assuming I might need a couple of correction boluses during the day

***trying to resist the urge to have a piece of funnel cake***

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breezeonby

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jun 14, 2010

onaughmae said:
I would have done exactly what you did. Have what I wanted and make my best guess. I tend to low ball it when I am guessing because I would rather be a little high and take a correction dose than to over shoot it and go low. Sometimes you just have to do things like that I think to be able to enjoy a meal with family or friends. Sometimes it is all about the sharing of the time and meal with people you enjoy.

I have something like this situation coming up this week...hubby and I are planning to spend the whole day at Seaworld...surrounded by theme park food! I figure I will do the best I can...and hopefully all the walking around will help keep things in check. I am already assuming I might need a couple of correction boluses during the day ***trying to resist the urge to have a piece of funnel cake***

That sounds like a fun day. Funnel cakes are so good! One wouldn't hurt!

shelley7456

· #10 · Jun 14, 2010

breezeonby said:
I went to eat at my sister's house this evening and I knew we would be ordering pizza. She also ordered a double stuffed sub and a chef's salad. The sub & salad was split 3 ways and I had absolutely no idea of how many carbs there was in my portion of the sub. I just took a guess at the amount of carbs and based my Novolog bolus on the guess. I made sure I checked 1 hour post meal to see how far off I was. I wasn't even close. I had to take a correction bolus. We can't possibly know the exact carb amount in a situation like this. Would you have had the sub, not knowing the carb amount? This doesn't happen very often but I do feel like the oddball who can't enjoy a simple sub.

If I was getting regularly decent levels I would have eaten the sub and enjoyed every mouthful. I know others will accuse me of being irresponsible but we are human as well as diabetic and the human animal is a social one.

diabetes86

· #11 · Jun 14, 2010

The double filling probably wouldn't add much carbs, Actually the fat in the extra would be a good thing (slow the absorption of carbs). do you know how to bolus for a regular sub?

I would through away 1/2 of the bun, eat the sub Like an open face sandwich. I look at the bun and guess (compare the bun to slices of bread).

onaughmae

· #12 · Jun 14, 2010

breezeonby said:
That sounds like a fun day. Funnel cakes are so good! One wouldn't hurt!

Thats what I say... I might only need 3 or 4 boluses to cover it!

onaughmae

· #13 · Jun 14, 2010

shelley7456 said:
If I was getting regularly decent levels I would have eaten the sub and enjoyed every mouthful. I know others will accuse me of being irresponsible but we are human as well as diabetic and the human animal is a social one.

I completely agree. So, she missed a bit on covering it when she ate....took a correction bolus and fixed it. As far as I am concerned doing that occasionally really isnt going to hurt you as long as it isnt a habit.

shelley7456

· #14 · Jun 16, 2010

onaughmae said:
I completely agree. So, she missed a bit on covering it when she ate....took a correction bolus and fixed it. As far as I am concerned doing that occasionally really isnt going to hurt you as long as it isnt a habit.

I think we must be kept ignorant here in England. I've never heard of a correction bolus. We're just nagged about how we're risking our hearts and kidneys by overdoing the sugars. Amputation and dyalisis is a favourite threat :flame: Mind you the N.H.S guidelines also tell us that bread and potatoes are good for us.

breezeonby

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jun 16, 2010

shelley7456 said:
I think we must be kept ignorant here in England. I've never heard of a correction bolus. We're just nagged about how we're risking our hearts and kidneys by overdoing the sugars. Amputation and dyalisis is a favourite threat :flame: Mind you the N.H.S guidelines also tell us that bread and potatoes are good for us.

A correction bolus is used to bring down a high blood glucose reading. You use rapid acting insulin for corrections. Lets say that I don't count my carbs correctly at dinner at 7PM. I check my blood glucose at 11PM and find that my blood glucose is 200. My insulin sensitivity factor is 1:10 that means that 1 unit of insulin will bring my blood glucose down 10 points. If my target blood glucose range is 100, and I am at 200, I would need 10 units of insulin to correct my high. Bread & potatoes are a few food choices that we can all try and do without or just eat them in moderation. So much for governments! I do eat both but not everyday.

shelley7456

· #16 · Jun 17, 2010

breezeonby said:
A correction bolus is used to bring down a high blood glucose reading. You use rapid acting insulin for corrections. Lets say that I don't count my carbs correctly at dinner at 7PM. I check my blood glucose at 11PM and find that my blood glucose is 200. My insulin sensitivity factor is 1:10 that means that 1 unit of insulin will bring my blood glucose down 10 points. If my target blood glucose range is 100, and I am at 200, I would need 10 units of insulin to correct my high. Bread & potatoes are a few food choices that we can all try and do without or just eat them in moderation. So much for governments! I do eat both but not everyday.

Thank you for the information. It makes the threads easier to follow. I needed similar injections to reduce my levels when I was suffering from a bout of bronchitis but I had to go to the local hospital and sit in casualty all night. (my blood sugar went up to 32 thanks to prednisolone). I suppose I shouldn't moan about it, at least everything a diabetic needs here is free.

breezeonby

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jun 17, 2010

shelley7456 said:
Thank you for the information. It makes the threads easier to follow. I needed similar injections to reduce my levels when I was suffering from a bout of bronchitis but I had to go to the local hospital and sit in casualty all night. (my blood sugar went up to 32 thanks to prednisolone). I suppose I shouldn't moan about it, at least everything a diabetic needs here is free.

Prednisolone is complete murder on blood glucose. Hopefully, you didn't need to be on it for very long.

onaughmae

· #18 · Jun 17, 2010

Prednisone does a number on me too. Last time I got bronchitis my GP wanted to give it to me and I refused it.

shelley7456

· #19 · Jun 17, 2010

breezeonby said:
Prednisolone is complete murder on blood glucose. Hopefully, you didn't need to be on it for very long.

I need prednisolone a couple of times a year, usually three week course. Probably going to start a new course next week. Had bronchs since January and three rounds of antibiotic have failed. Not looking forward to another round of broccolli and rhubarb, I've found they help keep me a bit lower, but sick of coughing now. I only work a couple of evenings a week but it can be a real problem.

shelley7456

· #20 · Jun 17, 2010

onaughmae said:
Prednisone does a number on me too. Last time I got bronchitis my GP wanted to give it to me and I refused it.

I completely understand your refusal, something to be avoided at all costs if you can. I hang the bag out as long as I can before giving in to it. At the end of the day though, it's preferable to being stuck in hospital glued to a nebulizer. I also suffer from Bronchial asthma and COPD so I eventually have to go for it. Such is life.

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