Durockrolly

I am a type 2 diabetic and I take snacks with me on my rides over an hour long. I am aware of the proper foods to take with me as I have been a diabetic for over 10 years but longer road rides and diabetes is new to me. That being said, following the advice of my nutritionist, when I finish my 31 mile ride yesterday I checked my blood sugar and I tested at 98. Not bad for my first longer ride! I am curious as to what type diabetic you are and what foods and drinks do you take?

tmac100

One thing to remember is that every diabetic is different and what works for you may not work for anyone else. The same is true of the medication dosage versus the exercise intensity.

Even though I have been Type 1 IDDM for 48 years I still have to occasionally take extra insulin/food when "the projection" for the next few hours doesn't work.

Just MHO. However, your question should give all diabetics (another) pause for thought. Thank you for raising it.

Durockrolly

Hey thanks tmac! I am fully aware of that. Like I stated, I am working with my nutritionist on a regular basis. I was just curious what other diabetics are doing to get through their rides.
While I haven't been a diabetic for 48 years, it ain't new to me!

overthehillmedi

FYI for non-American Diabetics, if you divide the rather large sounding level by 20, you'll get a close enough normal sounding level. One day they'll join the rest of the world. Sounds like the O.P is doing it the right way.

BR46

I'm a Type 2 and on longer rides I take granola bars and water

jethro56 

tmac100 is correct. Insulin insensitivity is much different than insulin insufficiency. The meds you're taking if any and the timing play a big role as well.

OldsCOOL

I've been Type 1 since the age of 28 and have been a competing powerlifter through the decades. Have also been a roadie since high school but not to the extent of last season and now. Being I'm not on the "shot after each meal" regulation...I'm on twice a day "N"....I always have snacks with me but wont be getting into them until I surpass rides 50mi or more.

For me, the trouble isnt going low during the long ride as much as it is when my guard is down like during the night. That's when a snack before bed is very important.

Exercise has a profound effect on diabetes....a very good and impressive effect.

rydabent

I am a type II for 10+ years, only on pills. On long rides alone I only take water. But on rallyes and club rides I do stop and eat most anything I want. My winter a1c goes up to about 6.7, and in the summer when I ride it goes down to around 6.1

curly666

Usually have a bottle of Powerade, granola bars and hard candy with me. 10 or so miles into the ride I will check sugars and decide if I need to take anything or not. I switched doctors a few months back, turned out my doctor at that time had me over medicated with Glipizide which was dropping my sugars too low. New doc took me off the Glipizide and the sugars have leveled off to where they should be. I was getting up 1 in the morning with readings of 50 when i was on the Glipizide. I just take Metformin now and things are great and I don't have to rely on the Powerade that much like I used too. Usually will take a reading before I start out to see where I'm at with the sugars. I'm type II.

mprelaw

On a long ride, I'll stop at a convenience store and get something like an egg and cheese on an English muffin. My doctor is a believer in balanced snacks between meals, not just carbs. I'm controlling with diet and exercise alone, and my a1c is under 6. After a ride my blood glucose in usually in the high 70s/low 80s range.

Old_Roadie

16 years ago I was diagnosed as type 2 so I started riding again, and I have ridden over 40,000 miles, so I have a pretty good feel for when I need to eat something.

I always take cliff bars, power bars and cliff shot blocks, in my jersey pocket. I make sure I have extra in the seat bag.

I will take 1 bottle of water, and for longer rides a bottle of PowerAde. Having Heart issue I am also concerned about electrolytes. I will refill with water if needed.

I eat something every ˝ hour or so.
Sometimes I will do 75-mile rides and I have on occasion dipped into the reserve. I do not want to bonk coming back in a strong headwind.

MisterJ

Peanuts are your friend.

Peanut butter on whole wheat is heaven when I am starting to feel a bit wobbly.

Payday candy bars have saved my life.

gtragitt

I am type 2 and rode a century on Sunday. I use snacks and a water bottle with Perpetuem. I also like to use Endurolytes for added electrolytes on long rides. For 2 hr rides or less I take nothing with me except water. I don't take meds; so, I am less prone to hypoglygemia. Those on meds need to be much more careful.

Durockrolly

Thank you all for your responses. Just for the record, as stated before, I am not looking for advice. I'm just curious as to what other Diabetics are doing.

