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How often do you change what you eat based on your blood glucose levels?
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If Iām going low, I usually eat 4 to 8 grams sugar (1 or 2 sugar cubes). I might go ahead and eat the next meal earlier or part of the next meal thatās lowest in fat and protein and higher in net carbs. If itās meal time and the bg is unexpectedly low, I might delay my bolus till after the meal or midway in the meal. I might add some protein or fat to make sure Iām not low before next meal. If low at bedtime, Iāll eat protein and fat to carry me through the night. If I see a pattern to unusual highs or lows, then I accordingly adjust insulin amount, food amount, or timing. Sometimes my endo can spot patterns in my two week CGM printout before I can. Long periods of really good control with exercise call for lower insulin levels as precaution.
Often
I’m in a supportive living facility, so my food choices are rather limited. If I’m too low before a meal I postpone my bolus, and if I’m too high I hold on to the meal until the blood sugar drops. But my food choices have nothing to do with my blood sugar levels.
When I am eating in a restaurant and I know my BG is high, I will try harder to select food that has a more āpredictableā glucose content.
I went with “sometimes”, but could have chosen some of the other choices, depending upon how I interpret the question. I often eat the same meals for breakfast and lunch. Dinner is usually different each evening. Sometimes if my blood sugar is too low or too high, it may determine what I eat, and how much I eat. A lot of what I eat between meals is determined by my blood glucose levels and what kind of activity I am doing. Generally, I eat between meals if my blood glucose is low, or going low, or if my activity will make my glucose level go low.
I usually adjust my insulin rather than food. Iām pretty good with food choices already. Having Tepezza infusions for TED and it raises blood sugar. Also 4 days of prednisone this week for ear problem. The steroid was the worse. Took a lot of insulin. All over now thankfully
I had a cortisone shot from my rheumatologist and she forgot to tell me about the BG level effect. I spent the next three days trying to figure out why I couldn’t get my level down. Finally wondered about the shot and looked it up.
That happened to me too with a steroid shot! I had a conversation about the fact that I was a T1D with the nurse (who must not have been an RN because she asked me why I claimed to be diabetic when my A1c was a 5.3, and hence I wasnāt – ha) so they knew but no one thought to warn me of the effect on my BG.
Steroids are the worst! I was on 9 days of prednisone pills, and I had to multiply my Insulin profile on my by by 4 times my regular dose. Also, I had to keep changing the dosage throughout each day of the prednisone. So, I was running 3 or 4 different profiles on my pump.
I rarely change what I eat based on blood glucose but I almost always decide how I eat it depending on where I am. That is, I eat carbs first if I’m on the low side and protein/salad first if I want more time for my insulin to kick in before I eat carbs. I can spend an extraordinary amount of time eating a salad if a meal is served before I’m ready for it š
I said always because I make adjustments to what I eat and how much based on my blood sugar readings. If my BG is low before meals, I adjust with 15 grams of glucose/fructose. If my blood sugar is high (above 180) then I eat more proteins and veggies and limit carbs. More often, I modify my food plans based on activity level. If I go to the gym, then I eat more protein. If I run, I tend to eat more carbs before. And thanks to my pump, I only eat when I am hungry, not at specified times.
There are no fitting answers offered. I never change what I eat based on my BG levels, but I DO let my BG determine if or when I eat. If my BG is higher than desired I will delay meals until my BG gets usually below 100. And with my current pump, working rotating night shift with 3 nights off in a row, it isn’t uncommon for me to get home from work, eat a meal before going to bed Monday morning and not eating again until shortly before I go to work Wednesday night.
I make many of my eating decisions based on my bg (including the trend arrows). If I am low – which is rare, I am alerted and treat the low regardless of the time of day) I will take some quick-acting glucose and go from there. If it is too high, I will correct but not eat. I am trying to lose about 10-15 lbs so I will skip meals if I am not hungry (thank goodness for the analog insulins – I hated that R and Nph dictated when I ate, and that I had to eat). I do have the benefit of NOT being a foodie (unlike the rest of my family – they just don’t understand me, I’ve never been into food – even pre-Dx) I usually eat the same things (with predictable bg impacts) so the only usual change I make is in amount.
My recorded experience with the DEXCOM arrows – never trust them. Being a bit bed-bound, I’ve tracked the readings on their 5 minute schedule – way too often the arrows point in the opposite direction the numbers are trending, or I see a 45 degree arrow over 3 readings with no change in the numbers with the numbers being verified by finger sticks. Don’t get me wrong – you’d have to pry my DEXCOM out of my cold dead fingers (well, off my belly) as since I started using it I haven’t again met those kind first responders or collapsed during exercise. Just don’t trust the arrows.
I don’t usually change what I’m going to eat, but I often delay eating if my BG is high. If I get too hungry, I eat anyway.
I do not change what I eat, but I do adjust my bolus depending on my BG levels.
More often, when the Dawn phenomena is raging (at any time of the day) I just keep shooting up more insulin at 2 hour intervals and just don’t eat anything.
If outside upper range & pizza is dinner choice, will leave 4 another in range day!
I said ALWAYS.. but I also take into acount EXERCISE both before and after EATING..
I change what I eat or when I eat if my BG is out of my acceptable range. Sometimes I donāt have that luxury but most of the time I do.