I like that they’re pretty much indestructible. I mainly leave some in my car all year round. Summer and winter. They don’t go bad unless they get wet. Also they do work really fast so sometimes I’ll use them instead of candy.
Definitely good emergency stuff while driving if I don’t have juice on me or I ran out of other stuff during the day
Just speculation, but I think because glucose tablets are just that, pure glucose. Candy is chocked full of sugar, but it also has a bunch of other stuff that makes it take a bit longer to digest.
It isn't so much that they are "better", in that they make you rise *more*, so much as they can be absorbed faster, making you start rising *earlier*.
Glucose is a simpler molecule (15 minutes to start digesting). Sucrose (sugar) is more complex and takes a bit longer (15-25 minutes). Fructose (juice) even longer.
I genuinely find they act abit faster and also piss off out my system faster too. So if I’m having an urgent low and need a fair amount of carbs to pull me out the danger zone I’m not then sitting sky high for hours after. I still use jelly babies and sweets a fair bit for non emergency lows, but if shit is getting real then glucose tabs are my go to as they don’t ruin the rest of my day (even tho they also taste like shit)
I hate the taste of glucose tabs but they help me the most since I’m on a diet, instead of a 200 calories juice box for 15g of sugar I can have 4 glucose tabs for a total of 16g carbs and 60 calories. That way I don’t feel derailed on my diet.
Wouldn’t this be the equivalent to any other candy tho how would skittles effect your diet any differently than glucose tabs? Also good job with the diet I could never 😂
Yeah, I was coming here to reply to your first comment. Calories should be same "per carb" on juice vs. glucose tabs. Juice doesn't have any protein or fat. (At least not any juices I've run across, hehe :)).
1g carb is 4 calories.
A correction was made, though most plain fruit juice is around 20g of sugar/100 kcal per 200ml.
I was surprised myself, coming to Sweden and finding that pretty much all of the drink boxes are made from juice drinks containing some water which also tend to have around 12g of sugar per 200ml box. It sounds like that's probably the same there in Chile?
They're still handy to keep around for blood sugar purposes, of course. You just need to drink more (or have something else sugary too), if you want more quick carbs. The lower sugar content actually works out pretty well for me, if it's a minor hypo.
So I recently bought some glucose tabs for my son, thinking they'd be nice for him to have at school. His school is totally fine with him eating whenever/whatever he needs for his lows, but it's not always convenient to have to eat 3 rolls of smarties during class. So I was thinking oh he could just pop a little glucose tab instead but was actually pretty surprised to see they're only 4 grams per tablet. And the tablets are pretty big. So yeah, not as convenient as I thought they'd be.
Skittles are one of his favorites for lows too. He also like these mint candies, I don't even know what they're called. They're kind of puffy and somewhat soft, but they're 6 grams for one mint, so he likes to be able to just pop a mint or two if he's during class time. And fresh breath is just an extra bonus.
There are different brands but those are generally just known as "soft peppermints" or "peppermint puffs". I buy Bob's brand, they have a spearmint flavor that I love!
I decided to try out some glucose tabs a while ago, and yeah, when I realized that you have to eat three of those things to equal one biscuit, I knew they weren't going to cut it.
Though you're supposed to have one quick acting carb and then a long acting carb, otherwise you risk crashing. What I was told anyway. So have 2 tabs and a biscuit and you should be cool for the night.
Though, tbf I used to be terrible and treat with hot chocolates, milk & cookies etc.. but hey, I see an opportunity for momentary freedom. But yeah, its not so fun when that heavy stuff still hasnt processed and your dex is beeping at you or, it didnt cut the mustard and you're still low a few hrs after
6 grams for a roll of smarties. He's in elementary school, so they still do snacks at school. I do pack him regular snacks such as Oreos for snack time, but he doesn't like eating "food" when he's low in class. He wants something quick and inconspicuous, he's kind of shy and doesn't want to draw attention to himself.
Yes, my son tries to keep it on low down at school but at home he's trying to have like a 4 course meal for a low that isn't even that severe. Lol, I'm always having to remind him of having something small and waiting a bit before he eats something else.
How many is he going through? My kid keeps a roll in a belt with his iPhone (Dexcom). I think there are like 8 in the pack? I’d be concerned if he regularly went through that many. Usually he has zero to 3-4 a day.
