You all may have thought of this already , but for the ones that have not maybe you can use this idea .My mom was trying to think of something fast & easy to have when I get low . What she came up with was the little black bottles that the one touch strips come in . They hold 15 grams of sugar ,when I need the whole 15 i just pour it in , or sometimes just half. If I go ride my bike I can just put a couple in my pocket . Just thought it might help someone . We keep them every where ,in the car , by the bed, kitchen . I am 13 & I think the kids would like it better than the gl.tabs. It also works fast, till you can get some food in you. If you have different ideas let me know maybe I will like one better !
Thanks…that is a really good idea! Now I know what I can use all these containers for! good goin’ Mom!
I use energy gels 
Most 1oz packages are 25-28g of carbs, so it gives me enough to bring up a low, plus a little extra to keep going. They’re not as cheap as pouring sugar into an empty strip vial, but they’re handy to carry since the packages are flat! I keep them everywhere…by the bed, in the car, in the bag under the seat on my bike, and when I’m riding, if I’m wearing a jersey I’ll throw a couple in the back pocket.
Sarah…where do you get the energy gels??? And what is the name? Just energy gels? That is a good idea too…I hate GC tabs! I usually use jelly bellys if I can.
Thx
There are a lot of them… Clif Shots, PowerBar Gel, Accelerade, GU, etc… any sporting/outdoor store would have them, you may even find them at some grocery stores. They’re really popular with runners, cyclists, and other athletes. Some have caffeine though, so make sure you check the label if you don’t want that, and some have more or less carbs than others - I’ve yet to find any with less than 15, but I prefer the ones with more - it ends up costing less long-term
All of the energy gels seem to be at least half the price of pharmacy glucose gels at around $1.00-1.50 or so.
Thanks for the great idea. I usually use candy, but sugar might be more quickly digested.
Sounds pretty convenient, but I would be careful. I know they treat the inside with chemicals to keep the strips dry. Just a thought.
Those little (mini) cake decorating GELS work great and are cheaper than the commercial gels. Each one is 15 grams and is very small and easy to carry anywhere. My CDE and pump trainer taught me that.
The parametics told my friend that if her mom passed out from a low, the frosting gels were safe to use…just rub on the gums.
Hey…what a good idea with those little containers Tyler…We could say “Diabetics Use The 3 Rs…Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”
However, Mandy’s right…the inside of the containers are treated so that humidity doesn’t get to the strips!
I use Glucose tablets, but reusing empty test strip bottles to carry sugar is a great and ev friendly idea, thanks. do you have an idea of how to reuse insulin bottles, after 51 years of type 1 I can not imagine the pile of emptys I have produced. take care all :o)
I’m led to believe that glucose is still the best and fastest. Sugar works but it’s still made up of sucrose and fructose. The sucrose is slower and fructose a tad slower still. Pure fruit drinks - all fructose, in theory, should be slower still. All are still fast, but I assume sucrose and glucose still have to be converted to glucose in the body, and… um… fructose and something to do with the liver. Sorry, I’m being a big vague. Wish I could remember where I read this - I’d prefer to back this up with solid facts! Does anyone know?
In my case, the simpler the method of ingesting, the better…as I’m not verry well coordinated when I’m low…and there’s no point in getting more on the floor than in your mouth, lol
Ha, haven’t thought of that! How about miniature “Message in a Bottle” ornaments or pendants…it could catch on lol
I buy the 6-pack of Miniute Maid apple juice. I keep one in my glove compartment, pantry, fridge, backpack.
To save money on glucose tablets, buy the big bottleof 50 Dex4 tablets and one or two smaller bottles of them. Just keep refilling the smaller bottles when they run out.
I also use old prescription pill bottles to hold my glucose tablets, but you have to wash and dry them first. Some of the larger ones work. Ask your pharmacist for bottles big enough to hold Dex4 tablets next time you fill a script. If you don’t have any prescriptions that require those little brown plastic bottles, some pharmasicsts will provide them free of charge or for a small charge. The best ones are the easy open ones made for people with arthritis. The last thing you want is to be going low and unable to open the bottle and get out your glucose tablets!
(The strip bottles have chemicals in the lining that make them unsafe for food, as someone has already stated).