counting carbs

[patricianncarroll]

I have had type 2 diabetes for 16 years and have always had trouble with my levels. An uncontrolable brittle diabetic my doc calld me. Playing defense taking 3 different types of insulin a day all day. Recently my doc changed my insulins to 1 toujeo but it is impartive that I take fast acting with every meal according to the carb count.I have no idea what I'm doing. And despite my efforts they still sky rocket after I eat. Hoping this app will help me have better control it does not teach me or tell me what carbs are in my meals that don't have labels. Is there an app or cart that will make me understand better? The amount of insulin to carbs. 1 unit per 25 gm?

[patricianncarroll]

I use humulin R for fast acting and sometime I drop hour after but other times I just keep raising. I just started using toujeo for my long lasting and still adjusting to it. Before the switch I had severe sensitivity to the fast acting insulin and that is why the ratio is so low. I'm starting to think its to low with only taking one long lasting instead of two. Timing used to be after I ate because of the reaction i woukd have and now when I eat.

When I fast my sugars stay stable. It the carb insulin ratio that I am having trouble with but like today I have had to eat all day to keep them up. I have not had a fast acting insulin at all yesterday I had to take 8 units in all after one chilly dog & beans .I do have a Dexcom senser which has abled me to bring my a1c from a 8.7 to a 6.2 in three months. It is an amazing device I love it so far it is the only thing that has worked keeping me from roller coaster rides from low 40s to high 500s. I see them coming and can ajust them sooner.

I thank you both for your input!!

[Super_sally888]

Hi.  

To correctly dose insulin you need to work or both your basal rate (show acting insulin dose), and your carb to insulin ratio.  You also need to work out tour correct timing for dosing.  

Buy or burrow the book Using Insulin or Think Like a Pancreas.  They both explain how to do this.  

In short:
For basal testing you need to fast and take your basal insulin and see if it keeps your blood sugar stable or if it rises.  If it risers even without eating your dose needs to be increased.  Typically insulin would be increased by 1 - 3 units / 3 days as you slowly adjust.

Meal time insulin your ration may not be 1:25. It maybe 1:20 or even 1:10. Again you have to work this out by experimenting over time.  It will also help greatly if you limit how much carbs you eat.  

I tube site 'Bernstein Diabetes university' also has great info for diabetics and on using insulin.

[diabetes86]

Do you go low after eating 4 or 5 hours later?  If so that could be the timing of the fast shot.  speaking of fast shot what insulin is it?

If your NOT going low 4,5,6 hours later then.  Carbs raise BG  insulin lowers BG  if you eat and your
BG goes to high, then you need more ______   (Fill in the blank)
1 to 25g for a carb ratio is very low for most T2s.

[patricianncarroll]

Thank you I have been doing the same as far as only eating what I know the carbs are and it is helping . yes I'm refiring to my endocrinologist who has been keeping me alive I must say for years now. With out her and my husband I don't think I would be here. The research is slow going but I'm not giving up. Reaching out is bound to help as well thank you again

[brice1967]

I wish I understood more about insulin.  At this point, I am on oral medicine only.  Initially, I didn't even pay that close attention to the carbs I was eating and managed to keep my BG levels somewhat in control.  As I've aged, that has changed.  What I've learned to do is only eat things that I know what the carb count is.  Something that has helped both myself and my wife (who is insulin dependent) is "intermittent fasting".  There are quite a few approaches to this and it really seems to work.  Please do some research on your own.  When you mention your doctor, are you talking about an endocrinologist?