Since being exposed to so many other Diabetics via the #DOC, I've been surprised by how carb-limited many people are.
To begin with, I'm slim and slightly underweight. Could stand to gain 10 or 15 pounds. Gaining 5 takes constant work and the first time I waver it melts away. So I don't need to limit for weight reasons.
I have a self-imposed per-meal limit of 70g of carbs. I'm pretty good at sticking to it. Sometimes I misestimate. Sometimes I intentionally blow past it. But generally, 70 is my limit and 50-60g is common. That makes my per-day carb limit about 210g. In reality, I come in closer to 170g. So that's just north of half the FDA guidelines.
The only reason for that self-imposed limit is how much harder it becomes to manage blood sugar on larger meals. 70 is hard. 90 is... harder.
But when talk turns to food, I notice people limiting themselves to 70g... a day. Less than half of my common day and fully a third of my upper limit. Some people eat 20-30 a meal. And I ask, how? I can eat a huge steak dinner, but without a couple servings with bread, I'm simply not full.
From my understanding, there isn't a maximum safe dose of insulin. So given controlled numbers, there's no downside to taking the insulin to cover the carbs. And if I need that many carbs to satisfy hunger, then I may as well dose for them.
Largely, then, I wonder two and a half things:
- Is my understanding about insulin wrong? Do I need to use less? Presently I use about 45U on a good day, up to mid-50s when battling highs.
- How do you stay satisfied with so few carbs? Do you adapt? Did you never want them?
- And last, how do you deal with lows, especially when so carb-limited? If it takes 20g to produce a rebound, and you only get 30g for a meal, then you're looking at salad. Right?
Generally what I'm doing is working. But seeing so many people, with so similar a regiment, that is so different than mine, leads to second-guessing my plan.
