Carb ratio changing?

[nab486]

Hi everyone,

I am really getting frustrated. I'm hoping some of you guys can help me figure out what is going on. I'm type 1, diagnosed almost 4 years ago (age 35) and on the pump. I guess I was type 1.5 for a while, but now I seem to be totally type 1, no help from the popped out pancreas any more. Anyway, I have done the low carb thing off and on but lately it seems that if I don't do low carb my post meal numbers are off the chart. I don't know if I am miscalculating (I try to even over estimate) but I go high after I eat, especially in the mornings. My AM carb ratio is 10/1 while the rest of the day is 15/1. This morning I was out of my usual low carb breakfast so I had two high protein waffles (33 carbs-6 gr. fiber), 1 Tbsp. peanut butter and coffee. I took 3.3 units (70/30 split over 30 min). When I checked 11/2 hrs later I was 239 (took 1.2 units), 30 min later I was 275??? I don't get it. Once I go up it is like it takes a TON of insulin to get me to come down.... what is going on????!??!?

Am I really missing the boat on the coffee?? That is the only thing I can think that is so different in the morning. I use splenda and stevia, and not that much creamer (I usually count 2-3 carbs for that)

Could my carb ratio be changing?

Any thoughts?

[JediSkipdogg]

Is ONLY your morning readings doing this? If so, there are numerous reasons. You could have something like the Dawn Phenomenon which is an unexpected increase in BG while you sleep that can go on a few hours after waking. You could also have something like me, which is a breakfast phenomenon. Simply put, my breakfast carb ratio is HUGELY different than the rest of the day. EVERY other meal of the day I have a 1:19 (1 gram per 19 carbs) but at breakfast I have a 1:6 ratio, so more than 3 times greater. That could be what you have. Also, it's not 100% for me, but maybe 90% and it depends on how long after awake I eat. Like today, I woke about an hour ago (hey, day off, let me sleep in) and haven't eaten yet and probably won't till lunch. So I'll have to get creative and pick a ratio between 1:6 and 1:19.

[Cyborg]

My carb ratios are brutal in the morning. I do try to eat low carb for breakfast because of it. My current ratio for breakfast is 1:5... I also bolus more for my coffee than the creamer indicates. Seems like coffee does affect me, although I've never drank it black to test that theory. If you eat a fair amount of protein, you can also do a combo bolus for the protein. See this thread (http://www.diabetesforums.com/pumping-insulin/12693-anybody-use-tag-when-carb-counting.html) regarding TAG carb counting. :albertein

[grace girl]

I, too have a much lower carb ratio for breakfast than any other meals. And I'm rarely where I should be two hours after breakfast, though by lunch time I'm right on target. I personally think it's dp. I initially thought it was coffee, but through a few tests and trials I've ruled it out. My bs goes wild in the mornings even if I don't eat or drink a thing.

[melissata]

My daughter has two different breakfast carb ratios. One is for early morning breakfasts and one is for weekends and days when she isn't in school. She doesn't drink coffee, but it just very insulin resistant in the am. Also, her ratios almost never stay the same for more than a few months at a time. As soon as I see a pattern of either high or lows, I change the ratio for that time of day. She is a picky eater and the few low carb things that she liked have been discontinued. Her last A1c was 5.4, but she has been as low as 4.9.

[nab486]

Hi again,

thanks everyone for the replies.... couple more questions... how do you go about setting your carb ratio? Starting today I am writing down EVERYTHING I eat and do to see if I can fine tune this thing. My Dr. set everythign when I got the pump so I am not sure how to go about exactly figuring out how much to change it.

It is mostly mornings although lately it has been harder to get good numbers (hectic schedule, less time at the gym, fighitng a cold etc.) all day.

What do you guys think about eating the same meals for a few days to get a pattern? Is that how you figure out what your rates are?

Jamie

[grace girl]

For me figuring out breakfast was simple because I tend to eat about the same things every morning. I write everything down with all meals so I can keep track of what's going on. I make adjustments by half units, watching things for a few days before adjusting again until I get where I want to be. I know most people adjust with whole numbers, but I've had some strange reactions to changes so I tend to be more careful.
Have you ever read Think Like a Pancreas, or Pumping Insulin? Both books give great information on how to fine tune everything, including carb ratios.

[melissata]

Yes, eating the same meals is a good way to do it. It looks like you need at least 1:8 ratio for that meal.

[BlueSky]

Jamie,

My breakfast carb ratio is about 1:3! Which is why I don't usually eat any carbs for breakfast. The irony of low-carbing is that it makes you more sensitive to carbs. The body adjusts to using ketones for energy and doesn't need as much glucose as it used to. So small amounts of carbs cause much bigger increase in BG and the carb ratios increase. Could this be happening to you? :hmmmm:

[Cyborg]

What do you guys think about eating the same meals for a few days to get a pattern? Is that how you figure out what your rates are?

That's exactly what I did. In fact, I ate pre-packaged meals during the testing so I knew the exact carb/protein count.

[nab486]

bluesky I wondered if that could happen!:confused: I do think that when I do low carb for a while it seems like my reaction is SO much more than it would have been..... that could be part of my delima.

Gracegirl, I am going to look for those books also, I've read Dr. Bernsteins guide but he is really LOW carb. I would like to read something more about eating carbs not just avoiding them. That diet gets old after a while.:slug: :boring:

Thanks for all the replies everyone!

[Cyborg]

Look for a book called Good Carbs, Bad Carbs :)