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    • 1 hour, 58 minutes 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!
    • 2 hours, 4 minutes 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)
    • 2 hours, 4 minutes 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!
    • 2 hours, 13 minutes 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 hours, 34 minutes 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.
    • 4 hours, 45 minutes 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.
    • 4 hours, 45 minutes 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.
    • 4 hours, 45 minutes 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
    • 4 hours, 45 minutes 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.
    • 5 hours, 40 minutes 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.
    • 6 hours, 20 minutes 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.
    • 6 hours, 20 minutes ago
      Amanda Barras likes your comment at
      How confident are you about having consistent access to the diabetes supplies and medication you need?
      I am confident about access to my medical needs in the immediate future. I am not a fortune teller and have no idea what my access to medical supplies will be like in a year or longer. I don't take my spoiled lifestyle for granted.
    • 6 hours, 20 minutes ago
      Amanda Barras likes your comment at
      How confident are you about having consistent access to the diabetes supplies and medication you need?
      I've often said that "hoarding": is a character asset for T1D people. I try to purchase (paying out of pocket) a 60-90 day supply - just in case). I have a new health plan,. effective 1/1/26. AS we know, getting an appt with an HCP isn't easy. They have to be accepting new patients, they have to be in network etc. Once I knew what my new policy would be (nov 2025) I made an appt. The earliest appt I could get was in Sept 2026. Thank goodness for my stash of device supplies. I had to go to Urgent care to get an Rx for insulin (my old HMO plan "doesn't do bridge refills"). So yeah, I worry, and plan for hiccups in the supplies process.
    • 6 hours, 27 minutes ago
      Amanda Barras likes your comment at
      How confident are you about having consistent access to the diabetes supplies and medication you need?
      I am worried about the changes to Medicare making no provision for getting an immediate replacement if a pump fails. It sounds like we will have to get these from the suppliers instead of a warranty replacement from Tandem themselves (or whatever brand you use). Pumps will be rented and will have to be returned so they can verify the problem before replacing them, which is ridiculous. Meanwhile, Medicare would not pay for us to get long acting insulin as a temporary replacement for the basal.
    • 6 hours, 33 minutes ago
      Amanda Barras 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
    • 6 hours, 37 minutes ago
      Derek West 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.
    • 9 hours, 9 minutes ago
      Ahh Life likes your comment at
      How confident are you about having consistent access to the diabetes supplies and medication you need?
      So far since Jan 1, ‘26, I’ve spent nearly 30 hours on the phone battling and trying to get Medicare covered diabetes supplies. Called 5 different suppliers t get what I need to use my pump.
    • 9 hours, 11 minutes ago
      Ahh Life likes your comment at
      How confident are you about having consistent access to the diabetes supplies and medication you need?
      You are too modest. That hurdle is on fire and you have to juggle chainsaws as you jump over it. Congratulations and good luck making it over the next one in 90 days.
    • 22 hours, 52 minutes ago
      KarenM6 likes your comment at
      How satisfied are you with your current insulin pump brand/model?
      Somewhat satisfied with TSlimX2. Not because of pump shortcomings, but because of the sheer insanity of trying to get routine supplies through the American health care system. My current situation, to wit: "I am experiencing extreme frustration with Medicare that, 1) has an inoperable website, and 2) has an inoperable AI phone answering service. Consequently, I can no longer acquire needed supplies to operate the tSlimX2, particularly the T:Lock TruSteel 8mm 32.” This situation has persisted for 2 months. 😬
    • 1 day ago
      Kristi Warmecke 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.
    • 1 day ago
      Laurie B likes your comment at
      How confident are you about having consistent access to the diabetes supplies and medication you need?
      I've often said that "hoarding": is a character asset for T1D people. I try to purchase (paying out of pocket) a 60-90 day supply - just in case). I have a new health plan,. effective 1/1/26. AS we know, getting an appt with an HCP isn't easy. They have to be accepting new patients, they have to be in network etc. Once I knew what my new policy would be (nov 2025) I made an appt. The earliest appt I could get was in Sept 2026. Thank goodness for my stash of device supplies. I had to go to Urgent care to get an Rx for insulin (my old HMO plan "doesn't do bridge refills"). So yeah, I worry, and plan for hiccups in the supplies process.
    • 1 day ago
      Kristi Warmecke likes your comment at
      How confident are you about having consistent access to the diabetes supplies and medication you need?
      I answered slightly. I'm absolutely certain supplies and medication will be available. However, I'm doubtful they will be affordable. If I can't afford them, I can't access them.
    • 1 day, 1 hour ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      How confident are you about having consistent access to the diabetes supplies and medication you need?
      I am confident about access to my medical needs in the immediate future. I am not a fortune teller and have no idea what my access to medical supplies will be like in a year or longer. I don't take my spoiled lifestyle for granted.
    • 1 day, 1 hour ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      How confident are you about having consistent access to the diabetes supplies and medication you need?
      I've often said that "hoarding": is a character asset for T1D people. I try to purchase (paying out of pocket) a 60-90 day supply - just in case). I have a new health plan,. effective 1/1/26. AS we know, getting an appt with an HCP isn't easy. They have to be accepting new patients, they have to be in network etc. Once I knew what my new policy would be (nov 2025) I made an appt. The earliest appt I could get was in Sept 2026. Thank goodness for my stash of device supplies. I had to go to Urgent care to get an Rx for insulin (my old HMO plan "doesn't do bridge refills"). So yeah, I worry, and plan for hiccups in the supplies process.
    • 1 day, 1 hour ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      How confident are you about having consistent access to the diabetes supplies and medication you need?
      I answered slightly. I'm absolutely certain supplies and medication will be available. However, I'm doubtful they will be affordable. If I can't afford them, I can't access them.
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    If you drink coffee, do you bolus for the coffee itself (excluding any additional cream/sugar)?

