? about excercise and testing

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-31-2004
? about excercise and testing
13
Thu, 08-09-2007 - 2:56am

I am still trying to figure all of this out, what works, what I have to watch, all of that. For the moment I have not changed my diet too much as I try to find out how my body reacts to things. So far I have only had a few numbers that pop up too high, usually after a big meal and then sitting around or worse, sleeping! So, my question is that when you suspect you have had a meal with too many carbs that will cause a problem, when is the best time to get in some excercise to counteract it? Right now I am testing 2 hours after meals, so is it best to excercise shortly after eating, or right before testing? Also, when I go back for my glucose tolerance test should I walk around a bit or are you supposed to just sit and do nothing? I don't want to mess up the results, but I also don't want them to look worse than they really are.

TIA, Michelle

Michelle


Loving Mom to three rambunctious 

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Avatar for cl_coldfingers
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 08-09-2007 - 4:16pm

Michelle what I am going to share with you is what seems to work for me...


iVillage Member
Registered: 07-10-2003
Thu, 08-09-2007 - 8:51pm

The rules on exercising and BG levels are a little different for types 1 and 2. for Type 1
they say do NOT exercise if you are over 250(do to a condition that can trigger and it is something type 2's are seldom at risk for.

I will say that if my BG level is under 100 my number tends to go UP, because it thinks my body needs fuel!! In addition to that, I often find it harder to keep going as long as I want to if I start out below 100. Mary Frances had said at one point to not exercise if you are below 100 but i noticed she has quoted a little higher number, at least for herself recently. One important thing to consider is if you are on medications that CAN cause lows!! I am not on meds, and don't have problems with lows, so that is not a risk for me.

If i start out at 100 or above it usually goes lower, how low depending on how long and intensive the exercise is.

I think there is also a number even for type 2's when it is NOT safe to exercise, but seems like its about the same number where you should be calling doctor anyway.

As to the glucose tolerance test, I would ask them at the clinic where it is done. They will likely know if you should be moving or sitting.

Auntydoxzz

Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Fri, 08-10-2007 - 12:54am

Michelle,


When I have too much to eat I go for a walk as soon as possible. I also go to the gym five days a week and I check my blood sugar before I exercise. If it isn't above 110 I either eat something (15 grams of carbs) or I wait to exercise until after dinner. You need to know that I stop at the gym on my home from work and before dinner. I had an episode of 70 blood sugar one day in the gym and it surprised me and scared the staff so I don't want that to happen again.


Glucose tolerance is cruel and unusual punishment in my humble opinion. When I have been in a drug study and a GTT is required they have to have a comfy space for me to go to sleep. Because it makes my blood sugar go so high I can't stay away. I don't have to worry about walking around! It is really better to do a modified GTT where you are given 100 grams of carbs and your blood sugar is checked two hours later. Do you know why the doctor has ordered this test?






iVillage Member
Registered: 05-31-2004
Fri, 08-10-2007 - 3:02am

Thanks Cherryl. I have certainly noticed that when I walk or excercise moderately just at home that it seems to bring my numbers back down to where they should be without a problem. I haven't had the courage to test too much on big meals when I haven't excercised! I just don't want to know if it goes high, lol!

Michelle

Michelle


Loving Mom to three rambunctious 

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-31-2004
Fri, 08-10-2007 - 3:14am

Thanks! I am not on meds or anything, but am keeping track of things because of the first test that was done was too high. The timing of it was terrible though, so I will be having a retest done to make sure that I really do have diabetes and that it was not totally stress related. I have not tested before excercising just because I am excercising to try to combat the likely high number from too many carbs at the meal. Maybe I should test before, but then it is also before the two hour mark and I don't know what the numbers should be at that point anyway. I hope that makes sense!

