Low/limited carb diet OK?

Hi there, since I'm not on insulin, I can only answer from what I've read about, not from experience.  You're probably gaining weight from the insulin. Insulin is the hormone that will make you gain weight.  If you're adjusting the insulin to the amount of carbs it seems like it's self-defeating to me.  And if you're cutting down on carbs, then you're getting lows from overestimating the insulin dose, just as you're saying.  No one "needs" a starch at a meal.  This is an idea we all grew up with though.  That's when we called them "roughage".   These starches today are marketed as whole grain especially for fiber and yes, we need fiber but you can get fiber from vegetables and leafy greens.  So, you need to adjust your insulin down if you're cutting back on those starches.  Be assured that if you're eating a variety of veggies, leafy greens and some fruit you have all the fiber you need.  Take supplements if you think you're missing out on some nutrients but don't think you have to eat a starch with every meal.  I'm 62 and that's what was drummed into our heads back then. 

Post Edited (LanieG) : 3/21/2011 7:50:35 AM (GMT-6)

I usually gain weight when the hba1c is around 8.0 - 8.5, which means "a little high". I am now trying to lower both insulin and carbohydrates, but I'm seeing a little more variance in blood glucose readings thanks to that.. Indulge "just a little bit", and it goes out of whack.

If my hba1c reaches 9, then I'm losing weight, but that's never good for health and I'd lose weight because I was getting dehydrated, I think. I don't know what would happen at 7.0, would I then start losing weight again, but that's my personal goal for now. I never eat too many fats, or salt, but it may be hidden in the restaurant foods I eat at work.. I've already halved starch in the form of potatoes. I try not to eat much rice, but it seems as if half the local restaurants were Chinese, Nepalese or Thai...

My doctors told me to limit protein a little. Something like 70g of meat per meal is the maximum for me. However, that's because of some higher hba1c readings I had in the past and it's to protect my kidneys now..

Vegetables is what they told me I should eat. That should balance the BGL spike as far as I understood it.

Exercise. That also lowers blood glucose though, so don't take too much insulin. Some physically active type 1's practically don't inject much at all, because they would hit the lows if they did.

The modern types of insulin don't necessarily linearily increase in their effect on BGL if you inject more. It used to be a little like that during the old days. These days, you have lantus, Levemir etc. Back to the point, whatever works for you and you are still getting the vitamins, minerals etc and stay healthy, do it.