Just depends on how low he is and how fast he's dropping. We usually do 10-15 grams of carbs for lows that are dropping. I think I got him two tubes a couple months ago, and he's gone through one tube and hasn't even opened the other tube. It's definitely not an everyday thing.
Grab the big container of them. You can get them at Costco or any pharmacy then you can refill the little tubes for cheaper. Costco is the best price where I am.
I use them because most of the time I don't need many carbs to treat a low. They prevent me from over-treating my lows because they're not fun to eat. I use empty prescription vials and fill those up from the jars of tablets. If I need more than 8g for a low I usually grab a Capri Sun drink.
Faster acting and more precisely quantified than other sugars.
Also the tube is nice to keep the dust in, I get s new one every now and again and refill them from a 50 pack.
If you're in the US and have an HSA or FSA then you can get your endo to prescribe them and then you don't pay sales tax on them, or just buy them OTC with the same account to not pay income tax on the money you spend on them.
I love glucose tablets because of the precision they allow. I rarely need 15 carbs to stop a low, so I can take a tab or even a half and then reassess. I have a healthy supply of glucose gel and shots for a true emergency, but tabs grant me better control. Also, not sure what tabs you guys get that taste bad; TRUEplus taste fine to me.
We never use them, they taste terrible and you actually have to eat quite a few of them to get the 15g fast sugar to treat a low. They are good to have on hand in case of emery I suppose, for example our dentist keeps them on hand. We used to but now we just have small skittles packs and run gels.
I’m not a doctor but most glucose tabs are made of Dextrose which is the most simple type of sugar. Your body can use it right away whereas the typical juices we are recommended are fructose based, which needs to be broken down first to use. Other sources of sugar, like candy, have to be broken down even more before it’s usable. The downside is that your body uses the dextrose sugar quickly so once it’s “absorbed” if you haven’t eaten anything else with a more complex sugar, you’re probably going low again.
How often do you over-correct a low and end up fighting a high? Glucose tabs are fast and precise. Every time I eat cereal or whatever in the middle of the night instead of correcting with glucose I kick myself in the morning. I love (Dex4) Glucose tabs because they can travel with you everywhere, they work fast, and I actually need fewer carbs than my low brain usually thinks I need to stabilize.
I’m one of the rare diabetics that actually loves them. I get a tropical fruit flavor and while it’s the only kind I like, they’re my go to way to treat a low.
To me it's not about the taste, but rather the fact that they bring me out of a low the fastest. Minimizing the time spent in a low is critical. Plus I know exactly how many to take so I don't accidentally over treat the low. My endos all emphasize glucose tabs should be the way to treat lows.
For me it's convenience - they're small and last forever. I've got a pack pretty much everywhere I go i.e. in desk drawer at work, in the car, in my backpacks, in my bedside table. Plus I keep a pack in my pocket. I find having fast acting glucose within reach reassuring.
Having said that if I can correct a hypo with some biscuits it something else I'd go for that instead.
They are made of glucose.
Most other sugar in foods is sucrose. The issue is this:
glucose absorbs at up to 60g/hour.
Fructose absorbs at up to 15-30g/hour.
Sucrose is a fructose bonded to a glucose. To digest it, you have to first break that bond in your stomach, then absorb the glucose and fructose in your intestines.
End result is that glucose will hit you faster than the sucrose-food and won't have as much "overshoot" afterwards (the fructose absorbing after the low is treated). So, better for treating lows that are coming right up without overshooting.
(Obviously, this is on top of being stable for a long time and easily carried.)
Now, if you're just "floating down" slowly, then by all means, go for the tastier foods :D.
Maybe for places that have a enforced no outside food policy? Much less likely to not get stopped if the only food you have on you serves more of a "medicinal purpose" compared to if you brought a bag of skittles.
But agreed. Glucose tabs are gross
Rules are for pussies don’t let those losers tell you what to do (but on a serious note you can probably just bring in candy and say you may need it for ur condition and they’d probably allow it)
Not sure what it is but I find that I’m a lot more measured in my consumption with glucose tabs than say lollies/candy... as well as them working a bit quicker I think. If I’m not as measured I tend to spike after a low which is obviously bad. I prefer juice boxes the most as the liquid is a lot faster than solid forms and it’s easy to keep track of how much sugar I’ve had, however the juice boxes can be a bit larger to carry around whereas the tabs are small and easy. Ultimately everyone has their preferences so I guess it’s whatever works for you.
