Blood sugar rising when excercising

sugar · #1 (**permalink**) 10-20-2009, 12:40 PM

Hi there,
Been a diabetic for 28 years and didn'y realise how little I actually knew.
I cycle daily to work 16 miles each way.
I can check my blood sugar and its 6.5 before departure at 5 am.
A Coffee with a couple of sugars and I'm off.
When I arrive at work my blood sugars 19.
baffles me why this should be as I'm burning up energy levels enroute.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

CarrieJett · #2 (**permalink**) 10-20-2009, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugar

Hi there,
Been a diabetic for 28 years and didn'y realise how little I actually knew.
I cycle daily to work 16 miles each way.
I can check my blood sugar and its 6.5 before departure at 5 am.
A Coffee with a couple of sugars and I'm off.
When I arrive at work my blood sugars 19.
baffles me why this should be as I'm burning up energy levels enroute.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Morning exercise is a whole different beast! I can't tell you the science, but I am a big cyclist as well, and if I don't take any rapid acting insulin before a morning ride, I will be up at 200 in no time, even with no food. I basically take no extra food for a morning ride unless it's over 1.5 hours, and even if I don't eat I still have to take a unit if I am doing strenuous exercise. If you're having a couple of sugars in your coffee, you probably need to take insulin for it. Oh, Are you type I?

sugar · #3 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009, 10:05 AM

Yeah I'm Type 1

sugar · #4 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009, 10:09 AM

I see that you state that your blood sugar can rise to 200.
what does that figure relate to in the UK?

jenb · #5 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009, 10:15 AM

Hi: When you exercise your muscles release their store of glycogen to fuel your activity, causing a temporary rise in BG. I'll bet if you test an hour after your ride your BG has fallen again.

Jen

dbaratta · #6 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugar

Hi there,
Been a diabetic for 28 years and didn'y realise how little I actually knew.
I cycle daily to work 16 miles each way.
I can check my blood sugar and its 6.5 before departure at 5 am.
A Coffee with a couple of sugars and I'm off.
When I arrive at work my blood sugars 19.
baffles me why this should be as I'm burning up energy levels enroute.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Your liver is releasing the glucose to make up for what you are burning. It thinks you are in need of food. This happens to me all the time when I exercise.