Elevated Blood Sugars

[falcon123]

It seems that quite a few people are suffering raised blood sugars. The first thing is, unless you have been bingeing, do not beat yourself up about it. Sometimes there genuinely seems to be no explanation. I thought it would be useful to pass on some information given to me by a consultant about it. If your blood sugar is raised and approximately in the range 12 ? 17 there are a couple of things that can help. The first is that your kidneys will be trying to flush out the excess so some extra fluid will help them; water being the preferred choice. Also some exercise ? going for a walk, jog, etc. will help things along. However if it is over 19 the advice is much the same but the exercise should be no more than gentle walking. The reason for this is that your kidneys will be working overtime which can result in you becoming dehydrated and your blood thickening. Apparently this can increase your chances of a heart attack so you should exercise caution. He said that some people are diagnosed with Type II when they suffer a heart attack or similar and are found to have really high blood sugars. To be honest I start to feel somewhat rough if I get into the mid-teens.

 

[Adrienne]

Hiya

Sorry but have to disagree with some of this. It is now known, (I don't know how old this advice you were given is) that if you exercise when your levels are over approximately 14.0 mmol your levels will generally go up instead of down. If you are that high then the advice is no exercise or give yourself a shot of insulin and then you can exercise.

The reason you go up is to do with adrenaline but mainly it means you have no energy. You may feel like you have energy but there is no energy in your cells. You need to have insulin present in your cells to provide energy needed to exercise. This is easier to sort out with a pump as you can put on an increased temp basal rate an hour or so beforehand if you know you are due to do some exercise so that extra insulin is going in or you can give yourself a bolus of insulin before exercising and off you go.

The only way to bring your levels down is with extra insulin and loads of water but not exercise if you are that high.

Sorry, I hate disagreeing with people but I do know that this is a fact.

 

[Northerner]

Yes, I read this too Adrienne, and wouldn't exercise above 14 - not that this has ever happened to me, 14.7 is the highest level I've had since diagnosis, and that wasn't prior to exercise. Perhaps, as you say, the guidelines have been revised. Thanks for info re: kidneys - didn't know that!

 

[falcon123]

When I was diagnosed blood sugars were diagnosed in mg/dl - 100 was ideal corrresponding to 5.6. The system is still used in the USofA. Some US literature suggests an upper limit of 250 - 300 for exercising. This corresponds to 14.0 and 16.8 respectively which agrees with both our figures. This advice was given to me about three years ago. Unless you are very unfit gentle walking is barely exercise. At that level people monitoring their blood sugars would usually take some extra insulin. Not sure about Type II on tablets and/or diet though. The guy was talking Type I

 

[Adrienne]

Hiya

Three years ago, that would explain it then. The idea of exercise to lower blood sugars has changed since then. I first heard about it at an advanced pump training course about 2 years ago and it was repeated about a year ago. Two years ago we were told no exercise at all over 14.0. A year ago the new advice was give insulin then you can exercise over 14.0.

Things change all the time and get updated. Our team are one of the best in the UK (paediatric by the way not adult) and are on top of all new info etc, we are very very lucky and I count my lucky stars all the time. 🙂

 

[Copepod]

Personally, I'd rely on the information given on www.runsweet.com which is a UK based website, aimed at people with type 1 diabetes, taking part in all sports, not just running. The website has both background information about physiology and case studies about several specific sports.
However, I tend to agree that I wouldn't count gentle walking or gentle cycling as exercise - probably a good thing, as I've just cycled home (only 1.5 miles) from drinking mulled wine (mixed red wine, orange juice & water, but no idea of proportions, and alcohol had probably evapourated with heat) and eating a mince pie and some crisps, all while watching fireworks from a friend's boat on the river, to discover level of 15.4 when I got home, so correction dose, then bath and bed, as I got up at 0430 this morning to drive 2 friends to airport, then back to work by 0800, 95 miles, then drive 20 miles home this evening, then tea, then cycled to boat for mulled wine and fireworks. Just shows basal bolus regime is versatile - perfectly possible to have breakfast at 0430, then basal morning dose around 0800 (usually 0700 - 0800) and can and should be varied to fit in with life, not life adjusted to fit in with insulin.

 

[Adrienne]

Blimey Copepod, far to energetic for me. Wow am in awe !!

 

[Copepod]

I must admit, I didn't want to get out of bed at 0645 this morning - but that's lack of sleep, plus excitement, having dropped partner & race team member to fly to Portugal for Adventure Racing World Championship, not too much activity. But, life is meant for living...

 

[sofaraway]

I was told I think at diagnosis which was almost 10 years ago or early on at least not to exercise above 13.
I am having real exercise problems again despite starting with nromal blood sugars and giving insulin prior to exercise. 🙄

 

[Adrienne]

I was told I think at diagnosis which was almost 10 years ago or early on at least not to exercise above 13.
I am having real exercise problems again despite starting with nromal blood sugars and giving insulin prior to exercise. 🙄

Hiya

We were given a long lecture about exercise at this advanced course. I can't remember it all as I only use what is relevant to Jessica. However exercise is in two catergories, aerobic and non aerobic. One is constant like cycling, swimming, running etc. The other is stopping and starting like football, netball etc ie you are not always running with the ball, sometimes you stop. They are treated differently and this is the bit I can't remember, not much good eh

 

[katie]

Hiya

We were given a long lecture about exercise at this advanced course. I can't remember it all as I only use what is relevant to Jessica. However exercise is in two catergories, aerobic and non aerobic. One is constant like cycling, swimming, running etc. The other is stopping and starting like football, netball etc ie you are not always running with the ball, sometimes you stop. They are treated differently and this is the bit I can't remember, not much good eh

Ah, what you need is my articulately written thread on the subject:

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=1874

*cough* 😉