Recent Posts - DAFNE Online

Aug 7, 2015

Warwick 425 posts

Unfortunately everyone is different, and what works for me may or may not work for you. Prior to low carb, I'd have a couple of Weetbix with milk prior to a half ironman, but before the last one I didn't have anything at all except water to ensure I was not going to dehydrate. That was after a period of acclimatisation though. When keto-adapted, you don't need to fuel up as you do when you are used to when on a high-carb diet. The body can store 2000 KCal from carbs which can be used up quickly during a long event hence the need for constant replenishment. The body can store 40,000 KCal using fat, so there is far less need to fuel up when keto-adapted.

I did a half marathon the weekend before last, and had scrambled eggs prior to the event and had no issues during the event. It was my 42nd half marathon though, so my stomach got used to shutting up about discomfort a while ago :-)

It is very common for insulin needs to increase initially over the first few weeks. Most people trying this do experience that. I don't know the science behind it, I just know that it happens and that it does settle down after a few weeks.

I find that when I eat a low carb meal that has protein in it, I have to bolus for the protein. Other T1Ds have no such trouble, again it is all individual. If your body is used to using carbs as fuel and you suddenly limit the amount of carb you are eating, then if your body can make carbs from protein (and it can), then it probably will.

Oh, and if you start getting headaches, read the section of the book about broth. It is VERY common to get headaches in the transition period but very easily treated.

Aug 7, 2015

Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Low Carb

Warwick,

I went for a 10+ hour bike ride last weekend on no carbs, had spinach and cheese omelette for breakfast, cooked in butter for fat content. After 2 to 3 hours this didn't sit very well, felt sooo sick.

I have since read that eggs on a low carb diet are not the best idea before alot of exercise, what do you eat prior to ironman training?

I have also found going low carb this week that for some strange reason my BGs have risen and I seem to be injecting quite alot of QA for nuts and salad, is this just me needing some QA anyway, is this normally included in my carb QA? Did you notice anything similar?

Phil

Aug 7, 2015

HelenH 9 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / High BG's after fracture

Thanks all,
Starting to get back on track; think it was a combination of everything! I have increased my qa:carb ratios & that seems to be working. Also now getting a bit more mobile - injuries other than the fracture have made crutches very difficult!

Aug 5, 2015

Warwick 425 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Beans and lentils

I experimented with doing two half doses, 3 hours apart which worked better than a single dose of the full amount which led to hypos. I am also experimenting with a slower-acting insulin (not basal and not QA) which has an action time of about 6-8 hours but the jury is still out on that.

Aug 4, 2015

Pippa Mc 4 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Beans and lentils

Hello,

I have a similar query related to butter beans - I had them in quesadillas mashed up and didn't account for these, as per DAFNE guidelines.. I just accounted for the tortillas. However at nighttime my BG was sky high.. whilst I haven't been very well so my BG readings have been slightly high I don't think that it would account for this.

I suspect that mashing these up has impacted upon the way they are digested - has anyone else experienced this? I am thinking of trying half insulin dosage, unless anyone else has any ideas that have worked for them.

Thanks,

Aug 3, 2015

michaelj 45 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / High BG's after fracture

Broke my foot on 1st July and my BS were all over the place for 2 days. Now moving around on crutches and thanks to the extra effort to get anywhere, bloods have more or less gone back to normal. Stick with it, it'll come right in the end. The body does all sorts of weird things in times of stress.

Jul 31, 2015

Whyters 2 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Needle Bins

I live in Maidstone Kent and I order a sharps box on my repeat prescription and then call the council to pick up my full one the council store my details of where to find them if I am out I just give address and they usually collect from my front porch normally on a Tuesday morning I usually call when I have 4 of the 1 ltr boxes this is my choice as I feel collecting one is wasting the council time and money never had any issues with this superb service.

Jul 31, 2015

Warwick 425 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Low Carb

My basal insulin needs went from 10 in the morning and 16 at night to two doses of 6 each. There were a few hypos involved. Just test more often and gradually lower basal. You'll find a sweet spot, but your risk of hypos will increase a bit.

Fat has twice the energy of carbs, so you probably don't need to worry about weight loss too much. I lost a bit of weight, but I weighed more than I did at diagnosis so I was quite happy with that. You don't need a lot of extra fat in the diet to maintain your weight. Go for the healthy fats like avocados and olives, but you don't need very much.

