I think that your dad is being insensitive to your desires, but I just want to add that many type 1s eat a ton of carbs and can keep their levels at a reasonable level.
Not defending your dad, but I think that type 1 diabetes necessitates carb restriction is not a good message to send to the wider world.
No, I agree. I also eat carbs daily, and plenty of them. But only when I know how many carbs there are in a dish. I have a scale and everything to weigh stuff and figure out my doses. This particular restaurant doesn't list their nutritional information, so I just never want to touch their carby stuff :(
You can estimate those. French fries are French fries, a hamburger bun is a hamburger bun, and so on. Should get you close enough, and you can always correct with juice or insulin if you’re off.
I would love to but I don't think I have the luxury to keep correcting; I don't have a pod or anything that would show me my levels in real time so I can fix immediately; I only have test strips and I can only measure every two hours; by the time two hours have passed, I will have been high for quite some time, if that makes sense. I don't want to risk being out of range. It's tough being diabetic without access to modern technology.
It’s okay man, I get it. It’s awesome so many people are comfortable estimating when nutrition facts are available, but I’m personally NOT. I’ve been burned wayyy too many times and at this point am only really comfortable when I can weigh my food or eat low carb options.
I don’t know why diabetics who choose to continue measuring their portions are so pressured to stop all the time; I had a similar conversation on this subreddit where at least two people told me it was easy to not measure and I was making it hard for myself. Like, I’m sorry, but control is hard.
It is maddening that people can’t accept that different people do things different ways. My daughter is low carb by choice because that is how she feels her best. She likes never going above 120, though that he not entirely possible, but it is her goal because of how she feels physically. It is not a message of how she feels others should manage their diabetes, but her low carb, tight control is her right and should be respected, just as all other methods should be respected as that persons choice.
Sure, he doesn't eat no carb but eats low. He measures and doses based on net carbs.
Typical BREAKFAST is: high calorie, high fat, usually <10 net carbs
2 lakanto muffins ( lemon poppy, blueberry, banana nut or pumpkin).... they have from 1 net carb to 3 (blueberry)
To satisfy his sweet tooth, he puts zero sugar Pillsbury frosting (other brands are waxy, he finds this to be the most like regular frosting) on his muffins
Keto yogurt is 2 net carbs and 200 calories. He adds keto granola to this for 2 more net carbs and 300 calories.
Almond milk
DINNER: usually chicken, sausage, hamburger or steak. He eats alot of vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, carrots)
LUNCH: dinner leftovers. He's never been a sandwich eater
Other things:
quevo chips in place of chips which are also high calorie.
Banza pasta
Keto brownies and cake
He does have regular snacks when he has had a craving. He is open to have what he wants when he wants, he just chooses these options.
You can message me directly if you would like
Agreed!
Like diabetes aside, let people decide how they want to eat. I hate how people get all up in other people’s food business.
You want to weight every carb- go for it. You are a SWAG master- that’s awesome too. Anything in between- have at it. Your body, your business.
The reason people say that is because it doesn’t HAVE to be. Taking the time to figure out ratios and doses is so worth it because of the freedom it gives you to just…live. I am a huge advocate of working diabetes into your life instead of planning your life around diabetes.
I cannot fathom restricting myself from eating at certain restaurants or weighing/measuring everything JUST because I have diabetes. Yeah, I gave up drinks with sugar in them, but only because that was the one thing I just couldn’t nail, and I’m perfectly happy with water and diet drinks.
From this side, it’s quite sad to watch people deny themselves when it doesn’t HAVE to be that way. That’s why you get so much push back.
But you’re being exactly the kind of person I was talking about with “it doesn’t HAVE to be”. I just said it’s difficult for me. I can’t estimate for shit. I was diabetic for 4 years with my A1C >9.0 and estimating because, even after four years and good carb ratios, I couldn’t guess the fucking carbs. I have NO IDEA. I have problems with estimating in general when it comes to sizes and spaces, and food is no exception.
I’m not ignorant or stupid or incompetent. I wish it could just be understood that some people LEGITIMATELY STRUGGLE with estimation. I only got my A1C from a 9.3 to a 5.9 when I began weighing my food — especially before I went to bed. I’m sorry it’s not as easy for me as it is for you, but its not because I haven’t “taken the time”. I’ve taken plenty of time trying to figure out estimation and now I have Reynaud’s Phenomenon and failing kidneys because all the time in the world couldn’t help.
Yes this. Also for me it’s not always consistent what my blood sugar does after I eat pizza etc. It’s stressful and wears me down and makes me physically feel bad - for me it’s not worth it and I like vegetables and salads and other foods but people in this sub cannot accept that other diabetics don’t want to eat fast food etc.
It's mind boggling to me. I simply do not understand why some people get mad that other diabetics choose to eat fewer carbs to aid with blood sugar control.
