GETTING BACK INTO THE POOL (after 2 years away)

[daisymae]

TRUSTING THE ZERO BASAL EXPERIMENT #1:

starting at 5am this morning, from under the depths of many pillows, all I can hear is that dreaded Dexcom alarm screaming and vibrating. I did a finger stick and sure enough my BGs were low (54). So, I dragged myself into the kitchen and had a 1/2 C of Grapefruit juice and went back to bed. But the Dexcom didnt want me to sleep, it wanted to have an in-depth conversation with me. After another half hour, I did another finger stick and my BGs had slipped down to 51 I dragged myself back into the kitchen and had a 1/2 cup of Apple juice (more sugars than the Grapefruit) and went back to bed. at 6:30 I woke up and my BG was 72 (thank goodness) I waited 15 minutes (my sugars always rise in the morning as soon as I get out of bed; FOTF effect) , my sugars had come up to 91, so I bolused for breakfast and all seemed well.

at 10:30am my sugars were 71, and as I am not so keen on jumping into the pool at that low a BG, and, I still had some IOB, I had 9 gms of juice. This did the trick. My sugars came up to 100 and I turned off my pump to zero basal and prepped for the walk to the pool. I left the house 15 minutes later.

When I got to the pool, before jumping in, I did a finger stick and my sugars were 97. I took 10gms glucose and began my swim. It was wonderful!!!

When I finished my swim and went over to the towel/bag rack, I noticed that someone had stolen my flip flops. I asked the Lifeguard if he had seen them, handed them in or something like that, but nope. They had been taken. And it really pissed me off bc its very slippery around the pool area, and it is two flights of stairs back up to the locker room and showers. All I needed was to slip and injure my back. that was all I could think about. BE CAREFUL, DONT FALL. DONT HURT YOUR BACK!!! Now I know its just a simple pair of flip flops, but they are my saviors. it was like falling out of a boat in the ocean without a life jacket (at least to me).

Anyway…regardless. I have been posting about all the trouble ive been having with my basal rates and my ICRs. When I got out of the pool, as I usually can estimate how much replacement insulin I need, I wasnt at all certain today. I had turned my pump off at 11am and didnt hook back up till after my swim. so thats an hour and 10 minutes without any basal. Then I unhooked again to shower (but I dont bother counting that in bc its only 10 minutes). Also, I didnt know how much to bolus for my refuel shakes, so I just took a guess and did my usual 1:10 ICR. All in all, I am expecting to go low, but I am prepared with a leftover piece of Key Lime Pie in the fridge. Hopefully, my basals will start cooperating. I am back in the pool on Thursday. Todays boluses will at least give me guidance on how to bolus then.

signing out,

DM

[Eric]

@daisymae

my BGs were low (54). So, I dragged myself into the kitchen

I have small bottles of apple juice. They don’t need to be refrigerated before you open them.

You can keep one on your nightstand so you don’t need to get out of bed and go through this at night.

Something like these little 8 ounce bottles.

[TomH]

@daisymae I was put on atorvastatin for cholesterol and lisinopril for blood pressure, both as a preventive measure vice real need, by my PCP on mis-dx as T2; told my Endo about it after proper dx as T1 and he didn’t say anything about changing it. I thought this might be common for T1s, so would appreciate feedback from others (not to hijack your thread, I can post elsewhere). I bring it up because you mentioned grapefruit juice which I understand is supposed to be avoided by those on statin’s. Are you on a statin? Been advised to avoid grapefruit juice? Since it’s just a 1/2 cup, probably not a thing, but wondered if you just like GF juice, weren’t willing to part ways and just threw up the big red BS flag on the advice…

[daisymae]

@TomH

wondered if you just like GF juice,

Its funny that you bring that up just today. My husband brought home some Ruby Red GJ for me bc I kept complaining about the OJ and the AJ. (every time I drank it, I associated it with being “sick”, so I have had little appeal to drink either of them…But boy oh boy did I love that GJ! Worked like a charm.) Thanks (and, no, I am not taking any statins or meds that dont work with GJ.

[JessicaD]

Oh how I looove grapefruit juice! I only get it occasionally b/c it feels like such a treat. For lows, I’ve been buying CapriSun (zingy fruit punch flavor) in my monthly Amazon subscribe and save orders (don’t get tricked with their “roaring water” nonsense – v few carbs!) – they are in these little pouches and stay right next to the bed by me.

[bkh]

@TomH

I thought this might be common for T1s, so would appreciate feedback from others (not to hijack your thread, I can post elsewhere).

