I agree with Callie...Juicy Juice works wonders and gets the blood sugar up pretty fast, especially since they already come in individual packets and you always know how much you're getting. I always keep a lot in the fridge! Glucose tabs are definitely easy though, especially during class or on the go. Has anyone else found that orange juice tends to bring you way up then back down pretty fast? Maybe it's just me!
[quote user="Lauren"]
I agree with Callie...Juicy Juice works wonders and gets the blood sugar up pretty fast, especially since they already come in individual packets and you always know how much you're getting. I always keep a lot in the fridge! Glucose tabs are definitely easy though, especially during class or on the go. Has anyone else found that orange juice tends to bring you way up then back down pretty fast? Maybe it's just me!
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are you eating crackers or some other kind of starch with the juice? or just juice on it's own?
I usually try to have some sort of protein with the juice but being on the go so much, it doesn't always happen! But for some reason with any juice except orange juice, it doesn't bring me way up then back down.
[quote user="Lauren"]
I usually try to have some sort of protein with the juice but being on the go so much, it doesn't always happen! But for some reason with any juice except orange juice, it doesn't bring me way up then back down.
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haha okay i'm confused. it only happens with OJ? or it happens with juice except OJ?
Either way, it's probably cuz you aren't having any crackers or whatever with it. I find that only happens when I skip eating at least one cracker with my sugar.
Only orange juice brings it way up and way down! Any other juice doesn't. And you're right, it's mostly due to not having anything with it. I usually need more than a cracker tho...it usually takes some peanut butter or some protein with it. So, I usually just avoid orange juice all together! That's just me tho!
probably best to if it only happens with the OJ!
I was taught to either have a coke (the best) or a glass of juice (a bit slower but just as effective). When I am out on business or don't have access to either I use the Instaglucose tubes. These are a bit pricey but they work in minutues and are great when I am on an airplane or business meeting and don't want to make a fuss.
i like to use Juicy Juice. the little containers are 15 carbs each and then i'm not worried i've poured the right amount. they're not large either and i can carry one in my purse.
We just finished trying this...though, don't accuse me of turning my son into a lab rat! ;o)
For three weeks any lows we treated with juice and a protein snack (hot rod, peanut 'x', etc).
The we tried three weeks with just the tabs.
Not scientific in any way, and we certainly didn't cover every variable, but we found that the lows treated with a snack+protein had a better test result at the next meal (more likely to be in target range.
Cheers,
Kristy,
I think it depends for me what my BS is. See, I panic when I have lows so I normally go for a liguid with some form of sugar in it because in my mind, no matter what anyone else tries to tell me :), liquid travels faster. I carry around Capri Suns. They are low in calories and fat free. And they taste ok if they are warm, but better cold...Anyway, I place one in my purse and have them at home. I think each little pouch yields around 17-20 grams of carbs, depending on the flavor...SO to simply answer your question, yes, I have found juice, liquid what have you raises lows quicker for me.
Batts,
I often end up using tabs - I can tolerate the grape and watermelon flavors pretty well… I think you accidentally hit one of the X-factors right on the head, too… I am pretty completely hypo-unaware so if it’s faster or slower, I don’t think I notice so much…
For those keeping track, yes, faster recovery may be less important for slower diabetics (I suspect)... :P
Cheers!
A-D
Yes, juice has always worked faster for me. In fact, different glucose tabs contain different amounts of glucose. You need to read the labels of all brands.
Jane
the kiddie juice boxes are awesome! lol. they bring them up pretty quick.
my friends call it my big bird juice : )
Personally, those glucose tabs make my stomach hurt and make me feel like I have acid reflux. Plus, some people have mentioned them being 15 grams of carbs each, but the ones I have found only have 4 grams in them. I have to eat 6-8 of them if my sugar gets really low. They are too expensive for that.
I used to eat Skittles as someone else mentioned, because they used to be my favorite candy. After enough lows over the years, they started to feel like a punishment. I agree that juice is best for really low sugar. Coke is not good for me because the last thing I need when I have the shakes is caffeine. You really are not supposed to drink caffeine when your sugar is low anyway. As for hard candies, I don't know why people bother with those. They only have a few grams of carbs in them and that won't touch my lows. Right now, I have been keeping canned juice in my car and buying those fruit snacks. They are pre-packaged 15-20 grams of carbs. They don't go bad, and they are easy to chew when you don't feel good. The other thing I have found easy and cheap is those fruit slices. You can buy a whole bag of them for $1, and it only takes 2-3 slices when your sugar is low.
I am newly diagnosed and my educator has told me I can eat smarties. This is what i have been doing and i think it works great. I havent tried glucose tablets yet.
If you can handle eating that many smarties, it will definitely save you some money. I think part of it is finding something you like anyway. It's hard enough to feel that bad and try to force yourself to eat/drink something you don't like. That bad part (for me anyway) is finding something that I don't LOVE because then I tend to eat them before my sugar gets low. I am a girl that craves candy, not chocolate, so I have to be careful how much I carry. I know I won't eat my last survival kit:)
I have also been told that you shouldn't eat chocolate when your sugar gets low.....too much fat and caffeine...but I knew a girl that always at M&M's when her sugar was low. Whatever works, I guess.
I was told Smarties and M&Ms were ok because they have a candy coating. I don't think chocolate works fast enough without it (or so I was told..)
I prefer juice to chalky tablets. They might taster good but they're still chalky.
Juice is a much cheaper method and more readily available. So I usually go with juice. It's tastier too. I find that when I feel low I need much more than 5 grams of carbs anyway. More like 30 does the trick.
I'm in Madison for grad school.