Diabetes Type 1, Addison's Disease and a Planned Thru-Hike

[rangerlina]

Hi and happy new year to you all, and best wishes to all of you planning a thru hike this year! I am amongst that number; and I am planing away this month! I have a couple questions and hope someone can help me. I am looking for anything helpful for a long hike while dealing with Type 1 diabetes AND Addison's Disease, or one or the other.

I don not keep insulin in the refirdgerator, so that is not a problem; I hike anyway, and this summer dealt with unsulin and that heat. I am lookng for any suggestions, ideas or helpful hints. Diabetes means, I know, making sure I have lots of sugar/carbohydrate options in a day, very careful food planning, and keeping enough tests strips to keep everything right. Addison's is tricky when added to the mix. Addison's is adrenal failure, so I take cortizone. It sends blood sugars higher, so may work out hiking daily. It also causes low blood pressure and difficulty breathing. BUT it all CAN be overcome!

Thanks for any assistance!

[ColoradoGregg]

Hi and happy new year to you all, and best wishes to all of you planning a thru hike this year! I am amongst that number; and I am planing away this month! I have a couple questions and hope someone can help me. I am looking for anything helpful for a long hike while dealing with Type 1 diabetes AND Addison's Disease, or one or the other.

I don not keep insulin in the refirdgerator, so that is not a problem; I hike anyway, and this summer dealt with unsulin and that heat. I am lookng for any suggestions, ideas or helpful hints. Diabetes means, I know, making sure I have lots of sugar/carbohydrate options in a day, very careful food planning, and keeping enough tests strips to keep everything right. Addison's is tricky when added to the mix. Addison's is adrenal failure, so I take cortizone. It sends blood sugars higher, so may work out hiking daily. It also causes low blood pressure and difficulty breathing. BUT it all CAN be overcome!

Thanks for any assistance!

I'm not sure if this thread is still alive, but I thought I'd give a reply.
I,too am a type 1 with Addison's disease, and love to hike. My wife and I have hiked plenty in the Rockies. Hiking with diabetes is pretty tricky. I bring LOTS of carb loaded snacks and extra hydrocortisone just to be safe.

The key, for me at least, is to adjust down the insulin and test often. I could go on and on, but I'll wait for a reply just in case this thread is not relevant any more.