Hyperglycaemia during/after exercise

[sedge]

Ohh Trink - haven't we missed you, and your knowledge, my friend!

[Lucy]

Might also be worth experimenting at different times of day. Exercise used to send my BG up in the morning and down in the afternoon.

I've been finding this to be true recently, might be worth experimenting with keith. I'm finding the best time for me to go swimming is straight after work at 5pm. I wander the 10-15mins walk there with a banana, then i can swim my mile and finish with a fine bg. The times bg has initially risen after is when ive either not had a snack beforehand, or have had too much carbs, or have gone earlier weekend mornings and tried to swim an amount i find difficult. (So currently that is getting my mile done in < 1hr). As you've found, a lazier swim does for me never spike the bg.

I think your experimentation is the way to figure it out!

[Pattidevans]

Trink

I echo what Jenny said, it's a breath of fresh air having you back

[Spideog]

It's taken a bit of experimentation, but I am now usually able to keep my levels within a reasonable range during and after exercise. I'd tend to aim for a slightly elevated BG just before starting, around about 10'ish, and then if going for more than an hours training I'd take a gel every 40 minutes. If it's just an hour then I'd not take anything on the way round, but if over an hour then I have to have taken the gel by 40 minutes or I'd go hypo on the way. By the time I finish I tend to be around about the 6-7 mark.

I turn the basal level on the pump down to -40% from an hour before I start until an hour after I finish, but depending on how hard I went or if it was a particularly long session I may turn the temporary basal off sooner or leave it on a bit longer. When on injections I obviously had less control over the basal levels so then I'd have to take a gel every 20 minutes just to stop me going hypo, being on the pump has made things so much simpler.

About the only time I get a hyper after exercise now is after races where due to a bit of nervousness about things maybe not going quite right on the way round I would take a bit more sugar on before the start than is absolutely necessary.

[Pattidevans]

Sorry if you've mentioned it before, but can I ask what gel?

[Spideog]

Sorry, I'd just come from nattering on a running forum...

Energy gels are gooey glucose filled things that people use to keep their energy levels up when doing extended sessions of sports. They are meant to be easy and quick to digest, but can be quite sickly when you take a few of them. Lots of brands and flavours to choose from though:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/run/energy-recovery-gels/

Tend to have about 20g of carbs in each one and easier to carry around when running than bottles of Lucozade.

[sedge]

Well I dunno, I only clicked on the first one but no info on carb count, although someone has said the fructose/glucose mix isn't sufficient.  And of course you don't need electrolytes and magnesium urgently when you are already hypo.

[nytquill17]

Around here they make gel tubes specifically for hypos, the same company that makes the glucotabs.  They're not cost-effective as a tube contains a single dose and the tube costs a good bit more than the equivalent carb grams in tabs, but they obviously have their niche for convenience factors and swallowing factors.  When I was younger the med team suggested those tubes of gel cake frosting.  They're all equally slimy as far as I'm concerned so I'll stick to the tabs but I can see where if you had to carry something on your person as during a run it would be a useful option!

[Spideog]

I'd certainly not be using the gels for normal hypo treating, but when out running and need to get more glucose into you they are the most convenient way of carrying it. The tabs are a more "concentrated" source of glucose, but it's no good trying to open a packet of them in the rain with cold hands whilst running and your brain is a bit fuzzy anyway just from having been on your feet for two hours, and carrying a glucose drink is just too much weight. Once I remember to take them on schedule then I don't actually need to be using them for hypo treating on the way round as after experimentation I know relatively consistently how many I need to get into me how often for what distance.

They are too expensive to use for anything other than when I can't digest or carry anything else with me.

[Trinkwasser]

Trink

I echo what Jenny said, it's a breath of fresh air having you back

I shouldn't really be here considering I am not only "not diabetic" but "am not and never have been prediabetic" thanks to Lord Lansley

The fact that my glucose control has been shafted all my life is totally irrelevent <G>

[sedge]

Don't be silly - you are not medically qualified. So you can't POSSIBLY know that, Mr Wasser.

[Colette1]

Read this thread.  Was about 9 half hour after lunch went for a 30 minute run.  5.8 on my return.  Perhaps its about the length of time you exercise and maybe half an hour running is not sufficient.  But it certainly does the trick for me.