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Permalink Reply by Zoe on May 11, 2012 at 5:25pm

I do unless there is still enough insulin on board to cover it. I don't know if you're on a pump or MDI, but on a pump it's easy to keep track of the IOB so you don't stack. But even with MDI you just have to do the math. I really believe what's important isn't what highs we spike to but how much time we spend there. So I always correct.

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Permalink Reply by Sam on May 11, 2012 at 5:28pm

I'm on MDI-- novolog and lantus. Even when I go higher than I'd like after a meal I seem to come back down to a decent level (say, less than 120) relatively quickly-- so I'm a little afraid to add more insulin. I haven't had any post meal readings over 180 in a couple weeks, but 170 or so is common, and disappointing for me.

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Permalink Reply by Zoe on May 11, 2012 at 5:37pm

Well, if you come down quickly, it's really a choice. Even an hour or two spent over 140 can really add up if it happens regularly. The key is to figure out your ISF - how much one unit of insulin lowers your blood sugar. That way you can bolus a correction without having to worry. But it is harder on MDI. Not only do you have to do the math but you have to stick with whole numbers.

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Permalink Reply by jrtpup on May 11, 2012 at 5:50pm

Do you pre-bolus? If you are coming down to a reasonable number, consider taking your insulin 15, 20 or so minutes before you eat so it has a chance to get a kick start.

I would also correct if I were high 2 hours after a meal.

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Permalink Reply by Sam on May 11, 2012 at 6:10pm

I've tried dosing a little earlier-- been experimenting around 15 minutes before eating here currently. It really doesn't seem to make much difference that I can tell. I am hardly taking any basal dose-- only 4u of lantus once daily-- apparently my pancreas still works enough to provide most of the basal needs... which I think just makes managing the bolus doses a little more complicated maybe? My ISF seems to vary enough on a daily basis that I just can't seem to get it pinned down quite-- doesn't help that I'm eating in cafeteria every day so my carb counting really involves a lot of estimation at this point yet

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Permalink Reply by Zoe on May 11, 2012 at 6:41pm

When trying to pin down your ISF, try tracking it by different times a day. Mine, for example is 1:40 during the day but 1:60 at night.

As far as the basal, a question is where your numbers are at during those "in between times" like waking, before bed and most important perhaps before meals. If you are starting your meal at say 120 or 130 it makes it more likely to spike to 170 or 180 after. Two approaches to use if that is frequent is either that you actually do need more basal (depending on your waking numbers too). Another is to add a correction into your mealtime bolus. I do this all the time if I'm over target prior to the meal.

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Permalink Reply by Sam on May 11, 2012 at 6:47pm

I tend to be more worried about being too low than too high during the 'in between times' like waking, pre-meal, etc. Usually 70-85 even with just the baby dose of lantus, sometimes lower. I am really wondering if I should actually be taking any lantus at all right now, because all indications are that I don't seem to need it right now. some sort of a honeymoon period I guess.

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Permalink Reply by Brunetta on May 12, 2012 at 1:24am

Another is to add a correction into your mealtime bolus. I do this all the time if I'm over target prior to the meal.

So do I.. and I add the correction in 30 minutes prior to the meal, along with the Planned meal bolus if I know exactly what I am going to eat ( when at home). I may correct a out of range 2 hour post prandial.. It depends on how high ( is it over 150 but not yet to 180 and I plan on exercising, still have IOB :no correction needed.) The over 180 spikes are rare , but I will correct at two hours if that is the case, exercise or not)

God Bless,
Brunetta

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Permalink Reply by MegaMinxX on May 11, 2012 at 6:26pm

If you're high (170-180+) at the 2 hour check, but normal 1-2 hours later, then I think the bolus amount is correct. But the timing to match food and insulin is off.
You could change how/what you eat to slow down the food converting to glucose. Things that help slow it down is adding fiber, protein and/or fats. Sometimes I may eat 1/2 - 2/3 of my meal, wait 15-30 min and then finish the rest, usually a piece of fruit. By then, my bolus is starting to peak.

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Permalink Reply by KatieT1 on May 11, 2012 at 7:24pm

i wouldn't do a correction if I were you, if you did indeed correct at that 180, say enough to bring you down 60 - 70 points to 120 - 110, then that 120 a few hours later would or could be 60 - 50 and with your fasting levels pretty low and basal needs so small...I'd agree that you probably would benefit from timing your insulin a bit better. I wait at least 15 minutes, depending on what my numbers are, prior to eating. It also depends on what you eat.

Yeah, the honeymoon period can be tricky.

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Permalink Reply by acidrock23 on May 11, 2012 at 7:34pm

I try to evaluate it situationally, I revisit what I ate and, if I missed some carbs, I might correct, if the recalc is a big miss, I'll bolus for what I missed too, which I don't think is in the manuals and is probably horribly dangerous but I figure it will help get it down? That being said, I usually will test inside of two hours and have a CGM so it's not exactly a suprise either and I will sort of start fiddling with it if it's hitting 120-130?

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Permalink Reply by KatieT1 on May 11, 2012 at 7:48pm

this is a guy who was JUST diagnosed in April, very insulin sensitive, not on a pump, on a very small dose of basal and still making some insulin, honeymooning...so, correcting is very different then what you mentioned.

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