My boyfriend has Type 2 diabetes. He is currently on Metformin and Glypizide. About one month ago he started a low carb diet. My question is how many carbs can he have on a daily basis?
Q: My boyfriend has Type 2 diabetes. He is currently on Metformin and Glypizide. About one month ago he started a low carb diet. My question is how many carbs can he have on a daily basis?
The amount of carbs your boyfriend can have will depend on his personal carbohydrate tolerance, which may be 40 grams, 50 grams, 60 grams or more per day. However, what is more important than the amount of carbs he eats per day is the amount he consumes at any given meal. Too many carbs at one time will lead to elevated blood sugar.
It's also important for him to take glipizide at the right time. Glipizide can cause low blood sugar because it stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin even when blood sugar isn't elevated. It should be taken about 30 minutes prior to eating in order to match the rise in blood sugar that occurs after eating.
However, if your boyfriend eats very few carbs at a meal, it may be safer not to take glipizide at all in order to prevent his blood sugar from going too low. Have him try skipping glipizide before eating a meal with 15-20 grams of carbs and then test his blood sugar 1-2 hours later to see if it remains below 140 mg/dL.
Answered By dLife Expert: Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE
Certified diabetes educator and registered dietitian living in Southern California.
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