Last night, me and the family went out for a Mexican dinner. There is a little place not too far from our house that I like to go to. Not quite a restaurant but not really fast food.
Anyhow, I ordered what I always have and bolused accordingly. As of late I have started using the Dual Wave option on my pump to get a percentage of my bolus immediately and the rest over time.
For this particular meal I dialed in the carbs, with 30% now and the rest over the next 30 minutes. As we sat down at the table I saw a large crowd of people enter the place.
With all those orders it seemed our order took forever to come out. I was not in a hurry, didn’t feel low but I did need to refill me drink before the food showed up!
While we started eating something happened that I wish happened more often. I got full. Fast. I was halfway done with the food in front of me and I suddenly felt like I could not eat another bite.
I looked at my wife and said, “I hate to waste this food but I am going to make myself sick if I eat anymore.”
She questioned if I was maybe not feeling well or felt funny which I didn’t, I was just done.
You probably can see where I am going with this. Later on we were watching TV and I started to feel low. Knowing that Mexican food tends to make me run high all evening I was surprised. Then I remembered about taking the full bolus but not eating the full meal.
I kind of freaked out because I had no clue how low I was going. I had taken my CGM sensor off when I got home because it was dead and I figured I would wait until later on to put another one in. Of course something like this happens without it.
All worked out okay. I had a fist full of Starburst candies for dessert which brought my BG up nicely before I went to bed. Let’s just hope this new trend about eating less sticks!
Nice dude! I'm also relieved that it didn't throw you into too bad of a low later on. That's the biggest problem for me and getting full - lows!
George,
I've so been there!! It happens to me all the time! I usually use the 'fill in with candy' trick....not optimal, but what else do you do when you are full of insulin and can't swallow another bite? Sometimes if I suspect this might happen ( usually I'm really hungry before the meal, but not low) I take half of what I need in a bolus, and then the other half AFTER the food is in my tummy. That usually works okay, but you need to watch for lows about 2 hours later.
Mousie
Hi George,
I do this as well like Mousie, but I use regular soda instead. I don't take my insulin until half way through a meal, either, especially since we are in the summer heat and I may not eat my full meal...good luck with the duals!
K.
George,
In response to your blog discussing your experience with managing your type 1 diabetes after eating Mexican food, I would like to tell you a little about what has worked for me when I eat such food. It is also for any others reading this comment who may find it helpful for managing type 1 diabetes.
Foods that are high in fat, as well as very large meals in general, hold on to some of the carbs as if causing a time-release of carbs that lasts longer than other types of food, or smaller amounts of food eaten at one time. If I take all the necessary insulin all at once, my blood sugar soon drops too low, causing me to eat even more (like the candy you mentioned) although my stomach still feels full of the Mexican food, and sometimes it results in unwanted elevated blood-sugar levels later on when the initial insulin dose has worn off.
Here's what I do for Mexican food, pizza or any all-you-can-eat buffet like Chinese. Because, if it is all-you-can-eat, I eat all I can. I mean, what's the point in not getting my money's worth? Such large, or high-fat, or deep-fried meals always require me to give "most" of the dose up front, the "remaining" dose a couple hours later, and quite often a "correction" dose four hours later. Oh, and let's not forget a nice nap for good measure. If I do it that way, I get around the lows that could happen from taking the whole dose up front. However, I have not yet figured a way to reduce the "thunderous turbulence" I experence the next day from eating Mexican food. Not so much a problem for me or my three beloved kitten-cats, but my significant other has threatened to call the Health Department if my interpersonal etiquette doesn't improve significantly. :-)
Of course, I know better than that. For the past handful of years I have typically eaten only half of the meal and took home the rest for another meal. We all know that many restaurants typically serve enough food on each plate for three or four people. And while I'm eating, I try to savor the food longer by chewing it well. I'm proud of you for stopping before eating the whole thing. I know you will reach your goals.
Dantony C.