    Home > LC Polls > If you drink coffee, do you bolus for the coffee itself (excluding any additional cream/sugar)?
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    On a scale of 1-5, how satisfied are you with your current insulin delivery method (pump, pens, syringes, inhaler, etc.)? 5 = the most satisfied, 1 = the least satisfied

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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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    45 Comments

    1. Valentina Potempa

      I bolus in the morning to combat feet on the ground phenomenon and my coffee (no food). Usually 1-2 units of fast acting insulin.

      1
      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    2. Joan Fray

      Coffee itself will cause my big to rise about ten points. With nonfat milk Iusually give a .5 bonus, which works most of the time.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    3. Ms Cris

      I bolus for about 3g of carbs, I’m that sensitive.
      Also, I have to ask what beans are used: Arabica vs Robusta, the most common beans.
      Arabica, no problem, as above.
      Robusta I don’t touch. No matter how much I bolus (safely), even extended bolus, for hours I run high unpredictably. Robusta has more caffeine and tyramine, and I have tyramine sensitivity (it’s in hard aged cheeses, too). Craziness, this T1D of mine!

      3
      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    4. TEH

      If I can remember, I bolis 10 g for coffie. Only in the morning. I have stopped drinking 2 cups in the morning. Being retired and not getting up O-dark-thirty also helps. 😉

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    5. Lawrence S.

      I don’t drink a lot of coffee. But, when I do, I drink decaf. I have never bolused for coffee. It does not seem to effect my blood glucose.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    6. Janice B

      I drink my coffee black and find that I do not have to bolus for it.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    7. kristina blake

      I drink my coffee black, caffeinated and often. I usually enter 8 crab grams in my pump to cover it. Coffee is my one splurge that I will not give up.

      4
      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    8. Don P

      totally depends on glucose level prior to & also where coffee is purchased. I’ve drank black for many years. Cuppa day fella here.

      1
      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    9. Trisha Oldenkamp

      My blood sugar rises if I drink it without food so I know I need to bolus. Usually I have it with breakfast so I don’t notice if coffee has as much affect.

      2
      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    10. Ginger Vieira

      I don’t need insulin for the first cup of coffee. If I drink another cup or have coffee (Even decaf) later in the day, my blood sugar spikes 100 points and takes tons of insulin to bring down.

      5
      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    11. Nicholas Argento

      Caffeine raises the blood sugar in many people because it increase over glucose production. The effect varies from person to person and would be affected by the amount as well. I see a 20-30 point increase over the following hour from 1 large cup black coffee nearly every AM

      2
      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    12. Daniel Bestvater

      I drink coffee with some 35% cream in it. It doesn’t seem effect my BG in any way.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    13. Tim Kirchgessner

      I only drink it black and only bolus if it calls for it.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    14. PamK

      I drink decaf coffee with a little milk/cream. Never had a need to bolus for it.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    15. Shannon Barnaby

      I don’t drink coffee but I do drink black tea (with nothing added). I have to bolus for the cup I have in the morning, but not any tea I have the rest of the day.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    16. kflying1@yahoo.com

      Before getting a CGM, I made many diet choices based on finger sticks. I was totally unaware of things like “morning effect” At 68 I’m not too excited to go back and again experiment with what does and does not frick up my BS levels, though I am willing to listen and learn from others. That’s why I listen to this board

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    17. William Bennett

      Count me in the Yes column. Started back before I’d ever heard of Dawn Phenomenon, and I’ve never actually tried to test whether it was that or the coffee itself because it’s kind of moot. From long before I was DX’d (at age 28) I was pretty much a coffee-only person at breakfast time and that was one thing I found it really hard to change, beyond substituting Splenda for sugar in my cup. It might just be DP (or Feet-on-the-Floor, which I gather is somewhat different), but if it turned out that in reality I was bolusing for that instead of the coffee I’d still do the same thing.

      1
      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    18. Carol Meares

      When I was younger I did not have to bolts for coffee unless of course I was drinking a latte. Now I have to bolus at least a unit for my morning coffee.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
      1. Carol Meares

        Black coffee

        4 years ago Log in to Reply
    19. Becky Hertz

      I haven’t had coffee for a number of years for various reasons, one being that I would have to bolus for 15 c when I had a couple of shots (decaf americano here).

