Educational explorer
The Glucose Never Lies Hypo and Hyperglycaemia Explorer
Three connected pathways — treating a hypo, preventing a hypo before activity, and acting on high glucose and ketones. One shared educational tool. All calculations are client-side and weight-based where relevant.
How this explorer works
Three pathways, one shared tool. Expand this section for background on each pathway.
Hypo treatment pathway
The treatment dose is calculated from your body weight using a validated weight-based formula. Heavier individuals need more carbohydrate to raise glucose by the same amount. The dose also accounts for your CGM trend — a rapidly falling glucose needs more immediate carbohydrate than one that is stable or rising.
Hypo prevention pathway
This pathway uses the same insulin exposure engine as the GNL Integrated Exposure Explorer. It estimates how much carbohydrate may be needed before activity based on your current glucose, trend, recent insulin, and exercise type. It is an estimate, not a guarantee.
High glucose and ketones pathway
When glucose is persistently high or ketones are elevated, the priority is to identify whether insulin delivery has failed, correct with a reliable route (pen or injection), change the delivery site, and reduce or pause the AID system temporarily. The correction dose is based on a percentage of your total daily dose — 10% for mildly elevated ketones, 20% for significantly elevated. This follows established sick day guidance and is consistent with Tandem’s own T-Slim Survive and Thrive protocol.
Shared inputs
Enter body weight and total daily dose below. Not all inputs are required for every tab.
Hypo treatment calculator
Enter your current glucose band, CGM trend arrow, and choose which food equivalents to display.
Food equivalents
- Wait 15 to 20 minutes before re-treating
- Do not add a 10g snack after treating — this is already accounted for in the AID system’s insulin suspension response
- If you feel unwell or cannot swallow safely, use glucagon
- These are estimated starting doses based on weight. Your diabetes team may have given you specific amounts — use those if you have them.
Important note
These are estimated doses based on weight and published guidance. Your diabetes team may have given you specific amounts — use those if you have them. If you are unwell and uncertain, seek medical attention.
Hypo prevention before activity
Estimate carbohydrate needed before exercise based on glucose, trend, recent insulin, and exercise type.
This pathway uses the same exposure engine as the GNL Integrated Exposure Explorer.
Recent bolus doses (optional, up to 4)
Food equivalents
- This is an estimate for the first 30 minutes of activity. Monitor glucose every 20 to 30 minutes during exercise.
- If using Control IQ — start Exercise Activity mode 90 minutes before exercise where possible.
- If eating within 2 hours of exercise — consider entering 75% of meal carbs into the pump (carbs × 0.75).
Important note
These are estimated doses based on weight and published guidance. Your diabetes team may have given you specific amounts — use those if you have them. If you are unwell and uncertain, seek medical attention.
High glucose and ketones action protocol
Enter your current glucose, ketone level, and AID system to see system-specific action steps.
Read more about why glucose goes high and what is happening physiologically. Read the full explanation of ketone types and what different levels mean.
Not sure what responsiveness level your system is running at? Use the AID Multi-System Explorer.
Important note
These are estimated doses based on weight and published guidance. Your diabetes team may have given you specific amounts — use those if you have them. If you are unwell and uncertain, seek medical attention.
Use this tool for education and discussion, not as medical instruction. Outputs are directional and based on population-level patterns. Individual responses vary. Any changes to management should be made with your diabetes care team.
