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Restart at the gym, Type1.

ashleighw1993

ashleighw1993

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I am a newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic (4 weeks on Thursday). I used to go to the gym regularly beforehand. Last night was my first session back and I ended up having my first ever hypo. Just wondering if anyone has any hints or tips to stop this happening?
 
Hi @ashleighw1993 what I do is test. If it's cardio, I don't care who is there I test every 15 minutes and go from there. I'm on the pump so I reduce my basal by 50% 30 minutes before. If you are on mdi then you may want to eat something before hand? Or reduce bolus before a meal if you are working out after. Maybe eat something after if you are driving home.
The amounts vary for everyone so conservative changes first. I carry lucozade and glucotablets. The tablets are 4g. For my weight 1g raises bs by 0.22 so 1 tablet roughly causes my bs to rise by 1.
I find spin class easy to test and eat in as I just keep peddling.
Don't care who is there testing is about maintenance to stay safe not to catch a crashing low. The trick is to catch sugars before they drop. By testing regularly you'll be able to work out how to get through a session without crashing.
Also if it's an evening workout beware the after affects. Exercise can affect sugars upto 24 hours. But again if you test you will be able to spot problems.
 
There is a bit of a trial and error (for lack of better expression) period when going back to the gym with diabetes. A good practice is to measure before and after for a couple of weeks so you know how it effects you personally. Eventually you'll be able to find the perfect timing to when you can workout in relation to your last meal and injection.

Different types of activity can effects your BG different both during and (long) after. Some research suggest doing a short 10 second sprint after a longer period of moderate intensity exercise to oppose the drop in BG.

It's a bit more of a hassle to workout with diabetes but don't let that put you off, the benefits of it far outweigh the bit of trouble.

Lastly, good job on going back to the gym so short after your diagnosis.
 
ashleighw1993 said:
I am a newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic (4 weeks on Thursday). I used to go to the gym regularly beforehand. Last night was my first session back and I ended up having my first ever hypo. Just wondering if anyone has any hints or tips to stop this happening?
Click to expand...

Here's a movie to watch which will outline the basics. Take it easy at first - your body will have been through the mill before diagnosis.
 
Hi
I was diagnosed in September last year and have struggled with the gym. I went back to clubersize with my bm above 9 to start. 30 mins in started stumbling foolishly carried on as didn't want to test and bm 3 by the end!
The following week I reduced my lantus by 2 a as was above 8 to start, checked 30 mins in and was 4.2 so had a few glucose tabs and lasted out.
Like the others say it's trial and error, I can swim now with little effect but drop rapidly when walking!

Good luck and don't give up!
 
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