# Type 1 - Getting back into exercise after diagnosis



## Lucy12 (Feb 2, 2022)

Hi!

I’ve been recently diagnosed with Type 1, and having been a really active person before my diagnosis I am looking to get back into exercise. Before I was diagnosed I was training for triathlon so running, cycling and swimming however I’ve done nothing except walking the dog since I got diagnosed. 

After a conversation with my hospital team I decided to start running again, taking it slowly of course. I’ve been advised that generally I would need to reduce the amount of insulin I take when I know I’ll be running that day, however I’m still waiting on a dietician appointment and so haven’t been taught to carb count and just take set doses of my insulin every day (3 at breakfast, 4 and lunch and 6 at dinner). My doctor advised me to make sure my blood glucose was above 7 before exercising and to not do too much for now and that once I’m carb counting I can start reducing insulin when I exercise. 

I went for my first jog yesterday evening and only went for 15 minutes, my blood sugar was 8 before I left and 4.9 when I got back. I had some toast when I got in and then had my evening meal as normal. 

I then had a hypo about an hour after eating in which I really struggled to raise my levels. I eventually got them up to around 6 before bed. I then woke up twice in the night with really bad night sweats. I tested and my levels were fine (around 6) and I didn’t feel hypo at all. I’ve been doing some reading today however and read that night sweats are a sign of a hypo - I’m not sure if this was the case or not given my glucose levels didn’t indicate that I was low? 

Then today my levels have been higher than they normally are and I tend to eat mostly the same everyday. 

I guess I’m just after some advice about whether I could have had hypos in the night even though my levels were above 4 when I woke and tested? I’m a bit nervous to go for another run, especially as I really struggled to get my levels up after my evening meal. Am I best waiting until I know how to reduce my insulin? 

Any advice from fellow Type 1 runners welcome!


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## ColinUK (Feb 3, 2022)

There’s a Diabetes U.K. running heroes group on Facebook which might give you answers if you don’t get them here. 
I’m T2 and new to running. My BG climbs when I run and stays high for hours afterwards. I’m having to experiment now with carbs for the run and will see if that actually shortens the time I’m a bit higher than I like to be. My logic is that my body screams for fuel so produces lots of glucose to fuel the run, if I give it some to use it might not produce quite so much but I dunno really.


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## helli (Feb 3, 2022)

HI @Lucy12 
The only way to know if you hypoed and recovered in the night is to test. Otherwise, it is all speculation. 
Is there a chance you could get the Libre? If not, I wonder if it would be useful to check out the free trial if you have a phone with NFC it would give you a valuable insight. 

I rarely run but I exercise a fair amount. I find it is important for me not to have any bolus insulin on board as cardio exercise such as running and cycling makes my body much more efficient at using insulin. Therefore, I try to avoid eating for 3 hours prior to my run/cycle/spin. 

As you have noticed, the "exercise effect" can last quite some time - it can affect you for up to 48 hours. I was advised to reduce my basal by 25% for the next couple of days. I found it works best for me if I reduce by 25% for day after exercising and then 10% of normal for the next day. 

Life will definitely be easier once you are carb counting and more in control of your insulin dose. 

One resource which I haven't looked at for some time is runsweet.co.uk. This is a site dedicated to sport and Type 1. I believe it was started by the endo who treated Steve Redgrave (although there has subsequently been discussion around whether he had Type 1 or type 2).


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## Lucy12 (Feb 3, 2022)

ColinUK said:


> There’s a Diabetes U.K. running heroes group on Facebook which might give you answers if you don’t get them here.
> I’m T2 and new to running. My BG climbs when I run and stays high for hours afterwards. I’m having to experiment now with carbs for the run and will see if that actually shortens the time I’m a bit higher than I like to be. My logic is that my body screams for fuel so produces lots of glucose to fuel the run, if I give it some to use it might not produce quite so much but I dunno really.


Oh thanks, I’ll have a look at that Facebook group!


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## JanetG (Feb 3, 2022)

Hi Lucy and welcome.  I have had Type 1 for 45 years and am a keen runner.  It takes a lot of time to find what works for you - lots of testing till you find out what happens for different amounts of exercise at different times of day - but is definitely worth it. I would really recommend the Facebook group Sporty Diabetic Type 1s.   
If your night-time test was fine, it seems unlikely you were hypo, although one hypo can lead to another.
I find I need to lower my basal insulin overnight after an afternoon or evening run and have a bedtime snack, such as milk and crackers or a bowl of cereal depending on my pre-bed tests.
I don't know if you are able to get the Freestyle Libre - it makes life a lot easier if you can!
All the best.


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## Lucy12 (Feb 3, 2022)

helli said:


> HI @Lucy12
> The only way to know if you hypoed and recovered in the night is to test. Otherwise, it is all speculation.
> Is there a chance you could get the Libre? If not, I wonder if it would be useful to check out the free trial if you have a phone with NFC it would give you a valuable insight.
> 
> ...


Yes I am getting a Libre, but my hospital team said I have to go to an education session before I can get it so it won’t be until March they said but I do think that will make everything much easier. I am tempted to just wait a bit longer to start exercising until I have it. 

Thanks for sharing how you manage your insulin around exercise, it does feel like an overwhelming amount to consider, but hearing about how other people manage is really useful, hopefully it can only get easier! Thanks for sharing that website, I’ll take a look!


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## Lucy12 (Feb 3, 2022)

JanetG said:


> Hi Lucy and welcome.  I have had Type 1 for 45 years and am a keen runner.  It takes a lot of time to find what works for you - lots of testing till you find out what happens for different amounts of exercise at different times of day - but is definitely worth it. I would really recommend the Facebook group Sporty Diabetic Type 1s.
> If your night-time test was fine, it seems unlikely you were hypo, although one hypo can lead to another.
> I find I need to lower my basal insulin overnight after an afternoon or evening run and have a bedtime snack, such as milk and crackers or a bowl of cereal depending on my pre-bed tests.
> I don't know if you are able to get the Freestyle Libre - it makes life a lot easier if you can!
> All the best.


Hi, thank you for replying, your message has really reassured me that I’ll get there in the end, it’s so nice to hear from other Type 1 runners. I think I am going to try going in the morning and see whether that’s any better and I’ll definitely take a look at the Facebook group you’ve mentioned. Yes I’m hoping once I’ve got my Libre I’ll feel much more confident around exercise!


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## trophywench (Feb 4, 2022)

@Northerner - who was literally just about to travel to Stockholm to run in their marathon, when he went down with a very nasty chest infection - and was diagnosed Type 1.


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## Barbie1 (Feb 5, 2022)

I find running first thing in the morning works best for me. 
As I am on a pump I can reduce my basal (by 20% is best for me) an hour before I go out, though I am not too precious about that, more like when and if I remember.  
When I get back I check the Libre and head for the shower (either straight away or after a smidgen of fruit juice) and then I am ready for my breakfast. 
The exercise effect only seems to affect me for the rest of the day, certainly not the possible 48 hours others may get. 

But it is very much a case of trying things out and constantly testing to swe how your body copes, I’m afraid!

PS I am myself just getting back to running after a long lay off because of injury and general life hiccups and so have started redoing C25K from week one.  It is a gentle restart and has enabled me to ensure I am doing the right thing with the blood sugars as the time periods are not too long to start with so I have plenty of time to get back home if I have badly miscalculated!


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