Applying DAFNE when hiking

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Janys DAFNE Graduate
University College London Hospitals (UCLH)
5 posts

I wonder if anyone has practical experience of applying DAFNE whilst hiking. I am going on a week's walking holiday and I plan to reduce my BI (Lantus) by 30% starting the night before and to reduce my QA by 50% for all meals including the evenings, then to play it by ear with lots of quick acting carbs in my pack and testing during the day (hopefully not too much).
Before doing DAFNE I used to have lots of lows and highs whilst walking and really didn't feel on top of it.
I have had diabetes for 35 years and took the DAFNE course at UCLH in March, and have benefitted greatly from it.
I'd be pleased to hear from anyone who has actually tried DAFNE whilst hiking.
Janys

JayBee DAFNE Graduate
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
587 posts

I cannot say that I've been hiking to share an experience, but considering most of the DAFNE guidelines you're planning on applying have been tested to some extent and they are what are recommended, I think you will be okay.

Enjoy your hike! Smile

BobBarnby 1 post

I do lots of mountain walking. I tend to drop my Lantus by two units (18 to 16) and then breakfast QA by about 20% and lunch QA by 50%. Plus eat plenty of flapjack (without extra insulin) whilst out.

Then make sure I eat plenty in the evening (with my nornal insulin ratio).

I find I can do serveral days consecutively on that regime. Did the GR20 in Corsica last September withoutundue problems - two fairly minor hypos only.

Bob

Janys DAFNE Graduate
University College London Hospitals (UCLH)
5 posts

Bob, Thank you for this information, and I think I might try something similar next time. The reductions I tried were OKish but the Lantus reduction was too drastic giving high BGs during the morning. I think next time I will use a mixture of insulin reductions and extra carbs.

I also found that the Lantus reduction was really difficult when our schedule changed and we walked less that planned, so in that sense it was not too flexible. Also I found that for as much as 3 weeks after the holiday I needed to take quite a lot more insulin than I had in the first place (some sort of knock on perhaps).

It sounds as if your walking is a lot more extreme than mine but I probably use as much energy over a day in my own way, so I think your information will be a help to me next time I go away and I can find a level that works for me.

Enjoy your next walk.