What Is Extended Bolus?

[xmariatx]

Hiya girls and guys

I have not been on here in a while.. I'm sorry!

Just a couple of niggles I've got, what is extended bolus? Ive had my pump for a few months now and still don't know what it is..how it works? My diabetes care team told me to use it when having buffet food? Also i am struggling with when I multi-wave food, my sugars seem to be dropping at about 1am (i have tea about 7ish and multi-wave over 6 hours). Then waking up with it being 10 or above?
I'm really confused at the moment. And struggling.

Also me and my partner want to move abroad sometime in the future...how does it work with me being diabetic and on a pump with funding?

I would be so greatful for your help

Maria x x

 

[pickle76]

Hi there,

I've only used extended bolus for when I've been to the cinema and eaten popcorn. It worked really well, as I worked out the carbs for the whole amount of popcorn but as I would be eating it slowly over say, 90 mins, I extended the bolus to last that long. So it was trickling in as I was eating. I haven't used it since but guess it would be good at a buffet if you knew roughly how much you were going to be having.

I use multi-wave for all my meals, but only over 15 mins to avoid the whole lot going in at once therefore protecting my site. What do you eat to warrant doing it over 6 hours?! It's maybe why you're going low at 1am as your meal would be well and truly over (unless you're eating very fatty food every night for example) but you're still having bolus insulin going in on top of your basal.

As for moving abroad I'm sorry I'm not sure. I'm sure someone will be able to answer that one.

Hope you get on ok. Take care.

Jo

 

[leb]

Hi i use it for foods like chinese etc which seem to take longer to raise my blood sugar. If i give the whole amount at once i hypo within an hoir then go high around 3 or so hours later. I normally give 50% wirh meal then set the pump to give the rest over the next few hours. Keeps sugars much more stable. Also i use it If im having a dose o er 6 units. I give 6 then set the pump to gi e the rest about 10 minutes later.
Hope this helps

 

[mrawfell]

Moving abroad, I can only offer you limited advice. I am assuming that you don't have private health insurance. If you are moving outside the EU, then the answer is simple nothing. Within the EU you should ask the Department of Health. You may well find you are covered, reciprocal agrreements etc.

 

[donnellysdogs]

What pump are you on?

Accuchek did a really good article on muktiwaves, standard, extended this year in their newsleter no.1. If you have an accuchek machine.. Ask for this newsletter.. It explains about fat. Protein and how to work out what to do.

Personally.. I don't graze so havent used an extended.. But I do use multiwaves and since accucheks article.. A lot better....especially for items such as chineses takeaways.

Send me a pm.. And I can photocopy article if you want.. As this will apply to basic principles of all pumps..
DDxx

 

[l0vaduck]

I've had a pump for four years and never found a use for the extended bolus, simply because nothing that I eat seems to take longer than the insulin to work - quite the reverse! I think the only food that may be a candidate for an extended bolus is Dreamfields pasta, but I just decided to change to a genuine low carb pasta and that works much better for me.

Possibly if I ate higher carb meals I might use the extended bolus as I believe that if you eat a lot of carbs it takes longer to digest them, but I stopped doing that long before I got my pump so I don't speak from experience. I've heard lots of people say that extended bolus is good for pizza.