I have better blood glucose levels if I deliver insulin bolus before I eat.  Of course, this is not easy.  I am hungry and I eat.  Dinner is ready.  Food has arrived at my table.  All these are reasons to eat and not wait.  Also there’s the opposite problem — waiting to eat and then forgetting to eat for the insulin I just bolused.

Insulin dosing is all about timing.  I have the best success when I eat after the insulin has already begun to take effect. Instructions on insulin often suggest 5-15 minutes.  Like everything, it may vary for you.  I usually select the amount of time I’m going to wait based on my sensor glucose reading and the current trend. If I’m trending down, and already at a good number, then I’ll skip the wait altogether.  If I’m trending up, that means a longer wait.

I picked up a Fitbit Charge 4 watch some months ago, mainly because I wondered, Do I have REM sleep?, since I don’t often remember my dreams.  Fitbit watch assured me that I was going through all of the sleep phases…. And then I unexpectedly discovered that it has a countdown timer which solves this insulin timing issue.  Pictured above, is my Fitbit watch, on my arm, next to my comfy fleece sleeve.

The Fitbit watch will vibrate when the time is up!  It’s a very personal alarm that no one else notices… In my opinion, the perfect insulin pump accessory!

Do I always wait long enough before I eat? No. I’m far from perfect. But I thought I’d share what’s helping me. Do you have any tips for getting the timing right?

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Using a smart watch to help manage diabetes – Tu Diabetes Forum Discussion