Competition / Nerves and BS rise

[jddukes]

Hi all,

I play competitive sports and often with important matches where I am aware of being more nervous my blood sugars rise significantly.

For example, last week I had a match, hadn't eaten anything for a few hours (I generally do not eat carbs either), my blood sugars were around 8 mmol/l, and I anticipated this so I took 2iu Fiasp. Went to the match, played some of my games across the night (3.5hrs of on/off matches) and throughout the evening my bs were rising. I noticed them rising to 10 mmol/l so I took another 2iu, then up to 11iu, so I took another 5iu (out of frustration!), etc. Ended up, no food, at end of the evening up in the 13's.

Obviously this is a cortisol/adrenaline based response but it is not clear to me how best to proactively manage this. I am on Levemir which I take first thing and last thing in the day.

Any thoughts welcome and no doubt helpful!
Thanks.

 

[Antje77]

Obviously this is a cortisol/adrenaline based response but it is not clear to me how best to proactively manage this.

I guess it depends on how predictable those rises are.
I don't do competitive sports (the thought made me LOL), but I very predictbly rise at the dentist, and at my yearly endo visit. Predictably enough for me to dose for it before going in.

There is of course the difference that it's much easier to keep a close eye on your numbers during and after those appointments than during a match, which makes such an approach harder.
I dose for the gym as well, but again, no competition so I can keep an eye on my numbers all the time and treat if needed.
If I don't dose for the gym I start rising, and once I start approaching 10 I feel I'm getting sluggish (not that I'm very vigorous otherwise) and it affects my performance, not something you can use during a match.

I hope you'll figure it out!

 

[Juicyj]

Hi @jddukes I have noticed that if I am in a race then mine also rise significantly, but can take hours to put right afterwards, I am on a pump too and this still doesn't counter the rise.

I have taken the view that I would prefer to go in this direction and aim to correct afterwards than go low when my energy levels plummet too.

Sadly I haven't come across a magic formula except corrections.