"It's All About Your Attitude"

Some diabetics talk about pizza and pasta being their nemesis when it comes to foods but I have found a food that is even worse for my BGs!  Last night I went out to eat with my school pals to celebrate our upcoming graduation.  I decided, what the heck, I have a pump so I am going to treat myself tonight.  I am going to eat what I want.  So I ordered a low fat pannini sandwhich and substituted onion rings for french fries. 

Turns out that onion rings are my kryptonite (I had this sandwich before so I know it was an OK pick for me).  2 hours after the meal I was 180 and climbing.  I decided to wait until 3 hours after the meal before taking action and at 3 hours I was 249!  Crap!  I started correcting and spent the next 4 hours between 210 and 290.  Finally at one in the morning I was down to 140 so I went to bed.  I was feeling achy and icky from being over 200 for 5 hours so I was wiped out and looking forward to a good night's rest.  Wrong!  Looks like I stacked my insulin a little too much since my trusty DexCom woke me up 3 times with lows in the 50s!   ARGHHHH!  So I think that for now I will pass on onion rings, its not worth the drama of fighting a really insulin resistant high like this one was.

Oh No!  That's not a good treat for your BGs :-)  Mark that one up to impossible to carb count and matching insulin for delayed relase of glucose.  Onion rings win again :-(

I was thinking, this is another reason why CGMS devices are good.  Could you image having the night you did, and not seeing those BG trends.  Not only does it make it harder to manage, but you can "see" what is going on with your BGs and not have to wait for a finger stick.

Well Suzanne CONGRATS again on your graduation....

PS I ate pizza yesterday (Diabetic nightmare for me, I tend to stay away) but I was able to control them pretty good.

3 Slices of pizza I bolused for 15 carbs upfront, 45 carbs during, and increased my temp basal rate to 120% for 1 hour.  My sugars were pretty good, they didn't go over 170 and came back down close to my target.   I'll have to remember that 120% increase next time I think that was the trick.

1happydiabetic at 02:16PM on Sep 06, 2009

Oh No!  That's not a good treat for your BGs :-)  Mark that one up to impossible to carb count and matching insulin for delayed relase of glucose.  Onion rings win again :-(

 

I was thinking, this is another reason why CGMS devices are good.  Could you image having the night you did, and not seeing those BG trends.  Not only does it make it harder to manage, but you can "see" what is going on with your BGs and not have to wait for a finger stick.

 

Well Suzanne CONGRATS again on your graduation....

 

PS I ate pizza yesterday (Diabetic nightmare for me, I tend to stay away) but I was able to control them pretty good.

 

3 Slices of pizza I bolused for 15 carbs upfront, 45 carbs during, and increased my temp basal rate to 120% for 1 hour.  My sugars were pretty good, they didn't go over 170 and came back down close to my target.   I'll have to remember that 120% increase next time I think that was the trick.

 

 

Doing the 120% basal sounds like a good idea. I like pizza, and I know I should avoid it. However, this probably will not happen since i have three younger kids and it is my favorite food. I don't eat a lot of it, but it always drivess me crazy. I bolus for 30 units for each slice, 50 percent now and 50 percent over four hours. Usually at four hours I am 160 to 200, and I stay that way. Since I used dual wave, I have IOB and I am afraid to stack too much. Needless to say, in the morning I am 140 to 150. Ouch! I will try the temp basal next time. Thanks for the advice!

Mike Shaw at 02:51PM on Sep 17, 2009

1happydiabetic at 02:16PM on Sep 06, 2009

Oh No!  That's not a good treat for your BGs :-)  Mark that one up to impossible to carb count and matching insulin for delayed relase of glucose.  Onion rings win again :-(

 

I was thinking, this is another reason why CGMS devices are good.  Could you image having the night you did, and not seeing those BG trends.  Not only does it make it harder to manage, but you can "see" what is going on with your BGs and not have to wait for a finger stick.

 

Well Suzanne CONGRATS again on your graduation....

 

PS I ate pizza yesterday (Diabetic nightmare for me, I tend to stay away) but I was able to control them pretty good.

 

3 Slices of pizza I bolused for 15 carbs upfront, 45 carbs during, and increased my temp basal rate to 120% for 1 hour.  My sugars were pretty good, they didn't go over 170 and came back down close to my target.   I'll have to remember that 120% increase next time I think that was the trick.

 

 

Doing the 120% basal sounds like a good idea. I like pizza, and I know I should avoid it. However, this probably will not happen since i have three younger kids and it is my favorite food. I don't eat a lot of it, but it always drivess me crazy. I bolus for 30 units for each slice, 50 percent now and 50 percent over four hours. Usually at four hours I am 160 to 200, and I stay that way. Since I used dual wave, I have IOB and I am afraid to stack too much. Needless to say, in the morning I am 140 to 150. Ouch! I will try the temp basal next time. Thanks for the advice!

