Sarah Howard has dedicated her career to supporting the T1D community 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.
My most recent meal was dinner. I am most sensitive to insulin from early evening through to the next morning when I wake up. I almost always have to do a dual/extended bolus for dinner and I always do it right as I’m about to eat.
My most recent meal was breakfast and, during the work week, I am far better at bolusing ahead of time. The rest of my meals in the day though end up receiving the bolus as I start eating or part at the start and more later on (depending on what I am eating and whether I know how much I’ll eat.)
I said 15-30, but it may have been more than 30. I wasn’t watching the clock this morning. I just checked my pump bolus history. It was about 30 minutes. I need to bolus early in the morning because my blood sugars shoot up high after breakfast. Bolusing sooner seems to help keep my BG from going off the charts. But, if I bolus too soon, I have serious low BG’s. It’s all an art … and luck.
This morning bg was 167 so I took extra 1.5 units lispro (Humalog brand) in addition to usual 5.5 units, and ate 32 grams net carb 25’ later. When bg is 70-130 I must eat within 15 or less to avoid postprandial low especially before dinner.
Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying) compel four answers: 15 minutes before, 15 after, 30 after, and over the next 2 hours. It is no longer a “Set an equation, measure the carbs, and dose” certainty. All bets are off and out the window.
It’s less like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, and more like constructing a new house as it sinks. 😣
General I dose 20-25 minutes before eating, levels stay generally similar to where I start (maybe up a little, down a little). Times I can’t dose early (fast food: I dose when ordering or plain famished). Just doing this losers my a1C from 7ish to 6ish. (Back on a pump:780G, on shots required a 30-35 minutes injection earlier?)
But thankfully the only side effect of life is getting older and tired, nothing from diabetes so my results can vary.
My humalog doesn’t kick in for maybe an hour, so if I remember to do so, and know what I’m about to eat, I inject early to catch the BS upswing. If not, I inject later when the BS is going up and I notice that via the CGM (not the preferred method).
I’ve been pre-bolusing 15 mins before my breakfast. I have a nasty morning rise. Insulin kicks in 10 mins after I bolus and food kicks in 20 mins after eating.
I bolused about 10-15 minutes before eating. However, I should have known to bolus a little less time (5-10 minutes) as when I bolus for breakfast for at least 10 minutes before I start eating, (I woke up at 106), my sugar tends to go low within 5-10 minutes after I start eating.
My most recent meal was dinner. I am most sensitive to insulin from early evening through to the next morning when I wake up. I almost always have to do a dual/extended bolus for dinner and I always do it right as I’m about to eat.
I have LumJev, which is a very fast acting insulin that works well with my pump. I love it!
I like it too as I just started using it in my pump about a month ago.
My most recent meal was breakfast and, during the work week, I am far better at bolusing ahead of time. The rest of my meals in the day though end up receiving the bolus as I start eating or part at the start and more later on (depending on what I am eating and whether I know how much I’ll eat.)
Different times of days
I said 15-30, but it may have been more than 30. I wasn’t watching the clock this morning. I just checked my pump bolus history. It was about 30 minutes. I need to bolus early in the morning because my blood sugars shoot up high after breakfast. Bolusing sooner seems to help keep my BG from going off the charts. But, if I bolus too soon, I have serious low BG’s. It’s all an art … and luck.
A combination of Afrezza to handle the spike and Humalog to kick in when the Afrezza wears off.
I boluised right when I sat down to eat.
Question is misleading until type of insulin is understood. I said 15 because I use Fiasp insulin.
I used Afrezza at my last meal and I can take that right as I start eating. But my BS was below 100 so I ate a little and then took it.
This morning bg was 167 so I took extra 1.5 units lispro (Humalog brand) in addition to usual 5.5 units, and ate 32 grams net carb 25’ later. When bg is 70-130 I must eat within 15 or less to avoid postprandial low especially before dinner.
https://www.endocrine.org/patient-engagement/endocrine-library/monogenic-diabetes
Want to submit a question? Click on T1D logo. Look for “Submit a Question”
I’m going to submit: Have you been tested for monogenic diabetes?
Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying) compel four answers: 15 minutes before, 15 after, 30 after, and over the next 2 hours. It is no longer a “Set an equation, measure the carbs, and dose” certainty. All bets are off and out the window.
It’s less like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, and more like constructing a new house as it sinks. 😣
You are not alone my friend, you are not alone😬
I usually bolus for breakfast right at the time I start eating. But I prefer to bolus 15 minutes before. Better results. But I always forget.
So true about the “I prefer to bolus 15 minutes before … and always forget” . Me too!
My most recent meal was breakfast. I bolused just before eating, after figuring out the carb count.
General I dose 20-25 minutes before eating, levels stay generally similar to where I start (maybe up a little, down a little). Times I can’t dose early (fast food: I dose when ordering or plain famished). Just doing this losers my a1C from 7ish to 6ish. (Back on a pump:780G, on shots required a 30-35 minutes injection earlier?)
But thankfully the only side effect of life is getting older and tired, nothing from diabetes so my results can vary.
I am able to pr bolus for Breakfast and dinner as I am at home. I never know when I am going to eat at work so bolus is at start of meal.
My humalog doesn’t kick in for maybe an hour, so if I remember to do so, and know what I’m about to eat, I inject early to catch the BS upswing. If not, I inject later when the BS is going up and I notice that via the CGM (not the preferred method).
I’ve been pre-bolusing 15 mins before my breakfast. I have a nasty morning rise. Insulin kicks in 10 mins after I bolus and food kicks in 20 mins after eating.
I bolused about 10-15 minutes before eating. However, I should have known to bolus a little less time (5-10 minutes) as when I bolus for breakfast for at least 10 minutes before I start eating, (I woke up at 106), my sugar tends to go low within 5-10 minutes after I start eating.