Subscribe Now

[hb-subscribe]

Trending News

T1D Exchange T1D Exchange T1D Exchange
  • Activity
    • 6 hours ago
      Kristi Warmecke likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      Unlike most of the comments on this subject matter, I have needed glucagon several times per year. I am very active, and work hard around the house. I have a Tandem X2 pump with Control IQ and a Dexcom G7 sensor. However, from time to time, my blood sugars drop quickly, or I spend too much time between taking my meal insulin dose and eating my meal, where I need help. The glucagon has come in very handy. For me, it would be fool-hardy to be caught without it. Regarding cost, the price on glucagon has shot up, drastically, over the past year or two, even with health insurance. Luckily, I was able to find a generic, NOT pre-mixed glucagon. It is referred to as "Glucagon Emergency Kit For Low Blood Sugar 1MG." It's the old fashioned kind where you have to mix it yourself. But, at least I have something in case of an emergency.
    • 9 hours, 23 minutes ago
      eherban1 likes your comment at
      Multiple daily injections (MDI) users: Do you use an app or other device to track your insulin dosing? Share the tools you use in the comments below!
      I use InPen and it's great. Except they aren't keeping up with iOS so you now have to unlock your phone and open the app to check IOB instead of simply looking at the home screen. You can tell when app developers aren't users, otherwise they'd know how much of a pain this is when you check 50 times a day
    • 10 hours, 24 minutes ago
      Trish Bowers likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      Insurance won't cover and it was several hundred dollars.
    • 10 hours, 26 minutes ago
      Trish Bowers likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      Glucagon is $425 for me on Medicare. It is cheaper to get an ambulance! I have an expired one that will work if I ever need it, but I won't.
    • 10 hours, 27 minutes ago
      Trish Bowers likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      No. During the past century I threw out many glucagon doses about 5 years after each had expired - having never used a single glucagon dose.. This century, two dose kits were disposed of and never used. At this point, in my opinion, with modern tools for accurately monitoring one's body glucose levels, AND common awareness of how one is feeling, severe low BGL can be easily avoided thus not needing "emergency' glucagon. NOTE WELL!!! what I wrote in the last sentence, does NOT apply to the very young, and some newly diagnosed who have not yet mastered insulin dosing and who have not yet been accustomed to recognizing low or quickly dropping BGL.
    • 10 hours, 28 minutes ago
      Trish Bowers likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      I do because it Costc me over $300 to replace it. Too expensive.
    • 10 hours, 54 minutes ago
      John Barbuto likes your comment at
      Multiple daily injections (MDI) users: Do you use an app or other device to track your insulin dosing? Share the tools you use in the comments below!
      Medicare has added FIASP for 2026! Besides the great news of being able to use this once again, it is one of the few fast acting insulins that works with the inPen. I am considering doing that in the new year
    • 10 hours, 54 minutes ago
      John Barbuto likes your comment at
      Multiple daily injections (MDI) users: Do you use an app or other device to track your insulin dosing? Share the tools you use in the comments below!
      Been using fiasp for 2 years (in the UK) and it's significantly better than novorapid. Would highly recommend to everyone, especially if you find your insulin a bit slow to act.
    • 11 hours, 47 minutes ago
      Lozzy E likes your comment at
      Multiple daily injections (MDI) users: Do you use an app or other device to track your insulin dosing? Share the tools you use in the comments below!
      Medicare has added FIASP for 2026! Besides the great news of being able to use this once again, it is one of the few fast acting insulins that works with the inPen. I am considering doing that in the new year
    • 15 hours, 23 minutes ago
      Ahh Life likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      The last Glucagon prescription that I purchased was 15 years ago. Now it's way too expensive because my insurance doesn't cover it. They just want us to either die or use ambulance service to use or send us to ER. Pretty stupid to me. I've had T1D for 52 years and never needed it really. Only 3 times during early morning hypos in 2015-16 I needed rescue to wake me.
    • 20 hours, 38 minutes ago
      René Wagner likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      My experience over the past 65 years is that a sugary drink and patience will bring me out of a low satisfactorily. If I’m unconscious, as has happened four or five times over that period, the EMTs know what to do.
    • 20 hours, 41 minutes ago
      René Wagner likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      Glucagon is $425 for me on Medicare. It is cheaper to get an ambulance! I have an expired one that will work if I ever need it, but I won't.
    • 20 hours, 42 minutes ago
      René Wagner likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      No I haven't a glucagon in yeans. Reason being:, every time I had a prescription, the glucaagon was never used and expired.
    • 20 hours, 42 minutes ago
      René Wagner likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      No. During the past century I threw out many glucagon doses about 5 years after each had expired - having never used a single glucagon dose.. This century, two dose kits were disposed of and never used. At this point, in my opinion, with modern tools for accurately monitoring one's body glucose levels, AND common awareness of how one is feeling, severe low BGL can be easily avoided thus not needing "emergency' glucagon. NOTE WELL!!! what I wrote in the last sentence, does NOT apply to the very young, and some newly diagnosed who have not yet mastered insulin dosing and who have not yet been accustomed to recognizing low or quickly dropping BGL.