I think statins and ACE inhibitors or ARBs are standard for T1. They both can have side effects that would show up in labs, but on balance they do improve our outcomes.

[CarlosLuis]

@bkh

think statins and ACE inhibitors or ARBs are standard for T1.

I have been on both for many years as a type 2. I don’t know if that’s sop for type 2s.

[daisymae]

WOW, THAT WAS A MISTAKE, EXPERIEMENT #1:

I didnt need any zero basal time today. My BGs were in range to just take some glucose before jumping into the pool, so thats exactly what I did. I enjoyed a wonderful and strong swim.

However, when I got out, just a 1/2 hour later, I bolused (without thinking things through) to replace the insulin I missed while I was detached from my pump. I gave myself .2 u/h. Why oh why??? Ive been detached from my pump before for even longer than just a 1/2 hour (45 minutes) without any problems. I never replaced with a bolus. And then on top of that I bolused my regular ICR for my refuel shakes.

I have been chasing that low for over two hours. I went down to 43!!! I kept a close eye on it, and am now finally coming back up slowly. But I ate everything I could get my hands on. I think now I might go for a little Rum Raison Hagen Daaz

Anyway, grateful for the new Dexcom. And happy and relieved that my sugars are coming up…and, it was a very educational experience. I wont bolus tomorrow unless I have had to b on zero basal for any length of time.

signing out,

DM

[daisymae]

MY SUGARS WERE SO HIGH; WAS IT A BAD INFUSION SITE?
EXPERIMENT #1:

I dont know whats going on with my body today, but from breakfast onward, my BGs have been through the roof (150s-170s), and I gave myself a strong bolus for bfast and a correction, too. I waited the 4 hours after my bfast bolus, and my sugars didnt come down a bit; in fact, they had gone up. Its weird bc I had the same exact Bfast yesterday without a problem. I slept well last night. Only once did my Dexcom alarm go off, and woke up at 75. All I had for breakfast was 12gms of carbs, and I shot up to the moon. Crazy Stuff.

By the time I speed walked to the pool, I was certain my sugars would have come down at least 10+ points, but not at all. I was in the pool with a BG of 170.

Well I figured I would take advantage of the high and swim it off, so I swam for 45 minutes. I would have swam longer if I could have, but my spine really hurt, and my body was tired. I am not yet in the shape I use to be.

But I was certain that after 45 minutes of a hard strong swim that my sugars would have come down to around 110-120, but NOPE; they had come down to only to 138. I was shocked. Usually, my sugars come down around 40-60 points after a strong half hour swim. If I had not been so tired, I would have gotten back into the pool for at least another 15 minutes Always looking forward to putting a crummy situation to good use. (“turn your frown upside down.” kinda thing)

anyway, as always, my sugars rise after my swims, despite giving myself a hearty bolus when I got back up to the locker room. And now, I am trying to patiently wait for them to come down anywhere close to my TR. Currently my Dexcom is reading 156. I would like to get down to at least 120 before drinking my refuel shakes (32 gms of carbs). For whatever reason, I am insulin resistant and my diabetes is not being cooperative at all.

These kinda days frustrate me to no end.

stats:

overnight and this morning:

12am BG 90
2:30am BG 88
5:30am BG 65 (took 4gms glucose and went back to sleep)
6:30am BG 75 got out of bed, waited 20 minutes (FOTF issue)
6:50am BG 105 bolused and ate 12gms of Goat Milk Yogurt
8:15am BG 163 Changed my Infusion site out
11:05 ( no more IOB) Left for the pool like a maniac.
pre-swim BG 170 (OMG! Can u believe that???)
Post swim BG 138 (OMG! Can you believe that???)
upstairs in the locker room, before my shower, I bolused .4 u/h which, for me would b a typical correction and .1 u/h for time off my pump (45 minutes+ )

in any event, it was a wonderful swim, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and thats what counts.

In any event, please check out the thread I started on our FUD member Eric. Please say a few words on anything he has helped you with on your diabetic journey. I’m certain he would be very grateful.

signing out,

DM

[Trying]

@daisymae

Ruby Red GJ for me

That’s my go to for a low, too!

[daisymae]

A LITTLE TOO MUCH INSULIN; EXPERIMENT #1:

I think I messed up my calculations with my replacement insulin amount as well as my bolus for my refuel shakes after my swim. Lately, for whatever reason that I dont have an answer for, I have had to b on a 90%TB. The 2 days preceding this were a nightmare of really low lows and Dexcom alarms constantly. Finally, when 95% TB didnt work, I pushed my TB down to 90% and this seemed to do the trick. But I had to change my ICRs as well. UGH.

