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Type 1 Exercising an blood sugars

Jimmy92

Jimmy92

Member
Messages
15
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
So I've been trying to get fit and such.
started off running an now I can run 6 miles in 40min so I'm chuffed with that. The problem is trying to figure out how much to eat after my runs or work outs ill always check ma sugar before exercise and to be honest I've been having large spikes in the late morning an early afternoon. Up to the 20s mmol, so high sugar then a work out or run but having a lot of trouble getting any kind of balance before and after.
I'd be more than grateful for any suggestions or links you may have to help. I've also never done a bolus fasting test cause I'm not sure how to go about it really :/
Thanks in advance :)
 
Hi @Jimmy92 well done on the 6 miles! I wouldn't be able to run 6 miles in a day never mind 40 mins! Lol sounds to me like your insulin regime isn't quite right, are you on basal/bolus? I don't know the link to tag about the basal testing but I'll tag @noblehead because he does :) what are your readings like the rest of the day?
 
Aw this is awesome thank you!
My readings are pretty varied. I'm having trouble with lows as well as the highs. It was more stable before i started to exercise but I want to be able to accommodate an active lifestyle instead of sacrifice that for more stable sugars.
Today for example I was 8.0 at 10 am when u got up had a breakfast of porridge an fruit then I spiked up to 19.0 at 12.45pm.
Then went for my run when I got back I was down to 16.4 and normal I will drop by about 7.0-8.0 unless I eat so had 300ml of orange juice to try balance it out an prevent a low reading.
With this mind set I then had lunch of bacon sandwich and some fruit but under injected for it by 2 units just to play it safe. This was at about 1.40pm
I tested again at 2.20pm an had dropped again to 13.6
Then again at 2.53pm I was at 16.3
Then by 4.50pm I was at 9.0
So I thought I'd did well had spiked a bit but it had all balanced out but no.
I hadn't injected since my lunch and so was surprised when at 6.45 I was down to 2.0 :(
Treated the hypo was back up at 6.4 by 7.10pm
7.2 at 7.40pm
But then back down to 2.9 at 10pm.
Now I'm at 7.2 an having a snack before bed to try start this crazyness tht is diabetes all over again.
So yea not so stable anymore :(
 
@Jimmy92 it sounds as though you need to take a look at your basal on exercise and non-exercise days.

If you are hypoing at 6.45 after your last bolus injection was at 1.40, it's likely to be an issue with your basal and your run making it more efficient.

On a non-exercise day what normally happens with your glucose levels and what basal insulin are you taking?

A little tip to try and work out what's happening is to plot your bloods, insulin and food on a graph. It makes it much easier to see what is having an effect.
 
Jimmy92 said:
Aw this is awesome thank you!
My readings are pretty varied. I'm having trouble with lows as well as the highs. It was more stable before i started to exercise but I want to be able to accommodate an active lifestyle instead of sacrifice that for more stable sugars.
Today for example I was 8.0 at 10 am when u got up had a breakfast of porridge an fruit then I spiked up to 19.0 at 12.45pm.
Then went for my run when I got back I was down to 16.4 and normal I will drop by about 7.0-8.0 unless I eat so had 300ml of orange juice to try balance it out an prevent a low reading.
With this mind set I then had lunch of bacon sandwich and some fruit but under injected for it by 2 units just to play it safe. This was at about 1.40pm
I tested again at 2.20pm an had dropped again to 13.6
Then again at 2.53pm I was at 16.3
Then by 4.50pm I was at 9.0
So I thought I'd did well had spiked a bit but it had all balanced out but no.
I hadn't injected since my lunch and so was surprised when at 6.45 I was down to 2.0 :(
Treated the hypo was back up at 6.4 by 7.10pm
7.2 at 7.40pm
But then back down to 2.9 at 10pm.
Now I'm at 7.2 an having a snack before bed to try start this crazyness tht is diabetes all over again.
So yea not so stable anymore :(
Click to expand...
Hi, well done on the distance and time good progress!

First let me stress I am only on basal at he moment.

I am currently training for a 100km ultra marathon and also doing the stronglifts 5x5 regime

From above I assume your exercise is predominantly running correct?

You mentioned above you was at 8.0 mmol so then ate porridge and fruit?

Before training I aim to place my BG between 7 and 9 mmol as an ideal starting point.

When I initially started running I would check my BG every km/mile. Now I only monitor every 5km.

If you take this method you can see and go back afterwards and trace how your BG reacts during your run taking into account your intensity etc.

For eg.

Start - 8.1
1km - 6.9 (10g Carbs - x2 Jelly Babies)
2km - 6.1
3km - 5.7 (10g Carbs - x2 Jelly Babies)
4km - 5.6
5km - 5.5
6km - 5.4
7km - 5.5
8km - 5.2 (10g Carbs - x2 Jelly Babies)
9km - 5.6
10km - 5.5

This was taken a couple of weeks back when I was still experimenting at 1 intervals.

