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Can you take a bolus after food?

O

O_DP_T1

Well-Known Member
Messages
458
Location
United Kingdom
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hey guys.

Quick question is t possible to take a bolus shot after a meal rather then before?

I'm only asking as this could happen when you can't accurately calculate the carbs in something, so may be better to take the shot after rather then dose incorrectly before hand. This is of course done if vitally necessary and not on a regular biases?

Something like this:

  1. Eat
  2. Test 1.5 hours after and inject as needed.
 
Some wouldn't get to 1.5hrs after without feeling ill and disorientated and forgetting to inject altogether? Wouldn't your sugar levels skyrocket putting you at risk?
 

I have forgotten to inject after meals before and found out that after 1.5 hours I could be in the 20s depending on what I'd eaten! I wouldn't recommend it. If I can't calculate it accurately I do a guesstimate and am usually not too far off.

Is there any reason you're asking (i.e. do you have issues with hypo awareness)? If, like you say, it's only on rare occasions I don't see the huge issue in ending up a little high or low afterwards?
 
I inject 20 min before my meals as this is when my insulin starts working. If for some reason I eat more than planned I will inject a small amount about a half hour later. OR if I eat a very fat heavy meal I will inject 20 min before and about an hour later to pick up the tail end. All that being said, I take very low doses and I know my insulin very well, at least as well as we can know insulin. I’ve found this all out by tons of testing.
Even if I inject and eat right away I will get a rise and once I rise I don’t come back down. So injecting 20 min prior to eating catches the rise.
 
The only time I bolus after a meal is when eating out, as you never know how long it will take for your food to arrive. I bolus immediately after the meal. When out, I always under dose my bolus a little as it's often tricky to calculate the carbs in the food and I know I can correct later.
 


This is the scenario I am referring too. Also is it ok to take a second bolus shot within the 4-5 hour window of the previous one?
 
I inject immediately after I eat, and have done it that way ever since Humulog and Novolog came out. They recommend it that way. Plus I'm sure that I've eaten what I planned to eat, especially when eating out. I know, I know, some people prebolus and double bolus and all that which is fine. But that's what I do.
 
O_DP_T1 said:
This is the scenario I am referring too. Also is it ok to take a second bolus shot within the 4-5 hour window of the previous one?
Click to expand...
Yes, happens not rarely. I can take another one 3-4 hours after the other one.
 
O_DP_T1 said:
This is the scenario I am referring too.
Click to expand...
Though do remember it all depends on how your body reacts - for example if I take my bolus after breakfast then its about lunchtime before the levels have got down to something reasonable (and my do they spike high - preferably I need my bolus about 30 mins before breakfast but during the week when I'm rushing to get out to work it's rarely that long), however if I take my bolus before lunch and dinner (even if only by 5mins), my blood sugar level often plummets well before the food kicks in - so I take it just after and even then it can plummet before the food kicks in.
In other words, it can be very specific to you.
 
This has happened to me. Luckily it was a small bolus for a low carb appetizer but it took over an hour to get the food!
 
Sounds like everything else associated with T1 'suck it and see what works for you' LOL
 
We had a family get together over the xmas period (surprise surprise!) after we'd all finished eating someone said 'how come Slip tested and injected before eating and Tom (the other T1 in the room) injected after eating' - Our reply was I worked out/guessed the carbs in what I was about to eat, and Tom waiting to see what carbs he had eaten. But he injected straight after he had finished eating not the 1.5hrs after in the original post as as others have said we'd both end up in the 20s if we didn't inject when we did (does that say a lot about my eating habit - that I know I'm going to clear my plate!)
 
if i couldnt estimate how long id be waiting for a meal when eating out i would bolus straight after said meal as 1.5 hours would spike me very high
 
Split it, take the majority before and the rest when you know what you have eaten. Find it works well for big meals and eating out. A bit of a pain but does the job.
 
I agree with @becca59
I don't eat out as I'm not confident to do so yet and I've only had to split for my Christmas and New years meals but I certainly wouldn't bolus 1.5 hours after eating, far too risky x
 
I grazed at an Xmas party and I took a small bolus 1/2 unit every hour or so. Worked perfect but not trying that again.

I don’t eat out often as I never know what I’m going to get. Especially after I found out one of our places puts gluten in their guacamole. What what ?
Now I only order sliced avo and eat small. Kind of takes the fun out with a big price tag.
 
The best way is to get a Libre, one sensor should be enough. Experiment and you will see what happens. I need to inject 20min before for a reasonably flat line, again some foods and other unidentified factors will every so often screw it all up. When I don't know what I'm going to eat and quantity until it's in front of me, I try and inject ASAP. You can always add a little more insulin or food if you are going low, again the Libre is invaluable for that.
 
Ok great thanks all. I have been on the Libre for about 2 years now and as mentioned it's awesome.
 
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