Dosing for fruit - DAFNE Online

December 15, 2013 18:18

Gari DAFNE Graduate
University Hospital, Lewisham 17 posts

Hi everyone. I know we are told to dose for fruit but does anyone else find that they do not need to count for some fruit. I have banana and apple for lunch most days. And the other foods I eat I know I am counting my carbs correctly yet I still on occasions seem to get hypos after 2 or 3 hours. I wondered if I burn up the fruit fairly quickly do I need to dose fully for it. Any suggestions. Thanks

December 15, 2013 21:21

youone DAFNE Graduate
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 102 posts

Gari said:
Hi everyone. I know we are told to dose for fruit but does anyone else find that they do not need to count for some fruit. I have banana and apple for lunch most days. And the other foods I eat I know I am counting my carbs correctly yet I still on occasions seem to get hypos after 2 or 3 hours. I wondered if I burn up the fruit fairly quickly do I need to dose fully for it. Any suggestions. Thanks

Hi gari
I can't answer your question on fruit, myself and many type 1 don't use or reduce their midway bolus.
Try and not take any bolus with your lunch see if your BG is high after the cooling off period.
Many foods affect the break down of carbs, nuts is a good one almonds in some type 1 level out your BG levels so you don't peak high
I'm not one of these people that's because where all different
If you try and not use bolus at lunch I can eat up to 3 CP's without taking bolus
Just test after 2 hours see which direction your going or if its staying at the same BG level before you had something to eat.
If after 4 hours your OK you know you need a lot less at lunch
Type1 42 yrs MDI
3 months pod

December 16, 2013 20:23

meltow DAFNE Graduate
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust 78 posts

I only have fruit for lunch - 1 banana, 2 satsumas and either a pear or an apple. So depending on if its an apple or pear I count 4CP or 4.5CP. My ratio is 1.5 : 1, so for these CPs would take either 6 or 7 units. Now I have a fairly active job, so on the days I'm out working I tend to knock off 1 unit, and take either 5 or 6 units. This works better for me, rather than reducing the ratio to 1 : 1, when I would get home from work and be above the optimum count.
If I stick to this I'm usually where I need to be come tea-time Smile

December 26, 2013 08:52

Warwick DAFNE Graduate
Diabetes Australia-Vic, Melbourne, Victoria 423 posts

I find with apples and pears, then if I dose correctly for them, I will hypo, but then get pretty high afterwards. For me, the sugar released from these seem to be fairly slow release.

I've had success with taking a half dose before eating, and taking the rest of the dose 2-3 hours later. This seems to stop the hypo as well as the high later on.

All the best with it.

Warwick.

January 01, 2014 16:01

Plumcious
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals 11 posts

Hi
I hope this helps...
I always have about 2 units for a banana depending on how large or small it is (1:1 ratio) and almost always have insulin for a pear unless it's pretty hard and not sweet, but with raw apples I don't always have any insulin. This works for me. I think I would have less insulin with a banana that was bordering on being green, pretty hard and not sweet; mind you spelling it out like that makes me wonder why I would eat one!! Laughing I haven't experimented with very sweet softish bananas as I think (imagine) the difference between a fairly ripe and a very ripe one would be too little to accurately judge how much to have.
Grapes appear to send my blood sugar sky high and my New Year's resolution is to be more disciplined around them.
Best wishes; it'd be good to know if you do make changes and how you get on.

December 15, 2013 18:18 Gari DAFNE Graduate University Hospital, Lewisham 17 posts	Hi everyone. I know we are told to dose for fruit but does anyone else find that they do not need to count for some fruit. I have banana and apple for lunch most days. And the other foods I eat I know I am counting my carbs correctly yet I still on occasions seem to get hypos after 2 or 3 hours. I wondered if I burn up the fruit fairly quickly do I need to dose fully for it. Any suggestions. Thanks
December 15, 2013 21:21 youone DAFNE Graduate Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 102 posts	Gari said: Hi everyone. I know we are told to dose for fruit but does anyone else find that they do not need to count for some fruit. I have banana and apple for lunch most days. And the other foods I eat I know I am counting my carbs correctly yet I still on occasions seem to get hypos after 2 or 3 hours. I wondered if I burn up the fruit fairly quickly do I need to dose fully for it. Any suggestions. Thanks Hi gari I can't answer your question on fruit, myself and many type 1 don't use or reduce their midway bolus. Try and not take any bolus with your lunch see if your BG is high after the cooling off period. Many foods affect the break down of carbs, nuts is a good one almonds in some type 1 level out your BG levels so you don't peak high I'm not one of these people that's because where all different If you try and not use bolus at lunch I can eat up to 3 CP's without taking bolus Just test after 2 hours see which direction your going or if its staying at the same BG level before you had something to eat. If after 4 hours your OK you know you need a lot less at lunch Type1 42 yrs MDI 3 months pod
December 16, 2013 20:23 meltow DAFNE Graduate Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust 78 posts	I only have fruit for lunch - 1 banana, 2 satsumas and either a pear or an apple. So depending on if its an apple or pear I count 4CP or 4.5CP. My ratio is 1.5 : 1, so for these CPs would take either 6 or 7 units. Now I have a fairly active job, so on the days I'm out working I tend to knock off 1 unit, and take either 5 or 6 units. This works better for me, rather than reducing the ratio to 1 : 1, when I would get home from work and be above the optimum count. If I stick to this I'm usually where I need to be come tea-time
December 26, 2013 08:52 Warwick DAFNE Graduate Diabetes Australia-Vic, Melbourne, Victoria 423 posts	I find with apples and pears, then if I dose correctly for them, I will hypo, but then get pretty high afterwards. For me, the sugar released from these seem to be fairly slow release. I've had success with taking a half dose before eating, and taking the rest of the dose 2-3 hours later. This seems to stop the hypo as well as the high later on. All the best with it. Warwick.
January 01, 2014 16:01 Plumcious Sheffield Teaching Hospitals 11 posts	Hi I hope this helps... I always have about 2 units for a banana depending on how large or small it is (1:1 ratio) and almost always have insulin for a pear unless it's pretty hard and not sweet, but with raw apples I don't always have any insulin. This works for me. I think I would have less insulin with a banana that was bordering on being green, pretty hard and not sweet; mind you spelling it out like that makes me wonder why I would eat one!! I haven't experimented with very sweet softish bananas as I think (imagine) the difference between a fairly ripe and a very ripe one would be too little to accurately judge how much to have. Grapes appear to send my blood sugar sky high and my New Year's resolution is to be more disciplined around them. Best wishes; it'd be good to know if you do make changes and how you get on.