Well, despite the fact that I was off my pump for 45 minutes, and I only gave myself .1 u/h replacement bolus afterwards, I’m not certain I even needed it. However, the caveat is that I thought perhaps I may have some weird cortisol reaction post work-out and may need a little bump of insulin. So I figured how much damage could such a tiny bolus do.

However, on my walk home from the pool, which is when I time my bolus for my replacement shakes, my ICR is usually 1:10, making my bolus hard to forget bc my shakes only need only enough to cover 32 gms of carbs…so its easy peezy to remember that I can bolus 3.2 u/h every time I finish swimming. Well, unfortunately, today I miscalculated, and instead of giving myself an ICR of 1:12, I gave myself an ICR of 1:11. I know this sounds ridiculously absurd to make it sound like I over bolused, but that extra .3 units makes a huge difference for me (YDMV). A HUGE DIFFERENCE. So, I have to keep my eye on it. I got home ten minutes later, and as soon as I realized what I had done, I sucked down those Boost Shakes like there was no tomorrow.

Another thing went “wrong” today as well, but somehow I seemed to make up for it with implementing a few little tricks. My sugars were perfect overnight, and without any explanation when I woke up, my sugars were 142 and climbing.I did an immediate correction, waited 1/2 hour (to watch for the FOTF issue) and then at 164 my pump added another .2 u/h correction. I waited a full hour from the time I bolused till the time I began eating.( I waited till my sugars started coming down, and ate at a BG of 143.) But close to when my IOB would be finished, I realized that I had forgot to re-lower my TB again to 90%…so I had been on 100% basal for the entire time from when I bolused. That would explain why my sugars had come so softly down to 101 at 10:15am.So I put my pump back down to 90%TB and considered my BGs to drop down low bc I still had .4 u/h IOB and my basal had been (and was) at 100%. So even at a nice 101 BG, I preemptively chose to take 4gms of glucose. I was determined to swim today, and I wasnt going to let this darn D get in my way. I would rather get to the pool with a BG of 120 than end up in my 50s. At 50, I wouldn’t dare swim, but I could always swim off a BG of 120. So I took the glucose. I made the right decision. Phew.

It was a great swim. strong and faster than usual pace (there were, however 6 people sharing my lane. It was extremely crowded today for some reason, so not as relaxing) The time flew by though, and in the locker room I met another T1 D wearing a POD and a Dexcom. We both laughed and chatted about how there was that commercial during the Super Bowl last night and Joe Jonas was wearing the G7 and how we both wanted it bc it looked so easy to insert so much smaller and really cool. Its ALWAYS nice to meet another T1 at the pool. So much in common to chat about and a lot to learn! (it really beats it when most times people are either staring at my hardware trying not to make eye contact, or very inquisitive people who overwhelm me with questions. Us Ds get right to it and we all have our secret language that only we can understand.

Stats:

overnight was perfect. Between 70 and 84
6:30am BG 142 correction bolus of .4 u/h
7:00am BG 164 bolus for Bfast and pump WIZARD added another .2 u/h
11am BG 115 left for pool
11:30 BG 120 4gms glucose, jumped in and swam
12pm BG 81 bolused .1u/h , showered, dressed and reattached my pump
12:30 bolused 2.9 u/h for refuel shakes (ICR 1:11 )
still on the 90% TB

We’ll see what happens. Tomorrow I go to the Pain Management Doctor for an evaluation and medications refilled. And although I wont b swimming, perhaps i’l get the go-ahead to increase my swim time

signing out,

DM

[daisymae]

WHELP, YOU’LL NEVER BELIEVE THIS, EXPERIMENT #1:

So as it turned out, not only was I not going to over-dose on insulin, but I definately did not have enough insulin! I even had to turn off my TB and return to 100% basal and return to my regular ICRs.

How did I find out? Easy peezy: I was so “high:” from my swimming, that I decided (after downing my fave Chocolate Boost Shakes) to treat myself to a manicure and back rub. Its a place I like to go in the neighborhood, so only about a 15 minute fast paced walk. Well, when I got there, they were closed for renovations. I was not about to give up, so I decided to go to my back-up place, where, unfortunately they speak no English at all. A little tricky.

