Hypoglycemic blues and cramps on a bicycle ride. (cross post from Bicycling group) [View all]

[TexasProgresive]

I am type 2 diabetic and have been riding for years. It really helps to normalize my blood glucose levels. Yesterday I did the Saturday group ride. This ride has regular turn around points of 32 miles, 45 miles, 56 miles and for the intrepid 67 miles with a visit to a coffee shop at the turn around.

Anyway I haven't done a ride longer than 35 miles this year. I take a 24 hour insulin shot at night but I split it in two doses 12 hours apart, 2/3s and 1/3. This is to prevent hypoglycemia. I never take the second shot until after a ride. Around 70 mg/dl is working towards a hypo especially if dropping.

I did great to the 22.5 turn around and was headed back to start with 3 others. As we were approaching a little town with a post office I said, "I'm going to have to stop and eat something." I could feel it coming on, and I was losing energy. They stopped with me. I tested and was at 70 mg/dl. I ate 2 glucose tablets (8 grams) and a Kind nut bar. About 8 or 9 miles down the road. I had just one with me as the other 2 took a different route and damn if it wasn't happening again. We stopped at a park. 64 mg/dl and shaking. 16 grams of glucose and we moved on. Near the end we ran into a compadre walking his bike with a flat rear tire, his second.

I gave him my spare tube and got my great pump out (I got CO2 but don't like to use it). We got him going. Him and my companion turned for home and me for my car. I propped my bike got in the car and started the engine and AC. I was shaking worse, 64 mg/dl and falling. I ate 4 more glucose tablets, two gel packs I had in the car and drank all of my water.

I loaded the bike and as usual on a town ride drove to my gym where I could stretch and shower. This is not diabetes related by more like low electrolytes. As I pulled into a parking space I got a cramp in my left quad. I ate 2 packs of yellow mustard and it subsided. When I was getting out of the car my right hamstring cramped. I limped into the gym.

All the way home I was experiencing cramping in my fingers. I was dying of thirst although I had drunk 3-4 liters of water. At home I took to electrolyte capsules and drank more water. Finally everything settled down.

What a day, but all in all it was a great ride being out with my friends.

I'm going to cross post this in the diabetes group.