What do you carry around with you to protect against hypoglycemias?
I’ve tried a lot of stuff over the years and the only thing I don’t get sick of are the individually packed soft peppermint puffs. What do you all use?
well I’ve only been at this for two years and I am already sick of the chalky glucose tabs , my new favorite is jelly belly jellybeans (they are 1gm each) or I’ve read here someone likes skittles also 1gm each. But when at home a nice cold glass of real OJ is like a real treat! Welcome to Tudiabetes. Robin
Hey Dave - I was at Costco last night - and checked out the carb count for the Skittles - man oh man - they are packed with carbs!!! My problem is - I think if I carried even the Glucotab container of Skittles - I might wolf them both vials down. They are too tasty. Instead I just use the Dex4 tablets which is 4g of carbs (I usually eat 3-4 depending on my BG when I’m having a hypo). They aren’t so addictive to eat as Skittles for me .
I always keep a juice box in my backpack and one in my car - you never know when you’ll need it.
I got some samples of the Dex4 Liquiblast back in April at a JDRF conference here in Montreal. Very easy to get down the gullet - and tasty. You can buy mini cans of Coke that are only 15 grams of carbs each Rainbow? It shows you how often I go down the fizzy drink isle.
sometimes something sweet is good. I tried jolly ranchers, but they took to long, but they did help if i was going out for a run and needed a little pick me up as i went. I tried skittles, but i ended up eating the whole bag and sometimes they hurt my jaw from the chewing. I don’t now what to choose now with the hot weather. I usually keep a garnola bar near by, and i think i might start carrying juice boxes. But juice is my main choice, maybe even sweet tea if i could control myself! lol
I use juice boxes Dave. So a simple stab in thru’ the foil top bit - and viola - have my instant fast acting pick up (tho’ my boxes tend to be about 25g of carb - so I’m careful of how much I consume so I don’t go the other way). Also, please note - do not do this while driving. You should NOT be driving if you are having a hypo - you are like a drunk on the road - BAD, BAD, VERY BAD. If you start to feel yourself going low whilst driving on the Autobahn - pull over and take a time out.
Again, tho’ Skittles / Dex4 - less messy - but same rule applies as above.
I use the peanut M&M’s…
The candy boosts my glucose and the peanuts have enough protein and fat to carry me along.
My 2 cents…
Rock
For the juice drinkers out there - Juicy Juice makes a “fun size” juice box that’s exactly 15g carbs. They come in a few different flavors, and also are very easy to fit into a purse or bag. I usually save those for accidental over-bolusing when I’m dropping quickly, because liquids tend to raise my numbers a bit faster (quicker to absorb, I assume) than other things. I also try not to use chocolate or any chewy candies to treat lows, since typically they have a little fat and that tends to slow down the carb absorption (for me, at least).
I’m a little OCD about my diabetes, can ya tell? 
Otherwise, I sometimes use Smarties. I think 1 roll is about 6g carbs - and I like them but don’t LOVE them, so I’m not really tempted to snack on them except for during hypos.
Voice of dissent - I love the glucose tabs!!! I think having the D has impared my sense of taste. I dont really like chocolate anymore. It tastes wierd to me. I feel I’ve just confessed my darkest secret.
I, too, love glucose tabs. Long ago, when I was newly diagnosed, a young doc wanted to experiment with metformin for me along with insulin shots. I don’t know if it helped or not but we discontiued after a month or so. The worst side effect of that 1 month, for me, was that I lost all liking for vanilla flavor. Before that I used to absolutely love vanilla. A lot of other changes also happened to my taste preferences. After 8 years, I’m slowly learning to love vanilla flavor again.
juicy juice. 100% juice and it won’t fill you up. if fact they can be quite refreshing. i love them, even slightly warm from being in my purse. 
1 Like
I have to have something that works very fast to increase my blood sugar (otherwise I overeat and overshoot my target) AND I have to have something that isn’t TOO yummy so that I’m not tempted to cheat and eat it when I’m not supposed to. So for me glucose tabs are the way to go. The grape and the watermelon are my faves. Plus I like that at Wal-Mart I can get them in these plastic tubes (that I fill later with the cheaper ones from the bottle). The tube fits well in my purse, can go with me to spin class, etc.
Maria
here’s mine, the same one but from apple and eve
mini juice packs … My savior (A)
1 pixie stick is 15 carbs. Sometimes I need that half digested feel when I am low. I have been diabetic for 16 years and could fill the spelling mansion with all the glucose tabs I have eaten! But I will say plain old ReliOn original orange is the only flavor I can tolerate!
Ice tea juice boxes for me. They are 17g. I used to buy apple juice boxes but they were about 33g and I always drank the whole box; couldn’t stop half way. So the ice tea does the job in half the carbs, and I don’t have to self-control on my correction.
A month or so ago I got a big bag of starbursts and they work perfect. Each one is about 4 carbs. I have a bit of a problem, especially at night of over treating my lows…and waking up high…ugh. And starbursts take longer to chew so it helped me not over eat. Buuuuut, 2 bags of starbursts later and I am SO sick of starbursts…
1 Like
OH and I REALLY like the pixie stick idea. Going to try that next!!
oh i love starbursts…yumm!!
Some of my standbys are:
Mini Junior JUices 15 carb
8 oz of skim milk
fruit snacks (the gummy ones)
weight watchers 1 point bars