Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Annabella on March 30, 2010 at 5:00pm

Exercise habits: I try to walk for 1/2 hour 1st thing every morning, unless it is pouring with rain or snowing, I live in a rural area so the walk is hilly. I also do a lot of gardening, heavy stuff like digging as well as weeding. I much prefer ro be outside rather than doing housework.

Lower basals: not really as I never plan exercise ahead of time, & I need to lower basals 2 hours before starting. I just test 1st & eat & lower basals accordingly. but I do have too many lows.

Permalink Reply by Colleen in NH on March 30, 2010 at 6:28pm

Habits - not so great but I am on the treadmill almost every morning treading to some oldies.
Basals - I'm still learning how to lower them if needed. So far, no problems.
I enjoy gardening also but it will be a couple of weeks before I can start playing in the dirt (mud right now).

Permalink Reply by Marie B on March 31, 2010 at 5:54am

no I don't, but it was an Accu-chek (Disetronic) H-Tron. I may be one of their earliest adopters, and longest continuous users of their pumps. I can't say enough about how much I love them and my pump. I love having the back-up pump, so I don't have to have an emergency plan for when something happens to the pump (rare, but it happens) - I haven't had to take a shot in 20 years.

I walk almost every day. I go usually 30 minutes in my neighborhood. If it's really nice, I'll walk around the lake, which takes 50 minutes. I'll lower the basal if I'm at a normal blood sugar, but even a 20 minute walk can really lower my bg a lot. so I might eat a small piece of chocolate too. Lately, my husband and I have been doing some hikes in the woods here, but I'm a little afraid of a bear encounter. The Appalachian Trail is on top of the mountain across the lake from us, and I dream of building up the guts to try to tackle it. Last year I finally walked around the lake for the first time, so maybe it's just a psychological hurdle I need to get over. It's a very steep climb.

Permalink Reply by FatCatAnna on April 1, 2010 at 12:02pm

Where I live?: Montreal, Quebec
How long pumping?: I'm going into my 3rd year now after 40 years of MDI.
Exercise habits?: Terrible lately - but when I'm not so busy (am semi-retired) I do try to walk 1/2 an hour a day. One way I get around that with being busy is to forget things (sign of aging?) - so I have to go up/down the stairs, and I do little dances, etc. to get those muscles flexing. Winter time is bad for me tho', I "try" to use a stationary bike (fancy one with all the bells 'n whistles - hubby uses it) - but I am not big on sitting down on my #@! behind - prefer walking. Now that Spring has sprung (26C forecast for Easter w/e - too warm for this time of the year) is approaching, I'll be outside in the garden, and I sail during the summer, so lots of balancing, etc. involved in that (you'd be amazed the muscles you use on a windy day, tacking back/forth, heeling over, etc.). I'm the same as Annabelle - if I can be outside - I'd rather let the dust bunnies chase themselves around in the house without me attending them! :)
Do you lower your basals for exercise? Depending on how my BG's are I have done that. I do this more often in the summer time, as heat / humidity cause me to use less insulin, and when I'm active, I can reduce basal rate to 50% - but I have to monitor abit more often - to make sure I don't go up - which isn't good for muscles (cramping - you get that either way - too low or too high).

Permalink Reply by Richard157 on April 1, 2010 at 3:37pm

Thanks for thr thread Colleen.
My name is Richard Vaughn.
My residence is in Kingston, NY.
I have pumped for 32 months and used a CGM for 3 months.
My age is 70 years and I walk an average of 6 days per week.
My walk to day was 2 1/2 miles in one hour, 3 minutes.
Lowering my basals has not worked well for my exercising.
I start exercising within 30 minutes of a meal with a 3 unit cut in my premeal bolus.
The carbs in the meal keep me from spiking.

Have you folks seen my post about my book? It is all about my 64 years of diabetes.

Here is the link to my amazon page:

http://www.amazon.com/Beating-Odds-Years-Diabetes-Health/dp/1450515...

Permalink Reply by Colleen in NH on April 6, 2010 at 3:41pm

There are now 11 of us getting to know each other!

Permalink Reply by Florian Menninger Jr on July 23, 2010 at 7:42am

While I am in this group I might as well answer the questions from Marie that was posted quite a while ago.

What are your exercise habits?

I like to do weight resistance training combined with cardio using an Elliptical machine and Treadmill. I work out twice a week for 90 minutes with a Trainer at a place called Fit Tec.. I started doing this in 1993 after I went to a DESA (Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association) conference and learned that lifting weights is ok for people with diabetes. I keep a written log of my workouts and test my blood sugar before, during, and after my workouts. I also include gardening, cycling with the local DESA Chapter members, and fishing when I am at Cape Cod. "People don't get old, they become immobile."

Do you lower your basals for exercise?

I do not lower my basal for exercise. My basal rate during my workout time is 0.450 U/hr. I try to start with a blood sugar between 150 and 200 and end between 80 and 120. I do monitor my blood sugar to know where I am duing my workout and will take some juice and glucose tablets to raise my blood sugar if I am going low. I find that when I have a peanut butter and sliced banana sandwich on pumpernickel bread for breakfast before my workout that my blood sugar comes down gradually and is easy to control. There have been plenty of exceptions and one reason for wanting a Dexcom7 CGM.
Diabetes management and blood sugar control is an art and science.

Permalink Reply by nel on July 23, 2010 at 8:02am

A minor typo correction by # 4 Nel ...I live in the Shuswap, BC ...just in case any of you like to come by and your GPS does not tell you how to get here . As they call GPS in the Netherlands : TomTom

Permalink Reply by wallskev on November 8, 2010 at 10:07am

I live in Willow Spring, North Carolina and I have been pumping for 3 months

Permalink Reply by Richard P Cosgrove on December 29, 2010 at 11:24pm

I am going on 60 this year and have been pumping for over a year now. Best thing to happen since going off MDI. Can't seem to get into an exercise regimen but I do play golf during the summer. I live in CT and there is snow on the ground right now. I do use a temp basal when playing golf, 50% in fact.