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Type 2 diabetes

G8TS1

I have searched the forums and have only found a Type 1 diabetes thread, which doesn't necessarily apply to my condition... I have found that when, during and after, I swim my blood sugar spikes. I normally swim between 2k to 4k yards at a time and am fairly aggressive in maintaining my pace. Yesterday my BS before I started was 92 then afterwards it was 220. All I had to drink was a coffee and a tablespoon of butter. (Blech) I have watched a ton of YouTube videos pertaining to exercise and how the body produces glucose from muscles, liver then body fat. I fear taking insulin before a workout and then my BS crashes... big fear. How do you cope with swimming and Type 2? What do you eat before, during or after swimming? Am I missing something biologically happening to me that I should be aware of? Am I asking the right questions? Today was my worst swimming session ever. I felt like I was drowning. I took 20 units of insulin before swimming thinking that might help. Any thoughts/experiences/sage wisdom will be very much appreciated.

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  • This is a really good question.  Yes, you're right, the liver triggers your body to release more glucose in the setting of high-intensity exercise like your swims - basically the same process as when our cavepeople ancestors were being chased by a tiger, bodies and brains need the glucose to function adequately.  In people without diabetes, you'd see a similar spike for high intensity exercise (versus low to moderate intensity) but our insulin helps put that glucose in the tissues where we need it.  Do you produce any insulin of your own or totally reliant on external sources?  What happens if you don't take the insulin right away for the immediate spike in blood sugar?  Do you feel the effects of hyperglycemia, or do you feel ok and does it drop again by itself?  You might check with your endocrinologist and see if you might take less insulin, or if he or she feels like you need to take it at all right after exercise.  

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  • This is a really good question.  Yes, you're right, the liver triggers your body to release more glucose in the setting of high-intensity exercise like your swims - basically the same process as when our cavepeople ancestors were being chased by a tiger, bodies and brains need the glucose to function adequately.  In people without diabetes, you'd see a similar spike for high intensity exercise (versus low to moderate intensity) but our insulin helps put that glucose in the tissues where we need it.  Do you produce any insulin of your own or totally reliant on external sources?  What happens if you don't take the insulin right away for the immediate spike in blood sugar?  Do you feel the effects of hyperglycemia, or do you feel ok and does it drop again by itself?  You might check with your endocrinologist and see if you might take less insulin, or if he or she feels like you need to take it at all right after exercise.  

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