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    • 3 hours, 35 minutes ago
      Laurie B likes your comment at
      If your insulin pump stopped working, how prepared do you feel to manage injections, including having supplies on hand and understanding dosing?
      Since I started this journey long long ago when there were no pumps, CGMs, I have always kept long acting insulin and test strips on hand so I can use those when needed. Sometimes I have to go old school because of medical tests, so my feeling is to always be prepared.
    • 6 hours, 15 minutes ago
      lis be likes your comment at
      If your insulin pump stopped working, how prepared do you feel to manage injections, including having supplies on hand and understanding dosing?
      I say somewhat, because I don't have a basal insulin. But pharmacy isn't far, and prescription is on file.
    • 11 hours, 54 minutes ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      If your insulin pump stopped working, how prepared do you feel to manage injections, including having supplies on hand and understanding dosing?
      Since I started this journey long long ago when there were no pumps, CGMs, I have always kept long acting insulin and test strips on hand so I can use those when needed. Sometimes I have to go old school because of medical tests, so my feeling is to always be prepared.
    • 12 hours, 42 minutes ago
      atr likes your comment at
      If your insulin pump stopped working, how prepared do you feel to manage injections, including having supplies on hand and understanding dosing?
      I answered not at all perpared! I have novolog and syringes on hand but no lantus. However, I use Omnipod 5 pods, which come in boxes of 5 pods, so I always have some on hand. They must be replace every 3 days anyway so if one fails I simply replace it. That has happened twice and when I contacted Insulet they provided a replacement pod both times.
    • 13 hours, 4 minutes ago
      Kathy Hanavan likes your comment at
      If your insulin pump stopped working, how prepared do you feel to manage injections, including having supplies on hand and understanding dosing?
      Was on injections for yrs before a pump so no problem for me
    • 2 days, 9 hours ago
      KarenM6 likes your comment at
      How often do you intentionally run your glucose slightly higher during certain activities (e.g., driving, public speaking, exercise)?
      The question is poorly worded. If I am doing those things I run my blood sugar higher if not I don’t. A better question might be how often do I do those things. Since I do them often I run high often on purpose. I cannot be sub 100 and do them.
    • 2 days, 9 hours ago
      KarenM6 likes your comment at
      How often do you intentionally run your glucose slightly higher during certain activities (e.g., driving, public speaking, exercise)?
      Exercise affects me profoundly at an older age (and has the physics of momentum and driving at ANY age!). Answer: often/
    • 2 days, 10 hours ago
      Richard likes your comment at
      How often do you exercise? Share more in the comments about your exercise routine.
      I have to try my best to move my Leg's for at least 30 minutes a day. If not something around that.
    • 2 days, 10 hours ago
      Richard likes your comment at
      How often do you exercise? Share more in the comments about your exercise routine.
      I exercise daily! I ski, bicycle, walk/jog, and workout at the gym. I currently have a rotator cuff injury so I limit my trips to the gym.
    • 2 days, 12 hours ago
      atr likes your comment at
      How often do you intentionally run your glucose slightly higher during certain activities (e.g., driving, public speaking, exercise)?
      During Ramadhan I keep it slightly elevated so that I don’t have to break the 12 hour fast.
    • 2 days, 12 hours ago
      atr likes your comment at
      How often do you intentionally run your glucose slightly higher during certain activities (e.g., driving, public speaking, exercise)?
      when I am traveling, I will let it run a little higher because I don't know what I'll be doing at any given moment.
    • 2 days, 12 hours ago
      atr likes your comment at
      How often do you intentionally run your glucose slightly higher during certain activities (e.g., driving, public speaking, exercise)?
      The question is poorly worded. If I am doing those things I run my blood sugar higher if not I don’t. A better question might be how often do I do those things. Since I do them often I run high often on purpose. I cannot be sub 100 and do them.
    • 2 days, 12 hours ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      How often do you guess or estimate carbohydrate amounts rather than calculating precisely?