I don't tell other people what I am doing unless they notice. It is difficult eating out (especially as I am vegetarian too), but assuming you eat meat, if you order a steak, or salmon steak etc with a side salad then that will be low carb and higher fat. I need to eat out at a pub next week and looking at the menu, I'm going to be ordering a side salad and the cheese board. :-) Also, just because you are served carbs at a restaurant doesn't mean you have to eat them. Eating out with some other diabetics who are practicing LCHF, we were served quiche in pastry. We just ate the quiche part, without eating the pastry, and bundled the pastry into napkins for a bin on the way home.

The transition will be trial and error with insulin needs, but once you are there, it will be much easier on your long bike rides.

Jul 31, 2015

Pippa Mc 4 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Greenwheat Freekeh

Just been doing a little googling and found below - working on this logic would it be fair to consider that I should consider halving insulin - might give this a go and see how I get on..

"Low carb" food. Resistant starch plus high in fiber (up to 16.5% fiber). Available carbs are about 45 units / 100.

Jul 31, 2015

Pippa Mc 4 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Greenwheat Freekeh

Hello,

I am looking for some advice in relation to Greenwheat Freekeh.

Nutritional information suggests that 100g of the stuff equates to 6-6.5 CP - however as a low GI food I'm not sure what to do with it - I can't find anything specifically related to this grain..

Any help greatly appreciated - lunch is calling!

Thanks,

Pippa

Jul 31, 2015

Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Low Carb

Warwick,

Quick question, like I said above I often go out on 5+ hour rides (sometime 15+), while trying to become fat adapted how did you deal with low BG? For the interim did you cut insulin to allow BG to run higher? I like the idea of not needing so many gels in my pockets, but until I am fat adapted do I ease off the exercise?

With all the exercise I do I am also on the low end of my ideal weight, being fat adapted, will this cause more weight loss? I just want to stay the same weight... What did you notice?

How do you deal with the stigma from family/friends? What do you order when eating out?

Sorry for all the questions, nice to find a diabetic that's actually done it.

Thanks,

Phil

Jul 31, 2015

Warwick 425 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / High BG's after fracture

Stress hormones getting released at the time of the break can also increase BGLs until they stop being produced.

And if you need a cortisone injection, then that will likely increase them too.

Jul 31, 2015

Warwick 425 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Low Carb

Everyone is different. Some get "Keto flu" while adapting. I didn't. In fact, my body responded really positively to it and I very quickly felt much better than I do when chomping on lots of carbs. It will all be a case of try it and see :-)

Jul 30, 2015

Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Low Carb

Warwick, cheers for the info, just bought the kindle version.

I like the fact you say after only 1 month you did a half ironman on cheese and olives Very Happy

I am impatient and most things I have read say it can take 6 months to a year to become fat adapted...

Jul 29, 2015

AMcD 38 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / High BG's after fracture

Would it be possible that

A) the lack of mobility and not burning off glucose naturally is resulting in the higher BG levels? Would you normally be on target and more mobile?

B) taking small snacks now that your laid up without qa dose

An infection may cause raised BG levels but assume this is not the case.

Hope you get back on track soon.

Andy

Jul 29, 2015

Warwick 425 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Night time Hypo - Depression!

Depending on how low I go, I can feel really rubbish after a night time hypo. I thought I had excellent hypo awareness, but having had a CGM on for the last 6 weeks, I'm totally shocked at how many hypos I am having without symptoms. I think I've just recently lost my symptoms, so I'll have to raise my target BGs for 6 weeks to try and get them back. Yuck. Not looking forward to that. I hate being high.

Jul 29, 2015

Warwick 425 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Low Carb

I strongly recommend reading "The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living" by Stephen D. Phinney and Jeff S. Volek. Both authors are medical doctors who have been practicing a LCHF diet for decades and covers what kind of fats to go for, and which to avoid, as well as common pitfalls. I wouldn't recommend trying this diet without reading it first.

Another book which covers similar material is Dr Bernstein's Complete Diabetes Solution which is also excellent.

I like to take part in triathlon, especially half ironman distance events. Usually, I'll take around 200-300 grams of carb during one (mainly sports drinks and gels), After being on LCHF for a month, I completed one with my only fuel being cheese, olives and a carb-less drink containing electrolytes (called NUUN). Usually I die during the run, but I felt fantastic at the end and my time for the run was only about 4 minutes slower than my usual time for a half marathon when I don't do the swim and cycle, and about 25 minutes faster than my usual run time. I calculated the number of carbs that I had prior to and during the half ironman, and it was less than 5g.