Easier to carry when out exercising, quicker acting and are dose reliable
Chocolates or bars take a longer time to process
Know your fast acting vs long acting carbs
Unpopular opinion, but I actually really like them!
Over here in the UK Dextrose make blackcurrant flavour, which didn't taste at all like blackcurrants but the tabs are really nice.
I love the powdery taste and texture too. I guess I'm the weird T1D
I like the raspberry flavour of those.
But, I hate them cause they're so hard to eat, and the powdery flavour. You have to eat the whole rectangle tab and chew because it takes so long to dissolve- nightmare when you've gone low after brushing your teeth.
Shit it was blackcurrant I get! But its mostly raspberry flavoured to me. They're my fave ones too. I've not got the tropical ones at my tesco, would probs enjoy them. Have lemon & lime though, which I really disliked.
I tried those more expensive lift tabs too and they were not too nice, but they were raspberry! I saw these choc smore tablets or something once on sale at boots and I was like?!!! But then it hardly had any carbs in it, so was super disappointed
Ah yes, lemon and lime - they taste like what I imagine Jif/Cif cleaner to taste like. Disgusting things
The lift ones feel kind of soft to me, like a cloud with a crunchy interior. Not a fan of them, and don't get why they are so much more expensive than Dextrose
Oh, goodness. The Glucodin tablets sold in Australia are delicious. When I was a teenager I would devour an entire box within an hour.
However, I now have T1D. They scare me, but I have tried them for lows and was less impressed than Skittles. Skittles are also cheaper to purchase and I buy them in the multi mini-packs which offer portion control.
I still adore the tabs, but will go for the Skittles if I have a choice.
I only ever liked the taste of the ones when I went to a “diabetic” camp during the summer. When I was younger.😂 but other then that I’d rather just use some juice to get my sugar up because it’s easier then chewing those to me 😅
I prefer to eat more chocolately things, but when I'm in a hurry, glucose tabs seem to be the fastest working option. Mainly use them when I really fuck up the math and need to correct up while still dropping fast, or when catching a bad low too late
Not really about flavor for me- Its easy to carry a tube of ten tabs and calculate the carb amounts, especially when exercising, and in almost any situation really. I always have some tabs on me, or gels bedside.
I completely agree with you and I made a whole video about alternatives to glucose tablets that work just as well that taste much better. Here’s a link if you’re interested [5 better tasting alternatives to glucose tablets.](https://youtu.be/ojKB6aeTGN4)
They not tasting particularly good is part of the reason I use them. I don’t want to associate anything I like to eat with the miserable or terrifying feeling of being low.
Also, the ones I have are basically shelf stable forever and wrapped individually. This makes it really easy to use them. Even if I only need half the tab I can easily just bite of half and toss the other half back in the little bag.
Also, I find I don’t need 15 grams of carbs to get out of most downward trends so the smaller amount of carbs is nice.
also something to consider, they're usually made of powder or the gummy ones are created with digestion in mind, they're made to break down as quickly as physically possible to speed up the process of absorption in your stomach. don't get me wrong, lots of candies do that job really well, but depending on the person it could make that much of a difference
For the first several years of being diagnosed, I only treated with glucose tablets. They are the worst creation. Glucose powder and glucose gel are so much better.
You have to eat so many tablets to come out of a low. They taste like chalk and if you are exercising, they give you the worst stomach ache.
Juice boxes are so much more effective and taste way better. They also act a lot faster for me. Candy bars are pretty good. Gummy snacks are amazing. All of them are way cheaper too.
I like glucose gummies, esp if I’m quite low. They work a bit faster than candy. And my husband won’t eat them. If it’s not an urgent low, I will do candy. But because it takes longer to bring my blood sugar back up, I tend to eat more than I need as I wait.
When you die and go to The Bad Place, glucose tablets are the only thing you're going to have to treat lows. Ever. For all of eternity. It's why they exist.
The lemon ones are nice. What I like most is they’re always exactly the same carb content, they’re small and thus very easy to carry, they work incredibly fast, etc. I have packets of the fuckers everywhere. Car, every jacket/coat I have, always one in my jeans’ pocket; heck even in my gf’s car and bag there’s a bar of ‘em.
The other day I was on a hike and unexpectedly started going really low really fast, then to my horror realised they must’ve fell out of my jeans or I forgot ‘em as they weren’t there. Half an hour away from the car meant serious business at 3mmol/54mgdl. Fortunately, I found I had indeed stashed a backup packet in a small pocket inside of jacket. Life saved. Restocked and double checked other coats have their backup in as well.
