Cycling

[Northerner]

Amazing bit of logic.. just what the hell were they thinking?? We'll let you have the insulin but getting it to where it needs to be...well, that's not our problem..

If you leave the needle on the pen.. does it not allow the fluid to leak out?
I have space to carry needles, but I just plain forgot!

It was ludicrous to make people pay for the needles - I think I even read a suggestion that when pens were introduced one of the arguments in Parliament was that people would be able to reuse needles, and it would therefore be a (government) money saver. Personally, I always try to use a fresh needle. I've already injected about 15,000 times and each time there's a potential for my injection sites to get a little bit scarred or for lipohypertrophy to develop - blunter needles increase this risk, so minimising that risk just makes sense to me. Clearly people have managed perfectly well over the years reusing needles, but if you don't have to...I'd probably think differently if I was paying for them though, as Matt said! 🙄

 

[Northerner]

Bent needle! If I was out and had no other needle on me it was a case of bending it back! 😱

😱 😱 😱 😉

 

[christophe]

All about money you say @Northerner ??
Struggling to believe that... oh wait.. yes I believe it..

Trying to avoid having to inject when out on the bike but the warm weather reduces insulin effectiveness for me.. total opposite of what is expected but it is getting to where nothing really surprises me anymore!

 

[HOBIE]

Love my Pump. Still needles every 2/3 days but much more adaptable when at work or on BIKE😉

 

[Matt Cycle]

Love my Pump. Still needles every 2/3 days but much more adaptable when at work or on BIKE😉

Agree with that Hobie. Makes things more manageable when on the bike. Stick on a TBR during the ride, when back and through the night.

 

[christophe]

Agree with that Hobie. Makes things more manageable when on the bike. Stick on a TBR during the ride, when back and through the night.

I can see that but it is possibly a step too far for me at this time.. plus there seems no chance of getting anything more useful or effective prescribed by Leicestershire than the pens and needles.

On the warm weather.. do you need to drink a lot to make the insulin effective? I have never felt the need to drink loads and loads (apart from the few weeks before diagnosis..) even if it is hot, I would only have a bottle to do about 50 miles and usually there is something left in it to water the potted plant by the front door when I get home..doesn't feel right to drink for its own sake.

 

[Matt Cycle]

I can see that but it is possibly a step too far for me at this time.. plus there seems no chance of getting anything more useful or effective prescribed by Leicestershire than the pens and needles.

On the warm weather.. do you need to drink a lot to make the insulin effective? I have never felt the need to drink loads and loads (apart from the few weeks before diagnosis..) even if it is hot, I would only have a bottle to do about 50 miles and usually there is something left in it to water the potted plant by the front door when I get home..doesn't feel right to drink for its own sake.

Well, I suppose it's something to think about for the future. Pumps are very useful when exercising but not essential. I managed to survive for over 30 years without one. There are supposed to be strict criteria for getting pumps. Looking at some of the people who've got them then I can only assume they must be very good at story telling. It's a bit of a nonsense as INPUT has a list of pump friendly clinics - shouldn't all clinics be pump friendly? A friendly DSN/consultant is useful to have onside as well.

I drink more in warmer weather probably because I'm losing more with the heat but don't drink any more than needed. It varies a bit. Are you saying your insulin isn't effective if you don't drink a lot? What insulin quantities/ratios are you using?

 

[christophe]

I think I could talk all I wanted but the impression I get is I am getting all I am going to unless something changes radically.. no problem to be honest, it's just I want to be handling things better or easier and that seems like it won't happen!

I was wondering if drinking more fluids improves the insulin's performance.. I have noticed the onset is up to 30 minutes slower and I need about 30% more in the warmer weather, the temperature drops and I get my usual 45 minutes before anything takes effect.. I don't feel the need to drink a lot more when it's warmer, I suppose I do drink a little more but not much more.

 

[Matt Cycle]

I'm not sure to be honest as I haven't noticed it does. I know insulin resistance can be more noticeable in the morning but 45 minutes seems a long time. 1hr 15 and a 30% increase in warmer weather is a lot. I'd discuss this with your DSN.

 

[christophe]

I'm not sure to be honest as I haven't noticed it does. I know insulin resistance can be more noticeable in the morning but 45 minutes seems a long time. 1hr 15 and a 30% increase in warmer weather is a lot. I'd discuss this with your DSN.

