My fasting BGs tend to run from 84 to 98. One morning I woke up at 94, was running a bit late, and ran out the door without eating anything (I've never done this before).
I went to my self defense class and did a LOT of exercise. First I walked the mile to school, then we walked, then jogged, around the gym, we did some stretching, then some more exercise, then we practiced, and when all was said and done, I still had to walk the mile back home.
I never dropped, or at least I don't think I did, since I was being careful and watching to make sure I wouldn't crash. But by the time I got home, I was 117. I hadn't eaten in, say, 16 hours or so, and I had a horrendous migraine (which was probably because my body thought I was trying to kill it, what with exercising and no food and all).
Is it normal to have a higher fasting number after exercise?
It is natural to at times have a high after exercise. And this can be particularly bad in the morning. Bernstein actually recommends that you not exercise in the morning because morning Darn Phenomenon can be exasperated with exercise in the morning.
And I would actually not call a 117 mg/dl a high. I would routine go over 2000 mg/dl from exercise before I started insulin.
Yep, particularly if it's strenuous which causes an adrenaline response. Adrenaline raises BG. My T1 typical pattern was highs after serious excercise (much higher than 117) followed by lows several hours later. I've read that exercising in the evening is risky because it can cause overnight lows.
I've read too that not eating in the morning can cause DP-type of issues that can raise your BG. I would look at a 117 as a "win" there, with all of that activity!
Hi guitarnut! It sounds like you are in pretty great control. For perspective, as a type 1 who makes almost no insulin anymore, if any (waiting for C-peptide with fingers crossed) I have to rise to at least 150 before working out in order to avoid severe lows.
Apparently the Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr. and other type 1 athletes aim for 150+ bg before exercise as a rule of thumb. I am nowhere near them in training, but find exercise daily or every other day to be a huge boon in bg management.
Are you pre-diabetic? I wonder if you know of the way that some Type 1s who are under stress, or engage in intense workouts with low insulin levels (such as in the morning before eating) can end up with high blood sugars (we're talking from 120 to around 300 or higher in a matter of minutes)? I was shocked when I found this out, but it holds true for me. I can't workout early in the morning before breakfast and bolus absorption, no matter how perfect my waking sugars are. I'll go from 90 to 250 in 40 minutes at the gym. However, if I eat a decent meal and bolus for the majority of the carbs in it, so that I start around 150 to 190, I can do the same workout and drop 80 to 100+ points.
Best of luck and glad to hear it sounds like you've gotten some great answers below. <3 Elsa
