158 lbs
0.25 mmol/L
Heather - you want to be sure there is nothing in your system that is influencing your blood sugar other than the food. Short acting insulin usually stays in your system for 2.5 to 4 hours depending on the type and your own body. I would say that if you can, try first thing in the morning before breakfast. But otherwise, 4 hours after eating without exercising should give you solid results, IMHO. Good luck!
I did it this morning, as a fasting reading. I had not taken bolus insulin since 5:30 pm Wednesday afternoon. I took my basal insulin at 10pm. I had nothing by mouth and no meds, didn’t exercise this morning.
I was at 104 this morning, then ALMOST 1 hr later was at 107. Someone else said I needed to take one tab and test at 15 mins later then I would find how much it raised me. They said the basal insulin may have pushed it back down. I’ve been trying to find out how long basal stays active. If I took it at 10pm and did this test at 8:15am the next morning how much could the basal affect the reading.
don’t worry heather.
I said to Jen to take 2 tablets cause she needed more glucose to find out what glucose raised her. I can do all the math later. It’s no problem to me how someone does it as long as they know how many grams went in and what they tested later. My assumption has to be that all basal is working on cellular functions and not a confounding factor with glucose by mouth. So, for you Heather, when you’re stable and haven’t had short acting insulin in the prior 2.5 hours, test, take a glucose tab or 2, then write your weight, how many grams you took, and 3/4 hour later, how far up you went, either mmol or mg/dL.
It’s definitely weight related as bsc has said.
And thank you!
Ok–212lbs; 104 at the start of the test, took 1 4g glucose tablet and only went up to 107 at the 45 min-50 min mark.
The basal wouldn’t affect the reading by much. For some people there is basal active at 18-24 hours - minimal. For others, the peak effect lasts only 16 hours with a small residual active for a few more. It all depends on the individual body! That being said, you can test it by not eating around the time you think it is petering out & seeing what happens to your test results…
Glucose Tabs Raise me the Least. 5 carb = 25-30 points = 5-6per 1 carb
Candy will raise it the Most> 7-9 points per Carb…
Brownines will not just raise it the most per Carb, but Give me a Kicker 3 hrs later…
Choc Donut isn’t as bad, like Candy
Fruit Juice, Reg. Pop ave 6 pts per Carb.
This is after taking my Tests or Taking the above when I am at 80-110 BG’s
Have fune!
Based on 16 usable responses, I divided the weights into 4 groups:
Weight One gram Raises blood glucose
in lbs Mg/dl mmol/l
115 or less 5-10
116-140 3-11
141-199 0.25 – 15 0.25
>200 0.75-4
Within the SAME weight grouping, some are MORE SENSITIVE TO GLUCOSE than others– and that could really be an area for more research.
There is not one rule for all to use for how much glucose to take to correct a low and not run into over-correction.
Yes, at the very low and at the very high weights, we can guess: a gram hits low weighters harder – blood glucose reacts more.
At the very high weights, one needs many more grams to raise blood glucose.
RESULT: Everyone needs to know their OWN reaction to the number of grams of glucose they take. And decide their OWN number of glucose grams to take to raise themselves a specific number of mg/dL or mmol/l.
Unless we get a few thousand to participate, that’s what we can deduce!
SO THANK YOU, EVERYONE! If you continue to respond, I’ll update every couple weeks! I’ll change weight groupings as needed.
Well that sure didn’t come out as a columned chart! All my spaces didn’t stay where i put them!
Let’s try this: everything is in mgdl below, & I’ll label all weights and put in colons.
115 or lower lbs: 1 gram raises mg/dL 5-10 mg/dL
116-140 lbs: 1 gram raises 3-11 mg/dL
141-199 lbs: 1 gram raises 0.25-15 mg/dL
greater than 200 lbs: 1 gram raises 0.75 mg/dL to 4 mg/dL
We had only one person using mmol/l: at 141-199 lbs, 1 gram raised 0.25 mmol/l
I’m type 1- 135 pounds. 1 carb raises me 2mg/dL
Our teen is about 100 lbs. One gram of carb raises her blood sugar 5 points. This has been true since dx, years ago. Supposedly, one gram should now raise her less, but this has remained constant. Her insulin sensitivity factor has also lately increased. Not supposed to happen and she was already very sensitive to begin with. You have to keep watching and stay alert. Factors can change back and forth. A lot of this may be due to varying degrees of exercise.
1 gm 5 mg/dl
Wassim, what do you weigh?
Everyone has a different ratio. CHeck with your doctor, find out your ratio.
I need 1 unit, novalog for every thirty carbs
i unit will bring my sugar down 90 pts.
With this information you can figure out much of what you need to know.
Check with your Endo for your ratios.
Cassie
Simple algebra says that 1 carb should increases your bg by 3pts. But does that match your experience when you take a very small snack - say 4 carbs because you’re in the 60s or a 15g snack without much insulin on board?
Comparing the third piece of data tells you something about your ratios although it isn’t always clear what it’s telling you:-)
Maurie
Hi Cassie, I appreciate your reply. I’m not looking for how far down a unit will lower blood glucose. I’m looking to see body weight and what 1 gram will put UP the glucose. Will 1 gram put it up 6 mg/dL, 3mg/dL. It looks like you’re saying 1 gram puts you up 3 mg/dL. What weight are you? I’m testing out my chart of weights and what has been the rule for many years, and at this point I’m finding that both body weight and where one is on the mg/dL scale determines how far a gram will raise mg/dL. So if you see this again, tell me your weight. And does 1 gram put you up 3 mg/dL when you’re at 60 mg/dL and when you’re 130 md/dL and when you’re 200 mg/dL?
Look at the crap we have to think about just to keep out of the hospital or dead for that matter. How does anyone go out and enjoy themselves walking on eggshells as we do? To answer your question I think 1 gram is about 3 points for me and 1 unit lowers about 25 points. That’s starting more or less at a normal level. At extreme highs it will be different. For me to eat a decent carb meal I have inject quite a bit of insulin. I am 5"8 and my weight fluctuates between 165 and 170. I take a fixed dose of Humulin NPH at night for 24 units and throughout the day I generally use between 45 and 50 units for meals and highs.
Thanks Gary. You fit in my chart where you’re “supposed” to be! I have been a bit shocked to find that my chart used for many years was not really fitting everyone.
But how could one know when they didn’t have test meters? Out with the chart!
I approach all this with a scientifically detached attitude and my body = just one instance. Thinking about it that way moves me off emotionality & stress about it and onto the mathematical deductions that only a nerd can love! Love math for math’s sake! And thanks again!
I weigh 190lbs and 1 gram of carb raises me different amounts depending on time of day. I am on a pump so I just look at it backward. For me I take 1 unit of insulin to lower my BG 45. My carb ratio at dinner is 1 unit to 7 grams of carb. Therefore 7grams of carb should raise BG 45 or divide the 45/7 or 6.4mg/dl per gram of carb.
I roll the same way as Zoe does though. I do use the calc or at least consider it when I am going non-glucose tab and I know I have gone over so I can cover with some insulin for the over indulgence!
T1
168 lbs. 1 gram carb = 5.75 mg/dl.
[This is at my most insulin sensitive time of day]