I think I should have expected something when I looked at my Dexcom and it read 119, bc I had just bolused and my BGs dont usually rise that quickly after finishing my shakes. But what the heck; throw caution to the wind. Wait and see what happens. After I was finished, about 45 minutes later, I checked my Dex again, and to my great surprise, it read 145. Immediately, I turned off the 90% TB, and walked home ASAP. Once at home, I changed out my infusion site (it was on day 3 anyway), and I did a correction bolus of .4 u/h (I still had some IOB left over from my last bolus, but I really just dismissed it bc it was just lingering insulin, like at the end of its 4 hour duration).

So perhaps that 90% TB had to do with last weeks swimming, or walking, or just this stupid disease doing its own thing. Either way, I’m on top of it. We’ll get things back in normal working order. TR, here I come!

signing out,

DM

[daisymae]

A SAD DISAPPOINTMENT EXPERIMENT #1:

yesterday I met with my pain management team. I am scheduled to have two ablations and trigger point injections on March 27th. It requires anesthesia. UGH. Its expected to hurt for aproxamately 3 days (give or take) and then, if successful, give me pain relief for about 4-6 months.

But that is not the really disappointing thing. The sad thing is that after my (very thorough) examination, the doctor doesnt believe I am ready to increase my swim time. He said that hopefully if the ablations are successful, I can swim longer, but for now, no way. Stick to my 1/2 hour swims.

I had a very good swim today, but I miscalculated how much replacement basal insulin to give myself after my swim. I had been off my pump for a 1/2 hour during swimming, then I was off my pump for a 15 minute shower and dry off and dress, and all I bolused for was .1 u/h. I think what I needed was another .1u/h (totaling .2 u/h ) bc when I got home, my sugars had spiked. Its been 45 minutes and I am still waiting for them to come down into TR to drink my Boost refuel shakes. Last check my sugars were 124.

I had a great nights sleep, my sugars were great throughout the morning and when I jumped into the pool, it was pretty much empty and that made it very easy to enjoy myself.

a few stats:

6:15am BG 79
6:30am BG 85 bolused for bfast
10am BG 93
11:20am BG 110 took 6gms glucose and jumped into the pool
12:50pm BG 91

I would call this a successful day. But, im still very upset about not being able to swim for a longer period of time (yet).

signing out,

DM

[jim26]

Glad you had a good swim today!

[JessicaD]

So glad you had a good swim and a good plan looking forward hopefully for pain, but I hear you on being disappointed on not being able to increase your swim time right now. That is a huge bummer. xoxo

[daisymae]

A VERY TOUGH WEEKEND WITH MY D; EXPERIMENT #1:

For the past 3 days/nights, I have had terrible trouble with my BG control. I would rise to 200, then crash (without correction) to 48. I went on this roller coaster for the 3 days mentioned. I looked for patterns, I looked at what I was eating. Carbs or no carbs, it didnt matter. I could eat a 10 carb meal and spike, and eat a higher carb meal and crash. Finally, after staying very high on the second day, I used a 120% TB, which seemed to help quite a bit, but not alleviate the problem. (this is why I did not swim on Friday, which was a real frustrating experience.) I dont know what happened, why it happened, and why (for which I am extremely grateful ) everything went well today (but still on the 120% TB). My BGs have been flat all overnight, this morning, and so far this afternoon. I dont know what to expect this evening, but I’ll take what I can get from these (now) regulated levels.

I had a great swim. So much so I lost track of time and ended up swimming a little longer than expected. The pool was PACKED. I am guessing that is bc today is a holiday. But I was still able to relax and enjoy myself.

Does anyone else have this experience with their blood sugars getting all disregulated? And when/if it happens, how do you handle it? PLEASE CHIME IN!!! I would love to be able to find a solution. Or at least not feel so alone. It can get very depressing.

as long as I stay regulated, I’ll b back in the pool on Wednesday and then Friday. I am hoping, with fingers crossed, that I wont run into any more bizzaar glitches.

signing out,

DM

[daisymae]

A NEAT LITTLE TRICK; EXPERIEMENT #1:

When I left for the pool this morning, my sugars were on the lower end (100) and I didnt want to wait to do a zero basal bc I wanted to get into the pool before the water exercise class began and 3 of the lanes would be used up. So, I unplugged from my pump right before leaving the house, which gave me 20 minutes of Zero Basal before my swim. I didnt make that typical mad dash to the pool bc I wanted the 0% basal to do some work. When I got to the pool, my sugars were 105. I took 8gms glucose and jumped in for my swim.