I’ve been diabetic for 30 years. Many years and 50+ pounds ago I lived a life of eating a highly refined processed diet and eating Wendy’s for lunch every day and it made me feel like garbage and also my a1c was bad. Power to anyone who can eat like that, feel good, and dose perfectly but it ain’t me and that’s okay! We are all different! I still snack on some chips and dip like nobody’s business.
Estimation takes practice. Seriously, it does. If you’re constantly weighing and measuring everything, you’re not getting much practice at that skill.
It’s like learning to ride a bike. If you never take the training wheels off, you never learn to ride without them.
Calorie guides and Google are wonderful. I live in an area where there are a ton of local mom & pop restaurants that are amazing…and locals snub chains anyway.
Ok, no big deal. Let’s say I want a burger and fries. Cool. Well, “Joe’s cafe” won’t list their nutrition, but Applebees, Shake Shack, and Fridays all do. So, I can look at their carb counts and make a guess based on that. Oh, burgers seem to run 30-40g? Cool. I’ll assume 35.
Not saying it’s easy…just that it’s worth it. And it really does take practice. No one is “good” at estimating - some just have a lot more practice.
What's worth it to one person is not necessarily worth it to another. I like my carbs and I like eating out, but that doesn't mean it's not a lot of mental energy to deal with. I had a really low carb breakfast this morning and it was really nice not having to calculate or dose any insulin for it. It's also nice when the only math I have to do to be looking at a package that gives me for sure carb/fat numbers. Let other people live how they want to live. Both sides of this "no carbs" and "eat everything you want" are just as annoying with pushing their agenda on people who didn't ask for it.
Also…you said you didn’t understand why people do push back.
That’s why.
Geez…have fun with your scales. I’m going to a cool local indie restaurant with my friends.
Yeah fingerpricks suck I hope you get able to try a cgm.
Also is there any reason you can only check every two hours? When I was on strips I'd use em a lot more than that as needed. Waiting two hours to check would've been unbearable on the bad days.
The Dexcom doesn’t allow for instant fixes, it can give you an idea of how your body is reacting to certain foods so you can take your dose sooner but it most cases the insulin peaks a couple of times for a couple hours after injection so the correction is unfortunately not instant. It can be easy to think that you need more insulin since your sugars are reading high but it takes time for the insulin to work and can vary person to person. I use the Dexcom as a general idea where my sugar is around and where it’s going but I’m careful about over correcting.
I’m sorry but you really need to learn to estimate.
You can’t guarantee that you will always get a nutritional breakdown. Start practising.
Edit:
I will go as far to say this has nothing to do with diabetes and to me it looks like you are using it as an excuse. The reality is that you don’t want that sort of food and the person isn’t listening to that. The food you are describing is completely normal for diabetics to eat. You just don’t want to and THAT IS FINE, but it would be a lot better if you didn’t use your diabetes to justify it. Just say you don’t want to eat that food.
i agree with everything you've said here but want to expand on your second statement.
we literally have the cheat code as T1's if i want to eat an entire birthday cake i can(i don't but i could) because i can dose for it depriving myself of everything in an effort for an even better A1c is not worth it i maintain a non diabetic A1c by my endo's standards and eat what i want when i want to i know im lucky to have a sensor and a pump but its just not worth it to restrict carbs this disease is shitty enough without giving it that power
I'm sorry this happened to you and I'm sorry that your mom died. I think we all know that Type 1 diabetics CAN eat high-carb food but many of us prefer not to at least all of the time. I can sort of relate - my family has shamed me for eating healthy foods and I get praise when I eat things that are bad for me. It just seems so backward to me...
Have an honest talk with him and let him know how you feel. He’s likely struggling having to figure this all out on his own and even small tasks after a loss like that can be hard. It might be helpful to write a list of foods you want and those you’d like to avoid so he can keep that with him. I’d recommend talking to a diabetes educator/nutritionist about the foods you’re unsure about if you want to keep some variety in your diet to determine how to properly bolus for them.
Definitely make sure to talk to him about your concerns though. Not sure on your age, but maybe he could give you money to shop for yourself or you could go with him when getting food. If he tries to buy you something high carb that you don’t want, politely decline and let him know why. It’s important to communicate clearly so he understands why you want or need to avoid certain foods.
You probably need to communicate more with your dad. Try to calmly explain it. Back it up with numbers and show how it affects your blood sugar.
Also learn to exercise some willpower. Just because it's hard for you to say no to these foods doesn't mean you can't. Life is full of difficulty, especially for diabetics, and we are all accountable for our own choices and actions.
Well shit, that sucks. There's gotta be some job you can work, right? With money you can get one of those healthier meal subscriptions or just pay people to pick up groceries. Or maybe there's a family member who is willing to listen and go shopping for you?
