Hi All! We have learned so much about kennedy's exercise and how it affects blood sugars in the month we have been on dex. Actually had a flatline curve overnight from 9 to 7 this morning ( aside from an 80 alarm and a little juice, but never got low) how much does everyone turn down basals for exercise. We had been doing 35% for a while, but we have been trying 50% for her dance classes and performances and it seems to work so much better, getting a nice stable 150 for a couple hours!!
How has dex helped you fine tune your exercise insulin regimen?
thanks Natalie
I generally suspend basal when I exercise (-100%). I am very sedentary, so exercise - even walking at a moderate pace - has a profound effect on me. Monitoring the Dexcom output is going to give you the knowledge you need to figure out the correct basal adjustment for Kennedy. Because she is so active, exercise probably doesn't affect her as much, so you are probably on the right track.
Speaking of basal adjustment, my endo just gave me some great advice. He told me that when I am hypoglycemic, I should suspend basal for 30 minutes while I eat. It was the most obvious thing to do, so of course I hadn't thought of it.
I'd pretty much just ditto everything Brad said. It's going to vary from person to person and activity to activity. Watch the Dex, adjust as needed.
I suspend my pump at least 30min before and throughout my 7mi runs otherwise I get low, (but I'm presumably >20yrs older than Kennedy and I run up a mountain), at the end restart on higher basal for 4 hrs before reducing, plus give myself a small bolus 15 min after ceasing the run.
You custom-fit these things to the activity. You're on the right track.