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HOLIDAY

K

KWCOO

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Just back from my holiday in Thailand where something strange happened. Im a T2 on insulin and 3 Metformin tablets. While swimming for 40 mins in the swimming pool every day my need for medicine dropped drastic. Im normally off sugar but while on holiday I thought I should treat myself so I allowed myself sugar in my breakfast. So I had donuts and chocolate croissants and all the jam and goodies that I normally would not allow myself. Even eating all this sugar my need for medicine dropped from 12 UNITS insulin to 8 UNITS and from 3 Metformin tablets to 1 (!). I also had beers in the evening in the bar - but I tested 3 times a day 2 hours after each meal and my breakfast number (NO TABLET) was 6.1 after 2 hours (and loads of sugar) and my lunch number (NO TABLET) was 5.6 2 hours after meal and dinner number was 4.7 (1 TABLET) 2 hours after meal and the one time I tested after 4 beers before sleeping it was 6.9. SO - is it that I need to go and live in Thailand? - lol - as that seems to be the paradise for T2 diabetics - or can 40 mins in a swimming pool daily change your burning so much that your merely diabetic anymore???????

Anybody who has experienced same?

KW
 
Sounds lovely. I envy you going to Thailand. It looks like a beautiful country.

Do you think the heat could have something to do with bringing your blood sugars down? I know my levels are great affected by extreme heat.
 
I think I will come with you. AS previously posted and verified by my Diabetic Consultant, I react the other way with the heat, my tests go up to about 9 - 12, I just love the colder weather when I am back down to between 5 - 7 daily.

We did quite a lot of tests and different times of the day in the heat and they all came back high, the Consultant said I was (or my body was) allergic to the heat. Also I am at the age of the "Hot Flush" syndrome which might also be a contributing factor.

My last hbaic (last week) was 7.1 which they were pleased with.
 
Welcome to the forum KWCOO,

Both exercise and heat will help to lower insulin resistance.
Also, heat increases blood flow to the areas of Subcutaneous fat where you inject and improves the absorption of your insulin.

Regards,
timo.
 
Hi KW,

I was diagnosed with T2 in March this year (no medication) and for the past 3 years I have been going to the gym about 3/4 times a week, including swimming. In April this year I didn't go to the gym for 10 days and my blood sugars increased steadily over that time, to the point where I was in double figures for most of the day which isn't nromal for me.

As soon as I went back to the gym my blood sugars started to fall again down to single figures which is where I seem to hover - first HbA1c was 6.7% and second was 6.6% so I'm hoping it's on the way down it's on the way down now via improved diet and exercise.

So if exercise can affect me so drastically then I suspect it can for others as well regardless of any medication you're on.

Unfortunately I can't eat donuts though!! :(

Sarah
 
Thank Goodness I'm off to the Caribbean in a week or so then...a toasty 86 degrees at the moment...and good control on the horizon to boot if timo is right!! :lol: (Note to self: stay OFF the rum punches...)
 
Thanks for all your kind replies.

So now its totally mad - I have lost 10 kilos in 3 weeks! I dont know if its the Metformin or ? (its not cancer - went straight to have that checked!) But the weight loss has enabled me to continue my lower medication level from my holiday. Im now on 8 Units insulin per day and 1 (!!!!!!!!!!!) Metformin tablet. Now I eat 3 tablets of A Vitamins (Alpha Lipoics) every day - and I believe it helps keeping my sugar down and then im 15 mins on my step-maschine. I can only say to everybody with T2 - try to turn your life back to when you were 25-30 before this damm decease got hold of you - it helps! Its my experience now the only way that works. If there is anybody out there with no overweight - but with T2 - I would like to here how their medicine levels are!? My readings are 5.6 average....

KIM
 
kwco , you seem to be doing very well, I have a blood test results meet tomorrow and will look at that before deciding. Raftartan`s postings are also including mentions of A` Lipoic acid. how long have you been taking ? Im T2 so the situation is a bit different.

Dave P
 
I have taken the Alpha for 3 months - last nite I tried to come off my Metformin and only "exists" on my 8 units insulin and no sugar (of course) - my reading was still 5.6 before bedtime and 4.8 this morning....its now 12.00 where I am - I had my 8 units insulin this morning and breakfast at 10 and my reading (just done) is 5.5(!!!!!) NO Metformin tablet and I have lost another half a kilo since yesterday. I cannot believe whats going on (!) - I was on 12 units insulin in the morning and 5 units in the evening and 3 Metformin tablets. - If I can function on 8 units insulin a day - and only have a sugar bar once a week (and I do drink beer - also last nite with meal) - and I also drink redwine - then its what I would call amazing. I do believe that with this decease its all about turning the time back to before you became ill and "just" live with very little sugar intake. If you do daily exercise (20 mins) - gain your ideal weight again and eat a lot of different vitamins (I take daily B, E, C, Multi, A) then I believe you can eventually live without medicine. Anybody who is not strong (and maybe even lazy) with this decease will die young and will have loads of complications. If your headstrong and stick to a (and I wouldnt even say diet) life-style with many different dishes throughout the week, exercise, weight watching and stay away from sugar drinks and bars - you can live a very normal life and grow old as a T2 patient.
 
kwco, going great. at the mo i drive on an agency so dont work everyday. On the days when not i have a little route that i speed walk round. Quite nice actually over the river down the path by the houseboats and back over the foot bridge about 2 miles takes 30 min round about. Had my results today hbaic 6.1 ldl 1.54 hdl 1.0 trig 1.5 chol 3.2. GP is pleased so am probably going to look at the ALA as an add on as it does seem to have more promise for T2s. I think you are right about the being disciplined in the approach but of course that wont fit everybody nor will they want to.
But for me it works and that is important

Keep posting
Dave P
 
There is an article int he health pages of the Daily Mail today about the benefits of this alpha-lipoic stuff. It is not taking about diabetes but it's obviously being found useful for all sorts of things.
 
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