How do you cope with exercise?

[Dan3001]

Hi everyone.

New to the forum. Have had type 1 for about 21 years.

Thanks to lockdown I am upping my exercise level to a level way above anything I have ever done before (the silver lining in the lockdown cloud for me)

Does anyone else suffer almost immediate and cataclysmic low sugar levels when they exercise?

The recent heat definitely plays a part so I am making an effort to stay cool and take on board a little extra cares and reduce my insulin ratios but generally as soon as I exercise I find that my sugars dive bomb.

I am wanting to start training for triathlons (the shorter ones, don't think I could an ironman) and I am wondering how everyone else manages the sudden request for energy and sugar when they exercise.

Thanks in advance.

Dan

 

[ert]

Hi everyone.

New to the forum. Have had type 1 for about 21 years.

Thanks to lockdown I am upping my exercise level to a level way above anything I have ever done before (the silver lining in the lockdown cloud for me)

Does anyone else suffer almost immediate and cataclysmic low sugar levels when they exercise?

The recent heat definitely plays a part so I am making an effort to stay cool and take on board a little extra cares and reduce my insulin ratios but generally as soon as I exercise I find that my sugars dive bomb.

I am wanting to start training for triathlons (the shorter ones, don't think I could an ironman) and I am wondering how everyone else manages the sudden request for energy and sugar when they exercise.

Thanks in advance.

Dan

I recommend you start training in the morning before breakfast on just long-acting insulin on board. If your basal dose is correct you should hold a constant line and not have to eat.

 

[Circuspony]

Struggling with exercise has been the most frustrating part of my diagnosis really. I find it better first thing in the morning and I take minimal Novorapid on board then. I found I needed 'a bit' because I need to eat first to have some energy and without any on board my BG got too high and I was exhausted. In the afternoon its a nightmare - I can hypo 5-6 hours after my last dose of Novorapid unless I eat a tonne of carbs which isn't really the point of exercising. Its definitely the Novorapid because I tested once on a carb free day and my background insulin didn't really make much difference to exercise.

I carry cereal bars and if I feel I'm dropping then will eat one to head off the hypo.

As usual - trial and error I'm afraid

 

[In Response]

@Dan3001 how do you manage your diabetes.
I used to find my levels dropped when I did cardio exercise (resistance and HIIT causes it to rise) but it is much easier with a pump as I suspend my basal before I start running or cycling.
I still need to ensure that I have no insulin on board so do not eat for 4 hours before exercising.

Before my pump, I found the best approach was to drink slightly sweetened water (with juice or fruit squash) as I exercised.
As well as ensuring I had no insulin on board.

You may get some useful tips from runsweet.com - a site dedicated to Type 1 diabetes and exercise.

 

[Ushthetaff]

I exercise at the gym 5 days a week ! Depending on what I’m doing depends on what my bs does , if I do cardio bs will drop if I do weights bs goes up apparently it’s a caveman thing , so I tend to keep my bs elevated before I do exercise finished , and deal with it when I’m finished a few hours of high bs isn’t going to be harmful, saying that when I’m at the gym I sometimes take a few units after testing ( using Libre) if I find bs is a bit too high ( above 10) it works for me dunno how it would work with a long event like triathlon , but I would keep sugars elevated before you do it .