Michelle

Michelle


Loving Mom to three rambunctious 

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-31-2004
Fri, 08-10-2007 - 3:41am

Thanks Mary Frances. As you can tell I am both new to the board and new to this whole diabetic thing, at least as a part of life. First, some background. I have a 9 month old baby, and when pregnant with her I had gestational diabetes. I never had a problem with my other babies. However, I am also getting older! I don't really have any significant risk factors prior to that, although I did find out that having mild pcos is one of the risk factors. After she was born, my fasting numbers (the ones I had trouble with then) were behaving beautifully. I finally had my follow-up GTT at 8 months post partum. However, it was the morning after returning from a VERY stressful "holiday", and I was sooooo tired from driving all day and getting home in the early morning hours, that we aren't quite sure if the test is 100% accurate or not. So for now I am watching my numbers and testing regularly to monitor how things are going and will go back for the GTT in September. I don't know how they do them there, but here I have my blood tested after a minimum 10 hour fast, then drink this nasty stuff and have it tested again in 2 hours. I am not sure what the carbs are on the drink itself, although I have wondered. When I had the test done I did fall asleep as a combination of being severely sleep deprived and having my blood sugar too high. For the moment, the Diabetes in Pregnancy Clinic is not referring me on until I have the second test done. My fasting on the first test was on the dividing line and the 2 hours was way over. At home, my fasting seems to be slightly higher than it should be, but not as high as it was then, still below the diagnostic level that she told me. When I test after meals they are nearly always good, with only the odd exception popping up on me. I am not sure what the next test will hold, but probably at best it will show that I am pre-diabetic, but even that may be wishful thinking. Oh wait, I just checked my sheet and on the test she has checked off it says 75g, so I am presuming that is the carb of the sticky drink, is that right? (It is listed as GTTNP.) Sorry, this got longer than I thought it would be! Oops! I am trying to learn all I can, but I am really having a hard time with this possible diagnosis. I know that it is common to argue with the diagnosis, but I hope you understand that the circumstances around it do make it somewhat unreliable. At least that is what I am hoping. Am I crazy? Never mind, don't answer that! I don't want to know just yet, lol! Thanks for you help, I really appreciate it.

Michelle

Michelle


Loving Mom to three rambunctious 

Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Fri, 08-10-2007 - 9:08pm

Michelle,


You made me laugh! You are just fine.


The 75 refers to the mg of carbohydrates and it is the miserable drink that you are going to have. It is also a modified test because they only do one blood draw.


I need to finish this later as my hubby is very hungry. I will get back to you later.


Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Sat, 08-11-2007 - 12:29am

Hi Michelle,


Hubby is fed, in fact he is riding his stationary bike now. There is nothing like a hungry diabetic. They are about as bad as a hungry lioness!


The test is the same as if you tested 2 hours after eating except that they know exactly how many carbs you had to drink. The only nice thing is that it is only one blood draw two hours after you eat. What the initials mean is: Glucose Tolerance Test Non Pregnant.


Please continue to ask your questions and post your comments. Are you getting your results in Canadian or US numbers?






iVillage Member
Registered: 05-31-2004
Sat, 08-11-2007 - 3:27am

Thanks Mary Frances, glad I made you smile! :-) I get all my numbers in the Canadian way, and for the longest time I was totally confused! BUT, while pregnant I did finally figure out how to translate them, but I have to figure it out each time! I guess I am back to my original question about whether or not I should walk around or not while waiting for the two hours. I don't want to give false results one way or the other, although it is tempting to do anything I can to give it a good result even if I am not supposed to, kwim? Oh well, what will be will be I suppose. The most frustrating thing is that my fasting numbers are consistently higher than 6, usually about 6.2, which is higher than they should be, but not as high as 7 which is the cutoff. When I originally had my meter tested it was slightly high, but I don't know if that would still be the case or if it can change at all. I wonder what they will be when I do finally go and have the GTT done again.

Michelle

Michelle


Loving Mom to three rambunctious 

Avatar for cl_coldfingers
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Sat, 08-11-2007 - 10:33pm
Michelle?

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