Blood sugar up after exercise

[happydog]

Had my first session at the gym today. Really good. I checked my blood sugar after I got home and I was 8.7 which is a lot more than 7.0 that it was and hour and a half after lunch. Bit confused now as I thought that exercise helped to lower blood glucose not put it up. What has gone wrong?

 

[DeusXM]

Depends on the form of exercise. Some forms cause the liver to dump glucose into the blood stream which can actually raise blood sugar. It seems to vary according to person.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Typically aerobic exercise (eg cardio/jogging/cycling) tends to lower BG while anaerobic (heavy weights or high intensity 'flat out' sprints) tends to raise BG.

Some people who find low BG problematic after low-medium jogging use a flat out sprint at the end to stave off hypos I think.

Though as Deus says, everyone is different and you need to work out what exercise does to you. If memory serves Northerner needs to eat after a run (without adding any extra insulin) in order to *prevent* his BG rising. Which is, on the face of it... mad! 😛

 

[Dory]

I find that mine goes up after my hour combat/dance classes, however if i eat something and take a normal bolus with that I will go low after a few hours. So I simply knock a bit off the bolus amount.

I was told by my consultant when I questioned this that high intensity exercise in T1 diabetics is not a friend; the body recognises that you are doing a lot of exercise and so goes into preservation mode - storing any glucose it can in the body. obvioulsy therefore after a few hours (when it realise you're not going to conk out) it releases all the stored sugar and your readings therfore go down.

 

[DeusXM]

Cheers Mike - I can never remember which way round it is for aerobic and anaerobic, which was why I was being so vague!

 

[happydog]

Thank you for your replies. I was disappointed but will keep up the exercise and take heed of what has been written. One of the doctors that I saw soon after diagnosis said that I might be type 1.5 rather than type 2 as I am not overweight, have no family history but do have a fair number of autoimmune problems including hypothyroidism. Doctor that I have seen since then has said "no you are just a typical type 2 and the treatment is the same anyway". I know there is a test that they can do, might be called GAD? and am beginning to wonder about getting it done privately. Anyone else done this?
🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Thank you for your replies. I was disappointed but will keep up the exercise and take heed of what has been written. One of the doctors that I saw soon after diagnosis said that I might be type 1.5 rather than type 2 as I am not overweight, have no family history but do have a fair number of autoimmune problems including hypothyroidism. Doctor that I have seen since then has said "no you are just a typical type 2 and the treatment is the same anyway". I know there is a test that they can do, might be called GAD? and am beginning to wonder about getting it done privately. Anyone else done this?
🙂

You don't happen to be in your 30s do you?

There is a test (well there are a number that look for different markers) the most common is probably GAD65 and GADA. The difficulty from what I've read is that these tests are a) expensive and b) not entirely straightforward. (ie it is not as simple as the marker exists therefore type = 1). Additionally the presence and concentration of GAD can change over time, so lack of a marker doesn't necessarily negate a diagnosis either.

Your GP may believe that 'it doesn't matter because the treatment is the same' but I would argue that an accurate diagnosis is very important to you as a patient. Some treatment options (eg some versions of training courses) are only available to one or other type. Not to mention test strip availability etc if you should happen to move cities.

You can press for a GAD test on the NHS, but you may actually be better off asking for a referral to your local specialist hospital-based clinic to see a consultant. They will have far more clinical experience of T1, LADA etc and should be able to confirm your diagnosis or refer you for further tests if necessary.

 

[mcdonagh47]

Had my first session at the gym today. Really good. I checked my blood sugar after I got home and I was 8.7 which is a lot more than 7.0 that it was and hour and a half after lunch. Bit confused now as I thought that exercise helped to lower blood glucose not put it up. What has gone wrong?

could be Reactive Hypoglycemia in play -- a lot of activity leads to low bg and the liver pumps out a load of
glucose to compensate that takes it high. Only applicable to T2s in the early days, that's why you need to be a mite wary of advice relevant to T1s -. You are still producing insulin, often on a random response basis.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

could be Reactive Hypoglycemia in play -- a lot of activity leads to low bg and the pancreas pumps out a load of insulin to compensate that takes it high. Only applicable to T2s in the early days, that's why you need to be a mite wary of advice relevant to T1s -. You are still producing insulin, often on a random response basis.

Hang on...

Are you sure that's right? Why would the pancreas trigger insulin secretion for low BG?

I confess I get very confused with reactive hypoglycemia, but I thought it was caused by big post meal spikes and then the extra insulin plunging BG down into a hypo (though I can't rememebr who gave me that impression)

 

[mcdonagh47]

Hang on...

Are you sure that's right? Why would the pancreas trigger insulin secretion for low BG?

I confess I get very confused with reactive hypoglycemia, but I thought it was caused by big post meal spikes and then the extra insulin plunging BG down into a hypo (though I can't remember who gave me that impression)

oops .. your're right of course ....exercise/food lowers bg and liver responds to raise it .... hi-low-hi is often the sequence ... the control mechanisms blown in new T2s.

 

[happydog]

Thank you as always for your replies. I think maybe I was too enthusiastic at the gym and should only do half of the programme that the trainer set and see what that does to my blood sugar. I'll ponder a bit more about getting the GAD65 etc test. Unfortunately I know that there is no point in asking at the GPs for a test, I have done that already and been flatly refused and accused of being obsessive. I have to go for a thyroid test next month because I had an unusual result in December. Once that is over I probably won't have to go for another year. Suits me as I find it stressful as I am treated like and over anxious idiot. I have a lot more life ahead of me, I hope, and I intend to make the best of it. Thanks again for your help. 🙂