# advice for a newbie please



## pippaandben (Oct 30, 2011)

On 2 Metformin and 1 diamicron, the latter for 10 days only. Monitoring blood sugar now with fasting 13-15 range from 22 10 days ago. Have been advised NOT to go to the gym by nurse until my levels are down and I can understand effects better. From this thread and others appears to keep exercising very imp ortant. I had been going 3 days a week for 30 minute work-out on hydraulic circuit (Curves).  My BMI is now almost in the normal range 25.1 and I have lost 12 lbs over past 4 months - I think due to high glucose levels more than good eating as I have been touring for this time.
Any advice welcome.
Anita


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## Robster65 (Oct 30, 2011)

Hi Anita.

My thoughts would be to maintain at least a gentle exercise regime so that your metabolism stays at a higher rate to assist in burning calories.

If you just stop, there's a danger that your body may see it as a crisis and slow down, making further weight loss harder.

There may of course be other factors why your doctor advised you to stop, but assuming no other reasons, I would carry on going. Just be careful to keep a healthy diet with enough calories to fuel your exercise as well as steady weight loss. If you under eat, there's a danger of your body going into "starvation mode" and conserving body fat after a certain point.

Might be worth getting a second opinion, or asking to see a dietician about it. It's a complicated subject at the best of times, but throw diabetes into the mix and can become a minefield.

Rob


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## Northerner (Oct 30, 2011)

Hi Anita, I see that diamicron is gliclazide which is a medication that stimulates increased insulin production from the pancreas. I would say that, given your fasting levels are still very high then the advice from your nurse is sensible. Vigorous exercise when your levels are high can be potentially dangerous because you need sufficient circulating insulin to use the glucose in your blood as energy - if you don't then there is a danger that your levels can actually climb higher. As a Type 1 I was advised not to exercise above 17 mmol/l because my levels could become dangerously high so I either have to correct with insulin or wait for my levels to fall. It is different with Type 2, but there is still a danger that your levels would climb and make you feel ill, meaning you would gain nothing from the exercise.

I think that, until you are at more normal fasting levels e.g. below double figures at least, then more gentle exercise would be better than gym sessions, so a brisk walk might be preferable with tests before and after so that you can see the effects on your blood sugar levels.


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## Copepod (Oct 30, 2011)

Welcome Anitia

Diamicron is a trade name for the generic medicine glicazide. When the nurse advised you against going to the gym, did they say anything about other exercise? Often, lower intensity exercise such as walking or cycling, particularly to replace short journeys in vehicles, can be very effective in improving fitness and blood glucose levels.


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