I am curious how long and with what percentages other pumpers extend their bolus for pizza and pasta. Of course, it is different for each of us…just trying to get a read on everyone’s experiences. I like to enjoy them as a rare treat and I find that the whole grain blend pastas are OK for me in reasonable portions, extending my bolus for a few hours. Pizza seems a bit more challenging. It depends on crust thickness, amount of cheese and the whim of the diabetes Gods mainly, I’d guess. Does anyone have it down? Thanks.
I am new to pupming, but I do 50% up front then 50% over 2 hours for pizza and it usually gives me OK numbers after. Pasta is a whole different story - I haven’t figured that one out yet. I am T2 however, and still make some insulin.
Well… I just ate 1/2 of a personal sized thin crust cheese pizza. I waited 30 min to eat, because even though the fat would likely delay digestion, there was a small correction needed first which usually takes a while to kick in for me, bolused for 60 grams, 50% right then and the rest extended over 3 hours. At 1 hour after dosing, 1/2 hour after eating, I was at 105. I’ll check in in 15 min with my 1 hour reading.
I know some people complain of pasta raising their #'s way later, like 5 hours.
Uh oh…at 11/2 hours after dosing, 1 hour after eating I am at 167. Plan A didn’t work.
I don’t eat much pasta, but for pizza I do a combo bolus over four hours, with 35% up front and 65% over the four hours. Good luck!
Hey Elaine,
I eat pizza occasionally - only have 1 piece and usually count it for 28-35g depending on the thickness of the crust. I do a dual wave, 50% up front + any correction needed and then the other 50% over a half hour. It seems to work okay for me. Once I went low after the first half of the bolus waiting for the fatty pizza to kick in. That was not an easy low to get over with all that pizza in my tummy slowing down absorption of anything else -
Enjoy!
Virtue, looks like you actually eat a LOT of pizza . . .
I do a 50/50 over 2 hours. usually works for me
I gave a correction bolus after my last reading. 2 1/2 hours after initial bolus, 2 hours after eating and 1 hour after correction, I am at 89. Hopefully back on track.
It’s a lot of work…but sometimes we just need it! Thanks everyone.
Personally, I rarely eat pizza but we eat pasta several times a week. I only eat whole grain pasta and my rule is to eat the same proportion of veggies as I do pasta. So, if I eat a cup of pasta, I’m going to be eating a cup of veggies. Works great for me. I never even need to extend my bolus and if anything, I end up on the low side. Everyone is SO different but this works for me. In general, regardless of what carb I’m eating, I eat lots of veggies and plenty of lean protein.
I don’t really do anything different for pasta other than my usual dual-wave bolus I do for most mixed meals. Pasta just doesn’t affect my bgls that much. I don’t use cream sauces or more than a scant smattering of cheese, so that probably helps. Same thing for pizza if it’s home made. For restaurant pizza, I stretch the bolus wave by an extra 30 minutes.
Even though I feel a bit guilty about the carbs when I eat pasta, I do usually make whole grain or at least whole grain blend and try to pile on the veggies as well. I have ended up low, also. I guess that’s the trick. Pizza…not so easy…
30 minutes on top of what? How long is your usual dual-wave or extended bolus? I hear people speak of spikes hours later.
Yes, pizza is a whole different story. Like I said, I rarely eat it because it’s just not worth the effect on my blood sugar and now that I have 3 young children, I’m trying to eat super healthy anyway. But I will tell you that in the past, I had to figure out very different ways to bolus for pizza, depending on where it came from. Some pizza, I had to dual wave bolus for a good 4+ hours. It’s pretty frustrating to figure out.
funny, Terry. I was trying to think of something but you beat me to it. Best regards.
I know…I came up with nothing.
5 hours later, I am still OK. I needed a correction bolus of about 1/4 of the total initial bolus plus extended to bring myself back to target. That’s a lot of insulin over the amount needed to cover the carbs…all due to the fat in the cheese, I suspect. I calculate that for the crust and the sauce, I would have needed 3.5-4 units and I ended up dosing 5.50 over 3 hours. The time of day, the time of month, the tides…who knows what could have effected it, but still…that’s a lot of insulin (for me.)