Working on a program to calculate TAG - I NEED INPUT
I read about TAGing a while ago and didn't think much about it until last weekend when I tested 82 at 12 o'clock. I ate nothing but a few sticks of string cheese and nothing else. 3 hours later when I checked I was at 219! I started to think that maybe the protein and fat in the cheese had something to do with it. Cheese has quite a bit of both but little to no carbs.
I started researching a little more and discovered that trying to calculate the values can be a real pain in the @$$. Because of this and because I did see a few posts from people asking about a program or an app that could do this and not seeing anything out there that would actually do this other than a few spreadsheets that are definitely not as portable as my phone is... I've attempted to create a simple program that will do the calculations for me.
I started with the Insulin Calculator program that I wrote a few months ago but am no longer using since my OmniPod PDM is now doing those calculations. OmniPod will allow for an "extension" which is perfect for TAGing.
I'd like for everyone who is interested to take a look and let me know if I am doing this correctly since there really isn't a lot of information about how to calculate these numbers. I took a look at a couple of spreadsheets and sort of figured it out on my own. This is just my first attempt so that I can test the concept but I would love to create a version that anyone can use by entering their own information. Please take a look and let me know what you think.
Am I doing this right?
Is there anything that I forgot?
Is there anything that I could do to make this better.
I appreciate ANY input, positive or negative.
MY Internet Calculator (the original)
Free Insulin & Carbohydrate Calculator (anyone can use this one)
My first attempt at a T.A.G. Calculator
The TAG calculator only uses test values...
40% for Protein
10% for Fat
BG to Carb ratio of 35
Insulin to Carb ratio of 10
so that I can test the calculations. The final version will allow you to enter your own values just like the FREE Insulin & Carb Calculator.
I await your feedback :D
I started researching a little more and discovered that trying to calculate the values can be a real pain in the @$$. Because of this and because I did see a few posts from people asking about a program or an app that could do this and not seeing anything out there that would actually do this other than a few spreadsheets that are definitely not as portable as my phone is... I've attempted to create a simple program that will do the calculations for me.
I started with the Insulin Calculator program that I wrote a few months ago but am no longer using since my OmniPod PDM is now doing those calculations. OmniPod will allow for an "extension" which is perfect for TAGing.
I'd like for everyone who is interested to take a look and let me know if I am doing this correctly since there really isn't a lot of information about how to calculate these numbers. I took a look at a couple of spreadsheets and sort of figured it out on my own. This is just my first attempt so that I can test the concept but I would love to create a version that anyone can use by entering their own information. Please take a look and let me know what you think.
Am I doing this right?
Is there anything that I forgot?
Is there anything that I could do to make this better.
I appreciate ANY input, positive or negative.
MY Internet Calculator (the original)
Free Insulin & Carbohydrate Calculator (anyone can use this one)
My first attempt at a T.A.G. Calculator
The TAG calculator only uses test values...
40% for Protein
10% for Fat
BG to Carb ratio of 35
Insulin to Carb ratio of 10
so that I can test the calculations. The final version will allow you to enter your own values just like the FREE Insulin & Carb Calculator.
I await your feedback :D
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jared on -
If you're not eating enough carbs to get your BG back to the target the carbs needed will be listed there. There are still some issues with negative numbers that need to be delt with like that one. It will just say zero in that category when it is complete unless you need to eat more carbs.
If you tested at 30 and only wanted to eat enough to get you back to your target the program would tell you exactly how much to eat. -
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Permalink Reply by Capin101 on
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Its looking pretty good. I would suggest switching the names of the top two green items to the accepted terms of Insulin:carb ratio and Insulin sensitivity factor (and Insulin:protien and Insulin:fat). For simplicity sake you may want to remove some items (or hide) and highlight the important ones.
Also I would be interested in times. Such as adjusting I:C per time of day or meal like my pump does (also likely I:P and I:F). . -
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Permalink Reply by Jared on
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Thank you Capin101. That was going to be my next question since I don't regularly use these terms I'm not sure how everyone says it. The purpose of all of my previous programs has been simplicity but this one is just going to calculate everything. I could always customize a version that only has specific things like programs I've done in the past. As far as calculating for time of day it would be possible but since this will be running in a web browser there wouldn't really be a way to save information. You'll have to enter the values into the boxes each time which isn't exactly convenient but this is really a program now that calculates everything.
I will make the category name changes though and thank you for your input. -
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Permalink Reply by Jared on
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Added a category for Insulin on Board. Thought that might be good. Working on the code now. It also needs a name to display in the title bar of your browser. Any ideas? I was thinking of something like D-Calc.
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Permalink Reply by Jared on
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Well, it's certainly not finished but feel free to play with it. I've still got a lot of bugs to work out. If you come across anything let me know. I'll work on the design when all of the calculations are working the way they should.
D-Calc
Insulin, Carbohydrate & T.A.G. Calculator -
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Permalink Reply by Jared on
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Well, I think this is about as complete as I can get it. I left it pretty generic and you can even use it if you are not calculating T.A.G. so it's pretty neat. I was hoping for a little more feedback but I guess that's just the way it is.
D-Calc:
Insulin, Carb & T.A.G. Calculator
Take a look at mine.
My personal T.A.G. Calculator
ENJOY!!! :D -
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Hi Jared,
That looks like about what I would picture a TAG calculator to look like. Have you tried it out?
TAGing is a great idea, but currently something I just SWAG. I would have to test so many ratios and foods again and again that it is hard for me to get the motivation to start. TAGing certainly has enough variables and ways that things can go wrong for me that I considering more of an art form rather than a science at this point.
I just tried my "go to" fast food order. Wendy's single with a chili. and it is just barely off of how I have art-fully figured out how to TAG and SWAG it. Not bad. -
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Permalink Reply by Jared on
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Hi Capin,
Yes, I have been using it every day so that I can test it out. It's taken some time to work out the bugs but I think it's finally done. It usually gives me the same numbers that my PDM gives except the calculator is a little bit more precise so I tend to go with it's numbers rather than the PDM's.
Thanks! -
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Do you find that any of your ratios change (like an Insulin:Carb ratio) as the day progresses? For example, my I:C ratio for breakfast is 1:10, lunch 1:13, dinner 1:14.
Also does a really high fat meal slow down the absorption of the carbs (like the pizza effect) and make your TAG bolus peak too early? -
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Permalink Reply by Jared on
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I haven't noticed any kind of changes like that for me during the day. My I:C ratio is 1:10 all day long.
I have noticed that a high fat meal usually has a higher percentage of "extended" bolus so I haven't noticed early peaks either. I'll have to pay a little more attention to that.
I usually don't eat a lot of high fat foods but I did eat a whole pizza last week and didn't notice any problems. The TAG calculator calculated my bolus perfectly. -
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Permalink Reply by Jared on
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Cleaned mine up a bit so it's a lot easier to look at.
My personal T.A.G. Calculator
This one hurts my eyes but it does the job. You can change the values in mine if you like the way it looks better.
D-Calc:
Insulin, Carb & T.A.G. Calculator -
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Permalink Reply by jrtpup on -
Thanks, Jared, I'll definitely play with it over the next couple of days. I'm assuming it's win OS only, at least for now?
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