It was a decent swim despite the crowd.

I think that I made a good choice about leaving the house early and just disconnecting from my pump. All worked out well.

105 BG before swim
98 BG after swim bolused .2 units (I never really know what I am doing here and I probably should have given myself a little more of a bolus…maybe .3u/h)
bolused 3.2 u/h on my way home for my refuel shakes
BG spiked when I got home from 98 to 136 after waiting 15 minutes from my last bolus. waiting another 1/2 hour before I drink my shakes. I dont know why sometimes I spike after the swim and sometimes I lay flat. But thats just the way it is. Drives me a little crazy, especially bc I am sooo hungry and thirsty by the time I get home and I am dying to drink those shakes!!!

I’ll be back in the pool on Friday. Hopefully I’ll beat the predicted rain fall

signing out,

DM

[daisymae]

BAD INFUSION SITE, SWIMMING OFF A HIGH BG;EXPERIMENT #1:

this morning during bfast, my sugars started to climb. I gave myself an extra bolus to correct the swell. However, despite my best intentions, my sugars continued to climb. I thought it was something I ate. I even thought it was that I forgot to bolus for my bfast in any case, my sugars climbed as high as 196. I put on a higher TB of 120% thinking that perhaps I had a bug despite feeling perfectly healthy. No luck at all. I could have bolused to correct the high, but I was too stubborn about getting into the pool around 11am. So I changed my pumps infusion out for a new one. Didnt work. when all of my IOB was finished, and my sugars had barely come down, I changed my infusion again. This time I was pretty certain it was successful, bc my sugars came down down to 175 within an hour. I figured I would just swim off the high BG without having to do another bolus correction.

when I got to the pool, my sugars had come down to 161 (I had walked there as fast as I could; just short of jogging). I decided, against doctors orders, that I would swim for 45 minutes instead of the usual 30 minutes and that would bring me into my TR. Even though I usually go into the pool in my TR, before my swims I take enough glucose to bring me up to be 140 (my magic number)as if I weren’t exercising at all, and then I swim it off. So with a blood sugar of 160, I figured that swimming for 45 minutes should do the trick. It worked like a charm. When I got out of the pool my sugars had come down to 99. Success!!! Yay.

I would b in the pool again on Monday, but my husband is having a full hip replacement surgery, so I have to spend the entire day in the hospital with him. I dont know when ill b back in the pool. But I am hoping that it will b next Wednesday.

signing out,

DM

PS: please keep my husband in your prayers.

[daisymae]

A WEEK AND A 1/2 OF NOROVIRUS; EXPERIMENT #1:

Im blaming this all on my husband; he brought it home with him and passed it along to me (coincidently, this is how I got CoVid too). It was miserable. High fever, nausea, vomiting, unable to hold anything down (weight loss), utter exhaustion and weakness, headache…absolutely awful.
Just the look or smell of food made me ill.

So obviously I wasnt doing my thing in the pool…

It lasted almost 10 days (and long nights of alternating chills and sweats).

Has anyone else had this? Its making its way around Brooklyn like crazy. we know over 20 people who have gotten it, including my sister and her two boys.

HOWEVER, yesterday my fever broke, the nausea went away, I was able to eat dinner, and I was feeling as if I had never been sick in the first place. So today I was back in the pool, and boy oh boy did it feel great. I was a little weak though, but I pushed through it anyway. it surprised me that I felt some weakness as it had only been a short period of time that I hadn’t been swimming but it was what it was. I was just happy to b back in the water. I was also happy that my sugars have almost come back to normal since I was sick. it was a real balancing act ( both my husband and my Dexcom saved my life on a couple of occasions : my sugars went so low I couldnt put a sentence together or walk or see straight. They were in the 30s. He poured juice down my throat each time. I should have taken the Transcends, but I was in no shape to argue with him.)

I look forward to being back to 100% basal normalcy. Perhaps someone can share their own experience with treating dangerous lows. I’d b very very interested in your stories.

in any case, when I went into the pool today, my sugars were 99 and when I got out they were 81. I was on the low side this morning so I was on zero basal for 45 minutes before I got into the pool.

signing out,

DM

PS: Has anyone else gotten this NOROVIRUS?

[TomH]

Glad you’re better and sorry you had it! Don’t recall having had Norovirus, but them I’m not sure I’d be able to tell the difference between that and other “creeping cruds.”

(Hey, I’ve got a grandson in 1st grade…we get everything…I think of elementary schools as big incubators!)