Being a senior has never looked more:
A) impossible
B) stressful
C) fun
D) All of the above.
TuDiabetes family, I am getting ready to take both the SAT and the ACT in about a month. This test is about 3-4 hours long. The last time I took the SAT, I got so nervous that my b/g rose to about 300, making it hard for me to concentrate.
Has anyone had experience with this? I don’t really need extra time on sections, but it would be nice if I qualified for extra time in case my diabetes goes out of control.
How did you handle your standardized testing experience? Any advice? Did you ask to qualify for disability, or did you just handle your diabetes on your own?
Thanks! Sara
Hi Sara,
Congrats on being close to graduation!
I recently took the GRE, and I experienced a lot of the same problems that you describe. For me, stress tends to drive my BGs down hard, so I ended up eating a lot during that time.
You should get a couple of little breaks during the testing period. Make sure to test your BG during these times and either bolus or eat as necessary. You should be allowed to take you meter and stuff as well as some juice with you during the test.
If you think your BG will go up during the test, you might also want to consider a temp basal rate for a while during the exam.
Good luck!
Here’s the preparation:.
Make sure your basals have you even round the clock.
Know what amount of glucose puts you up 10 mg/dl or 0.55 mmol.
Have some cut-in-half or full size 4 gram glucose tabs with you. Test before going in. If under 90, take enough to put you at 110. It’s all in preparation. Remember it’s a day of sedentary activity.
Your bottle of liquid should not have 100% juice as you will have a tendency to over juice and run high. Test during breaks.
Get some prior experience with using water & take glucose tabs. Do it routinely.
And when you get seated, take a slow breath in and count while doing so; let it out and count. The slow breathing can help reduce stress. Even a few times helps.
Hi Sara. When I was in school (K-College) I had a 504 plan in place. This was written for me specifically to allow breaks during assessments (glucose testing, treating hypo/hyper, etc.) Check with your school’s administration team and get a note from your doctor for any accommodations that you may need. Hope this helps. You may never need to use the accommodations however, if you do, it is good to have a plan in place! Good Luck!