Since I arrived in Quito, I have had a hard time telling when my blood sugar level was to high or low. Most of the time it has been fine, but those few times where it haven't, I have not felt it as fast as I would normally do. Maybe it is the altitude?
Anyway, I was going to hike Rucu Pichincha. If you read the other post about this topic, you will know I was not very well prepared. In the morning I ate a big bowl of oatmeal to get some energy for the day. For this I took just two units of NovoRapid because my blood sugar level was 4,2 mmol\l when I woke up. After about an 1,5 hour I reached the top of the Teleferiqo, around 1000metres\3300ft higher than where I came from. Here my blood sugar level was down to 2,5mmol\l. I should be feeling really dizzy, but all I felt was a faster heartbeat which I though had something to do with my blood sugar level. I took two grape glucose tablets to get the bloodsugar up.
After around an hour of walking, my blood sugar level was 4,1 mmol\l. Usualy my blood sugar level will get higher if I haven't been taking NovoRapid the past 2,5+ hours and I do something physically hard. It was around 2,5 hour ago since I took the NovoRapid, so I thought that if I continued walking, it would probably stay or go a bit higher. I was wrong. After 45minutes a was down to 3,5mmol\l. I took a break and ate a good handfull of white crackers. One hour later it was up to 5mmol\l. Again one hour later, when we reached the top, I measured my blood sugar level - 8,0 mmol\l. Now it was starting to go up if I did something physical. I therefore thought that i'd better take some insulin before going down. I have heard that the higher up you get, the more insulin you need. I was in an altitude of 4700m\15500ft. I thought i'd better take too little, than too much. I took 2 units of NovoRapid once again. I drank a few sip's of Gatorade (a beverage with a lot of sugar) and I ate a snackbar. Something with fiber and chocolate, 22g carbs and 8g sugars.
My bloodsugar was a bit high, the altitude was high and I both drank and ate some sugar and I only took 2 units NovoRapid. But later (I don't remember the time) I was down to 3,7mmol\l and had to eat some grape glucose tablets since that was all I had. From then on my blood sugar level was no problem.
I can recommend bringing some more food so you don't have to eat pure sugar - even though I highly recommend also bringing some grape glucose tablets or something similar to get your blood sugar level up fast, it might be necessary on such a hard hike. Fruits like apples and oranges or other foods that is not just fast carbs would be ideal when doing something physical for hours.
Never use the excuse "I have diabetes" unless it is to avoid drinking a liter of coca cola. You can do anything that anyone else can :)
Anyway, I was going to hike Rucu Pichincha. If you read the other post about this topic, you will know I was not very well prepared. In the morning I ate a big bowl of oatmeal to get some energy for the day. For this I took just two units of NovoRapid because my blood sugar level was 4,2 mmol\l when I woke up. After about an 1,5 hour I reached the top of the Teleferiqo, around 1000metres\3300ft higher than where I came from. Here my blood sugar level was down to 2,5mmol\l. I should be feeling really dizzy, but all I felt was a faster heartbeat which I though had something to do with my blood sugar level. I took two grape glucose tablets to get the bloodsugar up.
After around an hour of walking, my blood sugar level was 4,1 mmol\l. Usualy my blood sugar level will get higher if I haven't been taking NovoRapid the past 2,5+ hours and I do something physically hard. It was around 2,5 hour ago since I took the NovoRapid, so I thought that if I continued walking, it would probably stay or go a bit higher. I was wrong. After 45minutes a was down to 3,5mmol\l. I took a break and ate a good handfull of white crackers. One hour later it was up to 5mmol\l. Again one hour later, when we reached the top, I measured my blood sugar level - 8,0 mmol\l. Now it was starting to go up if I did something physical. I therefore thought that i'd better take some insulin before going down. I have heard that the higher up you get, the more insulin you need. I was in an altitude of 4700m\15500ft. I thought i'd better take too little, than too much. I took 2 units of NovoRapid once again. I drank a few sip's of Gatorade (a beverage with a lot of sugar) and I ate a snackbar. Something with fiber and chocolate, 22g carbs and 8g sugars.
My bloodsugar was a bit high, the altitude was high and I both drank and ate some sugar and I only took 2 units NovoRapid. But later (I don't remember the time) I was down to 3,7mmol\l and had to eat some grape glucose tablets since that was all I had. From then on my blood sugar level was no problem.
I can recommend bringing some more food so you don't have to eat pure sugar - even though I highly recommend also bringing some grape glucose tablets or something similar to get your blood sugar level up fast, it might be necessary on such a hard hike. Fruits like apples and oranges or other foods that is not just fast carbs would be ideal when doing something physical for hours.
Never use the excuse "I have diabetes" unless it is to avoid drinking a liter of coca cola. You can do anything that anyone else can :)
hope you are feeling good again - you are so brave
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