#1714 Defining Diabetes: Total Daily Dose
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Jenny and Scott define S.W.A.G.
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Scott Benner (0:0) Here we are back together again, friends, for another episode of the Juice Box podcast. (0:15) Managing diabetes is difficult, but trying to do it when you don't understand the lingo, that's almost impossible. (0:22) The defining diabetes series began in 2019, and today we're adding to it. (0:26) Go to juiceboxpodcast.com up in the menu, click on defining diabetes, and you'll see a complete list of all the terms that we've defined so far. (0:37) My grand rounds series was designed by listeners to tell doctors what they need, and it also helps you to understand what to ask for.
Scott Benner (0:46) There's a mental wellness series that addresses the emotional side of diabetes and practical ways to stay balanced. (0:52) And when we talk about GLP medications, well, we'll break down what they are, how they may help you, and if they fit into your diabetes management plan. (0:59) What do these three things have in common? (1:01) They're all available at juiceboxpodcast.com up in the menu. (1:05) I know it can be hard to find these things in a podcast app, so we've collected them all for you at juiceboxpodcast.com.
Scott Benner (1:13) While you're listening, please remember that nothing you hear on the juice box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. (1:21) Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan or becoming bold with insulin. (1:30) Alright. (1:31) We are gonna define total daily dose of insulin. (1:35) So what is that?
Scott Benner (1:36) Is that is TDI and TDD the same are people talking about the same thing? (1:41) Same thing? (1:42) Okay.
Jenny Smith (1:42) Honestly. (1:43) Yeah. (1:43) TDD, TDI, total daily insulin, total daily dose, essentially. (1:48) Right?
Scott Benner (1:49) Mhmm.
Jenny Smith (1:50) Really, it just means adding together what you bolus both for food and correction as well as the amount of basil that you're getting in a day. (1:59) And you add them together, that's your total daily dose. (2:03) And it may look a bit different day to day, especially with those who are using pumps.
Scott Benner (2:09) Mhmm.
Jenny Smith (2:09) Right? (2:10) Because we have these algorithms that titrate things up and down. (2:13) So one day, it might look like forty two, and the next day, it might look like forty eight, and the next day, it might look like thirty nine. (2:20) It you know, and what's changing there? (2:22) Basil.
Jenny Smith (2:23) It's going up and down. (2:24) They might eat a lot more one day than the other day. (2:27) But when we aim to look at total daily dose from a perspective of adjusting some settings
Scott Benner (2:35) Mhmm.
Jenny Smith (2:36) Which is what can be used for kind of going forward, we take an average usually over the past seven days or the past fourteen days to get an idea of what is typical.
Scott Benner (2:47) Yeah. (2:48) I I was thinking that probably nowadays, one of the places this still comes up, right, is people who are getting off of MDI and going into a pump or or going into an automated system, especially like Omnipod five. (2:59) Right? (2:59) Like, they really want you to start with, like, a number. (3:01) Like, this is your have to tell it on day one.
Scott Benner (3:04) Like, this is my total daily insulin.
Jenny Smith (3:06) Right.
Scott Benner (3:06) That's why it's still coming up. (3:08) Mhmm. (3:08) Gosh. (3:09) I don't really remember that being a big part of management for us back then.
Jenny Smith (3:14) But No.
Scott Benner (3:15) Yeah. (3:15) I don't think about it much, honestly.
Jenny Smith (3:17) I think for kids, it might be or anybody going through a transitional time in life where their needs are changing, we pay attention I do, especially when I'm working with my kiddos. (3:29) I pay attention to total daily insulin because as their needs change and we can see things fluxing and we need to make adjustments, tracking their total daily insulin can be helpful to explain this is why you're seeing a higher blood sugar. (3:44) We're needing to increase. (3:46) You know, little Susie has grown an inch in the past three months.
Scott Benner (3:49) Mhmm.
Jenny Smith (3:50) This is why her insulin needs are this versus this. (3:53) So it's it's helpful just to acknowledge that you're not crazy that insulin needs are going up.
Scott Benner (3:59) Right. (4:00) So You know, it's funny too because people sometimes talk about that, like, you know, your your insulin should be 50% based on 50%. (4:09) I don't I don't really prescribe to that, really. (4:13) I don't see that being the case some days.
