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The Big Blue Test

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Northerner

Northerner

Admin (Retired)
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I hope lots of our members can take part in this year's Big Blue Test, details here:

http://www.bigbluetest.org/

All you need to do is test, do 15 minutes of exercise then test again and post your results, any day between now and 14th November 🙂 Post your results here too if you do it, please, it will be interesting! 🙂
 
I'll be doing it 🙂
 
Oh I'll give it a whirl - will be interesting to see what it does (gonna have to wait till I'm better tho before attempting to run)
 
Never heard of it before, but then it is USA of course. But I will do it, couldn't call it onerous could you!
 
Not a problem. Walking the dogs takes about 20 minutes of an evening so can do it without any extra effort (apart from an extra test strip afterwards) ! :D

Rob
 
I did my Big Blue Test today. 6.0mmol before 4.6 after 15mins exercise of brisk walking. I was very surprised it had gone down by that much as it normally doesn't. Must have been on the way down already I think.
 
I've set off with the dogs at about 10 and after 20 mins walking have been down to near hypo level. It depends what time you go and how much insulin you have on board. Plus the usual variable rubbish.

It could even go up if you start high enough. But they'll see that for themselves I guess if enough people do it. 🙂

Rob
 
I'll be giving it a go too. 🙂 XXXXX
 
Me too think I did it last year as well remember someone posting it in here
 
Just wanted to state my results 6.8mmol before and 15 minutes later 6.7mmol so not alot of diffirence I did 15 minutes walking of the dog @ 5.15
 
I was all set to do the test but tested 5.4 so had to have a JB before setting off. It tends to bring me down by 2 or 3 mmols, which might not help the cause much.🙄

Will try again tomorrow.

Rob
 
Robster65 said:
I was all set to do the test but tested 5.4 so had to have a JB before setting off. It tends to bring me down by 2 or 3 mmols, which might not help the cause much.🙄

Will try again tomorrow.

Rob
Click to expand...

Hi Rob how come the 5.4 made you have a JB? Sorry if im being nosey or very slow
 
From experience, at this time of night (insulin on board, etc) I know that walking the dogs will knock it down a bit, so need to top up before going. We've been caught halfway, in heavy rain, waiting for coke to bring me up. So I take no chances. It's just one feature of the way basal & bolus insulins work when you need to give enough to stop the carbs sending your BG too high after the meal, but then need to exercise after a while which will send it crashing. Pumpers are able to tailor it slightly better as long as they can plan half an hour ahead.🙂

Rob
 
I should also add that wlaking the dogs involves climbing up the drive which is about 100m long and maybe 30m higher at the top, then along the single track for about half a mile with 2 or 3 hills up and down at about 4mph.

So it's a good way of warming up for the evening :D

Rob
 
Robster65 said:
From experience, at this time of night (insulin on board, etc) I know that walking the dogs will knock it down a bit, so need to top up before going. We've been caught halfway, in heavy rain, waiting for coke to bring me up. So I take no chances. It's just one feature of the way basal & bolus insulins work when you need to give enough to stop the carbs sending your BG too high after the meal, but then need to exercise after a while which will send it crashing. Pumpers are able to tailor it slightly better as long as they can plan half an hour ahead.🙂

Rob
Click to expand...

Thanks Rob I knew you would come back with a comprehensive reply.🙂 X
 
Just tested and am now......


5.5 🙄

So it's lowered it by about a jelly baby's worth. 🙂

Rob
 
I'm going to do mine tomorrow, in the company of Gay Gasper. I'll be interested to see what effect it has, although I do question the validity of measurements separated only by 15 minutes or so when you have insulin and food working in you. I've known myself to go out for a 5 mile run and measured exactly the same when I got back as when I left!
 
That was my thought Alan. I suspect it's aimed mainly at insulin resistant T2s to illustrate the positive effect of exercise. Sadly, many T2s won't be able to test.

For a T1, we have to adjust to keep things steady anyway so it doesn't really mean much without the additional info on insulin and carbs on board.

But a nice idea.🙂

Rob
 
Northerner said:
I'm going to do mine tomorrow, in the company of Gay Gasper. I'll be interested to see what effect it has, although I do question the validity of measurements separated only by 15 minutes or so when you have insulin and food working in you. I've known myself to go out for a 5 mile run and measured exactly the same when I got back as when I left!
Click to expand...

I find that absolutely incomprehensible!! How can all that exercise not reduce your BG? What would happen if you didn't go out for a run? - have you loaded up with carbs first?

A further question related to this one, how long before any exercise after eating, is there an ideal time? I'm not talking marathons here, just reasonably strenuous walk
 
heasandford said:
I find that absolutely incomprehensible!! How can all that exercise not reduce your BG? What would happen if you didn't go out for a run? - have you loaded up with carbs first?

A further question related to this one, how long before any exercise after eating, is there an ideal time? I'm not talking marathons here, just reasonably strenuous walk
Click to expand...

I normally try to exercise between 90 minutes and two hours after injecting.eating. At this point I have plenty of active insulin and also (hopefully!) slow-release food in my stomach. Before 90 minutes and I just feel nauseous from the food. This is one of my frustrations about diabetes actually - I used to go fr a run without eating and eat when I got back, but since diagnosis I have had to try and get used to running with food in my stomach.

As you become fitter, your body becomes more efficient, so for me a 5 mile run currently matches my levels of fitness and the energy entering my bloodstream is balanced by the glucose being used to power my muscles. Running further than 5 miles usually means I need a top up of a couple of jelly babies per mile 🙂

Some people find their BG levels falling as soon as they start exercise and have to reduce insulin before commencing, whereas that doesn't apply to me - my levels would just be higher when I started. The effects of exercise in terms of increased insulin sensitivity last for about 40 hours, so I need to reduce post-exercise insulin until I get blalnced 🙂
 
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