My daughter started cheer leading this year. I live in Alabama and it is quite hot with temps still in high 80s and low 90s. Even at 9 am this morning the temp was already 86 with no shade and no breeze. Being in the heat for extended periods makes it hard to bring highs down. I drink plenty of water but I sweat a lot. I feel really drained afterward but I do not want to miss any of my daughter’s games.
My question for the forum is how does everyone deal with the heat and keep their diabetes in check?
i live in new england, and that is the farthest south that my ancestors have ever lived… for the past several months i have been working in savannah, georgia. the heat here has been killing me. the heat gives me bad headaches and that (i think) stresses me. that results in high blood sugars. on the other end of that is working outside in the high heat feels like low blood sugar, so they creep up on me… can’t really tell the difference. the heat has been one of the toughest things that i have ever dealt with. i know that you were looking for solutions, but all that i can give you is “yup, i know what you are going through…”
I live in in South Tn and we have it really rough here. I try to stay out of the heat but when I am in it I don’t do so good. I get dehydrated quick even though I drink like a fish. I take a squirt bottle with me also with a fan on it. That really seems to help a lot. Maybe that is something you can try. It is really refreshing and keeps you quite a few degrees cooler.
Try a stay north of the 50 parallel most of the time at least in our hemisphere. We visited Stockholm and it was 30 Celsius. Not too humid but still unpleasant. My wife being mostly of Viking stock does not have good sweat glands and breaks out in blisters.
Hi Scotty. I lived in Manila, Philippines before where there are only two seasons…sun and rain. The hot season can go as high as high as 94 and because of high humidity it will like 102. Youre right, lots of fluid intake will help a lot. Carrying a cool water bottle spray is also effective. Sometimes a cool damp cloth/towel placed over the back of the neck also helps. We also wear very light clothing avoiding dark colors especially when exposed to the sun. Any form of head gear like hats or cap will also be helpful.
Having grown up in the West Indies where there are only two season - rainy season and dry season - and the temperature never goes about 86 and their is always a strong breeze, I have found summers in the USA brutal. I think it’s all the humidy and the way I dress and live. In the West Indies everyone wears thin light coloured cotton clothing all year round and drinks lots of water.
In the USA north east, I have developed a tendency toward thicker and darker coloured clothing and drinking mostly carbonated soft drinks. I recently purchased Sigg water bottles for myself and my family. We fill up before leaving the house and avoid grabbing a soda.
I live in Florida and deal with the heat, but I’m like kristin and it makes me go low. I think maybe it’s because usually when I’m outside I’m doing something. Drink lots of fluids, wear natural fibers, and use cool towels.
I have a tendency to go lower than going higher when it is really hot. However, I can switch and it depends on what I am doing and the day I am doing it, or so it seems. I always drink plenty of water.
Thank you all for the replies! I do agree that hydration helps a good deal. At the games I am sitting so it seems that the intense heat causes spikes but if I am working outside then I get low much quicker as others have stated. In those cases I take a break to eat a snack and rehydrate then get started again. Thanks again for all the input. This is a great community!
I have a question about blood sugars and heat. I am a T1 and use an insulin pump. Yesterday it was in the high 90s. A friend of mine was coming over with her dog to play with my dog. My usual basal rate is 0.60/hr, but I lowered it to 0.30 for two hours prior to the “doggie date” for when I worked in the heat to prepare, since the heat lowers my BG. When they got here, I decided to turn my pump off for a walk. I checked my BG 3 times in 2 hours and it was consistently in the 150 range, so I left it at that. I wanted a little “wiggle room” so I wouldn’t go low while they were here. They left at 5 and I turned my pump back on. At 7 I checked my BG for dinner and it was 172. I gave myself a bolus for dinner, plus the extra for the 172 BG. At bedtime, my BG was 413!!! I checked it an hour later and it was 469! I changed the infusion set just in case. At 3:00 am it was 269, so I corrected for that. This morning it was 203. Do you think turning off the pump for a couple of hours was the culprit? I haven’t taken care of my diabetes in a few years and am just getting back into taking care of it. Thank you!
I have a similar situation to you.I have not been able to regulate my diabetes for a long time because of finances.I was doing just enough to keep myself out of the hospital.Luckily my financial situation is improving, so I am trying to get back on top of my diabetes. I found recently that even if I suspend my pump for 20-30 minutes for a low I end up going higher than I would like about an hour and a half later. I think it may be caused by shutting the pump off. If you’re going to be active, lower your basal like you did and then just check your BG every so often to make sure you’re not dropping.I’ve always found it easier to treat a low than trying to bring down a high.
Thanks Crystal. It’s so true that treating a low is easier than bringing down a high. Lows scare me, esp. when I am walking alone with my dog. Guess I’m just a big baby! What you said does make a lot of sense, though. I will definitely try it out.
Thanks John. How could added clothing make you cooler? Hmm, very interesting! I need to check this out. I definitely stay in the shade as much as possible, unlike my younger days when I could lay out in the sun for hours.
I am going out and getting Smart Water tonight. Thanks for that. I spend a lot of time outdoors now that I have a dog with the energy of a nuclear power plant! Ignorance is bliss, I kept my head firmly in the sand for 20 years, but need to get on the bandwagon. I want to live a long, healthy, happy life.
I go low, too. Today was a bear of a day - my highest reading was 82 and that was after I ate. I try to stay hydrated - lots of water. I have gastroparesis so I eat 5 small meals a day and I am told this is also a good idea in the heat - small snacks all day spread out as best she can. If I start feeling clammy that is my cue to lay down.