I did.. and nothing. Got another appointment in three months so I will have more information for them to ignore!
The slow onset means getting up a lot earlier than I would like.. but that's type one for you..
I have a hotel booked at Trentham Gardens on the day of the Stoke/Worcester stage of the TNN ride, so I can get up fill up on Premier Inn breakfast and get to the start without too much insulin worries. Makes you plan ahead doesn't it..

 

[Matt Cycle]

I did.. and nothing. Got another appointment in three months so I will have more information for them to ignore!
The slow onset means getting up a lot earlier than I would like.. but that's type one for you..
I have a hotel booked at Trentham Gardens on the day of the Stoke/Worcester stage of the TNN ride, so I can get up fill up on Premier Inn breakfast and get to the start without too much insulin worries. Makes you plan ahead doesn't it..

That's a shame. Was this at a hospital clinic or at the GP?

It's an early start for me for the TNN ride as a colleague from work has kindly offered to give me a lift to Rochdale and will be here at 6am. My plan after the ride is to go to Thomas Raeymaekers talk at the Medical Institute in Stoke which starts at 7pm. Timings for the ride finish and getting to the talk are a bit up in the air but that's what I'm hoping to do.

 

[christophe]

It's a local hospital, nothing special, I think it's simply a bit of space that gets used. There doesn't seem to be very much going on in there.. maybe it's me but if I see a problem and collect data and can see a possible solution, I kind of think some action might take place.. maybe in an ideal world.

Anyhow.. maybe it's me as well but in the absence of any other option, I work with what I have.. so that means 5am starts to get insulin and food in and allow things to settle down. Not the worst it could be..

I am treating the bike to a new chain and bar tape, I will decide what to wear the day before and hope the weather forecast is good. Car is being left at Worcester and train/taxi to the hotel. A few hours on the bike is the easy part!

 

[TrevA]

I did the Tramway Audax today. Starting from Cromford with a nasty climb up to Crich, then over the tops to the Owler Bar roundabout. It had been drizzling on and off, but at Owler Bar the heavens opened and we had biblical rain for about 20 minutes. The descent past Fox House down into Hathersage was like riding down a river. A cafe stop and the rain abated a bit. Next we climbed up through Abney then down through Tideswell to Millers Dale and another long drag up to the A6 and Chelmorton, then the climb past the quarry to Glutton and another nasty climb over to Longnor. Another cafe stop at the craft centre, then the final sting in the tail - the 20% climb of Crowdicote. I felt surprisingly good up there and soon polished off the final miles down the Via Gelia back to Cromford. 6 hours 5 mins total time and just over 5 hours riding time. 63 miles and 3700 feet of climbing. An enjoyable day out despite the rain. It's nice to ride on some different roads for a change.

 

[christophe]

That’s a lot of riding crammed into 60 odd miles @TrevA !
I have been on some of those roads.. truly horrible mostly if I am remembering them correctly, Owler Bar in the dark and rain back into Sheffield after getting lost...not something I would wish on anyone!
I am on my breakfast stop.. a carb-free half hour at Cafe Ventoux was well worth the ride over, but those cakes and pastries.. I have my pens and I bought needles this time... I won’t but god I want to..
Got 500 metres of climbing done in 32 miles so far. Taking it good and easy..beautiful weather and very English countryside. Doesn’t get much better than this.

 

[christophe]

That cleared a few cobwebs.. 102 miles 1600 metres climbed, some ridiculous gradients and not a drop of rain. Went good and steady but it gets you in the the end.. looking to put my feet up for about a week..

 

[Matt Cycle]

I did the Tramway Audax today. Starting from Cromford with a nasty climb up to Crich, then over the tops to the Owler Bar roundabout. It had been drizzling on and off, but at Owler Bar the heavens opened and we had biblical rain for about 20 minutes. The descent past Fox House down into Hathersage was like riding down a river. A cafe stop and the rain abated a bit. Next we climbed up through Abney then down through Tideswell to Millers Dale and another long drag up to the A6 and Chelmorton, then the climb past the quarry to Glutton and another nasty climb over to Longnor. Another cafe stop at the craft centre, then the final sting in the tail - the 20% climb of Crowdicote. I felt surprisingly good up there and soon polished off the final miles down the Via Gelia back to Cromford. 6 hours 5 mins total time and just over 5 hours riding time. 63 miles and 3700 feet of climbing. An enjoyable day out despite the rain. It's nice to ride on some different roads for a change.