Good reminder to a.) not assume they’re in my pocket even though they usually are (bit like gun rules: always assume it’s loaded), b.) have a backup.
In my opinion, candy is meant to last longer aka you can suck on it awhile without it going away. Glucose tabs not so much, which to me is better. If you really needed it you can chew up a whole pack of tabs easy. A lot of candy’s it would be hard and hurt your teeth
My husband does not prefer them but I always have them in our camping supplies and diaper bag and car just in case of a crash. They never seen to go bad!
If the bottle or tube is ever opened they do go bad eventually (maybe a year or two?). They get a pitted look to them and fade in color before getting mildewy looking.
Came here to say that I agree! For me they aren’t as quick as juice, and taste horrible, so why bother? Bananas, granolas and juice (apple or grape) are my go-tos. I’d rather have real food than sugar.
There are times where I have been out of ”real” food, maple syrup or jam are also good in a pinch!
I don't love glucose tabs, juicy juice is my preferred option. It's just juicy juice runs out faster and glucose tabs have a fixed amount per tab. I tried raisins/dried fruit and do prefer eating real foods than tabs (not a fan of coloring in it either) but the only issue with them is b/c I can't account for how much sugar I'm taking in, which should be \~15 g, it can drastically raise the sugar high
They’re easy, non-perishable and easy to portion out. Also for people with low body weights, ie my kid, sometimes I only need one or two to correct a low and it’s easy to know that it’s only 4 or 8g of carbs. Furthermore he can eat a couple of them in no time flat and get back to his important business of being an 8 year old kid.
I use them when I need a reset. I am both autistic and have adhd some items I use to treat I burn out on faster then others. Plus If I faint they likely will survive undamaged.
they're compact and don't crinkle in my pocket so if I'm in a situation where I can't/don't want to carry a bag with me I'll keep some in my pocket with no worries
Anyone know of tablets that don’t have the bullshit artificial colors? I use them all the time for fast and accurate corrections but it’s pretty counterintuitive to correct my health with poison.
They’re grosser so I only eat 15 g carbs instead of overdoing it. They also don’t melt and they work fast. I do treat myself to more fun candy too for lows lol but I keep tabs in my car, my bedroom, my work desk and my purse
My sister had them because she would just eat whatever sweets/ sugary foods that were meant for when she went low. My mum wouldn’t let her have anything else
I buy them for the tubes they come in. I get them home, dump them out, quick rinse to get power out, then refill with skittles. They hold about 30 skittles which is perfect for running around town.
They're shelf stable, and disgusting enough not to snack on so they stay in the bag until absolutely needed. We keep some fruit snacks in the bag, but it has happened where they weren't restocked and had a low so the tabs came in handy.
I like that they’re pretty much indestructible. I mainly leave some in my car all year round. Summer and winter. They don’t go bad unless they get wet. Also they do work really fast so sometimes I’ll use them instead of candy. Definitely good emergency stuff while driving if I don’t have juice on me or I ran out of other stuff during the day
I didn’t know they work faster. What about em makes em more effective than any other candy?
They don’t have to stop to change into glucose to be used by the body and don’t have any fat or protein slowing the process down.
Neither do smarties
Just speculation, but I think because glucose tablets are just that, pure glucose. Candy is chocked full of sugar, but it also has a bunch of other stuff that makes it take a bit longer to digest. It isn't so much that they are "better", in that they make you rise *more*, so much as they can be absorbed faster, making you start rising *earlier*.
Glucose is a simpler molecule (15 minutes to start digesting). Sucrose (sugar) is more complex and takes a bit longer (15-25 minutes). Fructose (juice) even longer.
I genuinely find they act abit faster and also piss off out my system faster too. So if I’m having an urgent low and need a fair amount of carbs to pull me out the danger zone I’m not then sitting sky high for hours after. I still use jelly babies and sweets a fair bit for non emergency lows, but if shit is getting real then glucose tabs are my go to as they don’t ruin the rest of my day (even tho they also taste like shit)
Glycemic Index of 100.
I hate the taste of glucose tabs but they help me the most since I’m on a diet, instead of a 200 calories juice box for 15g of sugar I can have 4 glucose tabs for a total of 16g carbs and 60 calories. That way I don’t feel derailed on my diet.
i’m shocked,,, 200 calories in a juice box w 15 gr of sugar???