BGs are much easier to control too because less carbs = less required insulin, so less room for errors in estimation.

I don't think that LCHF is for everyone and if a high carb diet is working, then I'd suggest sticking with that, but if it isn't working then this is definitely worth trying. High carb doesn't work for me. I just can't stop eating carbs once I start with the resulting peaks and troughs in BGs, but a low carb, high fat diet makes it much easier to control my urges to snack and my BG graphs on my continuous glucose monitor are just gentle rises and falls - very different to when I am on high carb. It is important to increase fat while lowering carbs or you'll run out of fuel. I'd prefer to not say much more as it is an enormous subject and the books above are much better at explaining than I am.

Jul 29, 2015

Warwick 425 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Needle Bins

Here in Melbourne, Australia, the council provides sharp bins and a drop shute when they are filled. In New Zealand, I was told by my Diabetic Educator to put them in a plastic bottle, put a lid on when full and gaffer tape the lid closed.

Jul 28, 2015

Colin McC 15 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Needle Bins

I recently moved home & got in touch with my local Council (Gravesham, Kent). They do a drop-off pick-up service wit 500ml, 1 litre & 5 litre bins. 24 hours after I made contact they dropped of the Sharps bin. Don't know how true it is but I was told that GP's are not allowed to take them (?).

Jul 28, 2015

Colin McC 15 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Half unit pens

Received a back-up HumaPen Luxura HD Lilly pen, on prescription from my Diabetic doctor at my GP today.. So if you are insulin sensitive & want a HD pen try your GP, worked for me. By the by they cost @ Â£40+ (excl VAT).

Jul 27, 2015

marke 686 posts

Topic: General Discussion / JDRF Fund raisers

All we have been requested to promote a couple of upcoming Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) events on the site, so here they are. Please click on the links for more information

Ain't No Mountain High Enough Challenge - The link for the event is here - https://www.jdrf.org.uk/get-involved/join-in-an-event/treks/aint-no-mountain-high-enough and the deadline for people to sign up is the end of this week.

One Walk - The link for the event is here - https://www.jdrf.org.uk/get-involved/join-in-an-event/walks/one-walk-london-bridges and the deadline for people to sign up is the end of September.

Aug 7, 2015 Warwick 425 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Low Carb Unfortunately everyone is different, and what works for me may or may not work for you. Prior to low carb, I'd have a couple of Weetbix with milk prior to a half ironman, but before the last one I didn't have anything at all except water to ensure I was not going to dehydrate. That was after a period of acclimatisation though. When keto-adapted, you don't need to fuel up as you do when you are used to when on a high-carb diet. The body can store 2000 KCal from carbs which can be used up quickly during a long event hence the need for constant replenishment. The body can store 40,000 KCal using fat, so there is far less need to fuel up when keto-adapted. I did a half marathon the weekend before last, and had scrambled eggs prior to the event and had no issues during the event. It was my 42nd half marathon though, so my stomach got used to shutting up about discomfort a while ago :-) It is very common for insulin needs to increase initially over the first few weeks. Most people trying this do experience that. I don't know the science behind it, I just know that it happens and that it does settle down after a few weeks. I find that when I eat a low carb meal that has protein in it, I have to bolus for the protein. Other T1Ds have no such trouble, again it is all individual. If your body is used to using carbs as fuel and you suddenly limit the amount of carb you are eating, then if your body can make carbs from protein (and it can), then it probably will. Oh, and if you start getting headaches, read the section of the book about broth. It is VERY common to get headaches in the transition period but very easily treated.

Aug 7, 2015 Phil Maskell 194 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Low Carb Warwick, I went for a 10+ hour bike ride last weekend on no carbs, had spinach and cheese omelette for breakfast, cooked in butter for fat content. After 2 to 3 hours this didn't sit very well, felt sooo sick. I have since read that eggs on a low carb diet are not the best idea before alot of exercise, what do you eat prior to ironman training? I have also found going low carb this week that for some strange reason my BGs have risen and I seem to be injecting quite alot of QA for nuts and salad, is this just me needing some QA anyway, is this normally included in my carb QA? Did you notice anything similar? Phil

Aug 7, 2015 HelenH 9 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / High BG's after fracture Thanks all, Starting to get back on track; think it was a combination of everything! I have increased my qa:carb ratios & that seems to be working. Also now getting a bit more mobile - injuries other than the fracture have made crutches very difficult!