Well done Trev. 🙂 Know most of those roads very well. 😱 At least when you get to Owler Bar it's downhill from there. Weather must have been very localised as we had no rain yesterday in the Staffordshire Moorlands about 30 odd miles away. My Mum in Sheffield said it was torrential there. The climb from Glutton Bridge up to Longnor is difficult with the one way and traffic lights part way up and then Crowdecote from Longnor is the hardest direction as well!

 

[Matt Cycle]

That cleared a few cobwebs.. 102 miles 1600 metres climbed, some ridiculous gradients and not a drop of rain. Went good and steady but it gets you in the the end.. looking to put my feet up for about a week..

Well done Chris - good mileage! 🙂 Sunny here as well today.

 

[Matt Cycle]

Headed out again today back into Cheshire to Alderley Edge and Knutsford and looped round and came back through Congleton and the climb over Biddulph Moor. Weather was great - dry and sunny but just a bit breezy. Can't complain too much though. A week until the TNN ride so I may try and do a couple of shorter rides during this week. Legs felt pretty good on this one. Enjoyed that. 🙂

Strava stats are 64.3 miles completed at an average speed of 14.6mph and elevation gain of 2995 feet.

I've had some fun and games with my blood glucose levels over the last few days (not sure what's going on) but I stuck with what I know and put a 50% TBR on and levels were as follows: at start 4.4 mmol/l (had a protein cereal bar and a couple of biscuits), at 22 miles 7.3 mmol/l, at 31 miles 10.6 mmol/l, at 38 miles 10.7 mmol/l, at 46 miles 11.0 mmol/l (decided to do a very small correction and upped the TBR to 55%), at 54 miles 4.0 mmol/l 🙄 and back home 6.8 mmol/l. I realised I both corrected and adjusted TBR but not sure what to do now with the ride in a week - whether to start at 55% TBR? I'll have the Libre for guidance and there's several stops so I can adjust things at these. Of course there's always the possibility of a massive stress spike at the start as well! 🙄 On this ride I just had 1 cereal bar.

It's only been a week and it's already grown quite a bit! Near Goostrey.


What a view this farmhouse (just to the left) has on the climb up to Biddulph Moor.


At the top Biddulph Moor - most of the sheep have wisely opted for the shade under the tree.


From the same place looking towards Bosley. Buxton is somewhere over the horizon towards the right.


The Garmin. (Complete with shadow outline of me - hope I don't really look like that - must be a trick of the light! 😱 )

 

[HOBIE]

Those are good numbers considering the distance etc 😉 Gold star Matt !

 

[christophe]

Won't presume to suggest what your blood values and your technology are doing!
I would say short rides are the max you need to be doing with Monday in mind, just to keep the muscle firing.. additional fitness isn't going to happen now but your solo rides are harder than the group ride coming up so don't stress about anything to do with that. There are stops and other riders to take the edge off the physical load so ride and chat and have fun.

My own numbers have been misbehaving but by slowly recognising some pattern I have stumbled across a similar fix to yours Matt.. depends on intensity as ever but I am under injecting ( for breakfast for example) and going out when the insulin is still active.. the resulting bg sits highish for a while but keeping a steady intensity it doesn't go anywhere, about the time I want to eat something I will inject a couple of units and when that becomes active I put carbs in.. I feel that these are taken in and get working, and feed small amounts while the insulin is cooperating.. the trick for me seems to be to get into this state where the stored energy is mostly depleted, at least the easy to release stuff is, then the basal gets to handle little and often carb intake with a slowly decreasing line from (for me obviously..) 6 through 5 and I am thinking about maybe another injection to handle a more substantial carb intake.. all bets are off if the intensity is high, but today's 16 (dropping to 15.5 mph average at 90 miles) felt quite well fuelled, the cafe breakfast after a couple of hours helped but it was carb free and I see it as background energy.

I guess, in short, I am leaving the basal alone ( how this multiple injection regime equates to your pump I can't say ) going to about half bolus and starting steady while it has some activity.. a mid ride feed on half bolus or less and that seems to empty the tank as it were. Leaving the muscles grabbing at any carb going in with the help of basal alone. When the bg begins to show a rising line it is time to stop feeding or go for a reduced bolus again.. I got through a small breakfast (50g yoghurt and 10g granola), a cafe breakfast ( bacon mushrooms and tomato) then an oat bar and a frusli bar for 6 hours riding, on 2x2 units.. ordinarily it would be 4 for the yoghurt, 1or 2 for zero carbs as simply eating seems to cause a bg rise.. then I would never be able to finish two bars without more units.

Sorry I guess that wasn't so short.. hope there is something in there..