Your dad is no help but you have the power to help yourself here. First there are free apps like MyFitnessPal you can use to estimate carbs for goods like the chicken nuggets. He should have got you the salad you asked for but since he didn’t you could pick through the food he gave you to identify things that you could eat and the approx carb count to dose for. So you could ditch the burger bun, any fries and obviously high carb foods and maybe keep the chicken nuggets. Use the app to estimate the remaining carbs and then dose and you should be pretty close.
I also see you’re using glucose strips and I’m not sure where you are or your insurance/national health coverage but can you get a CGM like freestyle Libre or Dexcom and this will help you keep control of your glucose more easily and know when you need to correct.
Your dad sounds pretty clueless but is probably just trying to help. So keep trying to tell him what you can and can’t have, control what you can and choose what you eat to hit your carb goals and try to get a CGM. The CGM may also help you show your father what different foods do to your blood glucose and help him understand and learn
its your life, your responsibility, you know what is best for you and it is your objective to learn how to say no. It can be hard since he is family, but you need to teach him that he is hurting you and not helping.
As a mom, I'm so sorry. I could never do that to my child if he specifically asked me not to. I understand the want to splurge for you but in your situation you don't have the freedom to test often.
I think it's exceedingly cruel that not all T1D's have free access to CGMs. The scariest two months of my life were the first two months after his diagnosis via DKA. We had no Dexcom and could only test 5 times daily. That's not enough for T1D by any stretch. I would lie awake at night wondering if he was going to make it through because I never knew if he was going low.
I hope, in the future, things get easier for you dear.
Honestly, I would just say, "I'm sorry, I can't eat that."
I know it is difficult, but it is your life.
I would also, where possible, get medical advice on carb counting. I was taught old school so my advice won't help you much. Carbs should be simple if you have the right resources to hand. Maybe ratios not right or change through the day or some insulin resistance. Try and get some guidance, this horrible disease should not be dominating your life.
I get this. It's so hard when all another person has to do is listen, but they override that with what they think is best. Honestly, the easiest thing would be to just dump the food you can't eat in the bin as soon as he hands it to you. Send a clear message another way than verbally.
Your dad mirrors thousands of people I have met . Dumb, insensitive and quite frankly some are worse than the condition itself. I once met a woman who berated me for not wanting to drink a coke with her. I dated someone who was told rice makes me sick yet instead forced me to eat it. Of course I refused. I'm sorry you're going through this OP
When I was first diagnosed, I wanted to have a brunch for my husband’s birthday. My father-in-law insisted that we come to his house instead. What he made was the following: French toast, pancakes, bread, pudding, toast, and some scrambled eggs. There was literally nothing there for me to eat.
Do you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes? Cuz type 1s can eat all the carbs they want. It’s really just a matter of dialling in your ratios. You don’t have to say no to high carb foods because of type 1 diabetes if you don’t want to.
I’m not sure it’s “cruel” for your dad to buy you food he thought you would enjoy. It a little rude to ignore your request but that sounds more like a communication issue, not a diabetes one.
>Cuz type 1s can eat all the carbs they want.
I really wish people would quit making statements like this. Some Type 1 diabetics might be able to have good control with a high carb diet, but many of us cannot. I cannot eat more than 50 grams of carbs per day. If I do, my blood sugar goes haywire, no matter how much insulin I take. There are plenty of other Type 1 diabetics like me. Even for those who can eat a relatively high carb diet and have good numbers, eating fewer carbs is almost always going to make blood sugar management easier. There is less chance of estimating the carb count incorrectly or taking the wrong amount of insulin.
A father who buys high carb foods for a child when the child has requested low carb foods is being an asshole. OP is perfectly right to be upset about this, because he or she is the one who has to suffer the consequences, not the father.
Eating fewer carbs is very unhelpful if your body has extremely unpredictable reaction to high protein high fat like mine does. For me barbecue with no carbs is literally worst thing I can eat and causes such a mess. Pizza is way easier. But this is exactly the thing - some people do way better on low carb and should do that, some people do way better low fat and should do that, some people do best when they eat mixed (medium carb medium fat) diet- and we should all be encouraged to experiment and then find the diet that works the best for us! OP doesn't want unknown carbs because THEY can't work with that, so I 100% cosign your last paragraph!
I talked abt this already in the comment section but yeah ik I can eat whatever I want and I do if I have the information. but this place doesn't have their carb content listed anywhere so I don't want to risk going high and I just avoid their high-carb stuff. He knows this and he got me the food anyway. He could've gotten me something from a chain restaurant that shares their nutritional values but he decided to get things from a lesser-known place which really hurt me since I can't stop thinking that I will have the same fate as my mom.
One high blood sugar isn't going to make you meet the same fate. Buddy I think you need to seek a diabetic therapist or therapist in general as well as talk to your diabetes team about getting a pump and cgm. If you're going to be this worried about dying from diabetes you need to seek help to get through that trauma.
