Recent Posts

6.7 - bedtime
5.0 - this morning

- 19.20pm - tea & QA
- 23.23pm - bedtime was done
- supper was 2 treat size biscuits

Apr 3, 2013

marke 655 posts

I think that sums it up nicely, 'we have all got to master our own particular version of it'. DAFNE gives you a set of guidelines NOT a set of rules that work in the same way for everyone. Protein is one of those areas where it is just not a simple case of X = Y, which is why it is not covered in the Course in believe. Most of the medical stuff I have read on the subject relates to the levels of insulin available and how these 'interact' with protein. However like the rest of us, I am not an expert in the theories and research I'm just a lab rat running round and round the wheel Laughing

Apr 2, 2013

HelenP 218 posts

We had this discussion at the Dafne course and followup meetings we had...it appears that some people do "count" protein but usually only in higher amounts. For example I can have one chicken drumstick and a salad (which I count as 10g CHO) but if I have two (with same amount of salad) then the BGs are higher. Similarly with scrambled eggs...one is fine but I count the second as 6-8g CHO (I also weigh the bread). If I keep the protein to <100g weight then it appears as if I am OK. I think it is a matter of testing for a couple of days and working out what is working for you. I have found that counting carbs and believing, in Dafne speak, that you can eat anything is really not very helpful as there are too many complicating issues. I have reverted to a much more regular eating pattern and I experience more success with "flatter" BGs. I believe that Dafne is great as a guideline but diabetes is a very idiosyncratic condition and we have all got to master our own particular version of it.

Apr 2, 2013

mum2westiesGill 502 posts

5.6 - bedtime
12.4 - this morning

- 18.48pm - tea & QA
- 22.59pm - bedtime was done
- supper was butter puffs 3 with cheese

Apr 2, 2013

Garry 328 posts

We all talk DAFNE ratios. DAFNE uses 10 g carbohydrate as 1 carbohydrate measure and we are all used to talking in 10 g 'lumps' of carbohydrate
So your ratios under DAFNE are:
2:1 - breakfast
1:1 - lunch
1:1 - teatime
You are able to delete unwanted ratios from the drop down boxes and create new ones when using your Online Diary.
Regards
Garry

Apr 2, 2013

marke 655 posts

Jwo can you explain why you think Protein affects blood glucose ? Some references etc, I'm not sure I agree with your statement. The reason DAFNE ( not just the UK as far as I am aware) do not
count Protein is it is a very complex area that is not straightforward. This is why I am cautious about stating it as a 'fact'.

Apr 2, 2013

JayBee 582 posts

Yes, your understanding is correct. Snacking between meals and injecting for it will skew the results; and as you recognise, things like exercise, stress, etc can also effect the results - this is why testing needs to be done at least two days in a row.

If your BI is correct, it should hold you steady; if you were not eating for example. DAFNE in the UK does not count proteins which can effect sugar levels so not eating for a max of 5 hours would deem more reliable results than eating (if you do try the non-eating option, feel free to post your results on this Experiment 1 thread: http://www.dafneonline.co.uk/forums/1/topics/2098).

What you change first purely depends on what results you're getting under the circumstances you're testing your body's response under.

Apr 1, 2013

paulj 36 posts

i wonder if you could help me with a couple of queries.

1.does novo-rapid quick acting insulin when taking have a effect on my bg readings of up to 5 hours after a meal/snack?

2if that is the case to obtain a correct ratio of food to insulin if i say had a meal at 1.00pm and took lets say a 1/1 ratio of novo-rapid and relaxed for the next five hours if my bg reading at 6.00pm was within target then i would assume that my ratio was correct?

i do realise that a lot of factors can effect the result but in principle is yhe above the correct assumption?

3. is it better to adjust your background insulin to achieve the target result or to increase/decrease your q/a insulin ratio first?

i realise that we are looking for patterns over 2/3 days and that i would only adjust one thing at a time. i would appreciate your thoughts and comments

cheers

paulj Very Happy

Apr 1, 2013

paulj 36 posts

it might be worthwhile to check how long your fast acting insulin continues to work.i.e. i am on novo rapid and as far as i know it has a effect of up to 5 hours after eating so therefore if i was doing something similar to what you were doing to get a accurate picture i wouldnt test until round about five and a half hours later after my meal/snack
cheers

paulj Very Happy

Apr 1, 2013

mum2westiesGill 502 posts

Topic: General Discussion / My 7 days Before-and-After testing

So I've done the last seven days of this
https://www.accu-chek.com/us/data-management/testing-in-pairs.html

Any comments on this would be welcomed also how do you think my mealtime ratios are?

My current ratios are:
2:10 - breakfast
1:10 - lunch
1:10 - teatime

I changed the lunchtime ratio on Tue 26/03 from 1.5:10 to 1:10 as I was getting hypos before tea.

Apr 1, 2013

mum2westiesGill 502 posts

11.7 - bedtime
4.5 - this morning

- 21.47pm - tea & QA
- 23.51pm - bedtime was done
- no supper tonight because of late pasta (spaghetti) tea

had tea later than usual, spaghetti bake (homemade) for tea

40g cho/carbs (estimated)

Insulin 4u humalog, split into two doses, first 2u before eating, remaining 2u 1 hour later

Apr 1, 2013

mum2westiesGill 502 posts

Thank you! Smile

Mar 31, 2013

landylara 14 posts

You shouldn't of corrected till dinner if you needed to as the alcohol is still in your system till then so that is why you had the hypo around dinner time.

