I used to sort of do this, in that I’d “augment” R by taking a shot in my leg, letting it soak in for like 20 minutes and then running up and down the stairs 10 times. I’m not sure I’d totally agree with skipping CB altogether but I have noticed that highs are not all the same. Post exercise spikes, at least for me, seem to disappear with just a whiff of insulin. A lot of times, DP is the same way but if I miscount carbs by like 33%, it seems to take longer to get rid of. I also tend to try to eat less or eat more conservatively when I’m running higher. I wouldn’t say I’d skip a CB but I think I’m more conservative with them than I used to be?
What is your ISF, insulin sensitivity factor? In other words, how much does 1 unit of insulin bring your blood sugar down?
For myself, for example, 1 unit typically brings my blood sugar down 40 mg/dl.
My target at all times is a blood sugar of 90. If I were 130, I would give myself a 1 unit correction.
The reason we are suggesting this is that there is a body of research out there that suggests blood sugars at 140 or higher cause nerve and kidney damage.
YES, exactly. Corrective bolus 2-hours post, that is the one I cut out. I said that several times LOL. Well, I won’t cut it out if my BG is over 200, but, if I can get that BG down with no insulin then that is the better choice, would you agree?
No, I would never do that. I think about it from time to time but it is not worth it.
Acidrock I think we are on the same page here. If I really need it I take it, but if I can get BG back in sync with some exercise and a lot of water then that is my drug of choice.
Lativianchik I didn’t cut out insulin. I adjusted the way I use it.
5u Lantus 5am
Bolus for breakfast
Bolus for lunch
Bolus for dinner
11u Lantus 10pm
I still take a good amount of insulin.
LOL my carbs come from veggies & fruit ONLY.
So, what now? 60g of carbs no matter where they came from is low.
Kari, they told me early on that my ISF is 1u for 40mg also. But I am not really sure that is true in my case, that is the text-book answer. Seems to take more for me. Maybe I am over-dosing.
That’s fantastic! Other things that can affect weight loss besides food are:
Sleep: we need 8-9 SOLID hours/night)
Stress: decrease/eliminate it as much as possible or find creative ways to deal with it
Alcohol
One easy way to find out is someday when you find yourself with a BG of around 200, you haven’t eaten in 3-4 hours, you haven’t injected insulin in about 3-4 hours…give yourself 1 unit. See how far it brings you down.
It could be that 60g of carbs a day is too much for you. If you’re not losing weight and keeping good BGs on that amount, you could try to reduce it, although I know that’s difficult. The salient point is that insulin doesn’t make you fat; food makes you fat, and particularly carbs. If you eat enough protein and fat, you shouldn’t be hungry. You might need to eliminate fruits, because in spite of what Dr. Kim says, they have too many sugars.
I think exercising after meals is a very good idea – many Type 2’s find it extremely effective, and a high peak that comes down promptly is not really all that dangerous, although a lower peak would be more desirable. Cutting down your carbs can flatten out the peaks and lows in addition to helping with weight loss. I would really recommend Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution to you – he’s kind of extreme, but some people need to go to that extreme.
Good luck!
I can do under 60g a day, I do that lots of times. I know food makes you fat, but insulin does too, too much insulin in the blood is stored at fat. I was told this by my diabetes educator and numerous article I read. I think my problem with insulin is that I am getting too much, that is why I was trying to cut back to lose weight. When they put me on insulin I gained 14 pounds in one month. That is insane and I wasn’t eating cakes and cookies, I was still on my low carb diet.
I have Bernstein’s books. His diet is super strict, that was in effort to cure himself, I follow his diet but not 100%.
I eat fruit but very limited because it spikes me.
All I am looking to do here is lose what I gained when they put me on insulin. I think I have a handle on it. Just wish me luck.
I do wish you luck!
I’ve been having a bit more of the luck using less insulin and gaining less weight by doing a couple of things that work for me. I don’t eat breakfast. I have never liked food first thing in the morning and it is so difficult to manage…so I just don’t. I seem to accumulate enough sugar getting from my bed to the bathroom that I require an extra 1/2 unit. I swear there is sugar in the carpet and my feet absorb it! I don’t eat in the evening. My stomach hurts if I go to bed with food on board. So I generally am eating and managing glucose and insulin levels for about 6-7 hours a day. I log all my food at calorie king and find that doing this keeps me around 1200 calories during the week and a bit more during the weekend.
Is it easy? No. Am I losing tons of weight?. No. Do I feel better? Yes Am I using less insulin? Yes. Since doing this plan I use between 10 and 15 units less a day. My numbers hover around 100 on good days and higher on bad ones. Do I have bad days when I eat ice cream out of the carton? Yes…of course. Human that I am…I love ice cream…(grin)
Thanks for your input Ressy. I too skip breakfast, some days though I do eat cause I am just too hungry not to, I guess that is equivalent to your ice cream days. :o) I agree with you, I feel lots better on less insulin, especially when I have to do a lot of walking, insulin within 3-hours of exercise makes me go hypo so the less I have the better!
Just to clarify: insulin is NOT stored as fat. It is broken down and excreted by the kidneys. Which is why diabetics with kidney failure need greatly reduced insulin doses. However, hyperinsulinemia does encourage the storage of carbs as fat. And early-stage classic Type 2’s invariably have hyperinsulinemia and struggle with weight. The concentration camps proved that with few enough calories, and enough hard physical labor, no one gets fat, but that’s not realistic in our modern world. (Thank goodness!) 
So I applaud your efforts to get more exercise, and keep your carbs low, but then there is the issue of what weight you are genetically programmed to be. You have 2 choices: exercise more and eat less carbs (extremely hard, especially when you are hungry), or accept yourself the way you are. I wish you luck whatever you choose – it’s your body, your self-image and your life and you have to do what’s right for you!
Yes, but also don’t forget that other foods besides carbs have a MASSIVE affect on weight. In fact, gram for gram, fat has more than twice the calories as carb and protein. Total calories intake vs. calorie expenditure is what is relevant. The emphasis placed on carbs makes sense for diabetics because your BG responds quickest to carbs - but all food (carb, protein, fat) will raise your BG (and put on pounds) eventually.
I think there is something to be said about limiting the TDD of insulin. I have decided to limit mine to 80 units ( which is a lot) I think at that level I will not gain weight. Loosing seems to be another story. Before insulin I managed a 85 lb loss on an CC type diet with a lot of exercise. with insulin it is harder sometimes you miscalculate the dose and need to eat to compensate. Possibly glucose pills would help as I find them yucky and would not overeat.
I think everyone is agreeing on the issue of how hard it is to lose weight when you are insulin-resistant. Simply cutting back on insulin without some other means to lower BGs is dangerous in the long run. One thing I wonder about (and I hope some Type 2’s will answer this) is, when you cut back or don’t take insulin, do your BGs simply sit at a high place, slowly come down, or continue to go up? Anthony and She Ra, you are probably both well-qualified to answer that question!
I think it’s important to talk with your doc about it – you don’t want to be penny-wise and pound foolish to borrow a somewhat far-fetched metaphor! But I certainly do think that if you can get your BGs down with exercise, it’s probably the wisest thing you can do!
Cutting back on insulin and cutting back on food @ the same time worked ok for me!
Well, since I eat an average of 900-1200 per day, the only thing I can do is cut back from 60g of carb to maybe 40 or 30? It is very difficult to do that. But I agree, there has to be more than one change, for me it is less insulin, more exercise and water, and less carbs. UGH. So far today I have had 10g of carbs. :o)
got dinner yet so I alot myself only 20 or less, I might be able to stick to the 30 for today.