Any bikers?

I think @urbanracer uses a motorcycle.

Roasterfred said:

Hi guys,
I am T1 and have been for 8 years. Being on on my motorbike is a big part of my life, it's one of few ways for me to relax, my mind goes blank and all is bliss. I always test before, during and after riding, however going low during a ride does concern me, especially an insulin induced hypo. My bike offers little storage and therefore I will carry a pen, bg meter and dextrose tablets. In my pocket. Does anyone have any experience/ recommendations.
Also, out of interest does driving have any effects on people's bloods, personally driving for my is physical. So it seems to generally lower my bloods for the evening.
Thanks
Fred

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Thanks @catherinecherub

@Roasterfred ,I am a fair-weather biker these days as advancing years and creature comforts make the car far more appealing.

Personally I prefer liquids for hypo's as they are absorbed more quickly. Have you tried Glucojuice? It comes in small containers that fit easily into a jacket pocket - and although I haven't tried, I'd imagine that you may well be able to find a space for one under your bike seat. It's a personal thing, but I don't normally worry about insulin pens unless I know I'm going to be out all day (I don't basal/bolus) so I just need a meter and strips to retest if I go over the 2 hour limit.

I've never noticed any additional affect on blood glucose from motorcycling, or at least I've never attributed any changes to motorcycling itself.

Roasterfred said:

My bike offers little storage and therefore I will carry a pen, bg meter and dextrose tablets. In my pocket. Does anyone have any experience/ recommendations.

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Carry extra carby snacks too such as a oat bar/biscuits, I'm an ex-biker and always filled my Belstaff with these items.

Don't recollect it effecting bg levels, always found biking enjoyable and get more stressed driving a car which can send me high.

I use one of the little Givi tank bags like this:-
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/givi-3d603-tanklock-tankbag
but a lot older. It's big enough for all my stuff including phone/meter/pens,haribo, etc

Roasterfred said:

Thanks all will defo get a tank bag that's a shout, also I think glucogel is available at my chemist is this similar sort of stuff. Appreciate the wisdom

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I have some Glucogel but I've never actually used it. I'm told it doesn't taste that nice but that it works well for real emergencies.
Glucojuice on the other hand is in liquid form, has a slightly fruity taste which is not unpleasant. Ordered mine from Amazon but you can also order it from this website ,
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/shop/productdetails.aspx?pid=4183

Only just got rid of last bike due to space but I tended to do one of two things.
For shorter runs I would just have a packet or two of Lucozade tablets in a pocket.
For longer runs I had a bumbag that is same colour as my gear so nicely camouflaged and I put a few more packs in there as well as a few biscuits, insulin pen and small bottle of water.

As for what my sugars did I never really got any kind of pattern as such. Sometimes they would drop other times rise.. seemed to be kind of random and I have pretty good hypo awareness so never worried too much.

/A

I just use the little party bags of Haribo (cheap and easy to carry).

Roasterfred said:

also I think glucogel is available at my chemist is this similar sort of stuff. Appreciate the wisdom

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The Glucogel tube end breaks off to easy (suppose they are designed that way) and can make a mess of your pockets or bag if your not careful, but notice they also sell the gel in a plastic bottle now which might be a better (and less messy) option.

I always carry spare bits and bobs (more than I'll ever need) - including Gluco Tabs, meter and whotnot. Either in a bumbag or rucksack covered in a Respro hi-viz cover held onto the pillion seat with a cargo net.

A Pebble paired to Dexcom G5 - originally via iPhone, now testing xDrip for Android - vibrates and alerts me well before I get too low to ride.

Having parted company with the odd bike before I managed to stop it first, the fewer things I have in my pockets, the better. Less bruises.