gym

[debbie222]

Hi everyone,ive been on a pump for just over a week now and everythings been ok apart from exercise. on mdi my bg always was on the lower side but since being on a pump and I swim or go gym I'm fine before and just after then start to go high ie, swim before 4.2, had 20g carbs, 40 minutes later 6.4 then 4 hours later 14.2. ive heard people say you should reduce basal 2 hours before but surely id go higher and also whats a safe bg to start to exercise, thank you

 

[Mrs Vimes]

Hi @debbie222 , I reduce my basal by 50% for cardio stuff half hour before, and increase by 60% for hiit or weight lifting at the start.
It's a case of trying to begin with and testing it to find the magic number that suits you.
(When I first started I had to increase for everything because my body was permanently shocked by exercise.)
I never eat before exercise because I play with my basals on the pump but always carry lucozade and glucotablets.
I leave test strips all around the gym.
I also bolus to correct as well after if needed but I am a bit conservative on this as the fitter you get the more efficient your muscles are at snatching back the liver dump.
Not sure if you need to increase your basal as you eat before. I use 4g sugar glucotablets. I know 1 will raise my sugars by roughly 1 ish.

 

[Mrs Vimes]

Meant to add I try to start HIIT or weights in the low 5s because I know they'll go up. I try to start a spin class mid 6s. But I test and correct as needed every 15 minutes.

 

[debbie222]

Meant to add I try to start HIIT or weights in the low 5s because I know they'll go up. I try to start a spin class mid 6s. But I test and correct as needed every 15 minutes.

Thank You, I exercise for an hour and its really intense so will keep my eye on bloods but they do go high so maybe if my bg is normal before gym I don't need the carbs, I'm still learning but thanks for the advice

 

[Fayefaye1429]

Hey I feel your pain!!! It's always after that is my issue to and then it just exhausted me. For me it's been the c g m that has supported me

 

[debbie222]

Hey I feel your pain!!! It's always after that is my issue to and then it just exhausted me. For me it's been the c g m that has supported me

I'm getting cgm on tues, cant wait

 

[Snapsy]

I tend to exercise first thing, and I have a small bowl of porridge beforehand (20g CHO), and I have only 50% of my normal bolus insulin with this.

When I swim (not far - only 20-30 lengths) I disconnect the pump. Afterwards I immediately programme a temp basal rate of 150% for 2hrs, otherwise I climb and climb.

For running (half an hour on the treadmill) I do a 50% bolus for breakfast again, then temp basal of 70% before I leave the house to get to the gym, until when I get home (an hour). After THAT I need to increase my basal right up to 150% - running makes my numbers climb for longer than the swimming does - today I was at 150% right up until lunchtime.

It's all very different to my original expectations, and I'm doing it just by trial and error. Thankfully I have a Libre so can see how my line looks on the graph - I think I'd find it more difficult without that tool, but it would still be doable with testing, testing, testing!

Hope you're enjoying the pump @debbie222 - I LOVE mine!

 

[Juicyj]

Hi Debbie, intense exercise can release stress hormones like adrenalin which causes the liver to release glucose, exercise is very much unique to each person so tracking results is essential, it will be trial and error. I find continuous but low intensity exercise over an hour can cause me to go low 1-2 hours later as muscles are still burning glucose. Look at the runsweet.com website for info on different exercise. Key to all of this though is testing, if you can monitor it will be easier for you to know what's going on, it's all very much a learning curve to,start with though, but exercise is brilliant for control keep at it

 

[cally]

I never reduce my basal before going to the gym and always try and go at least 2 hours after last meal/bolus.
If below 7 mmols just before I would have 15g carb snack.
I leave pump off while in the gym and check every half hour or so. If below 5.5 I have a mouthful or two of Lucozade.

Afterwards I reconnect and put temporary basal of +50% for 4 hours which seems to do the trick for me.
I haven't been going to the gym for many months and was surprised to begin with that my blood sugar went up afterwards instead of going low! Doesn't seem to make sense to me but that is what happens.
Trial and error is the answer!