You can see my initial drop is pretty steep but then as you can see I counteract this with carbs and take control of my BG around the ideal 5.5

You mention you was at 16.4 and normally drop 7-8 mmol, this would bring you just above a target range at around 7mmol is there a reason you don't want to be that level and wish to be higher? Maybe naive on my bit there so apologies in advance... But I try to aim for 5.5 as a normal BG level if I'm hitting 7 then I count myself as high.

You also mention between 1:40 and 6:45 you had no further eating/drinking that's 6 hours, you've run so your legs will continue to burn energy for a considerable amount of time especially for the intensity your running at 4min/km this is pretty high!

Try the method above when you've finished running also and try to make small adjustments as apposed to making assumptions to how your body and BG is going to react.

Also try the method using different intensities ie 5min/km or even 6min/km and see how your BG reacts.

In summary of my BG was between 7-9 at the start I wouldn't eat anything but I would carry a good supply of carbs and make the adjustments on route

Hope non of that came across in a bad way good luck and all the best safe running!

Izzy
 
Thank you IZ a lot of good info there an dnt worry didn't come across bad at all :)
When I ate in the morning it was just breakfast nt eating cause I thought I was low. I've always struggled to keep my levels down to a decent level and very regularly used to have hypos sometimes 3 or 4 a day so I think over the years just started to stay higher thinking 7 was the best sort of area to be.
Being closer to 4 or 5 has always made me feel like I'm gonna hypo. Still teasing it all out and even though I've been diagnosed for almost 17years the once a year check ups at the hospital have nvr given me enough info on how to treat this to gain such fine Control.
I do some mma classes as well and after a one hour class I'd dropped from 12.2 to 9.6 and then half an hour later I had dropped to 8.4 at tht point I ate 40 grams of carbs thinking this would be enough to keep me level and keep me at an acceptable level.
Which for ages I used to think was between 6-10
But man I was wrong it spiked me up to 13.8
But at least now I know that at the intensity I was going at for tht duration it would take me down by about 4 mmol. So plan is like you do try keep my level at about 9.5 before class test during and should end up at about 5.5 an hour after class.
What would you say?
I'm at least getting a bit of an idea
XD
 
Jimmy92 said:
Thank you IZ a lot of good info there an dnt worry didn't come across bad at all :)
When I ate in the morning it was just breakfast nt eating cause I thought I was low. I've always struggled to keep my levels down to a decent level and very regularly used to have hypos sometimes 3 or 4 a day so I think over the years just started to stay higher thinking 7 was the best sort of area to be.
Being closer to 4 or 5 has always made me feel like I'm gonna hypo. Still teasing it all out and even though I've been diagnosed for almost 17years the once a year check ups at the hospital have nvr given me enough info on how to treat this to gain such fine Control.
I do some mma classes as well and after a one hour class I'd dropped from 12.2 to 9.6 and then half an hour later I had dropped to 8.4 at tht point I ate 40 grams of carbs thinking this would be enough to keep me level and keep me at an acceptable level.
Which for ages I used to think was between 6-10
But man I was wrong it spiked me up to 13.8
But at least now I know that at the intensity I was going at for tht duration it would take me down by about 4 mmol. So plan is like you do try keep my level at about 9.5 before class test during and should end up at about 5.5 an hour after class.
What would you say?
I'm at least getting a bit of an idea
XD
Click to expand...
Sounds like a plan!

If you feel more comfortable around 7 then start by aiming to achieve 7mmol as apposed to my 5.5mmol.

Also experiment with different carb options i.e. Jelly babies (5g per sweet), easy maths then.

Test more often to start with and record it afterwards in a spreadsheet or even plot a manual graph on paper a picture paints a thousand words so to speak.

Today I ran 6km, 7.1 mmol at start currently in Saudi so 26 degrees also.

Results as follows you will see I'm testing frequently due to climate and my method of training for distance being my run walk pattern.

2km run at 5min/km - tested was at 5.1 re-hydrate and carbs as necessary (Carton of orange juice 100ml @ 14g carbs per 100ml whilst fast walking @9:13/km for 1km. Retest 5.7
Ran further 2km at 5min/km - tested at 5.4 mmol e-hydrate and carbs as necessary (Carton of orange juice 100ml @ 14g carbs per 100ml whilst fast walking @9:13/km for 1km. Retest 5.8 mmol.

Run 2km at 5:00/km and cool down... Retest... 5.4mmol

I have found hydration to play just as big a part in levels, or that's how it appears to me, 1 year ago I wouldn't train I would just turn up run a half marathon no supplements and no hydration other than the cup they hand out half way... I've seen a huge difference in performance and BG levels working this way...

It's just a pain in the bum doing the leg work to start with finding what works for you, but it will come and then it's like second nature. Always have a glucogen nearby for quick assist I needed this 2 days when I pushed myself a little too hard but it's a learning curve so long as you come prepared then atleast you or someone can assist you to correct it. I'm sure you have but ensure the guys around you while training are aware of what actions should they take if you were to become hypo.

I definitely feel the effects a lot later than when I'm not training.

Good luck

Izzy
 
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