Eye opener beyond diabetes

Bon83

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292
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
So a few weeks ago I wrote about diabetic paranoia and how I wanted to be less bound to blood sugar testing etc .. anyway today I got a taste of how the other half live so to speak. Today I was departing on a 2hr open water swim in coniston, I woke up and 3 hours before the swim I ate a good breakfast and injected for it. Before entering the water I tested and ate a banana. I felt adequately energised and had little fast acting insulin in me. I had a brilliant time:D however one of us did not. They literally ran out of gas, they hadn't eaten enough and their blood sugar was probably low they couldn't keep moving even normal people get funny from low blood sugar- they were feeling sick and had ringing in the ear. At the shore I gave them a biscuit and orange juice that I had in my tow bag. This person wasn't diabetic but just proved to me how all of us can fail by not fuelling correctly. I feel a bit more independent now because I always have charge of my body and plan all events. I'm sure if we hadn't been in a group that person may have been another exhausted statistic in the water. But that's why we were together
 

Bon83

Well-Known Member
Messages
292
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Well done @Bon83 thank goodness you were there :)
I know that someone can't die from low blood sugar like a diabetic using insulin can. But they can get weak and fail to go on - this can cause a fall or in water drowning. It's so important to have enough to eat when being active isn't it :) - no one else had emergency food btw ;)
 
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Juicyj

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Retired Moderator
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Hypos, rude people, ignorance and grey days.
I have seen a femail athlete at Henley suffering really badly after completing a race, fortunately someone was on hand with some glucose but she was in a really bad way, couldn't agree more, we are well equipped but others certainly aren't.
 
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Marie 2

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LADA
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I believe I've read in the past that hypoglycemia events are a sign of type 2 diabetes down the road, that that is the first thing that starts to show up. Not sure if they think that's still true.
 
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kitedoc

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TO be objective @Bon83 no one without some form of testing, diagnostic skill and knowledge could say what your fellow swimmer's problem was.
The important thing was that you recognised he/she was in trouble and helped them out of a tight stop.
As TIDs we are ultra-tuned to interpret things that might mimic our hypo signs as hypos in others. That may be a good intuitive guess or be completely off track.
The important thing is recognising something is not right and doing something about it.
Well done.
 

NicoleC1971

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3,451
Type of diabetes
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I believe I've read in the past that hypoglycemia events are a sign of type 2 diabetes down the road, that that is the first thing that starts to show up. Not sure if they think that's still true.
If you fuel yourself by glucose (starch and sugar) then your body and brain will crave it once initial muscle supplies run out. I think you are referring to some people over producing insulin in response to eating carbs which can range from 'hangry' to reactive hypoglycemia or 'hitting the wall' in long endurance events.
I can't imagine it is easy to refuel when you are in the water so taking on a filling breakfast which doesn't have to be carb based would have preserved the OPs 'hypo stocks'!