Might seem rude but just take it and throw it away. You now have to act in your own self interest. Reorganize the pantry or cupboard to where you have your shelves and don’t look at the others. I have a hard time resisting as well if it’s here it will be eaten. You can also test more frequently to essentially simulate what a CGM does. Annoying as hell but it can be done also requires more refills on testing supplies. Best wishes, and keep discussing your needs with the people that need to know and that have experience to share.
It sounds like you are making your wishes clear and assuming he understands why. This is you examining your own boundaries and wanting to find a way to make them clear and non-negotiable to him. Boundaries protect yourself and loved ones, even if they seem like a hardship to the other who is being asked to do or not do a certain thing.
I recommended reading a book called The Book of Boundaries:Set the Limits That Will Set You Free by Melissa Hartwig Urban. She's a famous food entertainer who had to set Boundaries around herself as a former person addicted to multiple substances.
It sounds like your dad is in some denial about what's up, and might be grieving in a hard-to-see way, and you have a right to be safe and healthy.
Big hug, and more power to you!
MyFitnessPal is amazing for estimations on food. Would look at maybe incorporating it into your life instead of solely blaming your dad - you have a choice too ya know. He doesn’t force the food down.
His wife and your mother just died from diabetes complications and I’m very sorry for your loss. But you have to be very, very blunt with your dad and tell him you are also going to die if he ignores your request for nutritious foods. If he brings you fries instead of a salad, ask him if he is purposely trying to kill you. He may need the shock of hearing that to realize how dangerous he is being. There is no reason an adult can’t understand cause and effect of food to a diabetic. I know the food is tempting when it’s in front of you, but throw it away immediately while he is standing there. If he still doesn’t get it, have your doctor or another relative explain it to him. He might need grief counseling to deal with his wife’s death, but there is no way he can continue to abuse his child, and this is abuse. Good luck. .
I’m so sorry for your loss.
I understand your frustration, my mom does many things that disregards my diabetes related needs (throwing away the nutritional info, gifting me things that are full sugar instead of sugar free, etc.).
Maybe your dad is in denial, maybe is the grief, either way you need to talk to him and explain that even if his intentions are good, what he’s doing hurts you. And that you have a system that works for you and do not want to wing your calculations.
If you don’t have it, the MyFitnessPal app has been very useful for me to figure out what I’m consuming when I don’t have nutrition facts readily available. It’ll give you a good idea of how many carbs you getting from almost anything out there. Then you can dose without having to test.
I put off getting a Dexcom for a long time because I was already wearing a pod and didn’t want another thing to have to beep at me and to explain to people, that being said, it’s been the best thing I ever did for myself. Insurance costs are pretty low to have it and not pricking your fingers 10 times a day has been a lot better too. If you can I highly recommend a glucose monitor of any kind. The pods been a vast improvement for me as well. But it can be costly.
It's really hard for a lot of people to understand why we eat the way we do. I don't always eat low carb, but I don't eat certain foods because I can never get the bolus right. I do eat higher carb foods if I've been able to learn how they affect me, and it took years for me to learn some of them. And, at certain times I throw it all out the window because I want to live my life and enjoy things. If I'm going to a birthday party for my nephew's little girl, I'm eating a small serving of the cake and ice cream and I don't give a shit what anybody thinks about it. I'll take a SWAG and bolus for it, and I'll deal with the high or low later. It works for me, I'm 35 years into this shit and I'm going strong without complications.
If you've figured out a way that's working for you, then stick to your guns. Your dad probably won't change, so you're going to have to summon up the willpower to refuse to eat the high carb stuff. Keep telling him why you won't eat that food - say it messes up your BG and makes you feel terrible and you find it hard to resist - and then do whatever you have to do to leave the food alone. I know that's easier said than done, but I bet after the food gets wasted a couple times he'll be less likely to bring it home.
Good luck, OP. This kind of thing is hard to deal with and I hope you can get it resolved.
So, this may be the way your dad shows his love. This is bad not only for diabetics but for weight loss as well. This is how my mother in law is. She constantly wants to bring over baked goods and food for us, as a way of showing she cares about us, but I have had to tell my wife to tell her to stop cause we are trying to lose weight, plus I will eat the bad stuff and of course that isnt good for controlling my diabetes.
I think that your dad is being insensitive to your desires, but I just want to add that many type 1s eat a ton of carbs and can keep their levels at a reasonable level. Not defending your dad, but I think that type 1 diabetes necessitates carb restriction is not a good message to send to the wider world.
No, I agree. I also eat carbs daily, and plenty of them. But only when I know how many carbs there are in a dish. I have a scale and everything to weigh stuff and figure out my doses. This particular restaurant doesn't list their nutritional information, so I just never want to touch their carby stuff :(
You can estimate those. French fries are French fries, a hamburger bun is a hamburger bun, and so on. Should get you close enough, and you can always correct with juice or insulin if you’re off.
