Type 1 High BG after cycling

dazwalshe said:

Hi, trying to make an extra effort recently with BG after some pretty poor HBA1C results, more monitoring etc but i'm having an issue AFTER a burst of exercise. can anyone help??
I assume this has been happening more often but now I am detecting it through increased testing.

example: BG on waking 5.2, breakfast 24g carb 2.5units BG 9.9, lunch 65g carb took reduced insulin 5.5 units pre 7 mile cycle to work, 3 hours later BG = 15.1 .. took 2 units 1 hour later BG is 3.4... how do I cure the high reading after the cycling??

I tried again today, waking 8.5, breakfast 25g carb 3 units.. 3 hours later, BG 14.1, 50g carb 5.5 insulin, cycled 8 miles, 2 hours later BG 15. took 2 units (as before) 2 hours later, 9.7. so good that I never hypo'd this time, but I don't understand the high reading after cycling, especially the first time when it was 9.9 before cycling.
Advice HUGELY appreciated....

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Strenuous exercise often causes a stress reaction, your liver has released glucose to help you cope.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-sport-and-blood-sugar.html

One of the better explanations I've heard, and one that certainly works for me is that you need to taper down your exercise level in order to avoid the spike afterwards.

As UrbanRacer mentioned, our livers release glucose during strenuous exercise, but don't necessarily stop immediately after we finish. Gradually reducing my intensity levels also helped to combat the post-exercise spike.

To explain, after I'd finish a 30-45 minute run, I'd stop and go upstairs to my apartment just after I finished. That would cause my blood sugar to keep rising. Now, when I finish a run, I walk for another 10-15 minutes to taper down my exercise levels. It's not completely effective, but it has made a noticeable difference.

Hi,

I cycle a lot (24 miles commute most days as well as a 40 or 50 miler at the weekend). I am lucky enough to be on a pump so I can adjust my rates as I go and can often keep my Blood Sugars within a 2mmol range. One thing I have noticed however is that morning rides tend not to have as great an effect on my as a ride in the afternoon when my levels drop like a stone. It is stupid but just one of the joys of being a diabetic that the same activity at a different time of day can have a different result.

As others have said here exercise can increase your blood levels but also drop them many hours after the exercise has finished. So what I would recommend is to take an additional unit (or however much you feel you need) about an hour or so before the ride. This will then give the insulin a chance to start peaking and begin to counter act the increase after the cycling. It is obviously trial and error to find the times and doses that work for you so make sure you don't take too much insulin and hypo.

Just one other thing is it may be worth while checking your basal rates are correct and the food you are eating is not something that causes a delayed spike as it may be high in fat and delay the carbs from working until after the cycle which you are then attributing to the exercise.

Lots of things to look at but I would recommend basal checking, stick with the food that you know agrees with your blood sugar for a trial period and finally start injecting a bit more insulin if required.

Hope you find some joy and keep up the cycling as it is one of lifes truly great things!

dazwalshe said:

Hi, trying to make an extra effort recently with BG after some pretty poor HBA1C results, more monitoring etc but i'm having an issue AFTER a burst of exercise. can anyone help??
I assume this has been happening more often but now I am detecting it through increased testing.

example: BG on waking 5.2, breakfast 24g carb 2.5units BG 9.9, lunch 65g carb took reduced insulin 5.5 units pre 7 mile cycle to work, 3 hours later BG = 15.1 .. took 2 units 1 hour later BG is 3.4... how do I cure the high reading after the cycling??

I tried again today, waking 8.5, breakfast 25g carb 3 units.. 3 hours later, BG 14.1, 50g carb 5.5 insulin, cycled 8 miles, 2 hours later BG 15. took 2 units (as before) 2 hours later, 9.7. so good that I never hypo'd this time, but I don't understand the high reading after cycling, especially the first time when it was 9.9 before cycling.
Advice HUGELY appreciated....

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I have the xact same problem!! As u have described, its exactly what happens to me.. Maybe someone can help me..? Today i have been randomly high.. Done correction units etc nothing is working, so i go out a cycle hoping it may make difference, it gets down to 8.8 from 13 .. I then procede to have a no carb lunch - eggs, cheese and peparami... Tested now (2 hours after lunch) and its 16.6 is this a spike due to earlier cycling??

I'm on MDI and cycle commute to work about 15 km each way. In the morning, after much trial and error, I discovered I need a 2 unit bolus shot before I get going otherwise I end up too high. Same happens when I go running before breakfast it's the DP in play.
I noticed you are also eating a 'carby' breakfast before cycling , I can't do this as I'd end up being sick. I personally can't handle any carbs in the morning and go for zero carb breakfasts , such sardines when I arrive at work.

Totally agree with the running before breakfast. I tend to get a liver dump and shoot about 4mmol, then level off. If I stop after 30 mins I'd stay high, 45 mins I tend to be back at original level, then after this I start to drop and need to refuel. This is provided I've got my basal correct. If you take 1 dose a day it might run out.

Can I throw a curve ball in. Do you expend a couple of units of insulin before you inject this might be obvious to some but I somehow went 10 years without knowing. I find the first couple of units so often are just a little dribble and not a full 2 units

dazwalshe said:

I think I am starting to realise that by cycling when the BG starts high, seems to make it worse after the cycling... I'm going to try and take a 1 unit shot say 30 mins before I go out IF the BG is in the teens... see how that goes...

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Let us know how you get on mate, I'm certainly interested in finding out what your results are. I hadn't actually thought about DP with myself that much but that could explain why I need no extra carbs etc in the morning but loads in the afternoon or an insulin reduction to prevent hypo's. My levels could be spiking and I am just cycling them back to normal again. Yesterday I tested before I left work and was 12.8 and when I got back home about an hour later I was 7.2 which included a reduction in my basal rate of 20% for 1.5 hours which is a huge difference to the morning results I get.