Bikey Mikey

I eat a banana and half a slice of bread before I go on my 23 mile ride( I take water but find that if the temps stay below 70°F, I don't drink until the end). If I know I'm likely to go much further than 23 or be out longer than 1hr 45min, I bring a Kashi bar to eat. I haven't done any really long continuous rides, >38 miles, so 1 bar is enough. Often my ride finishes near lunch and I eat, but if a meal is a ways off, I'll eat another banana. I'll have to take more food with me when I start riding 1/2 centuries, and more I hope, later...hopefully this year. Next year, 2013, I plan to ride in the Tour De Cure near where I live.

OldsCOOL

I start long rides with a peanut butter (no jelly this time) on whole wheat. And I too love payday candy bars....they dont melt in the seat bag like anything chocolate.

OldsCOOL

When the rides are that long I'll be stopping for a light meal somewhere lest I get totally out of whack (type 1)....and the meter comes along for that kind of riding.

dbg

Payday fan here also. I'm not diabetic but my #2 son was diagnosed (type-1 obviously) at age 5. I essentially managed his insulin and carb intake for the next 7 years. Injections and midnight blood tests were my life for those years. He is now aged 21, on the pump, and still not considered to be in control. He is an athlete and still plays soccer at an elite club level. After extreme days (tourneys and such) he still has extremely low morning episodes (which can include Todds-Paralysis and seizures). I have proposed he should go heavy on the protein immediately after hard games/workouts and cut his pump-bumps (as we call it) in half for his remaining meals on those days. He'll figure it out eventually.

OldsCOOL

I've had the same problem when not cutting back the evening dose (N) or eating enough of a snack. Having to be awakened by my wife trying to get me to drink OJ at 3am....or worse yet, waking up to an IV in my arm and the EMT crew asking me what day it is. Not pleasant.

guybierhaus

Type II here, since probably 1998, but didn't know till 2001. I barely average 12 mph and last year rarely rode more then 25 miles or two hours. I take just a bottle of water and as it gets warmer mix that water with Gatorade. Go with a 50/50 mix, sugar free version. On rare occasions I know I'm gonna try for 30 plus miles, I've been taking either an apple or banana. I've been finding I need more water after 25 miles and I'm too cheap to get a second bottle holder, thus I been going with 25 miles only.

leob1

Firstly, Thank You Durockrolly for starting this thread, it means a lot to me.
I have just been diagnosed as a Type2. No 'symptoms', ever. I just started testing my glucose levels, and begun my summer/fall riding season. I was pretty lazy for the winter season. So far the biggest fear I have is about riding. I would usually have something to eat before a ride. Seems to be the right thing and doesn't seem to be a big deal if that's incorrect. My concern is when I want to do a longer ride, 30+ miles, or a stress relief "hammer session". It seem that yoze guys figured it out, so that too shouldn't be a problem. I'll ask the nutritionist when I meet him\her for some advise, and what to watch out for when I ride long or hard.
Thanks guys, it's nice to know I'm not alone, and others have the same problems, and can make it work.
And it gives me a reason to ride the metric in the local Tour de Cure.

wobblyoldgeezer

T1 here.

Began feeling regularly unwell, and was unusually skinny, as a 14/15 yo teenager. However, rowed crew and started the school cycling club at 16, qualified in the heats and did national finals in Road, Time trial and Cyclo cross.

Diagnosed as 'latent diabetic' at 18, confirmed at 20, began insulin at 22. 36 years ago.

In the meantime, passed as 'fully fit for offshore work' - oil rigs in North Sea, Gulf, Malacca Straits.

Worked as a consultant 1985 to 2005, lots of irregular hours and travels. One week contained Iran, Tokyo and Sierra Leone. That was extreme, but other schedules comparable.

Work often involved seminars and lectures, regularly just shortly after having got off aeroplanes. I never felt like the doctors who advised running 'lean' on blood sugars had faced large audiences after a 12 hour flight.

In working life, marathon running (18 or so), and cycling - I've always felt the short term risks of hypoglycemia more pressing than the long term risks of running a bit high on blood sugar. So, I reduce long acting (night base) insulin before anything demanding, and monitor and spike accordingly during and for 12 hours after the demand.

I eat oatmeal before cycling further than 20 miles, and NEVER go out without at least 2 power bars in my jersey pocket.

browngw 

Hi,
I,m type 2 on metformin and I always ride with water and some version of those nut and granola and sugar wrapped bars. They usally contain 15 to 20 grams of carbs. and are quick to eat. Most of my longer rides are 20 to 50 kilometers(12 to 30 miles).

goldfinch

In case you don't know about it, to avoid the IV in the arm and the EMT crew you wife can inject you with glucagon. We keep several emergency kits as my spouse has hypoglycemia unawareness at night. It changed our lives.

baj32161

Divide mg/dl (milligrams per decilitre) by 18 to get your mmol/l reading.