I NEED HELP WITH RUNNING WITH DIABETES

[Run50]

I'm 50. I was diagnosed with Type1 diabetes 6 months ago in January 2014. I don't have a history of diabetes in my family & I wasn't overweight. I was regularly running approx. 6-9 mile cross country type runs around 3 times a week. I did have a very stressful 2013 & with hindsight I realise had the usual symptoms of diabetes, thirst & weight loss (1.5 stone). Eventually I literally ground to a halt. I had absolutely no energy to run. My Hb1Ac was 12.8. I'm currently taking 1 x 500mg Metformin & 2 x 80mg Gliclazide with breakfast and 1 x 500mg Metformin & 1.5 x 80mg Gliclazide with my evening meal. My Hb1Ac level had come down to 8.4 in May due to the medication and a healthily diet, but my Hb1Ac had increased to 10.1 in July. My consultant isn't happy that it hasn't reduced to the level it needs to be. I'll be going to see him again in 3 months and there was talk of prescribing a slow release insulin injection. I explained that I hadn't been taking my Gliclazide before I run on Sunday mornings at 08:30 and that I eat porridge before I run so my blood sugar rises to around 15ish by the time I've run 6-8 miles it's reduced to 8ish. Then I'd eat a bacon sandwich at 11:00 & take my medication. He told me I must take the meds before I run as the Gliclazide lasts 12 hours & needs to be split evenly over the 24 hours. I am frightened of having a hypo while running. I take glucose tablets in my bum bag just in case I dip but the consultant suggests I take my test kit & a sandwich! Clearly he doesn't run! I'd be grateful of some advice on running & taking Gliclazide and also if I have to start injecting insulin how on earth do I manage my BS levels? On a positive note I feel really well, I haven't lost any more weigh & I'm running better than I've run in years. I have recently achieved personal bests in 5K & 10K races

 

[Esther1411]

Hi,

Your story sounds pretty similar to mine, I am 48, fairly active ( I run too) diagnosed around three years ago. At first I was prescribed metformin and then gliclizide with not good results so I went onto insulin. After insisting on a blood test it turned out that I was actually type 1 so maybe you should get that checked out first as the rules are quite different for type 1.

There is a website called RunSweet for people with diabetes who run and is very helpful - check it out.

good luck

Kind regards
Esther

 

[Run50]

Thanks for your reply Esther. I've had a look at RunSweet.
It's good to know others are in, or have been in, a similar position to me. It's a big learning curve and a bit of a minefield trying to find out what kind of diabetes I have as I seem to be in between T1 and T2. I'm not complaining about the treatment I've received so far on the NHS, but they seem to have a standard way of treating people. They don't take into account how sport affects diabetics or provide any guidance on how I can manage my BS and maintain my fitness. It's taking time to sort out the right medication to get my BS to a healthy level. In the meantime I eat really healthily and feel well. I know it's early days for me, but hopefully things will find a level and I'll learn by trial and error what's best for me, my running and my life!

Oh, I treated myself to a road bike for my 50th birthday. This diabetes isn't going to stop me. There's life in the old girl yet!

Keep on running
Sarah

 

[ElyDave]

I'm not sure I can help directly as all my experience is T1 with insulin - I can give you chapter and verse on that. All I can say s that you need to do the research yourself into how your body now reacts to exercise, whcih means testing regularly before, during and after, say every 30 mins of exercise. You also need to do the research yourself into how your meds work and how they interact with exercise.

Be prepared for exercise induced hypos, and be prepared to not recognise them as the symptoms will get masked by the exercise. But test, test, test and always carry both QA and slow release carbs.

Out of interest how come you're not straight onto insulin as a T1?