More insulin to counteract exercise?!

[Munjeeta]

I know that exercise is generally meant to lower bs levels... I find that, first thing in the morning when I cycle to work, even if my bs are in range they rise following the cycle. I've found that I need to inject at 1-2 units to avoid a spike post-cycling. I guess it's to do with lack of circulating insulin in my muscles but does anyone have to do the same or is it just me and my weird body?!

[Red Pumper]

Hi Munjeeta, do you cycle to work before you've had any breakfast and therefore before you've had any insulin? If so, the rise in blood glucose could be down to the fact that there is very little insulin in your body.
Do you find that your blood glucose rises after exercise at other times of the day? When you cycle home for instance.

[sofaraway]

I find that happens to me when I play football so inject insulin before the game to try to prevent ending up very high by the end of the game.
As red pumper asks if you have had breakfast and have circulating insulin that should help prevent you going high. If not you might have to continue to do what you are doing and inject a couple of units to prevent the rise

[carolb]

I find that happens to me when I play football so inject insulin before the game to try to prevent ending up very high by the end of the game.
As red pumper asks if you have had breakfast and have circulating insulin that should help prevent you going high. If not you might have to continue to do what you are doing and inject a couple of units to prevent the rise

i dont understand this i thought when you did anything physical your sugar levels drop could you explain this to me please

[Red Pumper]

I'm no medical expert but I believe it's all to do with the hormones that the body produces during exercise such as adrenalin and endorphins.
A doctor once told me that insulin is the only hormone that reduces blood glucose and that all other hormones cause the blood glucose levels to rise.
In my experience the rise in blood glucose during exercise tends to occur for short intense exercsie such as five-a-side football rather than prolonged exercise and occurs when there are low insulin levels in the body.
I've read advice that you should not start to exercise when you have an elevated blood glucose (I think the figure used was 14mmol or above) as this indicates that there may not be enough insulin in the body and that the exercise could cause blood glucose levels to rise further.

[DanW81]

yes exactly the same was happening to me. I used to go to circuit classes & gym & when i came back my levels had always gone up by about 5 or so, which just didnt make any sense to me! I remember posting this on here & people advised me to take a shot or 2 before i went. This does the trick for me now, but you do have to watch for the spikes later in the day/eve though, as the exercise takes it effect & the levels do drop.

[Munjeeta]

Yeah, thanks peeps! I have been taking a unit or 2 before the morning cycle and it does seem to prevent too big a peak. I just find it fascinating as I too thought that exercise always lowered levels! My DSN today said that if I take my evening levemir later that might bring them down a little too as it's possible that my levemir's tailing off, and while I'm waking in single figures they could be on the rise due to levemir wearing off. We'll see what happens! Kinda glad it's not just me though