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Pre and post exercise readings

J

justfoundout

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I'm pretty new to this and not sure what this means. Goes like this:
On the way to gym post-work took reading = 4.5. After gym took reading = 6.2.
I thought exercise was suppose to lower the level? My work out was 25 mins run and then weights, sit ups etc to make up the hour.
I'm T2 with a Hba of 5.4%.
My pre-lunch reading today was 5.3 and after 1 hour it was 6.3 then @ 2 hours it was 6.4. Didn't eat anything between lunch and gym.
Confused of London
M
 
Hi,
exercise can temporarily raise BG, but will keep it lower in the longer-term. I am a type-1 on insulin and the benefit of excercise is that it keeps me lower throughout the day. I don't know if it's the same for type-2s, but the levels you've mentioned are nothing to worry about. Good that your checking and getting to know how exercise affects your diabetes control. Your Hba1c is excellent, so don't stress too much about it.
Jus
 
Hi justfoundout, as I understand it exercise helps reduce insulin resistance so the insulin in your blood as able to work better and reduce your BG levels. However when you exercise your muscles need extra glucose to burn which causes your liver to release extra glucose into the blood to cope with your muscles request.

Therefore it can be a good idea to eat a small amount of carbs before exercise to cover your muscles extra needs, maybe a couple of biscuits or a small glass of milk may be enough, so test and test again to find your optimum glucose requirement, if your exercise routine is consistent you should be able to work out your body's requirements fairly easily.

Unfortunately because of back problems I can only undertake gentle exercise such as walking but even that has an effect on my bg levels reducing them faster than would otherwise be the case.
 
Jus & Sid
Many thanks for the responses. Firstly I won't panic then. I'm off to the gym again tonight so will grab some oatcakes and soya yougart before leaving work, see what my level is prior to work out and then test again. Will report the findings.
Lots to learn - thanks for the support.
M
 
Not sure that has fixed it. Took a reading when I got home from work and it was 4 (is that too low??). So then had some all bran with yougart -say 20g of carbs. Started at the gym about 40 mins later. Did a punch class tonight which is HARD but great all round fitness (my opinion).
Anyway on return from gym reading was 5.8. So it's gone up again. Did I maybe OD on the carbs me thinks? Have gone low carb route with diet and that might have been a bit much.
Sorry to be a painful newbie to this but I really would like to be in control and I'm having difficulties working out what is normal.
I think my readings the rest of the day were pretty ok but would appreciate a more informed/experienced view:
Waking = 6.7
2 hrs after b/fest = 6.8
Pre lunch = 5.7
1hr post lunch = 7.6
2 hr post lunch = 6.2
Anyway thanks for being there.
M
 
Hi again, as a type-1 of 21 years, I, and many others would love to have those kind of readings. Unfortuately being on insulin we have to be very careful when we get close to 4. What has your doctor advised about readings you should expect?
I remember being told that even non-diabetics can occasionally have a Bg of 8.
My brother in law is type-2 of many years, his doc is happy with him having an Hba1c of 10! I checked his BG at a family occasion last year and it was 17. He felt fine, and wasn't worried-I was! He's not given strips to test at home, the doctor only goes by his Hba1c, which is not always a good indicator of stable control.
Your levels are stable and below 8, you are doing very well, watching your diet, exercising, and monitoring your levels.
Some fluctuations in Bg are inevitable,stress, and upset can cause it, as can hormonal changes, and as you noticed, exercise. However the fluctuations you report are not huge ones.
Keep up the good work :)
Jus
ps. just found this on the forum, might interest you-http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=7373
x
 
Thanks Jus
Can be a bit scary when starting out on this. I think it is best that I keep monitoring. I'm fortunate that I have been prescribed testing strips so will make the most of them.
I'll ask about low readings next time I'm with the DN.
M
 
I rarely test at exercise( saving on strips) but I did the other day. after 45 minutes aqua aerobics, 4.9, then an hour in the gym doing circuits and tested again 5.1. I doubt if that's actually significant within the limits of the machine and strips.
I definitely feel much better if I do at least an hour a day of something. I did a check after an hour's brisk walk(3 - 4 miles) the other week and got 4.5, from 5.2 before starting. There I suspect, the cold weather made a difference.
Those of us who habitually keep the numbers down, would need a statistician to work out the significance of the changes.
I rarely drop low enough to need a gluccotab. I did yesterday.
I was shattered after 2.5 miles cross fields and farm tracks. aftter an hour circuits first. I'd had a week off the exercise for my cold. Still 2 glucotabs did the trick.
Hana
 
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