Classic XC Ski Insulin Strategies
This week I began using lyumjev, a newer fast acting insulin, which is made by the same company as Humalog. Studies conducted by the manufacturer found it started working 11 minutes faster than Humalog and is able to reduce post-meal spikes. I’ll post updates after a few weeks of usage under my belt.
Yesterday was my first classic XC with lyumjev on board. I was able to go with a friend, which was great because I didn’t want to be out on the trails alone since I wasn’t sure how I’d respond to the new insulin during activity. We kept the ski to roughly 2.5 hours at a very conversational pace with frequent stops.
I had breakfast an hour before we left, which was light; including 20 carbs of bread and PB. I reduced my bolus by 75% as I knew the ski would knock it down fast. About 15 minutes before we started skiing I suspended my insulin pump with a blood sugar of 110.
The trail was a slight uphill climb with very sticky snow, yet my heart rate stayed in zone 1, which is considered conversational pace. My blood sugar dipped to the low 70s twice, and I ate scratch chews for most of the way up. Once we reached our turnaround point, I resumed insulin with a temp basal of 50% my normal dosage. Overall I think it was a great test and it will help me dial in my approach for longer days I have planned for the summer.
If I suspend my insulin for more than an hour, I usually have a small spike roughly 30 minutes after finishing the activity. Therefore, I have to keep that in mind if I eat right after finishing; to counteract the rise, I’ll take an extra half or full unit of insulin based on the estimate from my pump.
Summary
Starting blood sugar: 110
Suspended insulin for 1.5 hours / temp basal at 50% normal dosage for one hour
One bag of chews / 40 total carbs
Ending blood sugar: 98
* I’m not a doctor and this is a personal account of how I treat my blood sugar during an activity.