An unusual experience following heavy exercise

[tim2000s]

Yesterday evening, I undertook a training session that was extremely difficult and really pushed me to the edge of what I could do. It was a resistance session on my legs. Halfway through it I found that I was feeling dehydrated and swallowed a litre of water straight down (this was after consuming 4l during the day), and it properly pushed me to the point where I was retching. It was tough. By the end I had a classic tension headache and was exhausted.

Fast forward to today and I've been drinking water like it went out of fashion (and not excreting it). i was clearly dehydrated after all the exertion. What's been far more odd has been my insulin reaction. My diet today has been no different from normal, and yet I've needed to bolus at least twice as much insulin to deal with protein. It's been a real challenge to get my BG levels to fall to where I want them. My insulin response has just been terrible. My diet between the two days has been the same, with limited carbs, mostly made up of fats and proteins. So it shouldn't be a dietary thing.

After a physically demanding session (of whatever it might be) has anyone else experienced what appears as decreased insulin sensitivity like this?

 

[tim2000s]

Well, to follow this up, I also posted it on the Facebook sporty type1 diabetics group. It didn't really answer the question and caused a fight with a t1 RN over whether ketones are dangerous. Just goes to show that LC and ketosis are not widely understood even within the diabetes community globally.

On a different note, I am almost completely sure that the reasons for my issues yesterday were my body trying to replenish glycogen in my leg muscles.

I base this off my overnight basal response which in normal circumstances would be reasonably flat and last night showed a significant decline.

Oh well, you live and you learn...

 

[KarenG]

Well, to follow this up, I also posted it on the Facebook sporty type1 diabetics group. It didn't really answer the question and caused a fight with a t1 RN over whether ketones are dangerous. Just goes to show that LC and ketosis are not widely understood even within the diabetes community globally.

On a different note, I am almost completely sure that the reasons for my issues yesterday were my body trying to replenish glycogen in my leg muscles.

I base this off my overnight basal response which in normal circumstances would be reasonably flat and last night showed a significant decline.

Oh well, you live and you learn...

That's interesting!! (That sounds sarcastic - but it's not meant that way)

 

[tim2000s]

Further info from others today also suggested that extreme intensity exercise can cause something similar to SIMS which is a critical care issue (worth googling). Extreme muscle damage and glycogen depletion leads to additional inflammation which reduces the efficiency of the immune system and causes a reaction in diabetics similar to illness, ie bg levels are increased and it should be treated like a sick day.

 

[sammyc123]

Just out of curiosity you wouldn't have got a virus / cold or flu would you? Cause the hard session could have put your body under too much strain, leaving your immune system not as strong and you more prone to catching something...I only say this because I did a hard training session on the bike four weeks ago and then ended up getting a cold and I needed three time the amount of insulin for the exact same meals for a week and a half - bad craic bro!!

 

[sammyc123]

Whoops just read tim2000's comment above mine lol...that explains a lot!!

 

[Mrs Vimes]

Hi tim2000s, not sure if you are still checking this. It seemed to be my fault for it all kicking off about ketones. Sorry about that.
On the body response to a mental exercise session as if it's an actual illness is really interesting.
Not that I'm suggesting you were heading this way but have you heard of rhabdomyolysis? Got to admit I haven't got it in me to push myself that hard.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/10/11/cool-it-on-the-crossfit-what-s-rhabdomyolysis.html
This seems to be the result of extreme crossfitting. Not saying that all crossfitters would end up with this though!

 

[tim2000s]

@Mrs Vimes, I have, and that should have occurred to me. Thanks for the reminder. And thanks for introducing yourself on here!

 

[Mrs Vimes]

Oops forgot I'm Mrs Vimes here. Had a session with the PT this morning. I'm knackered but happy to report no inflammation response so will be scarfing down a lchf roast dinner this savvy.
Followed by a lchf almond flour Victoria sponge with so much cream you wouldn't believe.
The challenge is not to set my alarm off on my cgm (set to 7.8 for the scarfing session). I'm gonna try and smash it!
Have a good weekend.