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Pizza

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pat91
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Pat91

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Hi all, I have pizza for dinner tonight , just wondering if you have any advice for bolus techniques with a pen. Thank you.
 
I will start with the caveat that we are all different so if this is your first pizza, I would take it as an experiment to learn from.

The problem with pizza is that it is high carb and, usually, high fat. The fat slows down the carb absorption. For me, i can see an impact on my blood sugars for 5 hours after pizza if I get my bolus wrong. Thankfully, I have had lots of practice and mastered my eating and bolusing for my home made thin crust vegetarian pizza.

Second caveat, we cannot advice on dosing.

So, with all these caveats, I would start with a split bolus. Half the bolus before starting the pizza and the other half bolused an hour later. And lots of measuring to work out how this works for you over time.

Finally, enjoy your pizza.
 
Is it a shop-bought pizza, home-made or from a chain like Dominos? I’ve found that can make a difference.
 
Type1Pat said:
A shop brought one thin crust pizza from Asda.
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That should be a lot easier. I find the shop-bought ones less of a pain than say, Dominos or similar. They seem to have less fat and so less of the ‘pizza effect’ that @helli refers to above.

I tend to go for the Finest/posher pizzas as they’re often a sour dough base and that seems more blood-sugar friendly. For those I find I can just bolus all my insulin upfront and I’m ok. I do add-on a little extra insulin than the carbs suggest, but do not do this until you’re familiar with how you react. I do split my bolus sometimes but I find it’s easier not to and then adjust if necessary.

For a first shop-bought pizza experience, you could either split as @helli suggests, or go for more of a 2/3 upfront 1/3 an hour later split. It’s so hard to say because it does vary. Whatever you try, write down your pizza type and brand, your insulin dose and split, and your blood sugars. You can then tweak it if necessary next time, or simply know what works and repeat it all again. You’ll find ‘safe/easy’ pizzas in the supermarket. I tend to stick to those and buy the same few.

Main things are to test lots - and enjoy it.
 
Type1Pat said:
Just checked it's 110g carbs for the whole thing.
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If it was me, I’d have half the pizza for the first time along with a large salad. Again, that will dull any ‘pizza effect’. If it all works out fine, you can always increase your portion next time.
 
Hope you haven’t eaten it yet @Type1Pat but if you want to eat the whole thing (110g carbs) I’d definitely split the bolus. The carbs alone would probably warrant it.

I find anything over approx 90g carbs needs a split bolus simply because they take longer to get digested. Some people can have 100g with one bolus, some 120g, but somewhere around there you’ll probably need to split your bolus.
 
Inka said:
Hope you haven’t eaten it yet @Type1Pat but if you want to eat the whole thing (110g carbs) I’d definitely split the bolus. The carbs alone would probably warrant it.

I find anything over approx 90g carbs needs a split bolus simply because they take longer to get digested. Some people can have 100g with one bolus, some 120g, but somewhere around there you’ll probably need to split your bolus.
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Not only have I eaten the whole thing but have had chocolate aswell, now feeling very guilty. I'm expecting high readings tonight. Have told myself from tomorrow I'm being a bit more strict again.
 
helli said:
So, with all these caveats, I would start with a split bolus. Half the bolus before starting the pizza and the other half bolused an hour later. And lots of measuring to work out how this works for you over time.
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Good advice, or even give 2nd dose 2 hours after eating depending on bg results. Chippie teas chinese takeaways use same technique when on injections, lot easier now using pump.
 
Type1Pat said:
Not only have I eaten the whole thing but have had chocolate aswell, now feeling very guilty. I'm expecting high readings tonight. Have told myself from tomorrow I'm being a bit more strict again.
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Ah well - we all deserve a treat. I ate my breakfast this morning and then mindlessly ate some Easter Egg too :D Don’t worry. Just keep an eye on your sugars as the evening goes along.

I hope you enjoyed your meal 🙂
 
Inka said:
Ah well - we all deserve a treat. I ate my breakfast this morning and then mindlessly ate some Easter Egg too :D Don’t worry. Just keep an eye on your sugars as the evening goes along.

I hope you enjoyed your meal 🙂
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Any advice on what to do now I'm having the blood sugar rise from the pizza/chocolate. Or do I just let it take its course. Currently at 9.5 and last insulin was administered at 4.30. thanks
 
Type1Pat said:
Any advice on what to do now I'm having the blood sugar rise from the pizza/chocolate. Or do I just let it take its course. Currently at 9.5 and last insulin was administered at 4.30. thanks
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That’s pretty good @Type1Pat Unless you have a half unit pen, I’d leave it and test again in 30 mins or so. Far better to be cautious when approaching nighttime.and if you’d eat a bedtime snack anyway, then think about what number you’d normally go to bed on.
 
Inka said:
That’s pretty good @Type1Pat Unless you have a half unit pen, I’d leave it and test again in 30 mins or so. Far better to be cautious when approaching nighttime.and if you’d eat a bedtime snack anyway, then think about what number you’d normally go to bed on.
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Ok I'll test at 9, yeah I do normally have a snack so depending on what number I get tonight might not bother. Thanks.
 
For shop bought pizza I bolus after I finish eating for however much I ate. They don’t tend to have that much cheese. For takeaway pizza I bolus for a couple of slices before I eat, then bolus for whatever else I ate after I finish to get a rough half split. As your first time I’d just test every hour or two to see what happens for you and learn from it next time
 
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