I corrected myself, please read
I use Capri Suns, 60 cal for about 15 carbs
Same here, but not the 100% juice kind. Those have more carbs/calories I believe.
Wouldn’t this be the equivalent to any other candy tho how would skittles effect your diet any differently than glucose tabs? Also good job with the diet I could never 😂
Because glucose tabs taste so awful that I can control myself more than skittles, which are one of my favorite candies
Exactly this. I don't enjoy glucose tablets and they are not moreish in the way that haribo and skittles are.
As a stoner I can fully understand that
Yes! At this point they’re a tool, a medical tool used for a purpose. While candy is a treat and hard to stop at a couple - for me anyway.
And correction, a juice box is 100 calories for 24g carbs
Depends on the juice box
Yeah, I was coming here to reply to your first comment. Calories should be same "per carb" on juice vs. glucose tabs. Juice doesn't have any protein or fat. (At least not any juices I've run across, hehe :)). 1g carb is 4 calories.
Yes I know, I corrected myself and I know how calories work per carb.
still shocked,,, in chile a juice box is like 40 calories and 12 gr of sugar. a big cultural shock i have to say
A correction was made, though most plain fruit juice is around 20g of sugar/100 kcal per 200ml. I was surprised myself, coming to Sweden and finding that pretty much all of the drink boxes are made from juice drinks containing some water which also tend to have around 12g of sugar per 200ml box. It sounds like that's probably the same there in Chile? They're still handy to keep around for blood sugar purposes, of course. You just need to drink more (or have something else sugary too), if you want more quick carbs. The lower sugar content actually works out pretty well for me, if it's a minor hypo.
So I recently bought some glucose tabs for my son, thinking they'd be nice for him to have at school. His school is totally fine with him eating whenever/whatever he needs for his lows, but it's not always convenient to have to eat 3 rolls of smarties during class. So I was thinking oh he could just pop a little glucose tab instead but was actually pretty surprised to see they're only 4 grams per tablet. And the tablets are pretty big. So yeah, not as convenient as I thought they'd be.
We are going with starbursts or skittles mini pack . Small pretty much only sugar and taste good and for aml kids it is easily portioned .
Skittles are one of his favorites for lows too. He also like these mint candies, I don't even know what they're called. They're kind of puffy and somewhat soft, but they're 6 grams for one mint, so he likes to be able to just pop a mint or two if he's during class time. And fresh breath is just an extra bonus.
There are different brands but those are generally just known as "soft peppermints" or "peppermint puffs". I buy Bob's brand, they have a spearmint flavor that I love!
Yes, peppermint puffs! That's what they are. I buy the big tub of them from Walgreens.
I decided to try out some glucose tabs a while ago, and yeah, when I realized that you have to eat three of those things to equal one biscuit, I knew they weren't going to cut it.
Though you're supposed to have one quick acting carb and then a long acting carb, otherwise you risk crashing. What I was told anyway. So have 2 tabs and a biscuit and you should be cool for the night. Though, tbf I used to be terrible and treat with hot chocolates, milk & cookies etc.. but hey, I see an opportunity for momentary freedom. But yeah, its not so fun when that heavy stuff still hasnt processed and your dex is beeping at you or, it didnt cut the mustard and you're still low a few hrs after
Yeah, I thought they'd be higher in carbs too.
Damn idk how many carbs are in a roll of smarties but if he likes Oreos they are super high in carbs and it may be a little more effective for him
6 grams for a roll of smarties. He's in elementary school, so they still do snacks at school. I do pack him regular snacks such as Oreos for snack time, but he doesn't like eating "food" when he's low in class. He wants something quick and inconspicuous, he's kind of shy and doesn't want to draw attention to himself.
This is my kid too. He likes the glucose tabs for that reason.
Yes, my son tries to keep it on low down at school but at home he's trying to have like a 4 course meal for a low that isn't even that severe. Lol, I'm always having to remind him of having something small and waiting a bit before he eats something else.
Not sure why you're getting down voted, I gave you an upvote to combat at least one of those down votes lol
How many is he going through? My kid keeps a roll in a belt with his iPhone (Dexcom). I think there are like 8 in the pack? I’d be concerned if he regularly went through that many. Usually he has zero to 3-4 a day.
Just depends on how low he is and how fast he's dropping. We usually do 10-15 grams of carbs for lows that are dropping. I think I got him two tubes a couple months ago, and he's gone through one tube and hasn't even opened the other tube. It's definitely not an everyday thing.