Wow Big reply there!!!

Pizza is a tough food for me.  Always has been.  Not just because of the sauce, meat, cheese, bread carbs all going in different directions... but because pizza is like a treat for me...  I OVER EAT!!!  Ok I said it, I do... I mean for some reason when there is pizza I'm hoovering around it for 3 or 4 slices and call it a day!  I know awful of me. 

But the success I had the other day was a nice change.  I didn't have that extra extra piece I have sometimes....  :-)

HERE IS A POEM I WROTE JUST FOR YOU PIZZA!

Oh Pizza, Oh Pizza, I miss you, you stink!

I wish I could wash you away in the sink

If only my 8 hour combo bolus could fit

Oh Pizza, Oh Pizza you're giving me fits!

I'd rather eat candy without any insulin

Than eat your cheese pizza and wipe sauce from my chin

I know that tomorrow will be a bad day

Oh Pizza, Oh Pizza please don't stay

Why at parties are you always there

With Meat on top of Peppers and Peperoni that stare

It's the way I reheat you to save some cash

Oh Pizza, Oh Pizza, just go in the trash.

-Thank you... LOL

Very nice Bill. I laughed! (except for when you told the pizza to go in the trash. Not cool! ;))

I used to have a problem with pizza but I figured out which major brands have how many carbs and I have on more than one occasion, suspended my blood sugar while doing it (It feels sooooo good to do that!). And I'm a pretty active kid, so I take just enough insulin, go run around (with scissors!) and play. It took me a while to get used to it but I'm glad I haven't sacrificed pizza just yet

1happydiabetic at 02:16PM on Sep 06, 2009

Oh No!  That's not a good treat for your BGs :-)  Mark that one up to impossible to carb count and matching insulin for delayed relase of glucose.  Onion rings win again :-(

 

I was thinking, this is another reason why CGMS devices are good.  Could you image having the night you did, and not seeing those BG trends.  Not only does it make it harder to manage, but you can "see" what is going on with your BGs and not have to wait for a finger stick.

 

Well Suzanne CONGRATS again on your graduation....

 

PS I ate pizza yesterday (Diabetic nightmare for me, I tend to stay away) but I was able to control them pretty good.

 

3 Slices of pizza I bolused for 15 carbs upfront, 45 carbs during, and increased my temp basal rate to 120% for 1 hour.  My sugars were pretty good, they didn't go over 170 and came back down close to my target.   I'll have to remember that 120% increase next time I think that was the trick.

 

 

Bill I am exactly like you when it comes to pizza.  My biggest problem is eating 4 slices.  I wanna give your dose a shot.  Just confused, how do you bolus for it? is it like 25% up front and then 75% over an hour? or a few hours?   If you could clarify that a little.  Thanks!!! I'm hoping to try it tonight (not basal testing tonight haha) 

Let's see if I can stay in the 3 slice range tonight.....

Clark V. at 07:47PM on Sep 17, 2009

Very nice Bill. I laughed! (except for when you told the pizza to go in the trash. Not cool! ;))

I used to have a problem with pizza but I figured out which major brands have how many carbs and I have on more than one occasion, suspended my blood sugar while doing it (It feels sooooo good to do that!). And I'm a pretty active kid, so I take just enough insulin, go run around (with scissors!) and play. It took me a while to get used to it but I'm glad I haven't sacrificed pizza just yet

Nice one.

You are right, sticking with the same brand of pizza is a good idea.  The scissors idea is even better :-)  LOL.  I haven't totally given up on Pizza, I am not sure if that is humanly possible but the problem is the different brands and types of pizza out there.  Some have more  bread, some have more sauce.  Tough food to do insulin for.

I'll save you a piece next time and not throw it away!

Kenny Kellner at 10:09AM on Sep 18, 2009

1happydiabetic at 02:16PM on Sep 06, 2009

Oh No!  That's not a good treat for your BGs :-)  Mark that one up to impossible to carb count and matching insulin for delayed relase of glucose.  Onion rings win again :-(

 

I was thinking, this is another reason why CGMS devices are good.  Could you image having the night you did, and not seeing those BG trends.  Not only does it make it harder to manage, but you can "see" what is going on with your BGs and not have to wait for a finger stick.

 

Well Suzanne CONGRATS again on your graduation....

 

PS I ate pizza yesterday (Diabetic nightmare for me, I tend to stay away) but I was able to control them pretty good.

 

3 Slices of pizza I bolused for 15 carbs upfront, 45 carbs during, and increased my temp basal rate to 120% for 1 hour.  My sugars were pretty good, they didn't go over 170 and came back down close to my target.   I'll have to remember that 120% increase next time I think that was the trick.

