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Swimming with a pump

Cheryl

Well-Known Member
Messages
180
I use a pump & swim once a week & have just about sorted my basal reduction & carb intake during my swim. However my bg rises sharply afterwards (I assume due to being unplugged for an hour) then usually crashes during the night.
Can anyone help with a solution to these two problems?
I have reduced my overnight basal following my swim to 80%, but for how long should I continue that reduction?
I have a history of frequent mild hypos which I'm trying to reduce.

My swim stats are: 1600-2000 metres swim, 45-55 mins, 30 grams carb taken during swim. TBR 50% 1-2 hours before swim. I always eat pasta after my swim.
I am a casual exerciser, once to three times per week.
Any suggestions would be gratefully received.
 
I used to occasionally go swimming and my BG would sometimes go high especially if my BG was around the 10 mark, which was expected and then sometimes go low, which was quite frightening as I couldn't feel myself going hypo ( dr said it something to do with being wet that I couldn't sense it). I never managed to find a solution, I hope you manage to work it out :)
 
Hi Cheryl,

I can only tell you what works for me.

IF BG is on track before swim, I have a small 15 grm snack before the aswim, to carry me over the swim. If my BG is over 6, I don't tend to need the snack though.

After the swim, test blood. If needed do a small correction, but not until I have driven home. Don't tend to need TBR, if I have eaten after the swim, unless BG is low anyway.

Time of the month does have a big impact though! I also can not be unhooked for more than an hour, without my BG rocketing. It does seem however, that your swim is more intense than mine. So, If I had been doing intense exercise for 45 minutes, I would use a TBR for abut 3 hours, From what you have written, it sounds like to extend teh TBR, or reduce it to stop the crash.
 
My daughter used to do a swimming lesson with school but that was only for half an hour so it didn't really affect her BG being disconnected during swimming. The exercise made her BG drop slightly during the swim so she'd have a small 4g biscuit (those lotus individually wrapped biscuits) before getting into the pool. I remember the DSN saying that if being unplugged for swimming caused a spike later on then it would be an idea to give a small bolus before disconnecting for swimming. Perhaps you could try that?
 
Thanks Sophia. I have been wondering whether to give a bolus equivalent to the missed basal due to being disconnected, but am a little concerned about causing a hypo. I have to drink a whole sports drink during my swim to keep my bg up, but I suppose that by the time the bolus before swimming gets to work, I'll be out of the pool. I'm swmming tonight, perhaps I'll give it a try.
 
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