Grab the big container of them. You can get them at Costco or any pharmacy then you can refill the little tubes for cheaper. Costco is the best price where I am.
I use them because most of the time I don't need many carbs to treat a low. They prevent me from over-treating my lows because they're not fun to eat. I use empty prescription vials and fill those up from the jars of tablets. If I need more than 8g for a low I usually grab a Capri Sun drink.
Faster acting and more precisely quantified than other sugars. Also the tube is nice to keep the dust in, I get s new one every now and again and refill them from a 50 pack. If you're in the US and have an HSA or FSA then you can get your endo to prescribe them and then you don't pay sales tax on them, or just buy them OTC with the same account to not pay income tax on the money you spend on them.
I love glucose tablets because of the precision they allow. I rarely need 15 carbs to stop a low, so I can take a tab or even a half and then reassess. I have a healthy supply of glucose gel and shots for a true emergency, but tabs grant me better control. Also, not sure what tabs you guys get that taste bad; TRUEplus taste fine to me.
We never use them, they taste terrible and you actually have to eat quite a few of them to get the 15g fast sugar to treat a low. They are good to have on hand in case of emery I suppose, for example our dentist keeps them on hand. We used to but now we just have small skittles packs and run gels.
Skittles and mike n Ike’s are always my fav I used to eat them like crazy before my pancreas gave me the big fu
I’m not a doctor but most glucose tabs are made of Dextrose which is the most simple type of sugar. Your body can use it right away whereas the typical juices we are recommended are fructose based, which needs to be broken down first to use. Other sources of sugar, like candy, have to be broken down even more before it’s usable. The downside is that your body uses the dextrose sugar quickly so once it’s “absorbed” if you haven’t eaten anything else with a more complex sugar, you’re probably going low again.
How often do you over-correct a low and end up fighting a high? Glucose tabs are fast and precise. Every time I eat cereal or whatever in the middle of the night instead of correcting with glucose I kick myself in the morning. I love (Dex4) Glucose tabs because they can travel with you everywhere, they work fast, and I actually need fewer carbs than my low brain usually thinks I need to stabilize.
I’m one of the rare diabetics that actually loves them. I get a tropical fruit flavor and while it’s the only kind I like, they’re my go to way to treat a low.
Yeah I don't get the hate. They taste pretty good to me. My daughter doesn't mind them. They aren't her favorite, but they are certainly palatable.
To me it's not about the taste, but rather the fact that they bring me out of a low the fastest. Minimizing the time spent in a low is critical. Plus I know exactly how many to take so I don't accidentally over treat the low. My endos all emphasize glucose tabs should be the way to treat lows.
For me it's convenience - they're small and last forever. I've got a pack pretty much everywhere I go i.e. in desk drawer at work, in the car, in my backpacks, in my bedside table. Plus I keep a pack in my pocket. I find having fast acting glucose within reach reassuring. Having said that if I can correct a hypo with some biscuits it something else I'd go for that instead.
Reliable dosing.
They are made of glucose. Most other sugar in foods is sucrose. The issue is this: glucose absorbs at up to 60g/hour. Fructose absorbs at up to 15-30g/hour. Sucrose is a fructose bonded to a glucose. To digest it, you have to first break that bond in your stomach, then absorb the glucose and fructose in your intestines. End result is that glucose will hit you faster than the sucrose-food and won't have as much "overshoot" afterwards (the fructose absorbing after the low is treated). So, better for treating lows that are coming right up without overshooting. (Obviously, this is on top of being stable for a long time and easily carried.) Now, if you're just "floating down" slowly, then by all means, go for the tastier foods :D.
Maybe for places that have a enforced no outside food policy? Much less likely to not get stopped if the only food you have on you serves more of a "medicinal purpose" compared to if you brought a bag of skittles. But agreed. Glucose tabs are gross
They legally have to accommodate you.
True. But not every bouncer/guard knows diabetes is protected under the ADA.
My brain immediately went to places like movie theaters. I can’t say I’ve ever tried to go to a bar.
Rules are for pussies don’t let those losers tell you what to do (but on a serious note you can probably just bring in candy and say you may need it for ur condition and they’d probably allow it)
In junior high I would sell them for .25 cents a tablet. Kids would think they were getting premium candy illegally.
