View Full Version : Diabetic Hikers
Slowpoke2
01-02-2009, 14:34
New to the site and also a diabetic. would like any advice and input
from fellow diabetic hikers as to food ideas and other helpful advice.
thanks!
take-a-knee
01-02-2009, 14:35
Type I or type II?
Like take-a-knee asked, type I or II?
I'm type I on an insulin pump, if I can help any.
Jack Tarlin
01-03-2009, 13:27
Send PM to Bfitz, a member here at WB, who'll be happy to talk to you about this.
Slowpoke2
01-03-2009, 19:28
I am a type 2 diabetic.
While my good friend Mike is Type 1 he has plenty of help and ideas on his site :)
http://www.rainforesttreks.com/diabetes.asp
Sarbar, I like Mike's link!
Old Grouse
01-04-2009, 12:08
Sarbar, I like Mike's link!
I second that. Thanks, Sarbar!
That was a very well constructed site, and I'd like to add my 2c...
I've had type 1 for 18 years and i have done about 400 miles sectioning the AT now. Fortunately, I have very good control. I've never been hospitalized and I've had to keep thumbs on my diabetes because I work in an environment that is not at all accepting of physical handicaps or medical issues.
I've learned a few things that I'd stress to any diabetic.
1. Test about every hour or so whether you need to or not. Not just at meal-times or snacks. I hike a lot in the winter and I've learned that many meters don't operate in the cold well. Stick it under your armpit for a minute and it'll work fine (just won't smell fine). Don't trust your feelings about your blood sugar. i've confused the "lactic acid burning in the muscle" feelings usually associated with high blood sugar with normal hiking up hill soreness. glad I checked before giving myself more short acting, because my sugar was fine.
2. If I get in a good 15-20 miles per day I will use almost no short acting insulin. I cut the long acting down to almost half of what I normally take. This is just me... you might be the exact opposite. However, be careful giving yourself your normal doses. I liked Mike's comments about dinner, because I overload on carbs and have to give myself about the normal amount since I'm done for 12 hours.
3. force yourself to eat complex carbs. don't just overload on junk. simple carbs just spike my sugar and then I have to go for more. I've killed one of the dozen packs of snickers in a day and still struggled to keep up normal blood sugar levels. the same grams of complex carbs would have done me much better. I also sometimes have no appetite after a 20 mile day. Cooking pasta is the furthest thing from my mind and it's just too easy to rip open a candy bar or a bag of M&Ms.
4. Don't bury your insulin, meter, or snacks deep in your pack. The angel on one shoulder says -"stop for a second, test, and eat something" The devil on the other says "C'mon - it's only 5 more miles to the top. We're gonna stop there anyway. Get a move on!"
Hope this helps.
Confusing Type II with Type I will kill you.
I am a type 2 diabetic.
As are quite a few of us, I'm sure. I do everything the docs say to do, but it remains. The meds, the blood tests, the other medical problems caused by many aging problems, make serious future long distance hiking unlikely.
Weary
Confusing Type II with Type I will kill you.
Nope, it'll kill the person you're trying to help!!!
If new to hiking, I would suggest you hike with a buddy that understands what you will need if your sugar does go low. I cant imagine type 1 sugar being too high as a problem hiking being you are burning so much energy. glucagon kit. Saved my mom more than once.
Type I or II
1) Make sure you have a good plan set up with your Dr. in case you need to change/decrease meds for the hike. Meds can need adjustment whether you are type I or II
2) Plan on bG testing, like mbanja suggested, much more frequently than you normally would. type I or II
3) Carry glucose tabs in case you need to quickly raise sugar, but don't use them as a substitution for eating right. Type I or II
4) Pay particular attention to your feet. Make sure you are using good fitting footwear. Be sure and visually check your feet each day. Type I or II
5) Stay well hydrated. Type I or II
Type I
I use an insulin pump. (Wish every type I could) It makes adjustment a lot easier. Instead of a long lasting insulin for basal, you are controlled entirely by short acting insulin. You set the computer to give a constant (adjustable) basal rate, and bolus for meals/snacks/high glucose levels.
Having said that, my basal decreases when hiking by about 40% during the day, and 30% at night. My carb/unit ratio increases about 60%. Real easy to do on the pump. Just me, everyone is different.
I carry extra sites on the trail. I use extra precautions prepping the site. I bury my insulin vial for temperature regulation, because the pump holds a couple of days worth.
I laughed when I read mbanja's commment about the angel on one shoulder, devil on the other. I think that's the same devil that tells me its ok to keep going when my blood sugar is low after gulping a snack... before the blood sugar has gone up any.
i carry a modified external frame pack with most of my crap strapped to the frame. Yes, I look like a walking garage sale, but it weighs less than 3 pounds and carries like you wouldn't even know it's there. I learned a long time ago that if my meter or my food bag is buried in my top compartment I'll wait as long as possible before stopping and checking or grabbing some more carbs. No I keep my meter in a flap to where I don't have to shuffle stuff around. i've paid a little bit of thought to wearing a small waist pack with my meter and insulin in there, but i figure i've gotta get the pack off anyway to grab some food, so its a moot point.
another thing that I forgot to mention is to keep laminated copies of your refill scrips with you. i've only had to get a replacement vial once away from home and it was a pain because I didn't have my scrip numbers and all of that great stuff handy. now that I'm really thinking about it, I probably shouldn't keep the cards in with my insulin, if I lost my kit they wouldn't do me any good.