Jenny Smith (4:16) And no. (4:16) Really, you know, the pump that strives hard, which you know very well Yeah. (4:21) Having done all the Omnipod five episodes, that algorithm strives really hard to get somebody to about a fifty fifty. (4:28) Right. (4:28) But that's the algorithmic that's how it was written, coded to do, where with algorithm driven systems, especially in the DIY community, that fifty fifty, it it can kinda get thrown out the window a bit because of the give and take of the system for the way that the algorithm is written to work for you.
Scott Benner (4:48) Mhmm. (4:49) No. (4:49) I'm glad you said it because I was thinking that that might be an old metric, really. (4:53) Mhmm. (4:53) You know, that you don't see much more of.
Jenny Smith (4:55) But you hear it. (4:56) It's a great one to bring up because it's a metric that a lot of doctors
Scott Benner (5:01) They throw it around.
Jenny Smith (5:01) Still are hard lined in looking at. (5:04) And they're like, no. (5:05) No. (5:05) Something's gotta be off. (5:07) We have to throw in more basil here because, you know, you're you're only getting 30% when you should be getting a fifty fifty split.
Jenny Smith (5:13) And it's like then cleanup work on my part, teaching somebody. (5:17) It's kind of old school information.
Scott Benner (5:19) Right. (5:20) Okay. (5:20) Alright. (5:21) TDI oh, also TDI or TDD, why do people change things? (5:24) Like, why did some like, whatever was first, why did someone one day go, oh, it should be TDD or vice versa?
Scott Benner (5:30) Like, why do you gotta make everything hard? (5:32) Just Right.
Jenny Smith (5:32) Say the Keep it.
Scott Benner (5:33) Say the thing.
Jenny Smith (5:34) Alright. (5:34) Thanks. (5:34) Right.
Scott Benner (5:42) Hey, kids. (5:42) Listen up. (5:43) You've made it to the end of the podcast. (5:45) You must have enjoyed it. (5:46) You know what else you might enjoy?
Scott Benner (5:47) The private Facebook group for the Juice Box podcast. (5:51) I know you're thinking, oh, Facebook, Scott, please. (5:53) But no. (5:54) Beautiful group, wonderful people, a fantastic community. (5:58) Juice Box podcast type one diabetes on Facebook.
Scott Benner (6:01) Of course, if you have type two, are you touched by diabetes in any way? (6:05) You're absolutely welcome. (6:07) It's a private group, you'll have to answer a couple of questions before you come in. (6:10) We'll make sure you're not a bot or an evil doer, then you're on your way. (6:14) You'll be part of the family.
Scott Benner (6:16) Hey. (6:16) Thanks for listening all the way to the end. (6:18) I really appreciate your loyalty and listenership. (6:21) Thank you so much for listening. (6:23) I'll be back very soon with another episode of the Juice Box podcast.
Scott Benner (6:27) Hey. (6:27) I'm dropping in to tell you about a small change being made to the Juice Cruise 2026 schedule. (6:32) This adjustment was made by Celebrity Cruise Lines, not by me. (6:36) Anyway, we're still going out on the Celebrity Beyond cruise ship, which is awesome. (6:40) Check out the walkthrough video at juiceboxpodcast.com/juicecruise.
Scott Benner (6:45) The ship is awesome. (6:46) Still a seven night cruise. (6:48) It still leaves out of Miami on June 21. (6:51) Actually, most of this is the same. (6:53) We leave Miami June 21, head to Coco Cay in The Bahamas, but then we're going to San Juan, Puerto Rico instead of Saint Thomas.
Scott Benner (7:00) After that, Bastille. (7:02) I think I'm saying that wrong. (7:03) Saint Kitts And Nevis. (7:05) This place is gorgeous. (7:06) Google it.
Scott Benner (7:07) I mean, you're probably gonna have to go to my link to get the correct spelling because my pronunciation is so bad. (7:11) But once you get the Saint Kitts and you Google it, you're gonna look and see a photo that says to you, oh, I wanna go there. (7:18) Come meet other people living with type one diabetes from caregivers to children to adults. (7:24) Last year, we had a 100 people on our cruise, and it was fabulous. (7:29) You can see pictures to get at my link, juiceboxpodcast.com/juicecruise.
Scott Benner (7:34) You can see those pictures from last year there. (7:37) The link also gives you an opportunity to register for the cruise or to contact Suzanne from Cruise Planners. (7:42) She takes care of all the logistics. (7:45) I'm just excited that I might see you there. (7:47) It's a beautiful event for families, for singles, a wonderful opportunity to meet people, swap stories, make friendships, and learn.
Scott Benner (7:56) Have a podcast? (7:57) Want it to sound fantastic? (7:59) Wrongwayrecording.com.
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