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    20. Patricia Dalrymple

      I don’t like being dependent on caffeine because if I don’t have it, I get a headache. I drank International Coffee, sugar free caffeine free and it was kind of a guilty pleasure without the guilt, except I just discovered aspartame now gives me headaches. Have to stick to all natural foods but it takes discipline and willpower. Fall off the wagon…get back on.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    21. cynthia jaworski

      I only drink coffee at breakfasr (iced coffee) so it is part of the breakfast bolus.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    22. Janis Senungetuk

      My day doesn’t start without coffee with half & half. I drink it with my breakfast, bolus for the carbs in the food but not the caffeinated coffee or tbs. of half and half. Because of CKD I now limit daily coffee to two cups (1 mug) every morning.

      1
      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    23. Virginia Barndollar

      I mug black coffee = 5 CHO for me

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    24. Bea Anderson

      Morning cold brew coffee has 4 oz atkins vanilla shake instead of cream. Yum. Maybe 4g carbs. Depending on my cgm graph and everything stable, I would bolus a small amount even for black coffee.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    25. Gary Taylor

      I do bolus in the morning. 1 to 2 large cups of coffee will raise my BG by 50 points. To tell the truth, I am not sure if that is the coffee or the dawn phenomena, but I want my coffee.

      3
      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    26. Brian Vodehnal

      I roast my own so I try to avoid too much sugar development and I just use a teensy bit of milk. No sugar.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    27. mbulzomi@optonline.net

      No, but I use mile and of course no sugar!

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
      1. mbulzomi@optonline.net

        MILK!

        4 years ago Log in to Reply
    28. TomH

      I drink coffee in the morning almost daily sitting on the back porch. I notice a slight bump up in the morning also, but haven’t tested whether its just getting up (feet on the floor) or the coffee. It’s usually 10-20 points and compensate with my breakfast bolus if it seems to continue up (once in a great while).

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    29. Ernie Richmann

      I bolus only for the first morning coffee- 1 unit.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    30. Melinda Lipe

      Always! I use sugar free sweetener/creamer, but it raises my bg by enough that I need a bolus for 6 carbs or so.

      1
      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    31. Patricia Kilwein

      I drink coffee with stevia to sweeten. I’ve never taken a bolus for it. I make my own sf coffee drinks as well.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    32. Tina Roberts

      Yes. It takes 25 carbs to cover my coffee, Splenda and powdered creamer.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    33. Sherrie Johnson

      One large cup with Half-and-half and Stevia Usually one unit sometimes it’s not enough though.

      1
      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    34. Jane Cerullo

      Coffee needs some insulin for me

      1
      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    35. KarenM6

      I don’t drink coffee, but I do drink caffeinated beverages especially in the morning.
      My tests on whether the rise in blood sugar is caffeine, dawn phenomenon, or “boots on the ground” phenomenon (I don’t think this last one is recognized…??? not sure) are inconclusive.
      My endo said it wasn’t caffeine, so I am tempted to say it’s because it takes a whole lotta something for me to be able to wake up in the morning… and that something raises my blood sugar.

      3
      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    36. Bonnie Lundblom

      I said “Other” since I never drink coffee without adding a tiny splash of milk and cream which means I need to give myself a bolus for 9 carbohydrates even though I’m drinking only 2. The dawn phenomenon is why I require that much to cover for my much needed dose of caffeine every morning.

      1
      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    37. Patty Harris

      I drink 2 cups every morning of Folgers half cafe with Splenda and some half n/half. I make homemade keto muffins for my breakfast food. Right now I take NO insulin and stay around 100. My basal may be slightly higher which covers it.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    38. Brad Larson

      Usually drink coffee with a meal, so I bolus for the meal

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    39. Jan Masty

      I do drink black coffee in the morning. I usually bolus about .5 to 1 unit after I’ve been up about 30 minutes or so. I think it’s “boots on the ground” not the coffee.,

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    40. ConnieT1D62

      I give myself 1 unit extra when I drink coffee, usually in the morning with breakfast meal. Same thing if later in the day with lunch or a mid-day snack. I usually only add regular milk. Same thing if at a restaurant and they serve 1/2&1/2.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    41. Wanacure

      If I’m at a place offering free coffee, I’ll drink it. Morning at home I just pop a caffeine pill (9 cents, cheap) which has the same amount of caffeine, 200 mg, as cup of tea or cup of coffee. As cooler weather returns, I’ll add a cup or two of green tea during the day. Late afternoon or evening, I might drink a decaf green tea. Too much caffeine can dehydrate you. Is it true too much caffeine can also interfere with calcium absorption and contribute to loss of bone density?

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    42. Estelle Smith

      Caffeine raises my blood sugar, so I have mostly given up on drinking coffee. I wasn’t able to successfully bolus for it, as my levels would rise to over 200, then rapid decline leaving me with a low.

      1
      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    43. Krystal Udey

      Coffee is a hard one because 80% of the time, it will affect my blood sugar even if I only add a splash of non sweetened almond milk. (Less than 1 carb) It then takes hours for it to come down even when I am treating for the high. Then the other 20% if I anticipate for the rise, my BG will fall way faster than I want.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply

    If you drink coffee, do you bolus for the coffee itself (excluding any additional cream/sugar)? Cancel reply

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