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Health Suites

diamonddamaris

diamonddamaris

Well-Known Member
Messages
90
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Is it ok for Type 1 Diabetes to use Spas and Saunas Does the heat affect you or your blood sugar in any way?
 
in theory, there are several problems:
-when you sweat, you lose moisture and this should increase bg
-in addition to moisture, you lose substances that bind insulin
-vasodilation due to heat can cause hypo
-when the heat increases the production of glycogen, which can also increase bg
-if you lose sensitivity due to diabetes, you may get burned and not notice it
But...
I love the spa, my friends and I also went to the sauna, everything was fine and I had neither hypo nor spikes. Although I am also fond of boxing and I love sweet coffee (the number of injections and food at the same time is non-standard, but this does not stop me)... Does something affect bg and how it is very individual. In general, you can do whatever you want, just look at how it affects your bg and adjust the dose of insulin and the amount of carbohydrates for this.
 
Thanks for your advice. I’ve been debating on whether to go back to the Health Suite although I had been going before I got diagnosed. I might ask my friend if she is available to go with me just incase anything does happen. I loved going to the spa and sauna and found it very relaxing and I don’t want it to change but if it doesn’t work well for my body then I’ll have to consider that.
 
My understanding is the biggest concern from a sauna is that the heat and sweating can hide the symptoms of a hypo.
You have to spend a long long time in extreme heat to experience things like losing the substances that bind insulin and that would affect people without diabetes in the same way.

If you use any diabetes tech, you need to be aware o them in the sauna. I have continued to wear my Libre in a sauna. It became unreliable for the time in the sauna and an hour later but it recovered. Pumps, on the other hand need to be removed before going into a sauna.

I have used spas and saunas many times since having diabetes. AS with most things that are slightly different, the important thin is to be aware of your diabetes. So test before going in a sauna or spa and test with a finger prick when you come out.
 
I have Freestyle Libre 2. I’m on insulin (Novorapid). Also have a long acting insulin. (Lantus) Would you advice going after you’ve had lunch or wait a couple of hours and then go to the spa?
 
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My attitude to most things is my diabetes will not stop me doing things that I need to or want to do , it might take some precautions that people without diabetes don’t do but it’s definitely not a reason for me not doing something , yes there is information that extreme heat can affect blood glucose levels along with a thousand other things , that’s the thing about diabetes , it’s a total learning experience , and that learning experience shouldnt makes US not be able to do what we want ,
 
diamonddamaris said:
I like the positive mentality you have. I tend to worry too much and think because I have diabetes I won’t be able to be who I was before.
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I totally understand , when I got diabetes , it made me more determined to prove not to anyone but to myself that it wouldn’t stop me doing anything, and it didn’t but it did come at a cost , but mainly because I just carried on as if I didn‘t have diabetes , diabetes doesn’t stop you being the person you were just have to be respectful of what you’ve got, then the world is your lobster as the saying goes , even with the problems I’ve had which are well documented here I still have a positive attitude to everything , life is far too short to be any other way
 
Intense heat for me increases insulin sensitivity.

I’ve done a few saunas/spas/steam room stuff on my travels..

Just be mindful of the BG levels & savour the experience..
oh, & remember to remove any jewellery? Even a simple chain could get hot..
… And keep hypo stuff handy..
 
Thanks for the tip. I’ll make sure to bring dextrose or jelly babies with me. Are Jacuzzi’s okay though?
 
I think everything will be the same with the Jacuzzi as with the bathroom, because we can bask in the bathroom for hours and everything is fine with us

a little sad, but a little calming fact: the human psyche is surprisingly stable and even after severe shocks, people return to the life they had before, so even considering diabetes, your life will not change too much. The fact that you are going to the spa, and not lying in depression, already says that everything is returning to normal
 
diamonddamaris said:
Thanks for the tip. I’ll make sure to bring dextrose or jelly babies with me. Are Jacuzzi’s okay though?
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Preferably with the heat something that won't melt into a sticky mess..

Same if I leave my stash in the van during the summer.
 
Personally, I do not take my hypo treatment into the sauna but leave them just outside with my toel, etc. That way, I don't have to worry about the risk of a molten mass of hot sugar.
 
Congratulations! This is really cool!
 
diamonddamaris said:
Went to the health suite today with my friend and I checked my blood sugar reading before as was previously mentioned in the comments above and it was 9.8 . I also brought my backpack with my sugary snacks if needed but I didn’t need any. Overall a success.
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Sounds like a great experiential experience to me..

I’ve done Swedish style Finnish saunas in wood cabins by the shore? Coming out for air & a beer with the party. With no ill effect.
That “dress code” was the bare minimal..
Saunas in India where some sort of eucalyptus was involved (“essential oils.”) not for me felt every orifice burning..
Then there has been the leisurely spa sauna thing in a “certain city” in the south west UK. (known for that sort of thing.)

Keep your options open & the “safety net” handy on whatever you try next..

Horse riding with a hypo is interesting.. (Brought up with them..) The animal tends to loose focus & just stop & get it’s head down to graze..
My way of thinking…

If you try that? Use a jacket or “gillet” with pockets that either zip or pop down..
 
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