There are some discussions on this site on cheaper strips that work just fine. Are you aware of them? By the way, that is some pretty nice weight loss you have done.

It's very easy when you have children (especially as many as you ) to put yourself last. I've done it for brief periods in the past - much to my regret - because I paid for it later with out of control BGs. As far as the diet goes, the most important thing is to keep your BGs as near normal as possible, that is more important than whatever diet your follow. Very few diabetics are eating 30 grams of carbs per day and they are not dropping like flies. Perhaps there is some way you could work in some of the family foods with your special foods and vice versa. I don't know what type of meds you are on and if they are controlling your BG levels. And without strips, you are not going to know either. Strips are something too important not to budget for even if it means that some other family members have to make some sacrifices in discretionary spending.

I raised 3 kids and it is not easy, particularly not easy when you have the Big D.

I quit taking the humalog. I figured I didn't need any lows. That would be too scary without teststrips. I found American Diabetes Supplies for strips when we get some extra money to float that way. My numbers are also up due to some extreme stress right now.

It seems to me that if you make the food, the family ought to eat it! If they want to cook something else, so be it. Hey, tell them it is part of "loving mommy" to help her with her disease. You are doing them a favor anyway- it is a healthy diet.

Just my 2 cents,
V.

"You are doing them a favor anyway- it is a healthy diet."
Most people would prefer to eat food that tastes good to
them.With time a lot of carb lust goes away but not all.
From time to time,I fantasize a chicken fried steak,mashed
potatoes,gravy,biscuits,salad.I actually have that meal once or
twice a year.
<drool>
Eddie

I wasn't eating low-carb when I was raising my kids so I didn't have to deal with the issue. I have one child who refused to eat vegetables and still doesn't eat them at age 20. I used to bake a lot of whole-grain, high-fiber muffins and breads for the family. They liked them and my BG liked them too.

The cost of food currently is very high and I can how that would pinch anyone's budget. Providing a lot of fresh produce for an entire family would be very expensive. It is a lot cheaper to eat refined carbs than it is to eat healthy fresh food.

Meadowlark, I hope you call your doctor about discontinuing Humalog. I assume you are on a basal insulin too? If I were in your position, I would take a smaller bolus of Humalog instead of discontinuing it altogether. When I was first Dxed, there were no test strips and the type 1s were all taking insulin and flying blind most of the time. We were just running higher numbers than we do today because of lack of testing technology.

You can buy 50 Reli On strips at Walmart for $22.95 and the meters are cheap too. I went through periods when I had to buy all my test strips out-of-pocket and I test 8 or more times a day. It was a priority over most other things.

Sorry to hear about your stress. That can you raise your levels as well.

I'm type2. I was only given humalog no basal insulin. ( I still think it was weird to be type2 since all of my previous family members were type1.)
So far, I guess I'm doing ok. I havent been sleepy. So I know my numbers are not super high.
I'm trying to make veggie with a little fruit smoothies so that my numbers will be a bit better. Maybe after the paycheck comes in today; I'll have enough left over for strips.
MeadowLark