Diabetic hiker

[justusryans]

I think justusryans if you look at CVS's or Walgreen's websites you can find out what towns they are in and just have your doctor "call in" your prescription to whatever town you will be hitting. Edited to add: And if there is a problem with him calling into an out of town/state pharmacy -just have him call the refill into your hometown CVS and they will have it in the computer when you get to whatever CVS is handy

The other thing is to find out if your insurance company does the prescriptions by mail thing. If they do - you can generally get 3 months worth of a script mailed to you.

Thanks, we'll look into it. I'd hate to have to cut our hike short over something like that.

[Nate]

I am an 18 yr old Type-1 Diabetic hiker. I feel your pain in finding carbs everytime I'm on the trail or when I climb. I go by a carb scale, which is 100% different than your 4000cal scale, in opposition, though, I remain diet-less. You are ,I would Guess, Hypoglosemic which can be a little bit harder to manage in a wilderness setting. I am very fond of glucose pills or tablets. These gives me a very quick pick-me-up on the trail. The other thing I would recomend very, very highly is an insulsn pump. I have gone 200mi with my ANIMAS Pump. This is one very easy way to keep your B/S level under control while on the trail. A small tube runs into your body (which is not as bad as it seems, believe me...) delivering insulan to you. The only thing I can reccomend is that you consider these options, and then discuss your decision with your doctor before your epic hike.
Good Luck,
Nate
P.S. If I can be of any Help to you, E-mail me anytime.

[betic4lyf]

i am actually surprisingly like nate. type 1, 17. I dont use a pump, i use lantus, then nph for lucnh and humalog for other meals. it works for me. pens are a lot easier, and hurt less for me. One thing that is interesting, though does not negate a glucagon pen, is an experience. i was a CIT at a diabetes camp, when one of the doctors there told us CITs that the biggest concern he had if someone passed out from a low bs, was if he hit his head. ur body has glucagon on board, that it can release, thoguh that doesnt replace glucagon. One other bit of knowledge, is that long needles hurt less. For Lantus, which is a bigger does (28) i use half inch syringes, and they hurt less. realize that i am not overweight, but 140lbs at 5'9", and this is my but. it just hurts less.
for me, i treat lows mostly with cake gel, but on the trail i think glucose tabs would be easier, as their isnt anything to throw out.

any questions ask.

[vagabond]

Don't take my word for gospel, since it's been a long time since I studied human physiology, but I believe human growth hormone will overcome a lot of the type II diabetes insulin resistance problems, and human growth hormone will normally be produced whenever you exert yourself strongly but not so strongly as to also produce cortisone and other stress hormones. Of course, hiking the AT normally involves exertion, so there should be plenty of opportunites to eat while there is HGH circulating in your bloodstream. What this means in practical terms, is that you can eat carbs within 30 minutes of finishing exercising without much danger of a rise in blood sugar, since the HGH that is still circulating will help move the sugar into the muscle cells.

Though I'm not a type II diabetic myself, I do tend towards hypoglycemia (like at least 50% of the adult population) and I find that as long as I eat while exercising or very soon after exercising, I don't have to worry too much about the glycemic index of what I eat. By contrast, if I eat more than 30 minutes after exercising, then I have to be careful not to load up on carbs.

In order to beat the 30 minute deadline, I'd recommending using only non-cook carbs. Plain old oatmeal doesn't need to be cooked. The instructions say otherwise, but people eat uncooked oatmeal all the time in the form of granola. For that matter, granola also doesn't need cooking. Couscous, bulgar wheat, and buckwheat (kasha) also don't need cooking. Again, ignore instructions which say otherwise. Oatmeal is probably the most easily obtained of these grains. Some other possibilities are bread and dried fruits. Munch on these after a long ascent.

If you must eat other than during the 30 minute interval after exerting yourself, then make sure to avoid carbs. Save your protein foods for these meals.

[neo]

i started on a 24 hour slow acting insulin little over a week ago,i also take
4 mg of amaryl 2 times a day,i was dx with type 2 a little over 2 weeks ago neo

[betic4lyf]

sounds like lantus. i take it and i am awesome

[bfitz]

within 30 minutes of finishing exercising without much danger of a rise in blood sugar, since the HGH that is still circulating will help move the sugar into the muscle cells.

I think HGH elevates the sugar, and acts contrary to insulin rather than "assisting" it. I know that diabetics on grwoth hormone have to increase diabetes medication dosages. Also burns fat (whie insulin causes fat to grow). I know that insulin supresses the effects of growth hormone (that's one of the reasons not to sugar-snack before bed, since it inhibits the Growth hormone activity which only usually occurs at night just after falling asleep, and after exercise) which might help explain some of the link between obesity and high insulin levels. There is a definite link between insulin, sugar and aging, and growth hormone plays a role in that process too as far as glycation of cells (like collagen for example which is why it's good for wrinkles...) Anyway thats what I read in the bodybuilding/roid mags, which occasionally are good sources of information on hormones, exercise, diet, blood sugar related supplements etc. etc. Really good books on this topic are the books "The Perricone Perscription" and "the Perricone Promise", even though it's not the main topic of the books. You have to read this stuff, doctors never give any good information on this stuff...especially about supplements like alpha-lipoic acid etc.

[Catsgoing]

I am also a Diabetic Type II. I do hike and kayaking. For years I ignored my elevated sugar. I also have Hepatitis C. With Cirrhosis. I had planned a Thur hike but I decided I didn't want to take my two dogs with me. So, that has given me a year to hike flat areas here in Florida and to shed weight. I need to shed at least 40 to be comfortable. When hiking or Kayaking I eat like everyone else on the trail carbohydrate's and water. I always carry a soda or glucose tabs. Even though I run high sugar levels there has been times after my injection that my sugar drops rapidly to 45 is the lowest I was able to test. This works for me but I am not a doctor so please check with your doctor. Due to a bad liver I can't over do protein either or take aspirin type medication... Just do it and wear an identification bracelet or necklace.

[neo]

sounds like lantus. i take it and i am awesome

yes lantus i take it in the evening one shot 16 units my sugar is cotrolling
perfectly along with the right carbs and amaryl 4mg 2 times a day neo