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Exercise when sugar levels are high?

Its not so easy for vegetarians though!

I phoned my diabetic nurse today and she said it was fine to exercise with high glucose levels! That keto oxi thing might only happen if I exercised with levels of 30+, and if I go that high I would feel to ill to exercise anyway! SO the advice is all so conflicting! But she did say the 'thinking' was now changing re carbs being good for diabetics because they are 'slow release'.

While I'm waiting for my low carb book from Amazon and my Rose Eliot low carb recipe book, I'm going to make a stew with onions carrots parsnips and veg stock and any other veg I can find. That SURELY will be good - and throw in some tomatoes and butterbeans as well!

One thing the Victosa does for me is that I have NO appetite and have no problem not eating, or eating small portions! Is anyone else here on Victosa? Its an injection pen just like insulin.

No one has so far been able to answer my question from a few posts back - I asked if anyone knew if the exercise I have been dong on high glucose levels would have done any damage to my body? Or was the 'risk' only there while I was exercising?
 
The Nurse........in the politest way possible.......she is 'waffling ! I think she needs a refresher course on Diabetes and carbohydrates. :roll:
 
I would check that your nurse has actually been on a Diabetic course !

It is against the Professional Code of Conduct for a nurse to advise on something they are not competent at and up to date on !

This makes me very annoyed !
 
When I made my appointment to see my diabetes doctor, my husband picked up a leafelet about diabetis and exercise and it clearly states, and I quote,

"DELAY ACTIVITY IF YOUR BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS ARE HIGHER THEN 13 mmol/L. TEST YOUR GLUCOSE LEVELS AGAIN A WHILE LATER TO SEE IF THEY ARE FALLING AND IF NOT, CHECK FOR KETONES. IF THEY ARE PRESENT, SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE AND DO NOT EXERCISE!!!"

end quote...
 
Spot on Eiche....... :D

I am not going to say any more about this tonight but if the Nurse thinks you would only have trouble at levels of 30+ that is criminal. :shock: What you have quoted is in the links I posted as well if anybody wishes to read them.

If your levels are higher than 13.9 mmol/l and when you test for ketones they are medium or high you should get immediate medical assistance as it is considered to be an emergency.

That's me for tonight........
 
Eiche said:
When I made my appointment to see my diabetes doctor, my husband picked up a leafelet about diabetis and exercise and it clearly states, and I quote,

"DELAY ACTIVITY IF YOUR BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS ARE HIGHER THEN 13 mmol/L. TEST YOUR GLUCOSE LEVELS AGAIN A WHILE LATER TO SEE IF THEY ARE FALLING AND IF NOT, CHECK FOR KETONES. IF THEY ARE PRESENT, SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE AND DO NOT EXERCISE!!!"

end quote...
Click to expand...

Wow! Is there any way you can give me a reference to that leaflet? I have a regular diabetic check with that nurse next week and would love to put the leaflet in her hand! ID it an NHS produced one, with maybe a tiny reference on the back page, such as 123/456ab(ii)? (Made that up but leaflets often have stuff like that in the small print on the back.......).

This nurse is nice in every way but I often get the feeling I am talking to a lay person who has knowledge acquired just by her day-to-day work rather than training and skill.
 
This has NHS written on it. It is aimed at people on insulin.
http://www.rdehospital.nhs.uk/patients/ ... rcise.html
more detail though from a US source ( Mayo clinic.) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabet ... se/DA00105
and here an explanation from Joslin (can't get a better source than that) as to why you shouldb't exercise with ketones
http://www.joslin.org/info/why_cant_i_e ... tones.html
Print them all off, the explanation might help educate your nurse!
As for feeling too ill to exercise with ketones. I went for an off road bike ride just before diagnosis, I had to stop with breathing difficulties and it's a wonder my husband was able to get me back to the car, next day I ended up in hospital with DKA I suppose in one way she's right, I couldn't exercise but it was a very dangerous way to find out!
 
Great info Phoenix........ :D Exercise and high levels especially if elevated ketones are present are a danger to any Diabetic........that Nurse should know better, or just shut up !

I had a lie in and was going to return to this today. I was furious last night that this Nurse has apparently given out such BAD information to a Patient. No wonder there are so many confused Diabetic's out there if this is yet another example of getting things all wrong.... :roll:

If someone is going to adopt the title Diabetic Nurse then I at least expect them to know more than me........seems this one should join here and learn a few things. Many members on this Forum can educate some of the mis-informed and just plain ignorant, so called professionals !

This really angers me. :evil:

Rant over.......
 
I think that the nurse forgot to mention that it is very bad to exercise with high BG levels if there are ketones present. It is a good idea to exercise when your BG is high and no ketones are present. Most of the time though when BG is extremely high, you will have ketones present. That is what I found in the beginning. When my levels were up, I had traces of ketones and when it was lower non were found.
I heard about a book on diabetes and stuffs by Dr. Ragnar Hanas and checked it out, it's called Type 2 diabetes in adults of all ages. I really recomend this book to everyone :) He also brought out a book on Type 1 diabetes which is also an excellent book!

@seascapes....... The leafelets were not from the NHS but brought out by LifeScan from the Johnson and Johnson company that make the OneTouch products.
 
Thanks everyone - Phoenix - your Joslin link speaks of the dangers of exercise with high levels, but only mentions type 1 diabetes - and your second Joslin link gives the glucose levels in American - so it says 400 something is too high, but I have no idea how to convert these figures to the figures on my meter!

Eiche - I went to your Hanas book but its too expensive on Amazon, even second hand! £14.99 being the cheapest - I'll have to wait for that one, having just ordered a low carb book and a recipe book from Amazon! Also my nurse didn't mention ketones and I don't know how to test for them, but will ask at the chemist today.
 
If you come across US mg/dl blood glucose measurements simply divide by 18 to get mmol/L .

Therefore 400 mg/dl is 22.2 mmol/L.

Ask for Ketistix at the chemist.
 
seascapes.
It isn't just specific to a Type 1.......ANY Diabetic can have high Bg levels AND also get high ketones, hence the reason why you should not exercise when levels are high. It is more common in T1 but also happens in T2 etc.

As for mg/dl levels quoted you just need to divide that number by 18 which will give you the number in mmol/l. e.g. 400 mg/dl / 18 = 22.2 mmol/l


Ooops....SNAP Sue !!
 
sugarless sue said:
If you come across US mg/dl blood glucose measurements simply divide by 18 to get mmol/L .

Therefore 400 mg/dl is 22.2 mmol/L.

Ask for Ketistix at the chemist.
Click to expand...

Many thanks for that, and as well to Cugila for the conversion formula.

I hadn't read your reply re Ketistix before I went to the chemist. I was collecting a prescription and there was a big queue. I just said 'Do you sell strips for testing for Ketones?' and was told 'I think we might do but they will be expensive' and that was that! Helpful! At a Boots chemist! I'm seeing my diabetic nurse next week so apart from giving her some print-outs from the very helpful links I've been given here, I'll see if she can give me some free Ketistix!
 
Depends what you call expensive..... :?

I think I paid around £4 for 50 Ketostix from my Pharmacy, VAT free of course ! That was about 3 months ago.

I did originally have them on prescription but only use them infrequently so never bothered with a 'scrip' last time. Save the NHS some money....... :wink:

Be 'gentle' with the Nurse BTW......... :roll:
 
ive just read seascapes advice about not exercising when levels are high just what ive done this morn levels 16.4 when i woke took dog for walk now 19.9 i always thought it was good to excercise when sugars are high will ask my dn on friday i dont have anything to test for keytones either im feeling very confused about it all
 
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