From Swimming To Running; Adjusting to the Pandemic

Yes, it is good to see what tactics others use! I’m on Loop so I mostly rely on Loop to stay in range post run. If it is unable to keep up with a trending low, I will enable an override which is essentially a TB of 30% below my normal basal. Without the override, Loop will adjust my basal on its own based on the predicted BG and may suspend basal all together 'til predicted BG starts to move up. This can sometimes cause a high later though since I don’t do well when I get ZB!

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I’m actually not that active, so it’s hard to give precise estimates. I doubt I’d ever lower my basal for 48 hours. Generally, I don’t do reductions smaller than 10%. A 95% basal rate simply doesn’t make much of a difference. During exercise, it’s just trial and error and sometimes it’s necessary to put my basal rate at 20% (i.e. 80% lower than normal!).

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If you look at the chart, there isn’t really much of a scenario where you have a straight reduction for 48 hours. It’s a progressive table, based on two things - total amount of exercise, and time since exercise.

For example, if you had 4 hours of exercise (1st column), the rate gradually progresses from 65% right after exercise, to 95% 48 hours after. But that is the biggest extreme. That is the only time it goes for 48 hours.

If you had only 1.5 hours of exercise (6th column), you progress from 90%, and after only 16 hours you are back at 100%.

The reason this chart works is because there is a cumulative affect. I have mentioned stuff like this to DM a lot, about how 4 days of swimming is not the same as 1 day.

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Just to be clear, for the exercise I am doing now, I reduce my basal to 80% prior to getting out there. I will probably be doing a further reduction for tomorrows run. What I’ve been talking about here is the need to reduce my standard basal rates AFTER my workout so that I do not go low and crash. Workouts make me extremely insulin sensitive and therefore I need less insulin even afterwards for as long as 2 days post workout. (even on the following days that I am sedentary and NOT working out.)

Make sense? That’s what Eric is trying to help me with. (among many other things!)

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LOWER TB, HIGHER BGs EXPERIMENT:

So today was an interesting experiment for me. in the morning I lowered my TB down to 75% (as opposed to the regular 80%) now I know that some of you may think that is such a minor adjustment that it shouldn’t have effected me at all, but I did see a difference.

Today was miserably, oppressively hot outside (97 degrees at 10:15am), with high humidity and absolutely no breeze. It was very very crowded (weekend runners,bicycle riders, children, dog walkers, etc) Very limited social distancing, and not enough IMO people wearing masks. But I did put my all into it and was able to last it out for 2.5 hours. Between speed walking and running, I did about 9 miles. However, I went with my husband, and he lagged behind a bit and would not stop talking so I couldn’t get into my wonderful “head zone.” :wink: (but I love him all the same!!)

here are todays stats:

9:30 BG 56 took 2 Tabs and tuned my basal down to 75%
10am BG 115
10:15 BG 126 left the house feeling a little frustrated that my BG was this high
10:45 BG 116
11am BG 94 took 1 Tab (why??? :crazy_face:)
11:30 BG 99 turned basal back up to 95%
12pm BG 63 took 2 Gtabs
12:30 BG 78
12:45 BG 66 Took 1/2 Gtab and Bolused 4units for refuel (finished)

So tomorrow there is a heat advisory, so I may or may not go out there. It all depends on how high the temp is at 10am. But my goal is to get out there and nail it anyway. (I just have to go through the argument with my over-protective husband who prefers I don’t exhaust myself and risk heatstroke :wink: :blush:.)

signing out,

DM

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Fantastic numbers and run! You definitely nailed it today!

Stay cool the rest of the day!

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I felt like my numbers were a little high today. I know that I stayed in a good solid range with virtually no major BG swings, but I started out higher than I wanted to, and it seemed to take a while for me to come into my own target range. I know that you know how Type A I can be, even if no-one else (besides Eric, and maybe Larissa) does. I was pleased that I landed at 66, though. My husband tries hard to shove the Gtabs down my throat; its a real push and pull situation with him. :heart: And although he is very proud of me when I report that my A1c is 4.7 -5.2 , he would rather that my TR be between 100-120. He freaks out if I fall into my 60s (and God forbid, if I ever go into my 30s and he goes into absolute panic mode, trying to shove everything down my throat (juice, ice cream, cookies, brownies, pie, etc)

Anyway, I just wanted to mention something completely different but perhaps helpful to anyone else: Since I have been running, my neuropathy in my lower legs and my feet has dissipated tremendously. I don’t know why swimming did not accomplish this (maybe someone else could chime in here), but this is just an observation and I thought it noteworthy.

and please forgive me if I sound in anyway arrogant about my desired TR. It is certainly not my intention.

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I understand, I know you like to stay under 120, but still 126 is pretty darn good, and on the plus side, gives you a bit more room if the run causes you to drop! :wink:

That is really great news that your neuropathy has dissipated since you’ve started running. Running is not a cure all but it sure has a lot of unexpected benefits! :blush:

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I know that you also have health issues beside the D. Have you found that running has been helpful as well?

btw, I just lowered my TB down to 90%. I know Eric’s chart suggests 85%, but I am afraid that such a reduction would spike me. Perhaps I am being silly.

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Yes, I feel lousy if I miss more than a day or two of running. I don’t have any test results or any proof that it helps my other health issues other than just how my body feels. I have thalasemia minor which for most people does not cause any significant health problems, but for me, I definitely feel a lack of oxygen in my blood. Running definitely helps me to breathe easier when NOT running. This is one of the main improvements in my quality of life. I think it has also helped my lupus though I really can’t say for sure it is running that helps. I seem to have more flareups when sedentary though.

