I was just wondering… since I’m a LADA and will probably turn into a type 1 diabetic in a few years time…
If you eat something without carbs, do you still take fast acting insulin?
Or something lower in carbs than for exampe pasta, like a salad, cabbage, broccoli and other vegetables. does it require fast acting insulin?
Anything with carbohydrates requires insulin. Some things absorb slower than other things. You can compensate by using a square or dual wave boluses for such food items (only if your on a pump). Technically meat with “0” carbs requires no insulin. It is important though to consider that your body always needs a certain level of background (“basil”) insulin.
Pasta and vegetables definately require fast acting insulins, especially pasta since it is high in carbohydrates. Some vegetables are high in carbs as well (corn, lima beans). I would use fast acting insulin for all that stuff.
I’m not sure of your situation or what insulins you’re taking so it’s always best to listen to your doctor and your own body.
#1 thing, you won’t TURN INTO a type 1 diabetic. YOU ARE a type 1 diabetic. LADA is one of the forms of Type 1 Diabetes.
The few things I don’t need to shoot up for are:
Pickles, nuts, cheese, protein (lunch meat), cucumbers, green beans.
I have to shoot up fairly high for a salad. Certain veggies such as corn, peas, kidney beans, I have to shoot up for, less for green beans, broccoli, cauliflower.
Remember that protein and fat do convert to glucose over a much longer period of time. My CDEs have always told me that to take NO insulin with a carbless or low-carb meal (like chicken and broccoli, for instance) is a risk. Your doctor should tell you how he or she wants you to handle carbless meals and snacks, but I personally take a unit or two to cover a high protein-only meal. That’s what my body needs. Or sometimes I take none and then check an hour or two later and may need a correction at that point.
I know, what I meant to say is that I will probably be fully insulin dependant which i am not at the moment. i know that i am a type 1. or a 1,5 as they also call it
Actually LADA is not quite Type 1 diabetes. It shares gene frequencies with both Type 1 and Type 2. And though it does progress for most people, it is possible that if you start insulin early, rather than late, you might be able to keep significant amount of beta cells alive. Many people with Type 1 who maintain good control still have detectable C-peptide levels years after diagnosis.
I have met people with LADA who do not need to cover low carb meals with fast acting insulin because their basal insulin can cover the very slow rise in blood sugars caused by protein.
Unhappily, virtually all food needs insulin, of some type. As a pump user, when I am having an all-protein snack (cheese, meat), I use a square wave over an hour or more, depending on the fat content. You may not want to take a fast-acting insulin for a non-carb snack, because the insulin may start to work long before the blood sugar rise begins to click in.
My number spikes when I eat EGGS! (protein!)
So recently I’ve been adding a unit when I have them.
I do 7cho. per unit, and I usually eat 2 eggs.
I didn’t really do any math with this, I just “guesstimated”.
My numbers seem to have gone down by lunch time! (:
pats my back LOL. i was happy about these results.
I don’t “guesstimate” a lot… haha, It freaks me out.
Eggs and bacon can jack my blood glucose way up too.
People you are not doctors or endos!!!
Every person body is different even your activity, so it would not matter what you give insulin for or not. It depends on you!
For me, some times at night I eat a toast with peanut butter and a whole apple without giving any insulin and I will be around 120 mg
Of course we’re not doctors (well, some of us on this site actually are doctors with diabetes) nor do we claim to be. Listing things that we do in response to food CAN be helpful for others trying to get a handle on their own self-management. It’s all YMMV (your mileage may vary).
until the next night
Yes, after 35 years on insulin, I pump a fast-acting insulin bolus whenever I eat unless it’s 1) in response to a low under 70 mg/dl and I don’t overtreat or 2) a teeny-tiny amount of food, such as 3 almonds or 1 Wheat Thin.
With pumping I can take boluses in .1 unit increments, instead of having to inject a whole or half unit at a time, which I would need to cover with 12 g or so of carb.
Depending on my starting blood sugar and if I’m eating a low-carb meal (for me, that’s anything under 15 g of carb total; I usually eat 30 g or more for a main meal), I might take the bolus after I start eating or program a dual-wave bolus to deal with the fact it takes longer for non-carb foods to “show up” as blood glucose.
Even veggies turn into sugar in your system. you’ll have to experiment with what food does what to your BGs, but i didn’t used to bolus for salads till i noticed my BGs in the low 200s following what i though was a no carb meal. Now i cover a salad with a couple of units and stay pretty smooth. It just takes some time and a lot of testing. Keep a good log book to help you out.
ain’t that the truth!
Yes, I bolus for all carbs. If the pump says I need insulin, even a small amount, I accept it!
Hi Dolores,
You’ve got an amazing A1c, so you must be doing something, or lots of things, right.
I’m Type 1 & I bolus for pretty much everything I eat, with the exception of a few nuts or small piece of cheese. For me, there’s no “free lunch.”
nope even carbs i dont need to take insulin because i’m crazy active and eat like a freak haha, its just my lantus in the morning, but everyone is different and each day is different
Wow … I’ve had Type 1 for 33 years and have never, ever needed to dose for eggs (I end up with hypos if I do) … the same for any kind of fish or chicken. However, any kind of pork, beef or other red meats, and I typically need to dose about 6-8 hours after eating it. This disease truly is personalized in so many ways!