# When do you use temporary basal rates?



## hkk1970 (Jan 21, 2014)

Hi everyone , I was just wondering the circumstances in which you use  temporary basal rates on your pumps, apart from the obvious of illness.

Harry has been dropping overnight and this morning was 4.2 and I know once he gets to school what with running about etc, he will no doubt hypo, so I put him on a 50% reduced temporary basal rate , at lunchtime he was 6.2 so it appears to have worked. But is it daft doing this instead of just changing his basal rate. Though to be honest ,no 2 days are the same if I change his hourly basal rate , he will then end up going high.

All thought & advice appreciated

thanks
Helen


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## Hanmillmum (Jan 21, 2014)

I often use a reduced TBR in the night if I find a low 4 BG reading, it saves prodding and nagging my daughter to wake to try to eat or drink something to avoid a potential hypo. 
Also, if I know of any planned activity ahead I will reduce the basal again.

Sounds like your plan worked well for Harry, I might perhaps change the existing basal if there is a pattern over many days of needing to use TBR. It's hard to predict, you are right, sometimes you can tweak things then you need to go back to plan A


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## Phil65 (Jan 22, 2014)

I use TBRs for sport, dog walking, swimming, illness, cinema, long drives,plane journies. If I feel I have to put a TBR on for a routine day a few days on the trot I would look at changing my basal rate.


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## Riri (Jan 22, 2014)

Same as Phil and for me before period as well. TBR very useful on holiday as usually for the first few days I'm high and then I normally drop after day 3. As you say though if a distinct pattern emerges every morning then you need to consider changing the basal rate for that slot as it's not a 'one off' event.


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## Maryanne29 (Jan 22, 2014)

I use TBRs if my day changes - if I'm going to be more or less active than planned, and if BG results are too high or too low.


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