Increasing Exercise...not Hypos

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone might want to share their experiences with me on the best way to approach exercising.

I've recently joined the gym and am committed to losing weight this year - however, I've found the number of hypos I'm getting increasing drastically.

I've reduced my background insulin which has improved things slightly, but I am finding that my sugars seem to plummet very fast.

EG - Last night I did a pre workout test - 5.2, I had a banana then did 40 minutes cardio and had to stop because I felt low and when I did a test I was 3.3.
I had my usual hypo treatment and then went home and had dinner, when I did a test at this point my sugar was only 4.2

I'm finding it a bit disheartening - I'm trying really hard to get some healthy habits into my life and feel like all I've done all week is drink lucozade just to feel normal!!

There has to be a better way, any experienced athletes who want to share tips??

Thanks,
Jen

No experience unfortunately but I think its really as case of trial and error [as diabetes always is] regarding you insulin reduction.................

it all depends on intensity and duration I think, theres more details in the handbook, but I think what you need to do is drop your QA dose prior to the exercise...............how much will need to be found out by you, hence the trial and error.............

sorry I couldn't be of any more help......................

Welcome to the forum...................

Thanks for responding!

I know all too well about trial and error, I feel that I have probably made to many changes in one go and my diabetes has decided to have a moan.

Just feel hard to stay motivated when you feel hypo almost all the time - my levels in general have dropped so I think my body is adjusting to that feeling. My average reading is not about 5-6 when before it would have been 8-9

I'll stick at it and see how it goes!

Keep at it, and just go prepared at the gym.................


its good your keeping active and helping insulin sensitivity, that will almost certainly reduce your insulin requirements across the board, eventually, hopefully, it will all settle down once you have made the right adjustments for you routinely workouts...............

Hi Jen,
Not sure if this helps but since been diagnosed with Diabetes (two years ago) I have found that cycling seems to be the best form of exercise (for me).
I used to go to the gym twice a week and would use the rowing machine, bike, stepper and cross trainer and found that seemed not too bad for my BG levels.

I have since cancelled my Gym membership (to save money) and bought a second hand exercise bike off Gumtree and I find if I use that for an hour (after work) my BGs don't drop that much, probably 3mmols and sometimes have to reduce my QA before my evening meal.

I found it frustrating trying to keep up the exercise regime as I used to really push myself at the gym only to find that in order to keep myself from being low was to keep drinking energy drinks which kind out-weighs the hard work done at the gym as most of the calories burned at the gym had to be replaced with more carbs either before/during/after exercise.
I was advised my DSN to either inject less QA at last meal (in my case Lunch) prior to the gym which seemed to help but then I found I would be more thirsty and need to go to the toilet due to the higher BGs.

Hope you manage to get the right balance
All the best,
Anele.

Remember, a really useful source of 'advanced' information (i.e. taking the basics from the DAFNE workbook a stage further) is:
http://www.runsweet.com/
Good luck!

sjohno said:
http://medweb.bham.ac.uk/easdec/prevention/insulindoseexercise.htm

Thanks so much for all your input and suggestions - seems I'm not alone in my frustrations/difficulty! The point about extra CPs and Hypo treatments cancelling out all my hard work in the gym and avoiding treats is so true.

I'm more determined now to keep going and not just give up!

I think next week I'll try lowering my lunchtime QA - I hope that it doesn't make me sleepy in the afternoon - and see how I feel after work at the gym.

Wish me luck!

JenC said:
Thanks so much for all your input and suggestions - seems I'm not alone in my frustrations/difficulty! The point about extra CPs and Hypo treatments cancelling out all my hard work in the gym and avoiding treats is so true.

I'm more determined now to keep going and not just give up!

I think next week I'll try lowering my lunchtime QA - I hope that it doesn't make me sleepy in the afternoon - and see how I feel after work at the gym.

Wish me luck!

Hi Jen

In my younger, pre-diabetes, days I was a sport freak. As I got older other things took over and I found myself doing less and less exercise. This doesn't stop me having an image of myself as a fit athlete!! Because I'm scared of the potential long-term effects of poorly managed diabetes and since doing DAFNE in 2007, I've tried to exercise at least three times a week. Sadly, I've had to stop running (my knees are ageing too!) so I play squash and cycle. On Sundays when I play squash in the evening, I reduce my dinner-time ratio from 1.5:1 to 1:1, test about 30 mins before playing and if necessary have an extra carb or two to get my level to around 10. I find that this usually leaves me at around 6 after a fairly vigorous 40 minute session.

I'm a bit of a fair-weather cyclist, so I've bought an exercise bike for the winter. My job means that I can't mess with my ratios / carbs during the day because I can't guarantee that my planned evening exercise will take place, so again I test about 30 mins before exercise and then use carbs to get my levels up - the amount depending on how much exercise I plan to do. The great thing about the exercise bike is that my family are around so I've been able to experiment a bit without the fear that I'll fall off my bike with a hypo in the middle of nowhere and nobody will notice!

Please keep posting - I think DAFNE and exercise is an area where we can all learn from each other. Good luck!

Stew