      Been doing it for so long it's mostly estimation at this point. Every once in a while at home I'll measure out exact portions of rice, pasta, etc to remind myself just how SMALL portions should be as I tend to let them get a little bigger over time. (wishful thinking) Very helpful to have that image in mind at restaurants where portions tend to be way larger than a single serving.
    • 2 days, 12 hours ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      How often do you intentionally run your glucose slightly higher during certain activities (e.g., driving, public speaking, exercise)?
      Exercise affects me profoundly at an older age (and has the physics of momentum and driving at ANY age!). Answer: often/
    • 3 days, 8 hours ago
      KarenM6 likes your comment at
      How confident are you about having consistent access to the diabetes supplies and medication you need?
      Moderately. My doctor and pharmacy are awesome, my insurance and durable medical equipment supplier, not so much. The excessive red tape of paper to get DME supplies shipped is almost always a nightmare!
    • 3 days, 8 hours ago
      KarenM6 likes your comment at
      How confident are you about having consistent access to the diabetes supplies and medication you need?
      Run, don’t walk from Edgepark! Read my response to Nevin Bowman above! (Hint: the company I was referring to in that post was Edgepark)
    • 3 days, 8 hours ago
      KarenM6 likes your comment at
      How confident are you about having consistent access to the diabetes supplies and medication you need?
      I once had a supplier withhold old pump supplies while refusing to ship the order for a new pump and I was on a 3-way call with insurance and got to listen to DME lie directly to Insurance about it and then I had the pleasure of interjecting and getting to call them a liar! I would have been more vindicated if it actually accomplished anything, but after I finally got my shipment I fired that DME and never looked back. The red tape that insurance insists on for DME is excessive for chronically ill patients!
    • 3 days, 8 hours ago
      kristina blake likes your comment at
      How often do you guess or estimate carbohydrate amounts rather than calculating precisely?
      After doing this weighing and measurements you get pretty good at estimating
    • 3 days, 9 hours ago
      Patricia Dalrymple likes your comment at
      How often do you guess or estimate carbohydrate amounts rather than calculating precisely?
      I chose "Often". If I eat something packaged with a nutrition label, I'll use the carbs listed on the label. If I eat a plate of food, at home or at a restaurant, I estimate.
    • 3 days, 11 hours ago
      Kathy Hanavan likes your comment at
      How often do you guess or estimate carbohydrate amounts rather than calculating precisely?
      Been doing it for so long it's mostly estimation at this point. Every once in a while at home I'll measure out exact portions of rice, pasta, etc to remind myself just how SMALL portions should be as I tend to let them get a little bigger over time. (wishful thinking) Very helpful to have that image in mind at restaurants where portions tend to be way larger than a single serving.
    • 3 days, 11 hours ago
      Kathy Hanavan likes your comment at
      How often do you guess or estimate carbohydrate amounts rather than calculating precisely?
      Yes, for me never weighing or measuring but actively using the Calorie King book and app for several years I have most things memorized or I can make a decent assessment.
    • 3 days, 11 hours ago
      Kathy Hanavan likes your comment at
      How often do you guess or estimate carbohydrate amounts rather than calculating precisely?
      After doing this weighing and measurements you get pretty good at estimating
    • 3 days, 11 hours ago
      Kathy Hanavan likes your comment at
      How often do you guess or estimate carbohydrate amounts rather than calculating precisely?
      I chose "Often". If I eat something packaged with a nutrition label, I'll use the carbs listed on the label. If I eat a plate of food, at home or at a restaurant, I estimate.
    • 3 days, 11 hours ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      How often do you guess or estimate carbohydrate amounts rather than calculating precisely?
      I chose "Often". If I eat something packaged with a nutrition label, I'll use the carbs listed on the label. If I eat a plate of food, at home or at a restaurant, I estimate.
    • 3 days, 12 hours ago
      Amanda Barras likes your comment at
      How confident are you about having consistent access to the diabetes supplies and medication you need?
      Well, since I'm waiting on pump supplies for 2 months now, my confidence is slipping.
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    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?
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    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.

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    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

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