    • 20 hours, 44 minutes ago
      René Wagner likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      I do because it Costc me over $300 to replace it. Too expensive.
    • 20 hours, 45 minutes ago
      René Wagner likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      Insurance won't cover and it was several hundred dollars.
    • 20 hours, 45 minutes ago
      René Wagner likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      No,insurance won't cover it. T1D for 45+ years and haven't had a situation where I needed it - so far so good
    • 22 hours, 57 minutes ago
      Vicki Breckenridge likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      Glucagon is $425 for me on Medicare. It is cheaper to get an ambulance! I have an expired one that will work if I ever need it, but I won't.
    • 1 day, 5 hours ago
      Richard likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      No. During the past century I threw out many glucagon doses about 5 years after each had expired - having never used a single glucagon dose.. This century, two dose kits were disposed of and never used. At this point, in my opinion, with modern tools for accurately monitoring one's body glucose levels, AND common awareness of how one is feeling, severe low BGL can be easily avoided thus not needing "emergency' glucagon. NOTE WELL!!! what I wrote in the last sentence, does NOT apply to the very young, and some newly diagnosed who have not yet mastered insulin dosing and who have not yet been accustomed to recognizing low or quickly dropping BGL.
    • 1 day, 6 hours ago
      Dennis Dacey likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      My experience over the past 65 years is that a sugary drink and patience will bring me out of a low satisfactorily. If I’m unconscious, as has happened four or five times over that period, the EMTs know what to do.
    • 1 day, 6 hours ago
      Dennis Dacey likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      Expiration dates are put on by the manufacturerbecause they have to, and almost never indicate the product won't work. I am confident if I need it , it will work.
    • 1 day, 7 hours ago
      Dennis Dacey likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      With the latest monitoring technology I will probably never need it. I did need it a couple of times in the past, many years ago, and I do have expired Glucagon on hand. I do question whether expiration is real, since until it is mixed, what is there to expire?
    • 1 day, 9 hours ago
      ConnieT1D62 likes your comment at
      Have you been diagnosed with neuropathy? If so, please share your top management tips in the comments.
      My endocrinologist is very good about following the standards of care and looks at my feet every three months when I’m in as well as once a year he does a thorough test with a microfilament and a tuning fork regarding my feet. He says that there is mild neuropathy and at this point, it has not caused me any real problem no pain, numbness, tingling. I recently had a nerve conduction test on my hands because there was concern that there might be something going on with my spine and the neurologist did tell me I had some neuropathy in my hands along with carpal tunnel syndrome in both of them. This all was a surprise to me. I have had a complaint of periodic numbness in some fingers of both hands which he said at this point is mainly being caused by carpal tunnel syndrome. So I think a lot of people with diabetes may be unaware of some mild neuropathy unless their doctors are doing regular thorough testing. my cardiologist also suspects that the fact that my blood pressure tends to go all over the place, sometimes being high, and then crashing to extremely low levels is caused by autonomic neuropathy, and I suspect that some of my chronic gastrointestinal distress may also be caused by some neuropathy. diabetes for 64 years so not a surprise.
    • 1 day, 11 hours ago
      Bill Williams likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      I have been a T1D for 57 years. I have not had Glucagon on hand in 25+ years. Normal carb/sugary items seem to be ok.
    • 1 day, 11 hours ago
      Lee Tincher likes your comment at
      Do you have Glucagon on hand that is not expired? If not, please share why in the comments.
      With the latest monitoring technology I will probably never need it. I did need it a couple of times in the past, many years ago, and I do have expired Glucagon on hand. I do question whether expiration is real, since until it is mixed, what is there to expire?
    Clear All
Pages
    • T1D Exchange T1D Exchange T1D Exchange
    • Articles
    • Community
      • About
      • Insights
      • T1D Screening
        • T1D Screening How-To
        • T1D Screening Results
        • T1D Screening Resources
      • Donate
      • Join the Community
    • Quality Improvement
      • About
      • Collaborative
        • Leadership
        • Committees
      • Centers
      • Meet the Experts
      • Learning Sessions
      • Resources
        • Change Packages
        • Sick Day Guide
        • FOH Screener
      • Portal
      • Health Equity
        • Heal Advisors
    • Registry
      • About
      • Recruit for the Registry
    • Research
      • About
      • Publications
      • COVID-19 Research
      • Our Initiatives
    • Partnerships
      • About
      • Previous Work
      • Academic Partnerships
      • Industry Partnerships
    • About
      • Team
      • Board of Directors
      • Culture & Careers
      • Annual Report
    • Join / Login
    • Search
    • Donate

