# Help with sugars and excersise



## brett (Feb 17, 2012)

Hi, I am a type 1 diabetic diagnosed about 7 months ago.  Before diagnosis i was very active but have not been since.  I am currently trying to do some moderate excercise.  i am on lantus and novorapid.I have read about insulin  and exercise.  Before a gentle walk for about 40 mins my bs level is around 7-10.  I have an extra 20 carb high sugar snack before exercise.  I am ok during but within about 30 mins after stopping my level plumets to 2-3.  It is only a gentle walk and i am slightly still underweight and am not exerted in the slightest.  i know the easiest thing would be to eat more before but this would put my levels up to 15+ before.  any suggestions and is it normal for such a big drop.


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## trophywench (Feb 18, 2012)

Hi Brett

The effects of exercise will last much longer than that - up to 48 hours!

I don't mean to the degree you will see within a couple of hours, but they certainly do carry on.

I would happily set off for my walk at 7 - let alone 10!

Have you tried consuming the extra carb WHILST having your walk? - if you say have some sort of 'energy type bar' you have a bite to start off with, then another bite after 10 mins, etc?

Or even try the walk without, then have the 20g as a treat thereafter?

Doing it your way - what's your BG immediately at the end of the walk?

Personally, I'd take my meter on the walk anyway and test on the way ..... no need to change the lancet, won't hurt not to!


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## Northerner (Feb 18, 2012)

Hi Brett, it's always difficult when you are starting up again with exercise as there are no hard and fast rules that apply to everyone, so it's a case of experimenting and lots of testing to find out what's happening. I was due to run a marathon the week I was diagnosed, so was keen to get back into my running as soon as I could, but was very worried about hypos. I started off by eating and injecting normally, then tested myself every 30 minutes on a longish walk, and every 30 minutes afterwards.

For me, it turned out that my levels are more likely to climb than to fall during exercise - I try and time the exercise around 90-120 mins after injecting. I then have a small amount of carbs on finishing (have found that 1 Belvita biscuit does the trick). The effects of the exercise increase my sensitivity to insulin so I then reduce my subsequent doses of novorapid by 10-20%.

It seems that you respond very quickly to the exercise, so you may be one of the people who needs to take a reduced dose of insulin with the meal you have prior to exercising - this is more common I believe than what happens to me. I'd also agree with TW that grazing on your snack may be better than eating it all prior to the exercise.

I would recommend getting hold of a copy of the Diabetic Athlete's Handbook, which will help you understand what happens when you exercise as an insulin-dependent diabetic.


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## Copepod (Feb 18, 2012)

Just in case you haven't already found it - http://www.runsweet.com/ has lots of information about physiology etc, plus case studies for many sports. 

For taking in small amounts of carbohydrate during exercise, jelly babies or other jelly sweets are very convenient. 

As you're very newly diagnosed, you're probably in the honymoon phase, and your pancreas is probably still producing some insulin, which makes adjustments more difficult - but also means that things will get easier over the next few months. 

Another variable to consider is time between last meal & short acting insulin injection about exercise - your blood glucose levels are likely to fall less the longer the interval.


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## HOBIE (Feb 19, 2012)

I agree with Trophywench brett.  Everyone is a bit different & things work for some !      Preperation !   I always feel clogged up if i sit still.


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