User Manual

Optimizing pump therapy 71
Example #1: Square Wave bolus,
Use of a Square Wave bolus while eating a meal high in fat
Conner loves pizza. When he was using insulin shots, he began to avoid pizza because he always had high blood
glucose readings several hours after eating this high fat meal. Now that Conner is using the Paradigm pump, he
can use the Square Wave bolus feature to help with this problem. With frequent blood glucose testing and many
pizza meals, he and his healthcare professional have determined the length of time (duration) he needs to set his
Square Wave bolus to prevent the high blood sugars after eating pizza. He set it for 3-hours.
Example #2: Square Wave bolus,
(gastroparesis)
Lisa has had diabetes for many years. She has been diagnosed with gastroparesis, a condition of the digestive
system that slows down the emptying of food from her stomach. This makes her carbohydrate digestion
unpredictable. Because of this, Lisa has had a lot of trouble with blood glucose control. It has been suggested to
her that she use the Square Wave bolus feature before meals to more evenly match her insulin with her
carbohydrate digestion.
Your turn:
Square Wave bolus practice
Your target pre-meal blood glucose range is ______ to _______.
Check your pre-meal blood glucose. Are you within your target? _____ If yes, continue. If no, wait to try the
following test until your pre-meal blood glucose is within your target range:
TEST: Choose a meal that is high in fat (e.g. hot dogs, pizza, cheese enchiladas). Determine your meal bolus
amount. Set the Square Wave bolus to deliver the determined amount of insulin over 2-hours*.
(* This duration time is an example. As always, consult with your healthcare professional for guidance.)
Check your BG (blood glucose) and record: Pre-meal ________
1 hour post meal ________
2 hours post meal ________
3 hours post meal ________
4 hours post meal ________
Did your blood glucose return to your pre-meal target within 4 hours post meal? ________*
* If you answered yes, then repeat this test with the same meal on another day to verify your results.
* If you answered no, discuss this with your healthcare professional for guidance.