    Do you most often bolus before, during or after you eat a meal?

    Home > LC Polls > Do you most often bolus before, during or after you eat a meal?
    Previous

    If you wear a CGM and share your alerts with any friends or family, do you ever feel like your followers worry too much or contact you more often than you’d like?

    Next

    For people with T1D who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine: Did you have any of the following side effects? Select all that apply to you.

    Sarah Howard

    Sarah Howard has worked in the diabetes research field ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Marketing Manager at T1D Exchange.

    Related Stories

    News

    Immunosuppressants in T1D Research: Expert Opinions from Diabetes Pharmacist Diana Isaacs 

    Jewels Doskicz, 2 days ago 5 min read  
    2025 Learning Session

    The 2025 T1DX-QI Learning Session: Driving Better Diabetes Care 

    Sarah Howard, 1 week ago 7 min read  
    Lifestyle

    Barriers to Care in Aging: Voices from the T1D Community 

    Jewels Doskicz, 2 weeks ago 7 min read  
    Lifestyle

    When T1D Becomes a Calling: Stories From our Team 

    Jewels Doskicz, 3 weeks ago 11 min read  
    Meet the Expert

    Meet the Expert: Centering the Voices of Youth and Families from Vulnerable Populations 

    Jewels Doskicz, 4 weeks ago 8 min read  
    News

    Tidepool’s Brandon Arbiter on Building Better T1D Care Through Connected Data 

    Michael Howerton, 1 month ago 6 min read  

    25 Comments

    1. Ceolmhor

      Breakfast: before;
      lunch: usually, but depends on situation;
      dinner: definitely depends on situation

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    2. Ahh Life

      Driven by gastroparesis digestive uncertainties, I now bolus most often afterwards even with Control IQ. In the good ol’ days I always, always bloused prior to a meal. Nowadays things are different and more extended. ¯\_( ͡❛ ͜ʖ ͡❛)_/¯

      3
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
      1. Anne Blayney

        Same here! And even dosing after the meal, I usually do an extended bolus, too.

        2
        5 years ago Log in to Reply
    3. john36m

      Usually right before the meal (Lyumjev). When I was on Humalog I pre-bolused appx 20 minutes prior.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    4. Retired and glad

      It all depends on my number going into the meal, but usually I bolus either right before or during the meal.

      1
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    5. Grey Gray

      After… slow digestion.. if I eat a fatty meal I wait till I get a rise alert from pump before bolus in order to stay away from hypo

      3
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    6. Tod Herman

      I answered during, but it varies with me mostly because I am fairly busy. If it’s a routine meal (breakfast) then I can do it before. But if its a customized dinner, then I wait until I can count the carbs in all the parts. Or, as others have said, if I am low then I will wait a bit to allow my levels have come back up (but base the bolus off of the original glucose level). It’s never a constant time but I try to do it early if I can.

      3
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    7. Jana Foley

      You would think that I’d remember to do it before I eat, but unfortunately I don’t always get that done. It’s usually during my meal that I remember to enter my carbs and bolus.

