After being diagnosed with T1D, I was pretty proud of myself for getting my blood glucose well under control - my ratios were working, I wasn't having too many highs or lows. I found it...maybe a bit easier than most people seemed to be reporting.
Then, about 18 months later, I was diagnosed with Celiac, and immediately cut out all gluten.
And all heck broke loose.
Seriously, almost overnight my ratios seem to have changed, and even when I think I've calculated exactly, my blood glucose won't do what I expect it.
Has anyone else had this experience when diagnosed with Celiac?
Hi Shari. I have had Type 1 and Celiac Disease for 20 years plus. So I'd answer your question with more questions: 1) are you eating fewer carbs, more veggies for instance, or 2) buying gluten-free baked goods that have more carbs than their "originals"? I think you might have to change your ratios to meet your new situation, depending on the diet you settle into. It really is a little tricky to begin with, but you and your ratios will adjust!
Thanks for the response, Trudy! While I generally don't buy much of the processed, packaged foods sold to the gluten free universe, I definitely haven't been mindful enough about the differences in carb count on a basic level(for example, if I use gluten free flour to make pizza, how different is that from regular pizza?) I need to be more careful, for sure!
Based on how dramatically and immediately this diet change impacted my blood glucose, though, I'm thinking it probably has more to do with my body actually changing, since my digestive system was totally not working, and now it is.
I see my doc in a couple weeks, so we'll see what she says, but in the meantime I've adjusted my basal insulin dose and my insulin-to-carb ratio with some success. Thanks for the encouragement!
I've had T1 for 50+ years & diagnosed Celiac for about 40 years. For me it worked the other way. My T1 was difficult to control of course no BG monitors in those days so who knows, but I did get bad lows. After Celiac diagnosis & going gluten free, a lot harder in the early 70s, my T1 settled down & seemed easier to control.
You have to remember gluten free foods do have more carbs than their wheat equivalents, also a higher glycemic index as the flours are very refined. This means BG can peak quickly after eating. I find for some GF foods I need to allow more carbs tan the label indicates. For me a carb factor of 0.55 works well for most GF breads.
Shari, when I became GF, my digestion improved and my blood sugars became more stable. As for pizza crust--once in a while I buy UDI's or Amy's frozen pizzas, and give a bit of my crust to our Golden Retrievers! Certainly many of the common alternative flours are more refined and so higher in carbs (rice, tapioca, etc.), but you might try oats or sorghum. Flourless cakes are sooo high in fat that I don't buy or bake them. I just don't eat much in the way of baked goods or high carb foods any more, not worth it. My indulgence is ice cream, but that's another story.
I had Celiac years before diabetes so I can’t comment on your exact problem. It is true as others have said that many GF carbs tend to have higher glycemic values so it may just be the change in eating habits. It is a big change!