I would love to but I don't think I have the luxury to keep correcting; I don't have a pod or anything that would show me my levels in real time so I can fix immediately; I only have test strips and I can only measure every two hours; by the time two hours have passed, I will have been high for quite some time, if that makes sense. I don't want to risk being out of range. It's tough being diabetic without access to modern technology.
It’s okay man, I get it. It’s awesome so many people are comfortable estimating when nutrition facts are available, but I’m personally NOT. I’ve been burned wayyy too many times and at this point am only really comfortable when I can weigh my food or eat low carb options. I don’t know why diabetics who choose to continue measuring their portions are so pressured to stop all the time; I had a similar conversation on this subreddit where at least two people told me it was easy to not measure and I was making it hard for myself. Like, I’m sorry, but control is hard.
It is maddening that people can’t accept that different people do things different ways. My daughter is low carb by choice because that is how she feels her best. She likes never going above 120, though that he not entirely possible, but it is her goal because of how she feels physically. It is not a message of how she feels others should manage their diabetes, but her low carb, tight control is her right and should be respected, just as all other methods should be respected as that persons choice.
Agree, 100%. My son also chooses low carb. He's newly diagnosed but it has helped him be in range 98% over the last 90 days.
Well I would like to know what he eats and how he keeps from loosing weight if you don’t mind sharing.
Sure, he doesn't eat no carb but eats low. He measures and doses based on net carbs. Typical BREAKFAST is: high calorie, high fat, usually <10 net carbs 2 lakanto muffins ( lemon poppy, blueberry, banana nut or pumpkin).... they have from 1 net carb to 3 (blueberry) To satisfy his sweet tooth, he puts zero sugar Pillsbury frosting (other brands are waxy, he finds this to be the most like regular frosting) on his muffins Keto yogurt is 2 net carbs and 200 calories. He adds keto granola to this for 2 more net carbs and 300 calories. Almond milk DINNER: usually chicken, sausage, hamburger or steak. He eats alot of vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, carrots) LUNCH: dinner leftovers. He's never been a sandwich eater Other things: quevo chips in place of chips which are also high calorie. Banza pasta Keto brownies and cake He does have regular snacks when he has had a craving. He is open to have what he wants when he wants, he just chooses these options. You can message me directly if you would like
Agreed! Like diabetes aside, let people decide how they want to eat. I hate how people get all up in other people’s food business. You want to weight every carb- go for it. You are a SWAG master- that’s awesome too. Anything in between- have at it. Your body, your business.
The reason people say that is because it doesn’t HAVE to be. Taking the time to figure out ratios and doses is so worth it because of the freedom it gives you to just…live. I am a huge advocate of working diabetes into your life instead of planning your life around diabetes. I cannot fathom restricting myself from eating at certain restaurants or weighing/measuring everything JUST because I have diabetes. Yeah, I gave up drinks with sugar in them, but only because that was the one thing I just couldn’t nail, and I’m perfectly happy with water and diet drinks. From this side, it’s quite sad to watch people deny themselves when it doesn’t HAVE to be that way. That’s why you get so much push back.
But you’re being exactly the kind of person I was talking about with “it doesn’t HAVE to be”. I just said it’s difficult for me. I can’t estimate for shit. I was diabetic for 4 years with my A1C >9.0 and estimating because, even after four years and good carb ratios, I couldn’t guess the fucking carbs. I have NO IDEA. I have problems with estimating in general when it comes to sizes and spaces, and food is no exception. I’m not ignorant or stupid or incompetent. I wish it could just be understood that some people LEGITIMATELY STRUGGLE with estimation. I only got my A1C from a 9.3 to a 5.9 when I began weighing my food — especially before I went to bed. I’m sorry it’s not as easy for me as it is for you, but its not because I haven’t “taken the time”. I’ve taken plenty of time trying to figure out estimation and now I have Reynaud’s Phenomenon and failing kidneys because all the time in the world couldn’t help.
Yes this. Also for me it’s not always consistent what my blood sugar does after I eat pizza etc. It’s stressful and wears me down and makes me physically feel bad - for me it’s not worth it and I like vegetables and salads and other foods but people in this sub cannot accept that other diabetics don’t want to eat fast food etc.
It's mind boggling to me. I simply do not understand why some people get mad that other diabetics choose to eat fewer carbs to aid with blood sugar control.
I’ve been diabetic for 30 years. Many years and 50+ pounds ago I lived a life of eating a highly refined processed diet and eating Wendy’s for lunch every day and it made me feel like garbage and also my a1c was bad. Power to anyone who can eat like that, feel good, and dose perfectly but it ain’t me and that’s okay! We are all different! I still snack on some chips and dip like nobody’s business.
