[mhall812]

I just had a low and popped a glucose tab. It tastes exactly like a sweet tart. So am I being ripped off by buying this "glucose tab"?

Sweet Tarts are dirt cheap.

[fgummett]

Hypoglycemia is low BG so you need to eat some fast acting glucose/sugar to bring it back up... doesn't matter if that comes from special tablets or candy or OJ... even milk will work but may be a little slower than candy.

Easiest thing to do is -- when you have a stable BG again -- test your BG before and after one of these "sweet tarts" to see how they affect your BG... specifically how much BG increase and how quickly would they bring your BG back to normal from a hypo.

[lorilei]

lol...i made the same comment a week ago re: sweet tarts....

[Erin]

Yes, Glucose tabs cost more, and sweet tarts taste better.

[SuzySushi]

From Insulin Therapy by Jack L. Leahy & William T. Cefalu (2002), the first choice for treating hypoglycemia is dextrose/glucose tablets or gel equalling 15 or 16 grams of carbohydrates.

The second choice is Sweet Tarts, but you need nine candies to equal 15.4 grams of carbohydrates.

Personally, in our household we use the glucose tablets -- it's easy to keep a jar by the bedside for middle-of-the-night lows (no fumbling to open a packet of candies) and my daughter and her friends are less likely to snack on them as candy!!! She keeps a bottle of them at school and a 10-pack tube in her frontpack for the same reason.

Before we started buying glucose tablets, my late husband, who also had diabetes, used to carry around sugar packets, but they had a tendency to break open and spill in his backpack. Even when he placed them in a plastic ziplock bag, the bag would get shopworn after a few weeks and tear apart.

P.S., The cheapest place to buy glucose tablets is Costco -- even cheaper than Wal-Mart!

[sable_032592]

i buy my glucose tabs at wal-mart and the tubes there as well... sure the candy, chocolate, junk, etc, is more tempting than using a real glucose remedy, but they don't work as fast...

i do find, however, that swedish berries (raspberry shaped candy - small ones, kinda hard, not the big squishy ones) they work well as well, but since i find that they taste so good i tend to over do it...

i use powerade more often than glucose tabs because, first off, the tabs take longer than the powerade and they kinda make me gag now... the tubes of gel junk aren't too bad though, they work fast too, but you need atleast two tubes and at their price, it's too much... one powerade can last me 3 low BS episodes at less than 1.50 a bottle and the tubes are over $5 a tube...

[Subby]

Originally Posted by sable_032592

i buy my glucose tabs at wal-mart and the tubes there as well... sure the candy, chocolate, junk, etc, is more tempting than using a real glucose remedy, but they don't work as fast...

Then again, I find that a small tropical juice box totaling 15g works just as fast as tabs. I also find it more pleasant and easier to drink liquid than try and masticate food. It's not exactly high on the list of priorities, but I'm getting a portion of nutrtion as well.

Different foods tend to get metabolised a little differently by differently people... so if you find that some food or other doesn't work too well for you as a hypo fix, it's very important information, but it may not apply directly to others.

I also find sports glucose powder really convenient at home, 3 teaspoons either off the spoon or mixed in half a glas of water is very cheap and low fuss.

This is not just to argue down tabs. I often use them when traveling. They are light and I have no inclination to eat them or overindulge, like I personally might with such as jelly beans. Some people might and do find them the best solution for all of the time. Fair enough - but they really are not some kind of special medicine that works heaps better above all else, as the idea, books, or marketing might imply at times. (hey, they are trying to sell a product... make money.... you know?)

My personal approach is:
- make sure your hypo fix works well for you - fast action
- make the hypo fix something you don't hate or dislike. If you don't like tabs, don't use them.
- make it something you don't love, so that you avoid making excuses or bowing to temptation
- make it something you don't find addictive
- make it something as convenient as you need it
- make it something relatively healthy, ie not chock full of additives, caffeine, saturated fats (obvious exception if you prescribe to high fat diet) refined rubbish, I think the "junk" comment does apply to a degree.

And secondary to all that, is cheapness, which may still be an important factor, of course.

That all sounds complicated, but it's a sure test to see if you have a good workable hypo fix solution

[orpy]

I usually have the glucose tabs...whenever I try to buy sweetharts...I can't find them. Also, it's true, my kids gobble up sweetharts although they like my glucose tabs too.

[jenb]

A little off topic, but do you all always go for 15g of carb? Since 1g of carb raises my BG between 6 and 9 points (sometimes more) I always start with a 4g tab and wait to see how far that takes me. Am I nuts?

Jen

[kgm0612]

I do not buy glucose tabs. Instead, I go for the Starburst candies. Each one has 4g of carbs and will raise my BS almost 20 points.

Karen

[xMenace]

Originally Posted by mhall812

I just had a low and pooped a glucose tab.

You've created an image I really didn't want to see

[Luke]

I have found I am better off with the tablets. I have tried the tarts, starburst, etc., and I catch myself "sneaking" bites when I am not supposed to have them.

[m2jpilot]

Originally Posted by xMenace

You've created an image I really didn't want to see

I caught that too and bit my tongue, as I know I'm sure not best speller in the world, but now thanks to the image comment, I am in tears!!!

[SCC]

I carry a product called "GU". 24 grams of carb gel, 100 calories, no fat. BOOM, the low is gone. For me, it raises my BG 50 points. Perfect for me, I can clear up a 60 to a 110 or so quickly. Get the stuff on line or at running/hiking stores. Not cheap, but it's my cure.