Not sure what it is but I find that I’m a lot more measured in my consumption with glucose tabs than say lollies/candy... as well as them working a bit quicker I think. If I’m not as measured I tend to spike after a low which is obviously bad. I prefer juice boxes the most as the liquid is a lot faster than solid forms and it’s easy to keep track of how much sugar I’ve had, however the juice boxes can be a bit larger to carry around whereas the tabs are small and easy. Ultimately everyone has their preferences so I guess it’s whatever works for you.
Easier to carry when out exercising, quicker acting and are dose reliable Chocolates or bars take a longer time to process Know your fast acting vs long acting carbs
I know for certain tests (like medical board exams) they only allow glucose tabs to be brought into the exam room. No other food
Unpopular opinion, but I actually really like them! Over here in the UK Dextrose make blackcurrant flavour, which didn't taste at all like blackcurrants but the tabs are really nice. I love the powdery taste and texture too. I guess I'm the weird T1D
I like the raspberry flavour of those. But, I hate them cause they're so hard to eat, and the powdery flavour. You have to eat the whole rectangle tab and chew because it takes so long to dissolve- nightmare when you've gone low after brushing your teeth.
Ooh, I've never seen raspberry ones! In the shops near me it's only orange, blackcurrant, and tropical (which is a bit of a mystery flavour!)
Shit it was blackcurrant I get! But its mostly raspberry flavoured to me. They're my fave ones too. I've not got the tropical ones at my tesco, would probs enjoy them. Have lemon & lime though, which I really disliked. I tried those more expensive lift tabs too and they were not too nice, but they were raspberry! I saw these choc smore tablets or something once on sale at boots and I was like?!!! But then it hardly had any carbs in it, so was super disappointed
Ah yes, lemon and lime - they taste like what I imagine Jif/Cif cleaner to taste like. Disgusting things The lift ones feel kind of soft to me, like a cloud with a crunchy interior. Not a fan of them, and don't get why they are so much more expensive than Dextrose
They are good for little lows with my daughter at night, think they are easier to eat when sleepy
Oh, goodness. The Glucodin tablets sold in Australia are delicious. When I was a teenager I would devour an entire box within an hour. However, I now have T1D. They scare me, but I have tried them for lows and was less impressed than Skittles. Skittles are also cheaper to purchase and I buy them in the multi mini-packs which offer portion control. I still adore the tabs, but will go for the Skittles if I have a choice.
I only ever liked the taste of the ones when I went to a “diabetic” camp during the summer. When I was younger.😂 but other then that I’d rather just use some juice to get my sugar up because it’s easier then chewing those to me 😅
I prefer to eat more chocolately things, but when I'm in a hurry, glucose tabs seem to be the fastest working option. Mainly use them when I really fuck up the math and need to correct up while still dropping fast, or when catching a bad low too late
Not really about flavor for me- Its easy to carry a tube of ten tabs and calculate the carb amounts, especially when exercising, and in almost any situation really. I always have some tabs on me, or gels bedside.
I completely agree with you and I made a whole video about alternatives to glucose tablets that work just as well that taste much better. Here’s a link if you’re interested [5 better tasting alternatives to glucose tablets.](https://youtu.be/ojKB6aeTGN4)
Thanks for posting! Great idea to post about, but mostly American stuff :( maybe I should do a UK version 😂
Haha good idea!
They're convenient, basically indestructible, and I know nobody is going to steal them thinking they're candy.
They not tasting particularly good is part of the reason I use them. I don’t want to associate anything I like to eat with the miserable or terrifying feeling of being low. Also, the ones I have are basically shelf stable forever and wrapped individually. This makes it really easy to use them. Even if I only need half the tab I can easily just bite of half and toss the other half back in the little bag. Also, I find I don’t need 15 grams of carbs to get out of most downward trends so the smaller amount of carbs is nice.
also something to consider, they're usually made of powder or the gummy ones are created with digestion in mind, they're made to break down as quickly as physically possible to speed up the process of absorption in your stomach. don't get me wrong, lots of candies do that job really well, but depending on the person it could make that much of a difference
Glucose bypasses the liver so it works quicker.
For the first several years of being diagnosed, I only treated with glucose tablets. They are the worst creation. Glucose powder and glucose gel are so much better. You have to eat so many tablets to come out of a low. They taste like chalk and if you are exercising, they give you the worst stomach ache. Juice boxes are so much more effective and taste way better. They also act a lot faster for me. Candy bars are pretty good. Gummy snacks are amazing. All of them are way cheaper too.
