whirlwind

[Hey TC]

Hello everyone, the last few weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind. I was diagnosed as type 2 at the beginning of September and put on metformin and gliclazide. I had an antiGAD blood test done, and there was a delay with the results . They came back last week and I have now been diagnosed with type 1.
I am on two types of insulin, a basal one and humalog for before meals if my readings are high. When I am planning on exercising should I still take the humalog if my levels are a bit higher than they should be or is it okay to leave it so that they come down with exercise? Or is it a case of experimenting and see what works best for me? I ended up having a hypo earlier this week and obviously want to try and avoid it in the future. Thank you.

 

[helli]

Welcome @Hey TC
Unfortunately, it will be a bit of trial and error because we are all different and, to make matters worse, different exercise affects us in different ways.
As you have found out, some exercise makes our bodies more efficient at using insulin so a small amount of insulin can have a bigger impact when we exercise.
I say "some" exercise because short sharp exercise (like HIIT) or resistance training can make our blood sugars rise. I believe this is due to our livers releasing some glucose when we start exercising and we may not reach the point of insulin efficiency if we start/stop.

Different approaches work for different people (and different exercise), such as
- starting exercise with a higher blood sugar. I find a high blood sugar makes be tired so I don't like to do this.
- eating something before starting and not taking insulin. Typically, this is something smallish with slower release carbs such as a bar of Twix.
- making sure you have no "insulin on board". This means no bolus (and no carbs) for the last 4 hours
- drinking a sugary drink whilst exercising instead of just water. I drink very dilute fruit squash.
- start with resistance training (weights) to raise your blood sugar followed by cardio to lower it.

It can be a bit tedious working out what works for you. But don't give up and make sure you have fast acting carbs with you when exercising in case you need them.

Finally, that glucose release whilst exercising can result in a lower blood sugar for the next 24 to 48 hours whilst your liver replenishes itself so keep a close eye on things. Some people find they need to lower their basal dose slightly after exercise.

 

[Docb]

Hi @Hey TC and welcome to the forum. As a T2 I keep out of discussions on insulin but I am sure some of our experienced T1's will be along soon with some ideas.

 

[SB2015]

Hi @Hey TC , from another person diagnosed with T1 as an adult (at 53)

It is a big shock and there is a lot to learn very quickly. However you have already got the hang of the balancing act that we follow matching carbs and insulin and making adjustments to either of these to account for changes in our daily routines.

As @helli has said managing exercise is very much a case of trial and improvement. I have had to work things out for different types of exercise and at different times of the day. I found it helpful at the start to keep records of the things I tried and I gradually worked out how much of a reduction I needed for different sporting activities.

Keep asking any questions you have. This is a manageable condition it just takes a bit of organising and planning.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Hey TC





Sorry to hear about your diagnosis

We aren’t medically qualified, so can’t give dosing advice - we can only share our own experiences, and as the saying goes in the diabetes online community, “Your Diabetes May Vary” 🙂

I am on two types of insulin, a basal one and humalog for before meals if my readings are high.

Slightly surprised by the way you’ve phrased that - have you not been instructed to take bolus (meal) insulin before each meal, based on how many carbs are in it and your insulin:carb ratio at that time of day?

As for exercise, many people find they do see a BG drop with aerobic exercise, so reducing the dose before exercising can work. Always ensure you have rapid-acting glucose and a meter with you when exercising though - just in case your levels drop too low.

Extod is a well respected source of help about exercise and T1

Home

Home

www.extod.org

Good luck, and let us know how you get on 🙂

 

[Hey TC]

That is really useful to know, thank you so much. I am not going to give up on this, but I didn’t realise it could be so variable.

Welcome @Hey TC
Unfortunately, it will be a bit of trial and error because we are all different and, to make matters worse, different exercise affects us in different ways.
As you have found out, some exercise makes our bodies more efficient at using insulin so a small amount of insulin can have a bigger impact when we exercise.
I say "some" exercise because short sharp exercise (like HIIT) or resistance training can make our blood sugars rise. I believe this is due to our livers releasing some glucose when we start exercising and we may not reach the point of insulin efficiency if we start/stop.

Different approaches work for different people (and different exercise), such as
- starting exercise with a higher blood sugar. I find a high blood sugar makes be tired so I don't like to do this.
- eating something before starting and not taking insulin. Typically, this is something smallish with slower release carbs such as a bar of Twix.
- making sure you have no "insulin on board". This means no bolus (and no carbs) for the last 4 hours
- drinking a sugary drink whilst exercising instead of just water. I drink very dilute fruit squash.
- start with resistance training (weights) to raise your blood sugar followed by cardio to lower it.

It can be a bit tedious working out what works for you. But don't give up and make sure you have fast acting carbs with you when exercising in case you need them.

Finally, that glucose release whilst exercising can result in a lower blood sugar for the next 24 to 48 hours whilst your liver replenishes itself so keep a close eye on things. Some people find they need to lower their basal dose slightly after exercise.

 

[Hey TC]

That is really encouraging, thank you. It is good to know that there are so many people on here that are or have been in a similar situation and can help.

Hi @Hey TC , from another person diagnosed with T1 as an adult (at 53)

It is a big shock and there is a lot to learn very quickly. However you have already got the hang of the balancing act that we follow matching carbs and insulin and making adjustments to either of these to account for changes in our daily routines.

As @helli has said managing exercise is very much a case of trial and improvement. I have had to work things out for different types of exercise and at different times of the day. I found it helpful at the start to keep records of the things I tried and I gradually worked out how much of a reduction I needed for different sporting activities.

Keep asking any questions you have. This is a manageable condition it just takes a bit of organising and planning.

 

[Hey TC]

Thank you for replying, I appreciate it. Re the bolus / meal insulin, it is early days for me and so far I have been advised to use it if my reading is over 10 before a meal as my sugar levels are still up and down. I have got some training on 8th Nov which covers carb counting in more detail so hopefully that will help things.

Welcome to the forum @Hey TC

View attachment 15448



Sorry to hear about your diagnosis

We aren’t medically qualified, so can’t give dosing advice - we can only share our own experiences, and as the saying goes in the diabetes online community, “Your Diabetes May Vary” 🙂



Slightly surprised by the way you’ve phrased that - have you not been instructed to take bolus (meal) insulin before each meal, based on how many carbs are in it and your insulin:carb ratio at that time of day?

As for exercise, many people find they do see a BG drop with aerobic exercise, so reducing the dose before exercising can work. Always ensure you have rapid-acting glucose and a meter with you when exercising though - just in case your levels drop too low.

Extod is a well respected source of help about exercise and T1

Home

Home

www.extod.org

Good luck, and let us know how you get on 🙂