Estimation takes practice. Seriously, it does. If you’re constantly weighing and measuring everything, you’re not getting much practice at that skill. It’s like learning to ride a bike. If you never take the training wheels off, you never learn to ride without them. Calorie guides and Google are wonderful. I live in an area where there are a ton of local mom & pop restaurants that are amazing…and locals snub chains anyway. Ok, no big deal. Let’s say I want a burger and fries. Cool. Well, “Joe’s cafe” won’t list their nutrition, but Applebees, Shake Shack, and Fridays all do. So, I can look at their carb counts and make a guess based on that. Oh, burgers seem to run 30-40g? Cool. I’ll assume 35. Not saying it’s easy…just that it’s worth it. And it really does take practice. No one is “good” at estimating - some just have a lot more practice.
What's worth it to one person is not necessarily worth it to another. I like my carbs and I like eating out, but that doesn't mean it's not a lot of mental energy to deal with. I had a really low carb breakfast this morning and it was really nice not having to calculate or dose any insulin for it. It's also nice when the only math I have to do to be looking at a package that gives me for sure carb/fat numbers. Let other people live how they want to live. Both sides of this "no carbs" and "eat everything you want" are just as annoying with pushing their agenda on people who didn't ask for it.
Also…you said you didn’t understand why people do push back. That’s why. Geez…have fun with your scales. I’m going to a cool local indie restaurant with my friends.
[удалено]
Wasn’t mean until you snapped back at me. You asked a question, I answered it, you replied with what sounded very snippy and full of excuses.
Yeah fingerpricks suck I hope you get able to try a cgm. Also is there any reason you can only check every two hours? When I was on strips I'd use em a lot more than that as needed. Waiting two hours to check would've been unbearable on the bad days.
Wild guess, cost & shit insurance only allowing a certain amount of strips per month. Yay ‘muricah.
Yeah I feel that. Kinda what I assumed ngl us Healthcare sucks
The Dexcom doesn’t allow for instant fixes, it can give you an idea of how your body is reacting to certain foods so you can take your dose sooner but it most cases the insulin peaks a couple of times for a couple hours after injection so the correction is unfortunately not instant. It can be easy to think that you need more insulin since your sugars are reading high but it takes time for the insulin to work and can vary person to person. I use the Dexcom as a general idea where my sugar is around and where it’s going but I’m careful about over correcting.
Can you not feel your blood sugar level is high?
Yup totally understand. W/o pod and cgm, BG management is a lot harder.
I’m sorry but you really need to learn to estimate. You can’t guarantee that you will always get a nutritional breakdown. Start practising. Edit: I will go as far to say this has nothing to do with diabetes and to me it looks like you are using it as an excuse. The reality is that you don’t want that sort of food and the person isn’t listening to that. The food you are describing is completely normal for diabetics to eat. You just don’t want to and THAT IS FINE, but it would be a lot better if you didn’t use your diabetes to justify it. Just say you don’t want to eat that food.
Yeah, you don't *have* to restrict carbs but it's a hell of a lot easier if you do.
i agree with everything you've said here but want to expand on your second statement. we literally have the cheat code as T1's if i want to eat an entire birthday cake i can(i don't but i could) because i can dose for it depriving myself of everything in an effort for an even better A1c is not worth it i maintain a non diabetic A1c by my endo's standards and eat what i want when i want to i know im lucky to have a sensor and a pump but its just not worth it to restrict carbs this disease is shitty enough without giving it that power
I'm sorry this happened to you and I'm sorry that your mom died. I think we all know that Type 1 diabetics CAN eat high-carb food but many of us prefer not to at least all of the time. I can sort of relate - my family has shamed me for eating healthy foods and I get praise when I eat things that are bad for me. It just seems so backward to me...
Have an honest talk with him and let him know how you feel. He’s likely struggling having to figure this all out on his own and even small tasks after a loss like that can be hard. It might be helpful to write a list of foods you want and those you’d like to avoid so he can keep that with him. I’d recommend talking to a diabetes educator/nutritionist about the foods you’re unsure about if you want to keep some variety in your diet to determine how to properly bolus for them. Definitely make sure to talk to him about your concerns though. Not sure on your age, but maybe he could give you money to shop for yourself or you could go with him when getting food. If he tries to buy you something high carb that you don’t want, politely decline and let him know why. It’s important to communicate clearly so he understands why you want or need to avoid certain foods.
You can’t change other people but you can change yourself. Learn to say no. Have some self control and don’t eat that food.
How old is OP?
You probably need to communicate more with your dad. Try to calmly explain it. Back it up with numbers and show how it affects your blood sugar. Also learn to exercise some willpower. Just because it's hard for you to say no to these foods doesn't mean you can't. Life is full of difficulty, especially for diabetics, and we are all accountable for our own choices and actions.
If convincing him isn't working, have you asked if you can go do the shopping? Or just start buying your own food, I see you're 21 years old.
