Hello, any other insulin dependent diabetics out there? I'm 28 and have been an insulin dependent diabetic for 16 years now. Have never let it stop me from doing anything and love exercising. Don't think I've been running long enough to come up against major problems with respect to my control yet, only on a run/walk program at the moment, but am thinking as i run for longer and longer times, i'm going to really have to think about how to keep my level up. Any others who have dealt with all of this and can give me some advice?
cheers
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I'm Type 2 (although not insulin dependent) and find a sports drink sipped on the way round long runs seems to keep blood sugar stable. Having said that, I had my first hypo for yonks on a run yesterday!!
I always carry one a few sugar lumps with me just in case (needed them yesterday) and do a blood test before a long run.
I have to say that, with the exception of yesterday, running has helped me control my diabetes and I've managed to shed some weight, too.
I'd have a chat to your GP or diabetic nurse (if there's one in your area) for advice.
Good luck.
Type 1: insufficient insulin production?
Type 2: tissues resistant to insulin?
Both of these would lead to decreased glucose uptake by tissues - so more glucose remaining in the blood?
So how does a 'hypo' rather than a 'hyper' occur?
Thanks
Look on the Blackpool mara thread, Ron McAndrew (the organiser) has it.
He's just done Two Oceans, so may be worth asking him for help.
the hypos(low sugars) happen as a result of the treatment(insulin or tablets) used to treat the high blood sugars
Alex, someone without diabetes produces insulin in demand epending on what food they have had, Type 1 diabetics don't produce any, so we have to take insulin according to what we are eating. When the two don't balance, i.e. too much insulin for the food we have had our blood sugars drop and hence the term hypo. When it is the other way around, and we don't take enough insulin to balance our food intake our blood sugars go high and hence the term hyper. That is all in very simplistic terms though. Not just food affects the balance, exercise reduces your requirement for insulin, an increase in weight (fat, not muscle) may require an increase in insulin requirement. Stress causes my blood sugars to go high. It's just all about balance.
Like I've said, have never let it stop me from doing anything, I play badminton, squash, i go swimming, love snow boarding etc. And I never get upset about it all. Do feel a little frustrated at times though, but thats just because I'm so head strong )
Jennifer, thanks for all that. I have to deal with keeping my bloodsugars in balance when I'm doing all my other sports, but just felt that with running it was a little different, esecially longer distances. As I said though, no where near that yet, still tying my run/walk program, which is hindered my the fact that I'm experiencing a pain down the front of my right shin. Never out of breath, never feel tired, just the pain stops me from carrying on. Not sure if I started with too much running and not enough walking. Will take it easier and see what happens.
I am familiar with the insulin-independant uptake of glucose into muscle during and after exercise. So its the difficulty in reducing the dose to compensate for this additional glucose uptake in the exercise session (i.e. not reducing the dose enough) that leads to an exercise related hypo?
The silver lining with diabetes is the fact that when your not feeling great and having a hypo, chocolate is your medicine )
You may find some of the postings in the following thread helpful.
Running and Type 1 diabetes
Nothing to add about the diabetes, but on the shin pain, do you have properly fitted running shoes? [from a proper runners shop, not a general sports chain like JJX, where the kids no little] If not that may sort that - an do sort it rather than trying to 'run through 'the pain - will not solve it.
Fortunately I don't have to think about insulin dosage issues.
And Sam, thanks for the link, really interesting. Have posted a reply to it. Like other said, think it is all about trial and error, have done it for all my other sports, so am sure I'll do it with this one too, so long as I can sort out my leg (
cheers
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