Type 1 Diabetes

LeicesterLad

First off, a big hello to everyone on the forum, been reading for a while and thought it time I broke my silence!

Im 23, fairly reasonable shape but have type 1 diabetes, insulin controlled, and control is fairly good, touch wood. However been getting into cycling, and particularly road cycling as of late, think ive possitively caught the bug and deffinately looking at sportives for next year, I commute to work every day (only around 12 miles) and doing much longer loops at weekends (however i do not ride with a club, so all my current cycling is solo - issue here is if i try and go to far during training, i dont want to have myself a spot of bother with hypoglycemia and be isolated. My concern is 'the bonk'. All the regimes ive read on here for sportives entail consuming a large amount of energy drinks, gels, bar's etc, which im familiar with, however as ive never done a sportive, and being a type one diabetic and generally needing a lot more carbs for this type of work-out compared to average Joe, ive got horrible visions of treking around with backpacks full of food - i want to be just like the next man (or woman) with shorts, Jersey and backpockets, so im wondering if anyone on here is diabetic, and how they cope with the extra intake of carbs required, and if theres any tips you can give me on how to get the balance right and not struggle too much on 70+ milers, because if i get a severe case of the bonk, it will probably lead to my death


Nice to meet you all!

Gavin

kayakerchris

Welcome.

You might want to look here. http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-fitn ... rview.html for more info. Also talk to the dietitian at your local diabetic clinic. Certainly exercise is good for your glycaemic control.

I would suggest doing a few rides of increasing duration under standard conditions of food intake and insulin. You could then do hourly glucometer tests on your ride and plot your results. You will then get a feel for how your sugar and insulin intake need to change on a high intensity ride and be able to plan ahead.

A google search for diabetes and triathlon brings up some useful hits and this blog http://www.ironguides.net/your-training/diabetes.html.

Good luck

redvee

Another type 1 here. There have been a few toopics on the subject matter, use the search function and you should be able to find them. The advice I've been given by the nutitionist is the obvious really, reduce the insulin at breakfast time on days you'll be doing long rides and have regular intake of energy either liquid or solid some quick acting, some slow acting. Foods I've been told to take are Haribos you get with Wiggle orders, the 10p bags, malt loaf and bananas. Liquids that have worked for me has been normal orange squash with a spoonful of energy drink added and to this mid ride I've added lucosade. It can be a PITA carrying blood testing kit with you but the consequences of not having it with you far outway the inconvenience. I was given this PDF leaflet that has helped also.

http://rapidshare.com/files/276588906/D ... t.pdf.html

Speak to you Diabetes nurse or as for a nutritionist for advise too, mine is only an email away.

LeicesterLad

Hi People

Thanks a lot for the advice, my next clinic is in october so will be seeking out the dietician, and its nice to know there is other type 1's among us! Ill do a search of the forum and see what i come accross! As for the pro's on Team Type 1 who actually have diabetes, they must be hardcore and made of the real tough stuff!

Thanks

Gavin

cougie

I think the Type 1 pros use the insulin pumps as they race - but yeah - hardcore - you really dont need any extra complications when you're trying to race !

evans6854

Hi, I too am a type one diabetic.

I'm off cycling round the world next year - 15,000 miles or so which might be a bit of a challenge.

I also race (cat 3) and have done 5 100+ mile sportives this year. Suprisingly you don't need as much food as you think. It all depends on what type of insulin you're on as well as your basal/ bolus doses. But more importantly, on average, 10 grams of carbs raises your blood sugar levels by 3 units. 10 grams is 4 sugar sweets or a banana or a gel. It took me some time to get used to having so little for a hypo but it works and, for me, I notice my blood sugars going low long before they ever get seriously low - i.e perceived feeling of less power through the legs and my heart rate rises for no apparent reason. So a hypo/ carry too much food shouldn't be too much of a concern.

If you do some longer rides and monitor what your blood sugars do throughout you should have no problem at all.

If you have any more questions send me a PM and hopefully I can help.

Kate

LeicesterLad

Kate, thats a great help, thank you very much for that! And if i have any questions ill be sure to PM you. Its good to hear a story like yours, it means i can accomplish things i never thought i could, if i put the training in and eat the right things!

15,000 miles and Type 1! Makes me feel like a right lazy sod :oops:

Novomix30

Hi there,

Great to see you getting into cycling.

I'm not diabetic myself, but I am an NHS Consultant Diabetologist with an interest in sport and exercise. (And i love my bike)

All the advvice you have been given so far is very sensible, I do feel compelled to say that the information posted by Kate will be right for her, it may not be for you, and you will find that you respond differently. The numbers she has given are roughly applicable though. You will be somewhat your own Guinae pig and trial and error will find you working out your numbers.