Aug 5, 2015 Warwick 425 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Beans and lentils I experimented with doing two half doses, 3 hours apart which worked better than a single dose of the full amount which led to hypos. I am also experimenting with a slower-acting insulin (not basal and not QA) which has an action time of about 6-8 hours but the jury is still out on that.

Aug 4, 2015 Pippa Mc 4 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Beans and lentils Hello, I have a similar query related to butter beans - I had them in quesadillas mashed up and didn't account for these, as per DAFNE guidelines.. I just accounted for the tortillas. However at nighttime my BG was sky high.. whilst I haven't been very well so my BG readings have been slightly high I don't think that it would account for this. I suspect that mashing these up has impacted upon the way they are digested - has anyone else experienced this? I am thinking of trying half insulin dosage, unless anyone else has any ideas that have worked for them. Thanks,

Aug 3, 2015 michaelj 45 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / High BG's after fracture Broke my foot on 1st July and my BS were all over the place for 2 days. Now moving around on crutches and thanks to the extra effort to get anywhere, bloods have more or less gone back to normal. Stick with it, it'll come right in the end. The body does all sorts of weird things in times of stress.

Jul 31, 2015 Whyters 2 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Needle Bins I live in Maidstone Kent and I order a sharps box on my repeat prescription and then call the council to pick up my full one the council store my details of where to find them if I am out I just give address and they usually collect from my front porch normally on a Tuesday morning I usually call when I have 4 of the 1 ltr boxes this is my choice as I feel collecting one is wasting the council time and money never had any issues with this superb service.

Jul 31, 2015 Warwick 425 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Low Carb My basal insulin needs went from 10 in the morning and 16 at night to two doses of 6 each. There were a few hypos involved. Just test more often and gradually lower basal. You'll find a sweet spot, but your risk of hypos will increase a bit. Fat has twice the energy of carbs, so you probably don't need to worry about weight loss too much. I lost a bit of weight, but I weighed more than I did at diagnosis so I was quite happy with that. You don't need a lot of extra fat in the diet to maintain your weight. Go for the healthy fats like avocados and olives, but you don't need very much. I don't tell other people what I am doing unless they notice. It is difficult eating out (especially as I am vegetarian too), but assuming you eat meat, if you order a steak, or salmon steak etc with a side salad then that will be low carb and higher fat. I need to eat out at a pub next week and looking at the menu, I'm going to be ordering a side salad and the cheese board. :-) Also, just because you are served carbs at a restaurant doesn't mean you have to eat them. Eating out with some other diabetics who are practicing LCHF, we were served quiche in pastry. We just ate the quiche part, without eating the pastry, and bundled the pastry into napkins for a bin on the way home. The transition will be trial and error with insulin needs, but once you are there, it will be much easier on your long bike rides.

Jul 31, 2015 Pippa Mc 4 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Greenwheat Freekeh Just been doing a little googling and found below - working on this logic would it be fair to consider that I should consider halving insulin - might give this a go and see how I get on.. "Low carb" food. Resistant starch plus high in fiber (up to 16.5% fiber). Available carbs are about 45 units / 100.

Jul 31, 2015 Pippa Mc 4 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Greenwheat Freekeh Hello, I am looking for some advice in relation to Greenwheat Freekeh. Nutritional information suggests that 100g of the stuff equates to 6-6.5 CP - however as a low GI food I'm not sure what to do with it - I can't find anything specifically related to this grain.. Any help greatly appreciated - lunch is calling! Thanks, Pippa

Jul 31, 2015 Phil Maskell 194 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Low Carb Warwick, Quick question, like I said above I often go out on 5+ hour rides (sometime 15+), while trying to become fat adapted how did you deal with low BG? For the interim did you cut insulin to allow BG to run higher? I like the idea of not needing so many gels in my pockets, but until I am fat adapted do I ease off the exercise? With all the exercise I do I am also on the low end of my ideal weight, being fat adapted, will this cause more weight loss? I just want to stay the same weight... What did you notice? How do you deal with the stigma from family/friends? What do you order when eating out? Sorry for all the questions, nice to find a diabetic that's actually done it. Thanks, Phil

Jul 31, 2015 Warwick 425 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / High BG's after fracture Stress hormones getting released at the time of the break can also increase BGLs until they stop being produced. And if you need a cortisone injection, then that will likely increase them too.