      3
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    8. Daniel Bestvater

      Depending on BG level. Usually 15 – 60 minutes before meal.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    9. Lynn Smith

      Depends on my BG before I eat. If normal or high, I bolus before the meal. If low, I wait until BG starts rising and then I bolus.

      1
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    10. dave hedeen

      exception- if BG is low to very low, either delay insulin or decrease amount by 50%.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    11. Janis Senungetuk

      Usually I bolus right before I start eating. As I’m normally the one preparing the meal, the carb count can change depending on what’s in our refrigerator/freezer.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    12. Derek West

      I use Fiasp Novolog which is mean to be faster acting but I still usually bolus 15 to 30 minutes before I eat, except as someone else noted, if my glucose reading is low. Blood sugar may dip a little before food is absorbed but it does reduce the highs after the meal.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    13. Nicholas Argento

      I try to dose 20-25 minutes before a meal with carbs that spike like breakfast cereal. Much better post meal control!

      1
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    14. Carol Meares

      I’m trying to prebolus 15 minutes or more. It’s hard to know exactly when that is when I am cooking a meal and I get nervous about prebolusing when I am below 100. I get distracted:-/ But I am trying to even out my hills a bit. I know it doesn’t need to be flat but I can go up above 160 with arrow angled upward sometimes after dinner and once it gets up there it is difficult to bring back down without aggressive bolusing and a run around.
      When eating out (ha, historically speaking) I wait until the food is delivered which usually means I will go high after a meal. But eating “low carbish” helps.

      2
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    15. ConnieT1D62

      All depends on what my BG is doing before start of a meal, and what kind of food I am eating for the meal.

      1
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    16. connie ker

      I go by the numbers game as to when I shoot up. If below 70, I bolus following the meal. If in range, before the meal. If high, I bolus and wait to eat. What a game to play each and every day.

      2
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    17. Jneticdiabetic

      The intention is always to bolus before meals unless low, but between the kiddies and work deadlines I often forget till mid way through or after my meal these days. It does make post meal BG management more challenging for sure.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    18. Molly Jones

      Before I take the first bite, but almost immediately.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    19. Ken Raiche

      I put other because every meal presents a never ending different scenario. That said times have changed as of late, well over the last 6 weeks. Ever since starting the Keto diet I rely solely on my basal rate throughout the day unless my carb count is higher then normal then I will bolus but that hardly ever happens.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    20. Sally Numrich

      Before. Usually 15 minutes but that is always based on my starting point. If in range and normal meal, 15 minutes. If higher, I will wait longer until the CGM shows a down dot. If low, I will eat right away. No perfect plan with diabetes!

      1
      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    21. linda prichard

      I bolus during my meal because I want to be sure I can eat my entire meal. Also, I’m a slow eater and don’t want to have to worry about going low.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    22. linda prichard

      … but reading all your comments is an encouragement to me to take my insulin sooner; I know it would help reduce the spikes.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    23. Paul Madden

      I bolus at meals; a split dose of Afrezza and Novolog. It works better and is easier than anything else I have ever tried in my 59+ years with T1D.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply
    24. Cheryl Seibert

      I primarily bolus before I eat. I also marked “Other” since many of my boluses are Extended (some now, the rest spread over a set time, usually 15-30 mins). The type of bolus depends on my BG, type of food eaten and expected activity after the meal.

      5 years ago Log in to Reply

    Do you most often bolus before, during or after you eat a meal? Cancel reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.




    101 Federal Street, Suite 440
    Boston, MA 02110
    Phone: 617-892-6100
    Email: admin@t1dexchange.org

    Privacy Policy

    Terms of Use

    Follow Us

    • facebook
    • twitter
    • linkedin
    • instagram

    © 2024 T1D Exchange.
    All Rights Reserved.

    © 2023 T1D Exchange. All Rights Reserved.
    • Login
    • Register

    Forgot Password

    Registration confirmation will be emailed to you.

    Skip Next Finish

    Account successfully created.

    Please check your inbox and verify your email in the next 24 hours.

    Your Account Type

    Please select all that apply.

    I have type 1 diabetes

    I'm a parent/guardian of a person with type 1 diabetes

    I'm interested in the diabetes community or industry

    Select Topics

    We will customize your stories feed based on what you select here.

    [userselectcat]

    We're preparing your personalized page.

    This will only take a second...

    Search and filter

    [searchandfilter slug="sort-filter-post"]