Diabetes/Insulin question

[Bahumat]

This is more a question for a Diabetic Dr (who I am seeing Friday hopefully), however seeing as I'm so impatient...

I keep reading about the 500 rule, however it does not 'add up'. In the example the total daily insulin ranges from 18-23. Mine currently is about 36 units of Novorapid total daily, or 12 units per meal. If it's a larger meal I have more obviously. So 500/36 = 14 (lets round up). That means for every 14 carbohydrates, I require 1 unit of Novorapid.

Let's say a meal consists of 50 carbohydrates. That means I should have 3.x units to cover the meal? If that's the case, why do I need roughly 12 to avoid having a spiked sugar level...that's 4 times more than the equation so surely I should be crashing all over the place?

@old.Tohtori tagged as you're Diabetic and may have an idea

Spoiler

500 Rule

Divide 500 by the total daily dose of insulin. The answer will show the number of grams of carbohydrate that are approximately covered by 1 unit of insulin. NOTE: This rule doesn’t apply to type 2 patients because most type 2 patients produce insulin naturally and therefore, a reliable daily total cannot be calculated.

My daily insulin totals range from 18-23.

500/18 = 27.7 grams of carbohydrate per unit of insulin (fast-acting only such as Novorapid)

and

500/23, the answer is 21 grams of carbohydrate per unit of insulin (fast-acting only such as Novorapid)

 

[old.Tohtori]

I don't really follow those kind of rules. I take my long lasting insulin noon/midnight, then grab some fast acting if i know i'm eating more/need it.

With insulin just follow your doctors recommendations and use common sense rest of the time. If you're eating a whole cake, might be useful to take more fast acting.

To me it sounds that your insulin doses might be out of date as they change according to weight etc.

That 500 rule doesn't work on that principle alone

 

[Job]

Diabetes was invented by the makers of diet coke...whoever they may be.

 

[ECA]

There's a reason it used to be called Sugar Diabetes.

 

[leggy]

If you're eating a whole cake...

... you're a silly cunt.

 

[old.Tohtori]

There's a reason it used to be called Sugar Diabetes.

Yeah, wrong information. Sugar has nothing to do with it.

You count carbs(not like those dieting f*ckers) and you keep your blood glucose in check. Sugar in itself is just another food substance.

 

[aleinzzs]

Well I am a type one diabetic and I use an insulin pump. From what I can tell you are not I could be wrong though its been a long day for me.

Anyways with the pump I have a basal rate that would help cover blood sugar spikes over the hours between meals.

So just as a guess here, you're taking more insulin to help with the blood sugar spikes that long lasting carbs could give you later after the meal.

But it's just a guess. Keep me updated and if you have other questions please let me know.

Btw I just add insulin for when I eat. Ask about getting a pump. It's a real life changer. Assuming I'm correct thinking you're type 1

 

[Job]

Diabetes was invented by the makers of diet coke...whoever they may be.

Obviously a joke but I do believe there is a very real conspiracy between drug companies and health officials gradually lowering the cut off point for type 2 diabetes and therefore selling a shit load of drugs at silly profits while constantly bombarding the media with scare stories about a condition that was regarded as normal 30 years ago.

 

[Chilly]

Lol. Diabetes will kill you, you fool.

 

[Job]

Yes, if it's low, but rarely if it's high.
Type 1 and 2 are the same thing, it should really be just mild diabetes and acute diabetes.
My mother is borderline type 2 and has a blood tester, she has become obsessed with her sugar levels, she frets if it's 10.
I'm like if you tested half the population after a meal they would be in double figures, that's why they talk of a diabetes epidemic.
I put it in the same boat as autism/adhd/dyslexia epeidemics.

 

[Bahumat]

Job are you crazy? Whether you're higher or lower still has implications which quite frankly are more to worry about than passing out in your sleep and not waking up. Blindness, amputations etc are far worse (imo).
Regardless of that you're at a higher risk of other things regardless of control.

Well I am a type one diabetic and I use an insulin pump. From what I can tell you are not I could be wrong though its been a long day for me.

Anyways with the pump I have a basal rate that would help cover blood sugar spikes over the hours between meals.

So just as a guess here, you're taking more insulin to help with the blood sugar spikes that long lasting carbs could give you later after the meal.

But it's just a guess. Keep me updated and if you have other questions please let me know.

Btw I just add insulin for when I eat. Ask about getting a pump. It's a real life changer. Assuming I'm correct thinking you're type 1

@aleinzzs
I'm also type one on Basal Bolus Levemir/Novorapid.
Unfortunately your guess is incorrect. I eat meals and inject accordingly. There is no sugar spike. I was just concerned as people online are saying "oh I have dinner than then 3 units of Novorapid", however I have 12 units. I am confused as to why I require so much more. If I ate something like a roast dinner or pizza (high carb meal) I have about 18 units. It just seems odd that I require so much more.

The units I require can't be 'wrong' otherwise I would severely crash all the time. I hope that puts my query into perspective?

I don't think I would like the idea of the pump.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Type 1 and 2 are the same thing, it should really be just mild diabetes and acute diabetes.

Wrong in so many levels

I wouldn't use a pump, i prefer the freedom of "needles"(not really that anymore). Otherwise like said @Bahumat , it depends on the person. That's why i hate these "one glove fits all" people who think they know what works for all and with that might ruin someones life.

 

[Bahumat]

Wrong in so many levels

I wouldn't use a pump, i prefer the freedom of "needles"(not really that anymore). Otherwise like said @Bahumat , it depends on the person. That's why i hate these "one glove fits all" people who think they know what works for all and with that might ruin someones life.

Yeah it's like when you see the diabetic dr and it's some fresh faced guy out of uni who can't think outside of the box.

Got an appointment tomorrow so will bombard them with questions haha!

Thanks again guys

 

[aleinzzs]

Job are you crazy? Whether you're higher or lower still has implications which quite frankly are more to worry about than passing out in your sleep and not waking up. Blindness, amputations etc are far worse (imo).
Regardless of that you're at a higher risk of other things regardless of control.




@aleinzzs
I'm also type one on Basal Bolus Levemir/Novorapid.
Unfortunately your guess is incorrect. I eat meals and inject accordingly. There is no sugar spike. I was just concerned as people online are saying "oh I have dinner than then 3 units of Novorapid", however I have 12 units. I am confused as to why I require so much more. If I ate something like a roast dinner or pizza (high carb meal) I have about 18 units. It just seems odd that I require so much more.

The units I require can't be 'wrong' otherwise I would severely crash all the time. I hope that puts my query into perspective?

I don't think I would like the idea of the pump.

Oh It looks like your ratio for carbs per unit is just different.

My ratio is every 5 carbs is 1 unit of insulin I use Humalog.

 

[Aph3x]

... you're a silly cunt.

Surely that's fat cunt