Swimming and diabetes

Hi there, My story is not nearly are smart as some of the others but thought I would share. In February my Doc gave me a glucose meter with instructions to stab myself twice daily. I was told that I would be (probably) put on diabetes meds to go along with my cholesterol and blood pressure meds. I weighed 260 lbs and had a 48 inch waist. My BMI was in the OMG range. At the time my exercise regime consisted of logging into World of Warcraft and killing fantasy monsters 3-6 hours a night and killing multiple bags of doritos. The glucose meter was the wakeup. I hate needles! I joined MyFitnessPal.com and put myself on a "lose 1 pound per week" diet and started doing some aerobics at the university gym. After 3 months and a return to the MD, I was told to keep using the meter every three days and no additional meds. I then joined Masters Swimming. After three months of that, we got to toss the meter and we have reduced my blood pressure meds by 2/3. I currently weigh 210 with a 37 inch waist. My goal is to eliminate all of my meds by Jan 1st (and be 180/34). For me, exercise is key and Masters Swimming provides the support, challenge, and motivation to make it happen. Bill

He's a type 1, but diabetes and swimming made me immediately think of Gary Hall. Jr. www.diabeteshealth.com/.../ Gary Hall Jr. works with Diabetes Research Foundation in a big way. If any of you would like to read a story where he touches on his swimming and diabetes we have one in FitnessDigest.us ISSN 2164-3997 Vol. 4.2, which happens to be the free-edition until November. I can send it to anyone who wants to read it. The magazine is delivered quarterly so I can not link to it. All I need to know is where to send it. email info@FitnessDigest.us put Free Edition Vol. 4.2 in the subject line - or sign-up at http://coopnet.biz

I'm the same with Bill. I used to addicted to WoW, played day and night and always ate fast food with out physical exercise. Then diabetes came and I realized I should do something. So I go swimming everyday now.

I've been reading the forums for awhile now and thought it would be useful to have a thread where people can talk about their experiences of swimming with diabetes. I was diagnosed with Type II last summer and started Metformin. I've had conflicting advice about diet and have found that what works best for me is low carb. I had been swimming about 1500 meters three or four times a week prior to diagnosis. As I have increased my yardage to 5000 meters five or six times a week, my blood sugar has been easier to manage (down from 196 to 105) without hypoglycemia. I am still learning about supplements. I am very interested in other people's experiences and that you have found helpful. Thanks! Had an operation in 2008 and was put on prandin as one of my medications, a second operation in 2009 and was switched to Metformin to control my blood sugar. Started back swimming in 2011 (regular week 3x3000, 2x4500 mainly timed sets). In 2012 I stopped taking Metformin for a month and took the A1C test, the results were fine and I no longer take any diabetes medicines (daily count 80-110 after stopping). Don't know if I am an unusual case?

I've got Type-II diabetes. My hemoglobin A1C was 6.7 in 2011 and I had two other readings of 6.5. I weighed 232. I swam as a youth and decided to go back to it, since I hate running. I started with just about a half a mile a few times a week. In the last 2-3 years, I have increased my yardage to 2-3 thousand three times a week, sometimes four. I don't do super long distances, but I tend to do sprint workouts with a lot of near race-paced sets. My last three A1C readings were totally in the normal range (between 5.2 and 5.5) and I now weigh 193 with 14% body fat. Recently, I had a neck injury (old disc herniation that flared up) and didn't swim for six weeks. I had a MUCH harder time controlling my sugar, and was even getting some readings over 200 and morning sugars of 125-135. Once back in the pool, my morning readings are back in the very low 100s or even mid to high 90s. I presently take metformin 500-1000 per day (extended release) I also take: Losartan (blood pressure, but also protective of kidneys against damage from diabetes) Pravastatin (same idea...don't really have high cholesterol, but it's the standard of practice) Chromium picolinate Cinnamon extract Alpha-lipoic acid a bunch of other supplements, like Co-Enzyme Q10, a multi, etc.