Not all food digests and is absorbed into your blood stream at the same rate. For these situations, we have options for how to deliver a meal bolus.
Alternate bolus options are most commonly used
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To cover high-fat or high-protein meals (e.g. pizza, cheeseburgers, fried chicken) when the digestion of carbohydrates could be delayed
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When eating over a long period of time (e.g. “grazing” at a party)
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If you have delayed food digestion (e.g. due to gastroparesis)
Types of Alternative Bolus Options
Square Wave Bolus (Medtronic): delivers a bolus evenly over a period of time
Extended Bolus (Tandem, Insulet) / Dual Wave (Medtronic): delivers a combination of an immediate bolus and a bolus over a specified longer period of time
Normal Square Extended
Normal Square Extended