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Exercise and liver dumping

VashtiB

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
2,380
Location
Australia
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi all,

I'm a real newbie having being diagnosed two weeks ago today. Thanks to all the very helpful advice on this forum I am mostly over the feelings of despair and never ending tears. I am still working through the basics and will come back with more questions but my current one relates to exercise.

My normal routine used to consist of half an hour or so on the cross trainer and followed by a walk between 15 and 30 minutes. The cross trainer would be usually before my morning cup of coffee but sometimes after and the walk would be after my coffee. I would then have breakfast later.

I have one on the cross trainer once since starting to test and only did approximately 10 minutes but it seemed to increase my reading. I think this may have been liver dumping or dawn phenomena- which is more likely? Is it a problem? Should I be eating before exercising- not sure I can make that work as I'm at work by about 7 am and usually have breakfast at work.

Liver dumping- is it bad- does it achieve at least having less stored glucose?

So many questions but I don't know what other site to trust about this whole topic. I plan to ask my doctor but as she apparently thinks I should still be eating carbs I'm not sure how good her advice is.
 
It would be helpful for people to know how to help you better if you could add in your profile what kind of diabetes you have and if you are on any medication?
 
Liver dumping is a normal process to prepare your body for the day. Exercise induces a stress response and often a glucose rise. If this rise is problematic for you if you are medication, then go for exercise that keeps the heart rate lower in the fat burning zone, if you have a tracker or tune your meds to suit - just ask for this scenario advice. Even athletes get a rise, but the eventual drop in a few hours happens for many. Overall exercise is a net benefit.
 
How do I fix the profile- I put in all the details to join.

I'm a type 2 and on 500 Metformin slow release.
 
uh oh lol...........not sure, but I believe if you are on a phone it's an issue? But if on a pc you should be able to hold your mouse over your name and you will see your profile page and also personal details and you can add more information there as it will ask what type and what medication. I believe that is the correct spot for it to show up.
 
On metformin you can go for it once you have got a baseline of fitness. Don't worry about any rise, you will be putting money in the bank with the exercise. I just did a powerlifting set, this will almost guarantee my fbg will be low 4's or possibly late 3's in the morning.
 
DP or dawn phenomenon is a normal spike of BG's preparing your body to awaken, it traditionally happens about 5:30am but that can vary some. As a type 1 I take extra insulin to deal with it. But I think as a type 2 it might go back down to normal on it's own as you still make insulin to deal with BG levels. There is also feet on the floor phenomenon, which once you get up virtually the same type of thing happens, it's just it occurs after you get up.

Keep in mind both these things have a tendency to make you more insulin resistant for a few hours following because of the hormones that are released that causes it.

As a type 1, I skip eating in the morning most of the time because for me it is hard to control my BG level before 11am. But I believe a lot of type 2's say eating a little something helps prevent it. I'm sure a type 2 will come along and be more helpful with what to do as I am a type 1.
 
Then the question becomes, is the rise acceptable to you, and does it come down later in the day? Also, you're getting rid of stored glucose/glucagon, so that in itself is not bad. Morning rises are the last to come down because it takes a little while for the stores to get depleted, and you are depleting them a little faster than you would with a walk alone... If the rise makes you uncomfortable, put the time you spent on the crosstrainer into your walk for the moment. It's all about what you're comfortable with, really. If the rise isn't hitting double digits, and comes back down soon, I don't think I'd worry overmuch about it. I can't get very technical about it, though I'm sure others here can, but... Just see what you're comfortable with and go from there. Personally, if I hit a 7 because I'm fasting, I'm a lot less bothered than if I should hit that number from food intake. (Actually if it was due to food, it would make me feel icky, like make my heart race, knees wobbly and such. Not so if it is naturally occurring.).
 
Thanks JiKalsbeek- that was really helpful. At the moment I have been doing a lot less exercise than normal as I also have a plantar fasciitis (spelling?) so simply walking was very painful. That is just about fixed so back to the walking. Part of my thinking is vanity. My morning reading are in the low '5' s with this morning 4.9 and I like seeing the low figures. Another part is that I go back to my doctor next Friday for the first time since my diagnosis 2 weeks ago and I really want to convince her about this new regime as it is so different to what she advocated and I would like her convinced so that other people get on the band wagon early. My spike with exercise went to I think 8 but at that time my readings were in the high 6 or low 7 so I guess it wasn't that bad but it was a lot less exercise than normal. It also took most of the day to get back down which made me a bit despondent.
 
I find if I do not eat the morning before any type of exercise, my blood glucose goes up.it never goes over about 6.5 at the highest no matter how hard I work out, so I’m fine with it. If I do eat beforehand, and I generally do, then I do not get such a rise. Also, generally, lifting raises my numbers more than cardio. I use the Freestyle Libre off and on, so I can see it all. Lastly, some people experience a rise from caffeine, so it may not be just the exercise.
 
Again I am grateful for this site. The benefit of so many people's experience is indescribable. I will have to experiment without coffee. I think that there is lot of experimentation in my future. I have to remind myself I don't have to do it all immediately. While I am not a coffee addict having a coffee (albeit with cream not milk) seems to be the only thing the same from two weeks ago. It is a nice routine spending time with my husband before my day really begins. I hope it isn't the coffee as I would drop it for lower readings but I would miss the routine. I have my tea black with no sugar and have always done but it has never been my morning drink- only when out at someone's place or when I am ill.

I will see how just walking does- actually it's quite nice to have a (temporary) excuse not to do the cross trainer. I started it when doing weight watchers to try to lose weight. I've never liked it but have done it regularly for more than 6 years- not sure how much more. That will be one positive of this lifestyle if I can lose weight with just walking and no cross training. Will probably go back to it when the weather is horrible as I go straight to work from walking so don 't want to be soaked.

Again- thank you to those that have responded I am very very grateful. I was in a world of self blame guilt and isolation before this site. I have been suicidal before but this site has stopped me feeling that way at the moment. I can't express my gratitude enough to everyone.
 

I certainly understand the dark days, I had many more than I like to remember. It does get better, really it does....

But my view is that overall, exercise is good for you. It triggers the ancient “fight or flight” hormones, hence the blood glucose increase. That’s normal and OK from what I read. I am 18 months in to T2 and have pretty much figured out what works for me, and what doesn’t (and you will as well!). I can hit the gym for an intense weight lifting routine, and get a rise from 5 to 6.5 with zero food, (that will hang there for several hours after my workout ends!). Eh. It doesn’t stop me from those extra 30 squats...or from loading up the bar with weights...it’s the big picture that matters to me.
 
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