Clinic Today

[sofaraway]

So I went to the hospital clinic this morning. I always feel nervous leading up to my appointments and then a bit flat afterwards. Always leave feeling slightly disapointed. Maybe it didn't help that today I have got some stomach pains so don't feel great.

My control is good, My A1c is good so there is nothing about my control that needs to change. So it's just a case of keeping up what i am doing.

I am having a specific problem when I play football, despite injecting insulin before the game and then again at half time I am shooting up to high teens/low twenties. Which makes me feel unwell and affects my performance physically and mentally. I was hoping for some answers. My consultant is going to go away and speak to some of her colleagues for suggestions and get back to me, which is fair enough. Any of you guys have any ideas?

I feel frustrated about it, because I can't work it out myself, I am not used to not being able to work things out. It's why i don't often ask for help on here, I tend to be able to try some things and find something that works. I don't like not being in control.

I want to give my diabetes management back, all of it, I don't want the responsibility anymore. I either want to be totally in control or not at all. Ah that is very black and white thinking from me today!

Not sure what anyone can respond and not entirely sure I want to post this but I said I would

 

[Northerner]

Hi Nikki,

I always feel the same after my clinic visits (all three of them so far!). No real answers to my questions, just you're doing OK, keep doing it, and sometimes things don't go to plan etc.

Have oy ever read the Diabetic Athlete's Handbook by Sheri Colberg? That is filled with info - scientific and practical - about all manner of sports. There may be something in there to help you with your football problems.

Try to think of the positives and solve the negatives! Easier said than done, I know 🙂

 

[Caroline]

I hope the clinic goes well and things work out for you. I'm glad you posted as it will help others keep things in perspective. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Adrienne]

Hiya

Glad the appointment went well but sorry to hear about these sports problems.

Do you play footie often? Are you in a team?

You probably know what I am going to say before I even say it.......... drum roll........... you need a pump !!

Pumping for sports people is perfect. You can slip an increased basal in for a few hours before you play if that is what is needed etc etc. Don't know how you feel about pumps but that is my answer 🙂

 

[Steff]

hope everything sorts itself nikki , good to hear you have such good control x

 

[rossi_mac]

Have oy ever read the Diabetic Athlete's Handbook by Sheri Colberg? That is filled with info - scientific and practical - about all manner of sports. There may be something in there to help you with your football problems.

Nice work Nikki, hope you sort the sporting issue out soon! I bet it's annoying.
You play 11 aside or 5 aside?? Used to love the weekly 5aside kick around, sadly too lazy nowadays! Good on you to keep it up.

Northe' is there a book on Diabetes you haven't read???
PS I've ordered one to read myself!😱

 

[Northerner]

Nice work Nikki, hope you sort the sporting issue out soon! I bet it's annoying.
You play 11 aside or 5 aside?? Used to love the weekly 5aside kick around, sadly too lazy nowadays! Good on you to keep it up.

Northe' is there a book on Diabetes you haven't read???
PS I've ordered one to read myself!😱

There's still a couple on the list, I think! Which one have you gone for? I remembr your 'One Book' thread!🙂

 

[bev]

Hi Nikki,

Sorry your feeling down about things.
Like Adrienne says - have you ever thought of a pump? There is a young boy on the other list who is a semi-professional footballer and i think is looking to do this as his career, he is on a pump and manages his levels brilliantly.

There is also a good Dr - I think his name is Gillan or Gillam who advises on sports and diabetes. I think he is private - but may be worth a consultation. Perhaps Adrienne knows who i am talking about?🙂

Hope you find a way around this as i know you like your football!🙂Bev x

 

[Adrienne]

There is also a good Dr - I think his name is Gillan or Gillam who advises on sports and diabetes. I think he is private - but may be worth a consultation. Perhaps Adrienne knows who i am talking about?🙂

Hope you find a way around this as i know you like your football!🙂Bev x

Nope, got one up on me there Bev, don't think I know this person, have racked my brains.

 

[sofaraway]

Thank you for your responses. Do you mean Dr Ian Gallen Bev? He is the guy from runsweet.com, think it's who one of the members here is seeing (see exercise forum).

Yeah I play for a team, training once a week and matches on Sunday's. I don't play at a particulary high level, 3 leagues below the womens premiership, and there are 5 or 6 leagues below us I think.