I hope the lower TB helped! I know you probably have not been able to run much during this heat wave, so maybe you needed to return to your normal basal. A couple more days, and you’ll be able to run again!!

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Have you been able to run these past two days? Its over 100 in Bklyn (104). tomorrows not expected to be much better, but I think if I can get out early, I’ll be ok. Fingers crossed. Anything beats staying stuck in the house all day with the AC on. I’m bored silly and antsy as well. Just not in a good frame of mind.

Yes, I ran both days in the morning, and biked in the evening. Yes, sweltering! :fire: I don’t have AC so I might as well be outdoors! :slight_smile:

I agree, better to get outside and do something! Even if you don’t run, at least you’ll be moving around! I think it cools off a tiny bit on Wed with the thunderstorms!

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STARTING OUT WITH A HIGH BG EXPERIMENT:

so my overnight BGs were excellent , but this morning, at around 8:30, I started climbing. I knew that I would have to lower my basal to accommodate my run, but I didn’t want to lower it as much as I have on consecutive days, as I had taken 2 days off. So I only lowered it to 85%. But my BGs began climbing very quickly, and I knew that it would be best if I got out of the house as soon as I had no more IOB. Just kinda trusted in the Force that by running, my BGs had to come down (and they did).

It was blistering hot outside today; 95 degrees but felt like 104, with high humidity and absolutely no breeze. I thought that at least if I ran by the East River (as I usually do) there would be some sort of breeze, but not today.

here are todays stats:

9:30am BG 134 (??) turned basal down to 85%
9:45 BG 152 (OMG!!! ) left the house immediately
10:30 BG 133
10:45 BG 124
11:15 BG 95 took 1/2 Gtab
11:30 BG 86 took 1 Gtab and raised basal to 95% (I might lower this to 90%)
12pm BG 85
12:15 BG 88 finished, drank 48oz water and bolused 4Units for refuel shakes

So I am currently soaking dripping wet from the heat. I drank so much water along the way. Tried to avoid getting heatstroke, but am feeling good and strong. Hopefully tomorrow’s starting BGs will be better; I was very frustrated with how high I started, but very pleased with my in TR soft landing. Hoping the rest of the afternoon and evening go well :pray: :crossed_fingers: :blush:

signing out,

DM

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Great run, @daisymae, considering the heat in the SUN!! :fire: :sunny:

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I love that you left early! Had a plan, but adjusted it.

Really, that is so awesome to see!

:+1: :+1: :+1:

Great recovery too! :star_struck:

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You taught me this from when I was swimming!!! :blush: :+1:

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STARTED OUT HIGH AGAIN TODAY BUT RECOVERED NICELY:

uncertain why I spike at this hour every morning. maybe its some sort of cortisol thing. I really thought it was a basal issue, but my BGs wear perfect all through the night and when I wake up and after eating breakfast. but then, when I get close to leaving the house, I experience a really steep and quick spike, seemingly from out of nowhere. Kaboom! So I race out of the house and run off the surging glucose ASAP.

Today was brutal again outside. 96 degrees and high humidity with absolutely no breeze. Ugh. But I am getting used to the heat and almost enjoying it bc I work up such a sweat and that feels really good, physically speaking.

here are todays stats:

8:20am BG 76 (2.5 hours post breakfast)
9:15am BG 82 (then watch this spike!)
9:30am BG 105 (turned down basal to 85%)
10am BG 139 (OMG) Left the house immediately
10:45 BG 92 took 1 Gtab
11:15 BG 92 took 1 Gtab
11:45 BG 67 took 1.5 Gtabs
12:15 BG 63 took 1 Gtab
12:30 BG 72 finished and bolused 4 Units and drank 48oz water

(btw, I drink LOTS of water during my run. There is a water fountain along the last Peer, and so I circle around the last peer 6 times and refill my water bottle)

There’s one last thing I wanted to mention that happened today: I was trying to test my blood sugar, but my meter was so hot that all I could get was the ERROR 2 reading. I had to literally stop and wait for it to cool off. And another thing that happened was that I usually keep my lancet beneath my wrist band, but for some reason I put it back into my Spybelt pocket. I was looking for it and thought that I had lost it. OMG, these two things happening to me. I totally freaked out. I have virtually no hypo awareness, and I thought I would have to stop and walk the rest of the way back home. That’s all :crazy_face:.

signing out,

DM

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Test it out on several non-running days. Follow the same routine, and see if you still spike.

If it is a cortisol spike from running, it will eventually stop. Your body will get used to everything. If the spike is from something else, you can fix it with adjustments to IC or pre-bolus time.

Another thing to test out would be on a non-running day, skip breakfast and just check BG every 15-30 minutes. We can rule out basal that way.

It might be that you are getting sweat on the strip when you handle it. Just try to make sure you dry off your fingers and grab the side of the strip, not the sample part OR the electrical part!

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I have re-read all of my logs, and this same spike is happening EVERY day whether I am running or not. Same hour, same kind of elevation ( from 80s to 130s) And this is AFTER I no longer have any IOB, hours after breakfast.

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Thanks for this. I will make certain that I am more careful with the strips. I was drenched today, and even with that washcloth I tried to dry my hands and fingers on was kinda wet, too.

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