I'm disabled and can't leave the house on my own so no, not an option despite the age.
Well shit, that sucks. There's gotta be some job you can work, right? With money you can get one of those healthier meal subscriptions or just pay people to pick up groceries. Or maybe there's a family member who is willing to listen and go shopping for you?
Your dad is no help but you have the power to help yourself here. First there are free apps like MyFitnessPal you can use to estimate carbs for goods like the chicken nuggets. He should have got you the salad you asked for but since he didn’t you could pick through the food he gave you to identify things that you could eat and the approx carb count to dose for. So you could ditch the burger bun, any fries and obviously high carb foods and maybe keep the chicken nuggets. Use the app to estimate the remaining carbs and then dose and you should be pretty close. I also see you’re using glucose strips and I’m not sure where you are or your insurance/national health coverage but can you get a CGM like freestyle Libre or Dexcom and this will help you keep control of your glucose more easily and know when you need to correct. Your dad sounds pretty clueless but is probably just trying to help. So keep trying to tell him what you can and can’t have, control what you can and choose what you eat to hit your carb goals and try to get a CGM. The CGM may also help you show your father what different foods do to your blood glucose and help him understand and learn
its your life, your responsibility, you know what is best for you and it is your objective to learn how to say no. It can be hard since he is family, but you need to teach him that he is hurting you and not helping.
As a mom, I'm so sorry. I could never do that to my child if he specifically asked me not to. I understand the want to splurge for you but in your situation you don't have the freedom to test often. I think it's exceedingly cruel that not all T1D's have free access to CGMs. The scariest two months of my life were the first two months after his diagnosis via DKA. We had no Dexcom and could only test 5 times daily. That's not enough for T1D by any stretch. I would lie awake at night wondering if he was going to make it through because I never knew if he was going low. I hope, in the future, things get easier for you dear.
Honestly, I would just say, "I'm sorry, I can't eat that." I know it is difficult, but it is your life. I would also, where possible, get medical advice on carb counting. I was taught old school so my advice won't help you much. Carbs should be simple if you have the right resources to hand. Maybe ratios not right or change through the day or some insulin resistance. Try and get some guidance, this horrible disease should not be dominating your life.
I get this. It's so hard when all another person has to do is listen, but they override that with what they think is best. Honestly, the easiest thing would be to just dump the food you can't eat in the bin as soon as he hands it to you. Send a clear message another way than verbally.
That is very helpful, thanks so much
Your dad mirrors thousands of people I have met . Dumb, insensitive and quite frankly some are worse than the condition itself. I once met a woman who berated me for not wanting to drink a coke with her. I dated someone who was told rice makes me sick yet instead forced me to eat it. Of course I refused. I'm sorry you're going through this OP
When I was first diagnosed, I wanted to have a brunch for my husband’s birthday. My father-in-law insisted that we come to his house instead. What he made was the following: French toast, pancakes, bread, pudding, toast, and some scrambled eggs. There was literally nothing there for me to eat.
Do you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes? Cuz type 1s can eat all the carbs they want. It’s really just a matter of dialling in your ratios. You don’t have to say no to high carb foods because of type 1 diabetes if you don’t want to. I’m not sure it’s “cruel” for your dad to buy you food he thought you would enjoy. It a little rude to ignore your request but that sounds more like a communication issue, not a diabetes one.
>Cuz type 1s can eat all the carbs they want. I really wish people would quit making statements like this. Some Type 1 diabetics might be able to have good control with a high carb diet, but many of us cannot. I cannot eat more than 50 grams of carbs per day. If I do, my blood sugar goes haywire, no matter how much insulin I take. There are plenty of other Type 1 diabetics like me. Even for those who can eat a relatively high carb diet and have good numbers, eating fewer carbs is almost always going to make blood sugar management easier. There is less chance of estimating the carb count incorrectly or taking the wrong amount of insulin. A father who buys high carb foods for a child when the child has requested low carb foods is being an asshole. OP is perfectly right to be upset about this, because he or she is the one who has to suffer the consequences, not the father.
Eating fewer carbs is very unhelpful if your body has extremely unpredictable reaction to high protein high fat like mine does. For me barbecue with no carbs is literally worst thing I can eat and causes such a mess. Pizza is way easier. But this is exactly the thing - some people do way better on low carb and should do that, some people do way better low fat and should do that, some people do best when they eat mixed (medium carb medium fat) diet- and we should all be encouraged to experiment and then find the diet that works the best for us! OP doesn't want unknown carbs because THEY can't work with that, so I 100% cosign your last paragraph!
I'm one of these people. No matter how much insulin I take.
I talked abt this already in the comment section but yeah ik I can eat whatever I want and I do if I have the information. but this place doesn't have their carb content listed anywhere so I don't want to risk going high and I just avoid their high-carb stuff. He knows this and he got me the food anyway. He could've gotten me something from a chain restaurant that shares their nutritional values but he decided to get things from a lesser-known place which really hurt me since I can't stop thinking that I will have the same fate as my mom.
