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Type 1: 2 questions about diabetes (1 re music and 1 re sport!)

B

banjobongo

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Other
Two questions for more experienced people with Type 1 diabetes out there, Im guessing there are pretty strange/very specefic queries and I might not get any answers!!

1/as my name suggests I play the banjo so I dont prick the 4 fingers on my left hand (as if I do it then hurts when I play the banjo) so that means I need to rotate pricking my left thumb and all the digits on my right hand....so I suppose this is not really a questions, more about does anybody else have the same situation and handle it the same way I do?

2/my main sport is swimming, Im competitive, ie I go to swimming galas, I train around 3 - 4 times a week plus have backup session in the gym. I track my times and for my main event (100m fly), and my times have got a bit slower since I was diagnosed with Typy 1 diabetes. Im about 2 - 3 seconds slower per 100m fly. Is this fairly typical for people who get Type 1 and how long does this dip in performance last for, is it typically a temporary blip or longer term?
 
Hi @banjobongo

If you're recently diagnosed, the dip in your swimming performance may be simply due to the effect Type 1 had on your body prior to diagnosis. I don't do any competitive sport, but when I was diagnosed I lost a lot of weight in the weeks before and felt generally not quite myself for a few months.

I think we have some musicians here, if not necessarily banjo players, so I hope you'll get an answer to your other question soon
 
Where on your fingers are you pricking? I prick the sides of my fingers rather than the pad of the finger tip. Not sure if that is of any help in relation to where the pressure on you fingers happens when playing the banjo. I think @Jaylee is a guitarist so might be able to help.

I would agree with @azure the dip in performance on swimming is probably just because your body went through the mill pre diagnosis. One of the type 1 symptoms is exhaustion. Now you have insulin you can recover, but the recovery might take a little while. I'm sure it's just a temporary dip, there are plenty of the 1 olympians so no reason to think type 1 reduces performance.
 
banjobongo said:
Im about 2 - 3 seconds slower per 100m fly. Is this fairly typical for people who get Type 1 and how long does this dip in performance last for, is it typically a temporary blip or longer term?
Click to expand...
Hi @banjobongo - might this be a confidence thing which will improve as time goes on?

When I started exercising (many many years after diagnosis, in my case) the fear factor was massive, and over time, and with more experience of exercising while trying to keep my blood glucose stable, my time and stamina have both improved.

Just a thought. Physiologically though, I've no idea, I'm afraid!

 
I play electric and acoustic guitar and Ukulele and on occasion a cigar box guitar and can confirm what @catapillar says that if you prick your fingers on the sides close to the nail you will be fine to play any stringed instrument as the pads of your fingers never get sore, there is another good reason to use the side of your finger as it is less sensitive and for that reason all diabetics are encouraged to use this technique whether they play a stringed instrument or not.

I generally only use the little and ring fingers on both hands as they are the easiest to get blood from and still gives me 4 fingers to chose from
 
Lol, @catapillar i own an acoustic that I play very badly. I did used to play piano though..
I'm a singer...

banjobongo said:
1/as my name suggests I play the banjo
Click to expand...

Does the second half of you name suggests owning a certain Jap import van perchance..?
 
Agree, you need to prick your fingers on the sides. I have been playing the bass (1973) almost as long as I have been T1 (1972) and have never had finger prick/soreness issues. And now I have the Libre it's not even an issue anymore
 
I used to be a competitive swimmer and swam up to 13-16 hours a week, it depends your times will stop dropping if you are getting out and being low, but apart from that no your diabetes won't have an effect on your times. It could just be one of those things that your not quite over having insulin in your body and its gunna take time for your body to not be so tired all the time ! Also it could just be that mentally you've got so much going on now with the diabetes that your brain isn't quite race ready and it might just be the awful thing with swimming when you don't drop your times for 6 months and then you will suddenly drop it down to 3 seconds, it's not uncommon to hit a plateau. Any questions re the swimming please just message me, and it certainly can be done !
 
I've just bought Diabetic Athlete's Handbook with the aim of improving my running, looks like an interesting read but early days.
 
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