I would be interested in a pump, but I really don't meet any of the criteria, My A1c is 5.9% and I have only had 2 hypos in the past 6 months, plus I have MODY not type 1. So basically no chance of getting a pump, which generally is ok because my control is good, just situations like this that it would be helpful.

I'll have a look in the library and see if I can get hold of that book. Hopefully my team will come back with suggestions once they have spoken to their colleagues.

thanks guys

 

[bev]

He he - yes thats him! I knew it was something like that! Adrienne - someone on the list takes her boy to see him and raves about him!Bev

 

[Adrienne]

Thank you for your responses. Do you mean Dr Ian Gallen Bev? He is the guy from runsweet.com, think it's who one of the members here is seeing (see exercise forum).

Yeah I play for a team, training once a week and matches on Sunday's. I don't play at a particulary high level, 3 leagues below the womens premiership, and there are 5 or 6 leagues below us I think.

I would be interested in a pump, but I really don't meet any of the criteria, My A1c is 5.9% and I have only had 2 hypos in the past 6 months, plus I have MODY not type 1. So basically no chance of getting a pump, which generally is ok because my control is good, just situations like this that it would be helpful.

I'll have a look in the library and see if I can get hold of that book. Hopefully my team will come back with suggestions once they have spoken to their colleagues.

thanks guys

I think you do fit the criteria and any dr worth his salt would make you fit if you wanted one. One of the criteria is if MDI doesn't work for you. It doesn't work for your lifestyle of sports as you cannot play to the best of your ability. So that would be one goal done and dusted.

I do know of someone who once told me that she knew sports people who did both MDI and pumping and this particularly helped on a sports day. No idea how that works but it did. Think they did pumping all the time but on sports days because you come off the pump you give a shot of lantus or levemir but bolus through the pump when needed and use the temp basals or something.

I hope your team come through for you with whatever they suggest. Good luck Nikki.

 

[Copepod]

sports dietician?

Sofaraway: By chance, by reading an article in hospital magazine about activity sessions for kids with type 1 diabetes, I discovered that our clinic has a sports dietician. So, perhaps your team wil lhave one who can help you? Actually, I find that encouraging that they didn't try to palm you off with a "one size fits all" diet sheet, but want to ask their colleagues first - as you say, MODY is different to type 1 diabetes. Will be interested to hear what they can suggest for you.
Not sure that I need help from dietician just now, but great to know there is one - my main problem with food during activity is how not to squash it before eating it, which is an issue on a 2 day mountain marathon or 5 hour foot / bike navigation event.

 

[Munjeeta]

I am having a specific problem when I play football, despite injecting insulin before the game and then again at half time I am shooting up to high teens/low twenties. Which makes me feel unwell and affects my performance physically and mentally. I was hoping for some answers. My consultant is going to go away and speak to some of her colleagues for suggestions and get back to me, which is fair enough. Any of you guys have any ideas?

I feel frustrated about it, because I can't work it out myself, I am not used to not being able to work things out. It's why i don't often ask for help on here, I tend to be able to try some things and find something that works. I don't like not being in control.

No words of wisdom I'm afraid, Nikki, but 2 comments on what you wrote.

Firstly, I don't do a lot of exercise but have recently started cycling to work. I too find that rather than lowering my BG levels it raises them. I know that adrenalin can do it, so maybe it's that. But still. Keep trying, I'm sure you'll find a way to work it out.

And I'd just like to say how much I admire your attitude towards your diabetes. I wish I had half the motivation and drive you do to understand your levels. Don't give up!

 

[Northerner]

Well, I went for a 4 mile run and myBG was 7.2 at the start - ideal - then 11.5 at the end, which is high for me. Normally I either stay about the same or drop a bit lower. I didn't even come down properly afterwards and was still 8.1 at lunch which never happens to me! Sometimes diabetes is too confusing!😱

 

[NTIL]

Hi Nikki,
I'm gonna paraphrase a book, Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solution (pp. 214-5):
"Moderate to strenuous exercise such as swimming, running, weight lifting, or tennis - as opposed to more casual exercise, such as walking - causes an immediate release of "stress", or counterregularatory, hormones (epinephrine, cortisol, et cetera). These signal the liver and muscles to return glucose to the bloodstream by converting stored glycogen into glucose... Thus, brief strenuous exercise can raise blood sugars, while prolonged exercise can lower it."

Not sure how that might help you combat it, but it might at least explain why it's happening (assuming your football sessions include a lot of short sprints, like tennis)