I\u2019ve been taking metformin for a couple of months now and it has made a huge change in my life. I used to wake up most mornings with blood sugar levels of 130 \u2013 180. Now I wake up most mornings with blood sugar level of 90-120. This to me is absolutely amazing. After years of trying different things, including diet and different basal rates I finally solved this problem with the help of a drug usually prescribed to patients with type 2 diabetes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But like most things in life, solving one problem creates new ones.\u00a0 Waking up high, although not healthy, was convenient as I go running most mornings and need my blood sugar to be higher than normal. (My doctor always tells me my blood sugar should be at least 150 before I run.)<\/p>\n
This morning when I woke up at 4:45 a.m. my blood sugar was 95. When I saw the number I smiled to my self, happy to see a good number once again. I lowered my basal rate on my insulin pump to 30% and got ready to run. I went out a little after 5:30 a.m. and stopped to check my blood sugar after a little less than a mile. It was 98. I took a gel and continued. I took another gel 2 miles later when my blood sugar was 88 and the again 3 miles later (115). When I finished my 10.25 mile run my blood sugar was 135.<\/p>\n
This is how my blood sugar has been during most of my runs since starting metformin. I find myself taking 2-3 gels on relatively short runs just to keep my blood sugar above 100.<\/p>\n
This morning while running, after I took my third gel, I thought maybe I should just disconnect all together when I run \u2013 just leave my insulin pump at home. I\u2019m a little scared to do it although it actually makes sense. I would be happy not having the extra sugar equipment on me, but I\u2019m not sure I can go so long without any basal insulin. I also don\u2019t know about longer runs. I\u2019m not sure, but it seems to me that after 15 miles my blood sugar starts to get higher. I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s a result of taking too many gels early on or just something my body does to prove that diabetes has no rules and it will screw you every change it gets.<\/p>\n
I guess the only thing to do is to try. I know the careful (and smart thing) to do would be to lower my basal rate to 20%, see what happens, and then lower it again and again if necessary. But the idea of not running with an insulin pump is so tempting that I may just try it and see what happens. I guess I\u2019ll go with my gut (or my blood sugar level) when I wake up tomorrow morning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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