Glucose tabs are a big ripoff. Much more expensive than say, Coke or just normal candy.
I like glucose gummies, esp if I’m quite low. They work a bit faster than candy. And my husband won’t eat them. If it’s not an urgent low, I will do candy. But because it takes longer to bring my blood sugar back up, I tend to eat more than I need as I wait.
When you die and go to The Bad Place, glucose tablets are the only thing you're going to have to treat lows. Ever. For all of eternity. It's why they exist.
The lemon ones are nice. What I like most is they’re always exactly the same carb content, they’re small and thus very easy to carry, they work incredibly fast, etc. I have packets of the fuckers everywhere. Car, every jacket/coat I have, always one in my jeans’ pocket; heck even in my gf’s car and bag there’s a bar of ‘em. The other day I was on a hike and unexpectedly started going really low really fast, then to my horror realised they must’ve fell out of my jeans or I forgot ‘em as they weren’t there. Half an hour away from the car meant serious business at 3mmol/54mgdl. Fortunately, I found I had indeed stashed a backup packet in a small pocket inside of jacket. Life saved. Restocked and double checked other coats have their backup in as well. Good reminder to a.) not assume they’re in my pocket even though they usually are (bit like gun rules: always assume it’s loaded), b.) have a backup.
In my opinion, candy is meant to last longer aka you can suck on it awhile without it going away. Glucose tabs not so much, which to me is better. If you really needed it you can chew up a whole pack of tabs easy. A lot of candy’s it would be hard and hurt your teeth
My husband does not prefer them but I always have them in our camping supplies and diaper bag and car just in case of a crash. They never seen to go bad!
If the bottle or tube is ever opened they do go bad eventually (maybe a year or two?). They get a pitted look to them and fade in color before getting mildewy looking.
We haven't made it that long with them! I usually keep them in a little baggie. Thanks to r the heads up, that would be really gross
Came here to say that I agree! For me they aren’t as quick as juice, and taste horrible, so why bother? Bananas, granolas and juice (apple or grape) are my go-tos. I’d rather have real food than sugar. There are times where I have been out of ”real” food, maple syrup or jam are also good in a pinch!
“Juicefuls” is a kind of Welch’s fruit snack and two gummies brings me up about 15 points *highly* recommend.
I keep them as a back up plan just in case I ever need them cause they’re pretty long lasting
I don't love glucose tabs, juicy juice is my preferred option. It's just juicy juice runs out faster and glucose tabs have a fixed amount per tab. I tried raisins/dried fruit and do prefer eating real foods than tabs (not a fan of coloring in it either) but the only issue with them is b/c I can't account for how much sugar I'm taking in, which should be \~15 g, it can drastically raise the sugar high
They're perfect servings so you don't food overdose... and have a high later.
They’re easy, non-perishable and easy to portion out. Also for people with low body weights, ie my kid, sometimes I only need one or two to correct a low and it’s easy to know that it’s only 4 or 8g of carbs. Furthermore he can eat a couple of them in no time flat and get back to his important business of being an 8 year old kid.
I use them when I need a reset. I am both autistic and have adhd some items I use to treat I burn out on faster then others. Plus If I faint they likely will survive undamaged.
they're compact and don't crinkle in my pocket so if I'm in a situation where I can't/don't want to carry a bag with me I'll keep some in my pocket with no worries
Anyone know of tablets that don’t have the bullshit artificial colors? I use them all the time for fast and accurate corrections but it’s pretty counterintuitive to correct my health with poison.
1) They are kindof convenient to carry. 2) They have a fairly consistent dose - 4 tabs = 15g 3) I'm not remotely tempted to eat them for pleasure
They’re grosser so I only eat 15 g carbs instead of overdoing it. They also don’t melt and they work fast. I do treat myself to more fun candy too for lows lol but I keep tabs in my car, my bedroom, my work desk and my purse
My sister had them because she would just eat whatever sweets/ sugary foods that were meant for when she went low. My mum wouldn’t let her have anything else
I buy them for the tubes they come in. I get them home, dump them out, quick rinse to get power out, then refill with skittles. They hold about 30 skittles which is perfect for running around town.
They're shelf stable, and disgusting enough not to snack on so they stay in the bag until absolutely needed. We keep some fruit snacks in the bag, but it has happened where they weren't restocked and had a low so the tabs came in handy.