# Frustrated



## Kimberly91 (Jul 8, 2015)

I'm still new to insulin and have put weight on since I started injecting. 
I want to get back into exercise now I have the energy but every time I do I have a hypo during the night and it's really bringing me down.
I've even stopped taking insulin before my tea time meal and eating extra carbs  
I've been advised by dietician to eat once I've exercised but the seems to defeat the point of exerciseing to loose weight. 

Because of work, school and college commitments I can only exercise in the evening. 

Any personal experiences or advice would be greatful


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## Redkite (Jul 9, 2015)

Hi Kimberley,

It's a question of striking a balance between carbs/insulin/exercise.  Exercise will make any circulating insulin work more efficiently, therefore you will need less insulin (or extra carbs) to keep in balance and not go hypo.  Obviously if you are trying to lose weight, then you don't really want to be opting for extra carbs.  Also, bear in mind that for some hours after exercising, your muscles will be taking glucose from your bloodstream to replenish what they have used,which is why hypos after exercise are more likely.

You will need to experiment!  Whether you eat your tea before or after exercise, reduce the insulin given with the meal (the amount of the reduction will be specific to you as an individual and to the type of exercise you are doing - for example my son would reduce his teatime insulin by 25% after an hour's highly energetic tennis lesson).

If you are exercising the same amount regularly every evening, you could reduce your basal insulin (I'm assuming you're on injections).

You could also look at the *type* of carbs you're having for tea - we find that pasta or basmati rice (lower GI than potatoes/bread etc) digest more slowly and provide a sustained release of glucose into the blood which counteracts the drop in blood glucose from your muscles recovering.  You don't have to eat a huge amount (are you counting your carbs and matching with insulin?).

Finally, definitely DON'T skip insulin injections!  If your BG level is high, exercise will make it go even higher and you will produce ketones and end up really ill.  Also, skipping insulin and being high will make you lose weight, but at the expense of your long-term health.  You don't want to put yourself at risk of diabetes complications!


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