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Type 1 Bolus for high GI foods

JMoli

JMoli

Well-Known Member
Messages
250
Location
Edinburgh
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi, I’ve been trying to refer to Think Like a Pancreas - there’s a great table for bolus timings for different GI meals.
I’ve pretty much given up on trying low GI as end up high 4 to 6 hours after eating (and don’t want to do a correction dose before bed as still new to this and the nurse doesn’t want me trying split bolus as I’m on low amounts of insulin) so I’ve been experimenting with high GI (potatoes and bread) but my problem is that instead of having a quick rise it takes 2 hours or more after eating to get the rise and I stay up for a while then very slow decline. I know nobody can give advice on dosage etc but I’m just wondering if anyone else has had a similar issue? I just can’t get the timing right!
 
I get same problem with pasta , I take my bolus about hour and a half after I eat it sometimes later , very much trial and error at first , cant tell you to do it as what works for me may not work for you . But you have to live with diabetes so what works for you is a discovery excersise.
 
Thanks, I was thinking about trying bolus after meals - I tried it once with pasta but it was still a bit of a shambles. Maybe it would work for high/medium GI, I don’t seem to be digesting food at the right time for the guidelines. I guess we are all different and have different reactions to types of food and it’s more experimenting. Good to know I’m not alone, thanks
 
You're definitely not alone. The strangest things can affect what timing is needed. My big one is cheese - pasta in cheese sauce needs a bolus after I eat, the same pasta in tomato sauce needs a bolus as or before I eat. Oh, and another big factor in timing the bolus is how hydrated I am (and that one took a while to figure out).
We're all different.

On rereading: a known side effect (but not terribly common) of diabetes is gastroparesis, i.e. your stomach empties considerably slower than normal, and your carbs hit the bloodstream as glucose in a slower and longer peak. Usually comes with severe heartburn and reflux though, which you haven't said are happening.
 
Seacrow said:
You're definitely not alone. The strangest things can affect what timing is needed. My big one is cheese - pasta in cheese sauce needs a bolus after I eat, the same pasta in tomato sauce needs a bolus as or before I eat. Oh, and another big factor in timing the bolus is how hydrated I am (and that one took a while to figure out).
We're all different.

On rereading: a known side effect (but not terribly common) of diabetes is gastroparesis, i.e. your stomach empties considerably slower than normal, and your carbs hit the bloodstream as glucose in a slower and longer peak. Usually comes with severe heartburn and reflux though, which you haven't said are happening.
Click to expand...

Hi, I did read about gastroparesis as I was wondering about that too but don’t have the symptoms (thankfully/yet) That’s interesting about hydration - do you think being more hydrated slows or speeds up digestion?
 
JMoli said:
That’s interesting about hydration - do you think being more hydrated slows or speeds up digestion?
Click to expand...
If I'm dehydrated I get the initial glucose 'hit' at the normal time, but the rest of it takes up to twice as long. So just when I'm dehydrated and ill, my insulin no longer matches the glucose release, isn't it always the way?
 
Seacrow said:
If I'm dehydrated I get the initial glucose 'hit' at the normal time, but the rest of it takes up to twice as long. So just when I'm dehydrated and ill, my insulin no longer matches the glucose release, isn't it always the way?
Click to expand...

That’s so good to know. I’m wondering now if I have gastroparesis but my nurse seemed to imply I was doing fine as I am today. Is it possible to have mild gastroparesis (I do have bloat and digestive problems) without heartburn and nausea do you know? I definitely take over 2 hours to rise with high GI foods - I tried to bolus half an hour after a sandwich today but ended up low again afterwards and then it kicked in at the 2.5 hour post lunch mark again. I then ended up hypo before dinner for no reason - I think mid afternoon snacks kicked in with the jelly babies and now I’m too high. It’s feeling impossible
 
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