 

 

Bill I am exactly like you when it comes to pizza.  My biggest problem is eating 4 slices.  I wanna give your dose a shot.  Just confused, how do you bolus for it? is it like 25% up front and then 75% over an hour? or a few hours?   If you could clarify that a little.  Thanks!!! I'm hoping to try it tonight (not basal testing tonight haha) 

 

Let's see if I can stay in the 3 slice range tonight.....

Kenny,

What I did was eat 3 Large pieces, more like the size of four from "Pepes" (the first american pizza place, true, New Haven CT)

I boluses for 15 Carbs 20 minutes or so before I was eating.  Then when the pizza came I bolused for 45 more carbs.  Plus I added a temp rate of 120% for 1 hour as well.

It worked good!  It's really almost like a combo bolus, a bit different.  But it worked for me.

Well, I had pizza and tried your solution Bill.... Just ate, will see what happens....

Well I had pasta the other night and about two hours after that I tested and got a 96. So I'm thinking cool! Good for me! *dislocates shoulder while patting myself on the back* well..... About 3 hours after that with no eating I test again and find myself at 153. I will admit that that was a time where I could used a CGMS lol

Clark.you worry about a 153? Me thinks you worry too much... Andy

Well I wasn't really worried about it at face value but if I'm jumping 50 points (someones gonna have to explain the units to be sometime) in 1 hour it could get ugly. And you wouldn't like me when I'm high Grrr..... (incredible hulk :P)

Suzanne at 04:01PM on Sep 05, 2009

Some diabetics talk about pizza and pasta being their nemesis when it comes to foods but I have found a food that is even worse for my BGs!  Last night I went out to eat with my school pals to celebrate our upcoming graduation.  I decided, what the heck, I have a pump so I am going to treat myself tonight.  I am going to eat what I want.  So I ordered a low fat pannini sandwhich and substituted onion rings for french fries. 

Turns out that onion rings are my kryptonite (I had this sandwich before so I know it was an OK pick for me).  2 hours after the meal I was 180 and climbing.  I decided to wait until 3 hours after the meal before taking action and at 3 hours I was 249!  Crap!  I started correcting and spent the next 4 hours between 210 and 290.  Finally at one in the morning I was down to 140 so I went to bed.  I was feeling achy and icky from being over 200 for 5 hours so I was wiped out and looking forward to a good night's rest.  Wrong!  Looks like I stacked my insulin a little too much since my trusty DexCom woke me up 3 times with lows in the 50s!   ARGHHHH!  So I think that for now I will pass on onion rings, its not worth the drama of fighting a really insulin resistant high like this one was.

I, too, discovered that onion rings really mess up my blood sugar.  I went to Fat Burger a couple of weeks ago and had the Baby Fatburger for lunch.  Instead of fries, I thought I would try their homemade onion rings.  They were absolutely delicious, and I really enjoyed them.  Like you, a couple hours after eating, I started to feel funny, like my blood sugar was off.  I checked my blood glucose, and sure enough, it was way up there, close to 300!  Yikes!  I did a correction bolus and still my readings remained high.  It took almost the rest of the day for my blood sugars to even out again, after several more corrections.     It was tasty while eating it, but I definitely suffered for it.

Chinese is my nemesis!!!! But boy do I love me some chinese!!! It was REALLY bad when I thought 1 cup of cooked rice was 15g of carbs, not 45! Talk abot an oversight! Something that has helped me with high carb meals as of late is the super bolus. It may be in your benefit to do some reading on this (and consult your doctor also) before trying, but its been a God send for me. All you do is calculate your bolus, then add together how much 2 hours of your basal rate is, and add the two together. Then subtract for any active insulin you still have in your system. You give the entire combined amount as a bolus. YOU MUST THEN IMMEDIATELY DO THE FOLLOWING: Program a temp basal rate of 0 delivery for 2 hours. If you forget you will wind up with double the basal rate and going low (like hardcore low). If done correctly though, the up front addition of extra insulin will keep sugars from going up super high, but by cutting the basal rate, you dont fall low later as your sugars stabilize. If you want more info, just Google it. There are a few really good articles out there that give excellent clinical data regarding this. Its helped me a few times thus far also.

One side note: Dont even think about doing a super bolus when only eating a salad for dinner!!!! Unless you like being shaken awake at 2:30AM by your spouse yelling at you to test your sugar while your just trying to go back to your happy place! It wont end well. I speak from experience on that one.

so true jdm I have had some success with it and I like it but like you said it is all about what foods you use it for like me I am in love with pizza and pastas so it worked well with those night time levels. 

Is it me or any one else. I get really bad cravings for sugar. I am learning to have little every other day or even a week at a time.

I am learning from my CDE and my new ANP.