UKC

Climbing with diabetes

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 knighty 27 Apr 2016
On Monday I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Bugger.

Are there any UKC'ers out there with experience of climbing with diabetes? I know I'll get used to how much insulin to take, but it would be good to hear from other people in the same boat!

How do you control blood sugar during climbing? Just by taking less insulin?

I tend to graze all day rather than eat a proper meal when climbing outside. How should I deal with this? Take the insulin at what would be 'lunch time' then continue snacking?

I'm sure there's more that I can't think of right now.

So many questions from a lost Knighty.
 jezb1 27 Apr 2016
In reply to knighty:
Google Jerry Gore, he does pretty well with diabetes...

He's also a super nice person, I'm sure he'd happily have a chat.
Post edited at 17:47
 Pete Graham 27 Apr 2016
In reply to knighty:

Hi Knighty,

I've been diabetic for over 20 year and climbing seriously for around 15 years. It's a real challenge at times, but I haven't let it stop me doing anything. I'm an obsessive alpine and winter climber and been on several remote expeditions. Your going to have a lot to learn and everyone's body reacts differently to different things, so there's no hard and fast rules. Drop me an email with as many questions as you like, I'll be keen to try and help you out as best I can. It's always good to be in touch with other climbing's in the same boat.

Pete.


OP knighty 27 Apr 2016
In reply to Pete Graham:

Thanks Pete. I'll definitely be in touch. Most probably after I've got the hang of 'normal' life first! But that is a very kind offer.

The hardest thing about this all is the lack of rules about how your body reacts. I'm going to go for a cycle tomorrow, being careful to check my glucose levels before during and after as a bit of an experiment.
 Cake 27 Apr 2016
In reply to knighty:

Hi,
I'm no expert, but my daughter (6) has had diabetes for for 4 years and she is very active.

My first thoughts were:
1) climbing will probably not affect blood sugar as much as cycling etc. because its not very cardio intensive
2) you might want to run blood sugars a bit high for a few sessions. The last thing you want is a hypo on lead run out above gear.
3) do a blood test immediately before and after climbing and in the middle if you feel strange.
 SenzuBean 27 Apr 2016
In reply to knighty:

My brother has it, and my partner's cousin did have it (I say had, because he unfortunately passed away unexpectedly in his home less than a week ago from what his family agree was a blase attitude to blood sugar levels and intense exercise. He was 27.)

I wish you all the best - by asking for help and advice you are clearly on the right track
1
Removed User 27 Apr 2016
In reply to knighty:

Contact Jerry. He'll be a mine of information.

https://www.facebook.com/JerrysInsulinChallenge
ceri 27 Apr 2016
In reply to knighty:
I remembered there had been a similar question asked a bit ago, funnily enough the answer of "Jerry Gore" was the same
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=598354
Post edited at 20:06
 CrankCrimp 27 Apr 2016
In reply to knighty:

Main thing... Don't feel defeated! Your body won't settle down to an insulin regime for quite a long time so regardless of how careful you are with taking insulin and checking blood sugar levels, you'll find for the first few months at least you'll be getting highs and lows more than usual! Once your body has adjusted, you'll find it much easier, you'll get used to the feeling of your blood sugars dropping or raising quickly, control becomes easier with time. Diabetes won't stop you doing anything, it just slightly changes the way you do things
 Pete Graham 27 Apr 2016
In reply to knighty:
Yes the best bit of general advice I think I could give is to try and observe how your blood sugar reacts to different activities as much as you can and learn from your mistakes. I try and embrace the challenge of dealing with my diabetes as much as I can and not get annoyed and frustrated and fight against it. But obviously maintaining this attitude isn't always easy. Hope the cycling experiment goes well.

Here's some links to some facebook groups for diabetic climbers:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/mountainmad/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/teamlivingvertical/
Post edited at 21:10
OP knighty 27 Apr 2016
In reply to knighty:

Thanks for all the advice and support here folks. This is why I love UKC.

I'll report back after my cycle tomorrow!
OP knighty 28 Apr 2016
In reply to knighty:

20 ish mile easy ride done and I'm feeling great! Glucose readings of 5.2, 6.3, 5.0 and 4.9 through the ride where I have had nothing to eat. Much encouragement for sure.

I know it won't always be this easy...
Removed User 28 Apr 2016
In reply to knighty:

I have been climbing , running and cycling for 40+ years as a type1 diabetic,Do not listen to the medics they talk bollocks ( I was told to give up climbing for instance and some of their advice about eating and insulin was total rubbish!) see if your health authority runs DAFNE ( dose adjustment for normal eating) courses and if they do demand a place, I learnt more about controlling diabetes on a one week course than in the previous twenty years and don't give up.
 OwainSimpson 29 Apr 2016
In reply to knighty:

I would add that although keeping blood glucose raised for the duration of short exercise after about 4 hours this stops being an option. I've been diabetic since the age of 5, I'm 21 now and going on my first exped to the greater ranges -Kyrgyzstan- this summer. Pete and Jerry are both far more hardcore than myself by a huge amount but a common misconception that I had myself, and no one has mentioned yet here, and my health care people didn't tell me either, was the danger from Ketones as a result of this. When I first started doing prolonged periods of strenuous exercise I thought that if I kept my BG elevated everything would be okay. I did this by dropping the amount of insulin I was taking on board and eating the same as usual. I had two expeditions of absolute misery from this at points feeling as ill as when first diagnosed. It is essential that you keep insulin intake above a crucial level and you will have to eat more than others to do this. There's a lot of advice online about this but as with everything else to do with diabetes you have to find out what happens to yourself. Other things I would recommend, try and get on a pump waiting list as soon as possible. They make control so much easier and better, the worry that people have about not liking things being attached to them and whatnot seems slightly arbitrary when compared to the benefits they bring. There is a new piece of kit coming out for monitoring BG by an inserted cannula that takes constant levels as well, I'm just starting on this but it promises to be really beneficial as well. For more general exercise advice there's also the "runsweet" website. Its really good for giving a better explanation of the problem of starvation ketones. I would definitely say ask Pete or Jerry before myself, but if there is any advice more generally, or from more of an Amateurs perspective, then don't hesitate! Good Luck!
 Mark Reeves Global Crag Moderator 29 Apr 2016
In reply to OwainSimpson:

I have climbed with three people with varying levels of diabetes. Both in summer and winter and can say that when you get used to it you will be fine, just take it easy as you become accustom to you needs and required when climbing.

Once you get used to managing it climbing shouldn't be a problem as I was down on Yellow Walls with a friend a month back and he lead an E6 down there!

Good luck with getting everything sorted and maybe search mountains for the active diabetics, although the website seems dead here is a link to an article by jerry gore.

https://www.idf.org/sites/default/files/attachments/article_20_en.pdf
OP knighty 29 Apr 2016
In reply to OwainSimpson:

Thanks Owain and Mark. It's great to hear that people are not held back by Diabetes.

Also very interesting to hear that I shouldn't take less insulin while active, just to eat more. Definitely the opposite of the Nurse's advice today. They also said that I shouldn't belay until my glucose levels have stabilised. I definitely feel as if I can mitigate that risk by using a gri-gri.

Anyway, thanks again all!

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