Hi I am a type 1 diabetic and I play division 1 college soccer. I am in preseason right now and because we have practice two times a day I have been taking almost no meal time insulin. I am eating about 30-45 minutes after each 2 hour session of pretty intense exercise. I eat about 50-65 carbs a meal but my blood sugar has not spiked over 200 yet because of how much it drops 1-3 hours after a practice. I have actually experienced more lows than highs this first week of preseason. Even if I'm not taking insulin will the carbs I eat still be converted to energy for my muscles? I am still taking 20u of Lantus once a day.
It sounds like maybe the basal+ exercise is covering the food and converting it. Is your energy level OK? I like to keep my BG a bit less than 200 for things but do middle-aged guy running/ biking/ lifting which is not perhaps as intense.
I have been a little tired but it is preseason, everyone is tired. I haven't been exceptionally weak like before my diagnosis.
Congratulations !
By my side I practise sports for 24 years with T1D, since 2005 I practise triathlon Ironman, and I think that muscles take directly sugar in your blood glucose... so it doesn't need any insulin !
Bailey,
Regarding the insulin need after a meal: no, as long as your BGs don't spike after you eat with little to no insulin, you are ok. Because the exercise makes your cells so sensitive that they don't need insulin! The exercise pushes the carbs into the cells without insulin. It's pretty cool. Amazing how God works....That's why most people end up needing less after workouts. ..because the Lantus is still giving you, what we pumpers call IOB(insulin on board).. you have this Lantus working for you.. are you wearing a Dexcom ?? I think this is a must tool for you to see, even if you don't want to purchase this tool.. you might be able to talk your endo into getting you a loaner unit, the sensor will last two weeks, and keep all the data very good during these two weeks, and this information you learn could probably last your entire soccer playing career..let me know
Yes amazing how that works! Thanks for the info! I was a little worried about taking such little fast acting insulin, it was about 3 units in 5 days! We had our first day off yesterday and I ended up covering every meal so that was good. Yes I got my dexcom a few weeks ago and it is awesome!! I love it so much. It got water damage for a day because I was sweating on it so much, I had to go two practices without it and I couldn't imagine doing that for any longer; I was paranoid the entire time and ended up drinking way too much gatorade and being relatively high for the whole day. I stuck it in rice for 24 hours and thankfully it came back to life. I don't know what I would do with out my dexcom.