Although I am not a strong proponent of any particular insulin, I would hope you are on a basal-bolus regimen (4 daily injections). I would look into the insulin pump as a way of managing your diabetes, they are very good for exercise - particularly endurance type sports- but it has to be right for you.

Your hospital diabetes team should be able to offer you this, speak with your DSN/ Consultant.

As an aside this website is worth a look, just for inspiration

http://www.alwaysdali.co.uk/

Best wishes, and if i can be of any use .... let me know.

evans6854

True, what could work for me may not work for anyone else but i'm only quoting the figures given to me by my diabetic team at my hospital. And they are as i mentioned an average.

But yes, trial and error is the best way to find out what works. But essentailly carry more food than what you think you need and gradually, as you start to find out what works for you, reduce this amount. Worst case scenareo - shops are never too far away and on one occasion when lacking food I asked another rider who was more than happy to hand over a gel.

RE the pump, I think it's easier said than done trying to go about getting one if your diabetes is well controlled. I tried for 4 years to get one but was told my HBA1C was far to good for me to be considered and that needing one for excercise was a life style change thus not meeting NHS criteria. However, i finally got one last month and I have to admit - it's fantastic!

Kate

redvee

One thing to consider about pumps are the costs involved, NICE has allocated funding for them but you do need to meet certain criteria.

http://www.avondiabetes.nhs.uk/diabetes ... herapy.htm

Insulin pumps cost between £2000 and £2500 to buy and are expected to last between 4 and 8 years. The special needles and tubes needed to use the pump cost approximately £1000 per year.

Bike2work

Another recommended website is runsweet.com. They have a page about cycling with diabetes http://www.runsweet.com/Cycling.html
You may find it useful. I don't have any vested interest in it but I do work with people who have diabetes who have found it useful.
Best of luck.

carrock

Bike2work wrote:

Another recommended website is runsweet.com. They have a page about cycling with diabetes http://www.runsweet.com/Cycling.html
You may find it useful. I don't have any vested interest in it but I do work with people who have diabetes who have found it useful.
Best of luck.

I am type 1 and always carry a big bag of jelly babies on long rides

always carry full sugar orange squash in juice bottle as well

Tend to find on long hard rides i dont need to take any fast acting insulin at all when riding- i just take long acting before riding and have a slow release breakfast such as porridge, and then small amounts of carbs through the day

Find that hill climbing causes my blood sugar levels to plummet even without taking fast acting insulin

Novomix30

evans6854 wrote:

True, what could work for me may not work for anyone else but i'm only quoting the figures given to me by my diabetic team at my hospital. And they are as i mentioned an average.

But yes, trial and error is the best way to find out what works. But essentailly carry more food than what you think you need and gradually, as you start to find out what works for you, reduce this amount. Worst case scenareo - shops are never too far away and on one occasion when lacking food I asked another rider who was more than happy to hand over a gel.

RE the pump, I think it's easier said than done trying to go about getting one if your diabetes is well controlled. I tried for 4 years to get one but was told my HBA1C was far to good for me to be considered and that needing one for excercise was a life style change thus not meeting NHS criteria. However, i finally got one last month and I have to admit - it's fantastic!

Kate, there are ways and means to getting a pump via the NHS, it can usually be done even if control is 'good'. But pumps are just a way of delivering insulin and are not always the right choice for some people, equally, for others they are a godsend.

Glad to hear you like yours.

Kate

Steveorow

I’m type 1 and have been for nearly 30 years . Run half marathons and do quite a few 100 milers each year . All the advice is good especially the trial and error working with your glucose meter . I have found taking some sugar every hour and if it’s a long ride ensure a cafe stop after 3 hours works but its trial and error as said .

One tip is ; if you are like me I can’t be bothered carrying the BG meter every ride . I have found using a HRM to be a useful addition . Once my HR starts to go into HR zone 4 and especially HR zone 5 then I know I need to up the sugar intake eg before a large hill I take a couple of hard boil sweets ; yeah not rocket science i hear you say but cycling into strong winds or beasting it for any length of time on the flat will push my HR into zone 4 without realizing it .

Also watch out for your BG reading going high at the end of a ride ; seems counter intuitive but get this sometimes it happens if I have a hard session ; I asked at the clinic and was told it was probably a cortisol reaction ( I think ) due to stress hormones being released .

Now if someone here an can explain to me how to lose weight when on a tightly controlled insulin regime that would be useful . I asked for any strategies and was met with the shruggy shoulder syndrome from my clinician . Further probing was met with an explanation to lose weight you need to reduce your calorie intake and your short acting insulin as insulin also plays a large part in fat metabolism ie eat less and take less insulin short acting to maintain my BG levels . I then asked how do I ensure then I have enough energy requirement for long rides by eating enough and taking enough insulin and how do I manage this and avoid post ride hypos . At that point I was politely ushered out the door .