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Bolusing for a meal and not finishing it?

saruhbeau

Well-Known Member
Messages
73
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Do you ever do this?

I have a bad habit lately of giving a bolus for a meal, then not managing to eat the whole meal. Which obviously leads to a hypo if I don't eat more carbs. The best thing wold to he able to bolus after eating, but I am trying to reduce post meal spikes and I am using the libre.

How do you deal with this?
 
I've had this a few times when I've been hungover and my eyes were bigger than my belly...

Yes, bolusing after eating would be an easy workaround, but your post-prandial BG's would almost definitely suffer.

You could always try replacing the carbs you never ate with some simple carbs like Lucozade or jelly babies. You should still manage to drink your carbs at least, even on a full stomach.

Bear in mind that things like Lucozade and jelly babies will ramp up your BG very quickly. So considering that you're using the Libre, you can time when you have the extra carbs to try and keep your BG profile as flat as possible. i.e. Not to soon to avoid a spike and not too late to avoid a hypo.
 
saruhbeau said:
Do you ever do this?
Click to expand...

Very rarely

saruhbeau said:
The best thing wold to he able to bolus after eating, but I am trying to reduce post meal spikes and I am using the libre.
Click to expand...

To avoid the possibility of post-meal spikes and to address you not finishing your meal you could try a split-dose, so work out the carb content of the meal and bolus half/two-thirds upfront and the rest afterwards if you finish it, that's what I would do in your situation @saruhbeau

However this is good question to bring up with your diabetes team, so do speak with them about it and see what they suggest.
 
I should have added, it happens for me because of gastroparesis. Quite often, at least a couple of times a week I end up vomiting which I hate. Doesn't matter how much I eat.

The idea of replacing it with jellybeans is a good one. I must stock up!

If I had a pump I would use a multiwave bolus anyway due to GP but I am fed up of the number of injections I am doing (10 most days) I will ask my consultant next week.

My portion sizes are already small but will try reducing them a bit more.
 
 
The other issue you'll have, from vomiting, is the uncertainty of how much carbs you have and haven't digested... Unfortunately in that instance you'll just have to keep a close eye on your BG.

Also, it's worth noting that your Libre will lag behind your actual BG, so you may hypo before it shows on your reader. Because of this, finger prick testing should be used.
 
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