Mar 31, 2013

mum2westiesGill 502 posts

none - bedtime
15.7 - this morning

- 19.25pm - tea & QA - sandwich 2 slices with cheese before going out drinkink 2 pints of beer and 2 spirits with diet mixer - never again!
- 23.15pm - bedtime was not done
- supper was chippy pastie and a few chips, not too many
- this mornings test was @ 08.07am then @ 11.03am (breakfasttime) BS was 14.7 so did a correction with this dose then @ 13.59pm 3.6 treated with 4 jelly babies then 15 minutes later 6.0

Mar 30, 2013

mum2westiesGill 502 posts

6.5 - bedtime
12.1 - this morning

- 18.33pm - tea & QA - before tea no hypo & 4th day of reducing lunchtime ratio from 1.5:10 to 1:10
- 23.15pm - bedtime test was done
- supper was sandwich 2 slices
- this mornings test was @ 7.22am then @ 10.38am (breakfasttime) BS was 8.0

Mar 29, 2013

mum2westiesGill 502 posts

4.8 - bedtime
2.6 - this morning

- 19.45pm - tea & QA - before tea no hypo & 3rd day of reducing lunchtime ratio from 1.5:10 to 1:10
- 23.20pm - bedtime test was done
- supper was butter puffs 3 with cheese
- after this morning's hypo and treating with 4 jelly babies 15 minutes later BS was 6.8

Mar 29, 2013

Warwick 434 posts

Pretty much. Compare your reading from right before the meal with a reading 3-4 hours afterwards (with no snacking in between the tests). They should be within 1.5 of each other. E.g, if you are 6.0 before lunch at 12, and somewhere between 4.5 and 7.5 at 3.30, then you could reasonably assume that your ratios were correct.

As well as not snacking, don't do any physical activity between the tests that you don't usually do - e.g. don't do this test on a day that you are helping a friend move house and carrying heavy boxes because physical activity does tend to drop BGLs.

Cheers,
Warwick.

Mar 28, 2013

mum2westiesGill 502 posts

My current ratios are:
2:10 - breakfast (that's 2u to every 10g carbs)
1:10 - lunchtime (1u to every 10g carbs)
1:10 - teatime

I really don't know how I came to have these ratios.

What's the best/easiest way to find your correct ratio. Is it if you are holding steady from one meal to the next?

Mar 28, 2013

mum2westiesGill 502 posts

11.0 - bedtime
10.4 - this morning

- 19.28pm - tea & QA - before tea no hypo & 2nd day of reducing lunchtime ratio from 1.5:10 to 1:10
- 22.56pm - bedtime test was done
- supper was butter puffs 3 with cheese

Mar 27, 2013

marke 655 posts

Topic: General Discussion / The Book of Getting Better - Insulin Pumps

welcome aboard gary, I didn't realise when you were asking about pumps that you have been through such an ordeal. Fortunately I have never had an experience like that, mind you I haven't been skiing since I was diagnosed Laughing

As NuMo says a number of us have got the Your Diabetes Science Experiment book , sadly I have not got past the first chapter yet, but I will one day, honest !! DAFNE is all about realising you DO have control over your Diabetes and you can live a life relatively normally, these books help with practical examples of how to understand what your body is doing just as DAFNE gives you tools to do the same thing.

Mar 27, 2013

NuMo 28 posts

Topic: General Discussion / The Book of Getting Better - Insulin Pumps

Gosh Naughty, what a horrible experience for you. How long before you get your Driving licence back do you think?

This book looks very interesting, thank you.

Before you go skiing next time, perhaps you might like to read "Your Diabetes Science Experiment" by Ginger Vieira. It covers how to cope with exercise and diabetes. Several of us are sharing our experience. Warwick has set up a thread:-

http://dafneonline.co.uk/forums/1/topics/2098

You can follow our progress

Good luck with the job

Mar 27, 2013

Naughty 1 post

Topic: General Discussion / The Book of Getting Better - Insulin Pumps

Hello.
If you are considering the insulin pump option then you should read this book asap.
It is written in an very easy format by Chuck Eichten who is himself a convert to pump therapy.
I was already ploughing through "Pumping Insulin" by John Walsh and then "The Book of Getting Better" arrived.
Suffice to say I finished reading it the same day!
It was that good I ordered a copy for my family in order that they can further understand the pumping option.
My wife is also currently reading the book as I type.
I was astonished how positive I felt following this book, especially considering how negative I was after my last meeting with my consultant at which she broached the subject of pumping.
So if you are interested in pumping, order this book today. Incidentally I think it was about Â£8 inc P&P from Amazon.
This book is without doubt the single most inspiring thing I have ever read concerning living with diabetes and as Chuck says.....
"Life with diabetes can't be perfect, make it better"
Take a chance!
Get better.
Oh by the way i have been type 1 for the last 24 years. Multiple daily injections. Relatively fit and acceptable HBA1C levels.
However I recently had a huge hypoglycemic attack at the end of a skiing holiday that left me hospitalised for almost two weeks. I have since had an MRI brain scan which was all clear but have big problems with my memory. Driving licence now lost and job up in the air. Even still this book made me feel as though I had given myself a good dose of positivity and a brighter outlook for the future.

Mar 27, 2013

mum2westiesGill 502 posts