Diabete's

[Sin Style]

Ive just been told im type 1 diabetic, the hospital gave me some books on stuff to watch out for and all it goes on about is be careful with ya toes and feet, would martial arts cause me problems ? and also exercise makes your suger level drop and cause's hypo's how could i avoid this ?

 

any avoice would help ease my mind

[KickChick]

I'll point you in the direction of a good site regarding diabetes and sports/exercise.

 

http://www.diabetes-exercise.org/

 

I've heard of people involved in the martial arts wearing insulin pumps so I don't see why you cannot perform.

 

 

[SaiFightsMS]

Learning to train with blood sugar problems is a bit of a trial and error method. My nonfunctioning thyroid has rendered me extremely hypoglycemic. I learned a lot about crashing blood sugar levels the hard way. For me there was little information available because I am neither reactively nor classically hypoglycemic and the general rules did not work in my situation. Interestingly enough others who are hypoglycemic for the same reason I have face the same barriors of lack of information and lack of support.

 

Too much about me. Anyway the point is that you can learn how to train. And accept that a few crashes will happen. Just learn the most efficient way for you to deal with it. Make sure that your instructor is aware of your problem so that when you start to go glassy eyed and slow to respond they can ask you if you need to back out for a bit.

 

Learn to use your glucose meter. Carry it to class with you and check blood sugar levels before and after class. Learn how much activity you can tolerate before problems occur. Small stips of tape on the ends of the fingers protect classmates from your blood.

 

As for diabetes related foot problems due to impaired sensation and circulation that too you will learn to deal with. Inspect the feet carefully after class. And do not train with raw spots or missing skin. Check and see if it is possible to wear shoes in class when necessary.

 

 

[Bitseach]

Agree with all that Sai and Kicky have said - you have to watch your toes as the microcirculation in the extremities is altered by the disease and can lead to peripheral neuropathy - slight damage to the nerves in the toes and feet. In some people this can lead to pain in the feet; others complain of tingling or numbness.

 

As a newly-diagnosed diabetic you should have received advice on how often to get your feet checked by a State Registered Chiropodist. If you do this regularly you should be able to stave off any potential probs with the feet. Further information may be found at the following sites: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/faq/foot.htm

 

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/diabetesinsulindependent.htm

 

As for exercise and diabetes, you will need to find your own pattern and this will involve some falls until you can get the pattern right and learn to balance your symptoms with your sugars/insulin intake. I know of several athletes who are diabetic and all cope with this balance - one need only mention Sir Steven Redgrave, the most famous UK diabetic athlete!

 

One thing to think about also is carrying some sort of condition-warning device, such as a "Medicalert" bracelet, pendant or watch, which gives brief info on your condition and which UK ambulance crews are trained to look out for. Clearly you wouldn't be able to wear any of these whilst training, but let your sensei and friends in the class know about your diabetic status in case you go a bit wobbly on them, and carry an info card in your wallet. You wouldn't believe how handy these things are to ambulance crews and save them a lot of time.

 

Let your friends and family know a few of the symtoms too - remember that hypOglycaemia (lack of blood sugar usu from too much insulin or - more often too much exercise for the amount of food you've had) can lead to confusion or aggression so they might have to be understanding at times! Keep something like a small carton of fruit juice in your training bag in case you get hypo, a small bag of sweets or dried fruit, or something like "Hypostop" gel. Ensure your friends know a bit of first aid! The recovery position is usually enough if you are otherwise fit and you get the balance badly wrong!

 

Other things: never go to a concert, footie match or anything without your injector pen - first aid posts usually do not carry insulin as standard (St John Ambulance and the British Red Cross don't) and be careful if you are drinking - you WILL need extra insulin to balance!

 

Take care,

 

Bits'

 

 

[SaiFightsMS]

I used to check my blood sugar level before I would start my activity and when I got done. Then I would sort of chart the results along with the amount of time I had been working and the amount of effort I was putting into it. Actually I still occasionally do this to make sure the levels are still reasonalby close to what I am allowing for.

 

Then when I was too low I would eat or drink something and check blood sugar levels at intevals to see how my system responded to what I had ingested. I learned orange juice did virtually nothing for me. My system was not breaking it down. For me gatorade worked much better. In extreme situations carb gel.

 

I know what it is like to routinely hit readings in the low 40's. You feel like you are on Mars by the time you hit 12. Interestingly enough I have never gone above 122. No matter what I ingest I will not go high. Have I got the weidest system or what?

 

High stress situations such as test time will also make you drop faster. Allow for it and check the levels a bit more often. Again small strips of tape on the ends of the finger (use the same finger if possible) will contain any seepage later on. One day one of the kids had to tell me that I had blood all over the side of my gi. Every time I pulled my fist to my hip I wiped it off without knowing it.

 

My personal philosophy is there is a way to deal with most problems. It just is a matter of figuring out how.

 

 

[Sin Style]

Thanx for help everyone.

 

hmmm i wonder if suger level is monitered different in the states then as i have to aim for around 7 and under 5 i go shaky and under 4 i go hypo and yeah i get well angry when i was first diabetic my suger level was 38 and the nurses kept saying how it is very high.

 

 

[SaiFightsMS]

There must be a difference in how it is measured. I was taught 80-120 was the normal range. I get shaky at 55 and can't see straight at 45.

 

 

[Bitseach]

38??! Yikes! That's high! As I understand it, the "normal" range for the scale you and I are talking about is between about 4 and 8, where anything above 10 you are diabetic.

 

This is measured in m mol / L from a random blood test for glucose.

 

Here is some info from a site that explains the difference (http://www.diabetic.org.uk/lwd/newbies/whats_diabetes/DI_diagnosis.asp):

 

Blood glucose levels

 

Blood glucose levels in people who do not have diabetes tend to stay between about 4 and 8 mmol/l.

 

In the UK, the amount of glucose in the blood is measured as millimoles of glucose per litre of blood (mmol/l).

 

In the US and some other countries, the amount of glucose in the blood is measured as milligrams of glucose per decilitre of blood (mg/dl).

 

Multiplying the UK figure by 18 will give you an approximate conversion of mmol/l to mg/dl.

 

Dividing the US figure by 18 will give you an approximate conversion of mg/dl to mmol/l.

 

For example mmol/l to mg/dl,

 

6.2 mmol/l equates to approximately (6.2 x 18) mg/dl = 112 mg/dl

 

For example mg/dl to mmol/l,

 

112 mg/dl equates to approximately (112 / 18) mg/dl = 6.2 mmol/l

 

 

[SaiFightsMS]

Thanks for the conversion info Bitseah. So when I am at my 45 it is your 2.5. And the days I have hit 12 it is like your .6. And it would seem that I have never really been over something in the area of 6.8.