The mealtime dosage calculator is intended as an aid in figuring mealtime rapid-acting insulin requirements. It should only be used under the supervision and guidance of your health care team.
Below are links to two Excel spreadsheet forms*. The first is calculated using mg/dl and the second is calculated using mmol. Choose the spreadsheet that applies to your units of measure. Then follow these steps:
- Save the form to your computer
- Open Microsoft Excel and then open the form
- Enter your TARGET BG level (in mg/dl or mmol depending on the sheet you have downloaded). Your target BG level should be determined by you and your physician
- Enter your SENSITIVITY FACTOR (in mg/dl or mmol depending on the sheet you have downloaded). The sensitivity factor represents the amount that one unit of rapid-acting insulin lowers your blood sugar
- Enter your CARB:INSULIN RATIO, which represents the amount of carbohydate "covered" by 1 unit of rapid-acting insulin. Note that different ratios (and different charts) may be needed for different meals
- If you typically need to reduce your mealtime insulin for exercise, you can create a special chart for exercise situations. If you want to reduce your dose by 25% for exercise, enter ".75" as the EXERCISE FACTOR. If you want to reduce by 40%, enter ".60" as your EXERCISE FACTOR, and so on
- Print out the chart. At mealtimes, find your carb count along the top row, your blood sugar in the lefthand column, and line them up to find an appropriate insulin dose
* Note that the forms do not take into account active/unused insulin from previous doses.
The mealtime dosage calculator (in mg/dl)
The mealtime dosage calculator (in mmol)