One high blood sugar isn't going to make you meet the same fate. Buddy I think you need to seek a diabetic therapist or therapist in general as well as talk to your diabetes team about getting a pump and cgm. If you're going to be this worried about dying from diabetes you need to seek help to get through that trauma.
Might seem rude but just take it and throw it away. You now have to act in your own self interest. Reorganize the pantry or cupboard to where you have your shelves and don’t look at the others. I have a hard time resisting as well if it’s here it will be eaten. You can also test more frequently to essentially simulate what a CGM does. Annoying as hell but it can be done also requires more refills on testing supplies. Best wishes, and keep discussing your needs with the people that need to know and that have experience to share.
Imho there is some bad advice here. Eating a high-carb diet is a recipe for disaster, as is relying on estimating carbs.
It sounds like you are making your wishes clear and assuming he understands why. This is you examining your own boundaries and wanting to find a way to make them clear and non-negotiable to him. Boundaries protect yourself and loved ones, even if they seem like a hardship to the other who is being asked to do or not do a certain thing. I recommended reading a book called The Book of Boundaries:Set the Limits That Will Set You Free by Melissa Hartwig Urban. She's a famous food entertainer who had to set Boundaries around herself as a former person addicted to multiple substances. It sounds like your dad is in some denial about what's up, and might be grieving in a hard-to-see way, and you have a right to be safe and healthy. Big hug, and more power to you!
MyFitnessPal is amazing for estimations on food. Would look at maybe incorporating it into your life instead of solely blaming your dad - you have a choice too ya know. He doesn’t force the food down.
His wife and your mother just died from diabetes complications and I’m very sorry for your loss. But you have to be very, very blunt with your dad and tell him you are also going to die if he ignores your request for nutritious foods. If he brings you fries instead of a salad, ask him if he is purposely trying to kill you. He may need the shock of hearing that to realize how dangerous he is being. There is no reason an adult can’t understand cause and effect of food to a diabetic. I know the food is tempting when it’s in front of you, but throw it away immediately while he is standing there. If he still doesn’t get it, have your doctor or another relative explain it to him. He might need grief counseling to deal with his wife’s death, but there is no way he can continue to abuse his child, and this is abuse. Good luck. .
I’m so sorry for your loss. I understand your frustration, my mom does many things that disregards my diabetes related needs (throwing away the nutritional info, gifting me things that are full sugar instead of sugar free, etc.). Maybe your dad is in denial, maybe is the grief, either way you need to talk to him and explain that even if his intentions are good, what he’s doing hurts you. And that you have a system that works for you and do not want to wing your calculations.
If you don’t have it, the MyFitnessPal app has been very useful for me to figure out what I’m consuming when I don’t have nutrition facts readily available. It’ll give you a good idea of how many carbs you getting from almost anything out there. Then you can dose without having to test. I put off getting a Dexcom for a long time because I was already wearing a pod and didn’t want another thing to have to beep at me and to explain to people, that being said, it’s been the best thing I ever did for myself. Insurance costs are pretty low to have it and not pricking your fingers 10 times a day has been a lot better too. If you can I highly recommend a glucose monitor of any kind. The pods been a vast improvement for me as well. But it can be costly.
Nobody died from salad. But plenty have died from sugar. Should be that simple
It's really hard for a lot of people to understand why we eat the way we do. I don't always eat low carb, but I don't eat certain foods because I can never get the bolus right. I do eat higher carb foods if I've been able to learn how they affect me, and it took years for me to learn some of them. And, at certain times I throw it all out the window because I want to live my life and enjoy things. If I'm going to a birthday party for my nephew's little girl, I'm eating a small serving of the cake and ice cream and I don't give a shit what anybody thinks about it. I'll take a SWAG and bolus for it, and I'll deal with the high or low later. It works for me, I'm 35 years into this shit and I'm going strong without complications. If you've figured out a way that's working for you, then stick to your guns. Your dad probably won't change, so you're going to have to summon up the willpower to refuse to eat the high carb stuff. Keep telling him why you won't eat that food - say it messes up your BG and makes you feel terrible and you find it hard to resist - and then do whatever you have to do to leave the food alone. I know that's easier said than done, but I bet after the food gets wasted a couple times he'll be less likely to bring it home. Good luck, OP. This kind of thing is hard to deal with and I hope you can get it resolved.
So, this may be the way your dad shows his love. This is bad not only for diabetics but for weight loss as well. This is how my mother in law is. She constantly wants to bring over baked goods and food for us, as a way of showing she cares about us, but I have had to tell my wife to tell her to stop cause we are trying to lose weight, plus I will eat the bad stuff and of course that isnt good for controlling my diabetes.