Help With Cycling & Long Acting Insulin

[Blair.Ramsay]

Good day everyone,

My diabetes was diagnosed just a few months ago so I am in a constant adjustment period it seems, especially with excersise. I take a long acting insulin once a day.

I have had similar spikes during long bike rides and runs, but way higher that scared the heck out of me. Keep hydrated (intake as soon as you sweat, I try and sip every 2 km for runs and 5 km for biking) and intake 30 g of carbs every 30 mins. I make a mix of almonds, cashews, raisins and pumpkin seeds. A hand full every 30 mins and prevent any kind of dehydration, that does the trick for me.
Good Luck. First time I get to give advice instead of read advice.... kinda cool!

 

[tim2000s]

Hi all, just a note of caution with regard to cycling and its effects. One of the well known members of the GBDOC ended up in A&E yesterday after cycling 30km in the heat. Whilst he thought that he was hydrated (having drunk 3l of water prior to starting out), he ended up with a BG level of 18.9mmol/l and ketones at 3.0mmol/l. It appears that heat, dehydration and a liver dump conspired to cause this.

The point? Make sure you monitor what you are doing carefully as when things go wrong, they can do very quickly.

@Blair.Ramsay - your 30g of carbs every 30mins suggests that you are still in honeymoon. For many of us, (and I've run a few half marathons - I'm not fast but I am sub 2 hours) that would hugely spike our bg levels. On my fastest, I started with a bg of 9mmol/l with a reduced basal dose and needed 15g for the entire run. It's worth being careful with advice as we all have different needs/requirements!

 

[TeamBloodGlucose]

I'm not sure if anyone can help but I'm struggling to control my BG after I commute to work on my bike (each way the commute is 30.3km with 290m elevation) . I've tried reducing my long acting insulin by 4 units but this doesn't resolve the situation as I get spikes that I have to counter with short acting Novorapid.
Do I keep my long acting the same and counter with carb intake?

Hi there - every happy to try and help - have you taken a look at the info on teambloodglucose.com - there are some fairly useful hints and tips there along with explanations of how things 'work' - beyond that it starts to get complicated by your own fitness/freshness/diet and 'routine'... do let us know if you have any questions... Kind Regards, Team Blood Glucose

 

[richyb]

I have done a bit of cycling and have found for me I have to take regular glucose tabs. Taking all long acting takes too long to get into the body. Its also better to be slightly ahead with the glucose because if you are dropping it takes a lot of getting up. This can be tapered off as you near the finish line. Your body needs the intake and taking long acting is sometimes too late. Depends though how strenuous the journey. I have done a few 60 mile charity rides and had to take a lot complimented with the odd banana.

 

[Wurst]

I'm a fellow cycle commuter and have to inject 2-3 units of basal before I set off , depending on my fasting BS levels and the season. I don't eat breakfast before cycling and I've been doing this for over 3 years continuously without incident. Conversely on the return journey I can go low especially if I end up in a 'race' situation with other cyclists or try keeping up with an E-Bike.

 

[dieseleyes]

I know this may not work for everyone but I cycle 8k mostly uphill to work every day. I take my lantus in the evenings as morning doses had a habit of sending me hypo. I don't eat before cycling and usually not until about an hour after arriving.
I still have to take a unit or two of novorapid before setting off as the effort causes my liver to dump a load of glucose into my bloodstream, but it seems to work.

Oddly, I don't get the liver glucose dump on the return run, which I put down to having eaten during the day, but that's just guesswork on my part.

 

[bhadkamkar]

I'm not sure if anyone can help but I'm struggling to control my BG after I commute to work on my bike (each way the commute is 30.3km with 290m elevation) . I've tried reducing my long acting insulin by 4 units but this doesn't resolve the situation as I get spikes that I have to counter with short acting Novorapid.
Do I keep my long acting the same and counter with carb intake?

reduction in e long acting insulin- that itself will cause rise in Blood sugars. Check fasting sugar. you should not reduce long acting insulin if Fasting sugar is normal. Once Fasting is controlled then only we can decide further action.
With exercise sugar is not likely decrease.

 

[bhadkamkar]

I'm a fellow cycle commuter and have to inject 2-3 units of basal before I set off , depending on my fasting BS levels and the season. I don't eat breakfast before cycling and I've been doing this for over 3 years continuously without incident. Conversely on the return journey I can go low especially if I end up in a 'race' situation with other cyclists or try keeping up with an E-Bike.

 

[bhadkamkar]

check Fasting sugar before you start your run. even If it is normal or low you must take a breakfast.. If you take insulin on empty stomach and do not take breakfast then u are likely to have low blood sugars.

 

[Wurst]

check Fasting sugar before you start your run. even If it is normal or low you must take a breakfast.. If you take insulin on empty stomach and do not take breakfast then u are likely to have low blood sugars.

I've been doing it for 3 years and not had one 'low blood sugar' episode with my regime. Dawn phenomenon to thank for this !