Jul 31, 2015 Warwick 425 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Low Carb Everyone is different. Some get "Keto flu" while adapting. I didn't. In fact, my body responded really positively to it and I very quickly felt much better than I do when chomping on lots of carbs. It will all be a case of try it and see :-)

Jul 30, 2015 Phil Maskell 194 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Low Carb Warwick, cheers for the info, just bought the kindle version. I like the fact you say after only 1 month you did a half ironman on cheese and olives I am impatient and most things I have read say it can take 6 months to a year to become fat adapted...

Jul 29, 2015 AMcD 38 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / High BG's after fracture Would it be possible that A) the lack of mobility and not burning off glucose naturally is resulting in the higher BG levels? Would you normally be on target and more mobile? B) taking small snacks now that your laid up without qa dose An infection may cause raised BG levels but assume this is not the case. Hope you get back on track soon. Andy

Jul 29, 2015 Warwick 425 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Night time Hypo - Depression! Depending on how low I go, I can feel really rubbish after a night time hypo. I thought I had excellent hypo awareness, but having had a CGM on for the last 6 weeks, I'm totally shocked at how many hypos I am having without symptoms. I think I've just recently lost my symptoms, so I'll have to raise my target BGs for 6 weeks to try and get them back. Yuck. Not looking forward to that. I hate being high.

Jul 29, 2015 Warwick 425 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Low Carb I strongly recommend reading "The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living" by Stephen D. Phinney and Jeff S. Volek. Both authors are medical doctors who have been practicing a LCHF diet for decades and covers what kind of fats to go for, and which to avoid, as well as common pitfalls. I wouldn't recommend trying this diet without reading it first. Another book which covers similar material is Dr Bernstein's Complete Diabetes Solution which is also excellent. I like to take part in triathlon, especially half ironman distance events. Usually, I'll take around 200-300 grams of carb during one (mainly sports drinks and gels), After being on LCHF for a month, I completed one with my only fuel being cheese, olives and a carb-less drink containing electrolytes (called NUUN). Usually I die during the run, but I felt fantastic at the end and my time for the run was only about 4 minutes slower than my usual time for a half marathon when I don't do the swim and cycle, and about 25 minutes faster than my usual run time. I calculated the number of carbs that I had prior to and during the half ironman, and it was less than 5g. BGs are much easier to control too because less carbs = less required insulin, so less room for errors in estimation. I don't think that LCHF is for everyone and if a high carb diet is working, then I'd suggest sticking with that, but if it isn't working then this is definitely worth trying. High carb doesn't work for me. I just can't stop eating carbs once I start with the resulting peaks and troughs in BGs, but a low carb, high fat diet makes it much easier to control my urges to snack and my BG graphs on my continuous glucose monitor are just gentle rises and falls - very different to when I am on high carb. It is important to increase fat while lowering carbs or you'll run out of fuel. I'd prefer to not say much more as it is an enormous subject and the books above are much better at explaining than I am.

Jul 29, 2015 Warwick 425 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Needle Bins Here in Melbourne, Australia, the council provides sharp bins and a drop shute when they are filled. In New Zealand, I was told by my Diabetic Educator to put them in a plastic bottle, put a lid on when full and gaffer tape the lid closed.

Jul 28, 2015 Colin McC 15 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Needle Bins I recently moved home & got in touch with my local Council (Gravesham, Kent). They do a drop-off pick-up service wit 500ml, 1 litre & 5 litre bins. 24 hours after I made contact they dropped of the Sharps bin. Don't know how true it is but I was told that GP's are not allowed to take them (?).

Jul 28, 2015 Colin McC 15 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Half unit pens Received a back-up HumaPen Luxura HD Lilly pen, on prescription from my Diabetic doctor at my GP today.. So if you are insulin sensitive & want a HD pen try your GP, worked for me. By the by they cost @ Â£40+ (excl VAT).

Jul 27, 2015 marke 686 posts	Topic: General Discussion / JDRF Fund raisers All we have been requested to promote a couple of upcoming Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) events on the site, so here they are. Please click on the links for more information Ain't No Mountain High Enough Challenge - The link for the event is here - https://www.jdrf.org.uk/get-involved/join-in-an-event/treks/aint-no-mountain-high-enough and the deadline for people to sign up is the end of this week. One Walk - The link for the event is here - https://www.jdrf.org.uk/get-involved/join-in-an-event/walks/one-walk-london-bridges and the deadline for people to sign up is the end of September.