Roller Derby!

Food
1

I finally got the guts up to start playing roller derby with my local team.  I have been skating with the team for two months and I really love it, but have come up with questions that I have had a hard time finding the answers to.  Any help would be appreciated!  I am 31 years old, T1 for 24 years.  I use an Animas pump and Dexcom CGM.  Women's flat track roller derby is a fast paced, contact sport (no fighting though!).  We are required to wear quad roller skates, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, mouth guards, and helmets.

 

Where can I stash my pump and CGM?  I have been sticking them in my sports bra while at practice but I am not very well endowed in that area.  I was thinking about putting some extra padding in there to cushion them from blows/falls.  Any other ideas? 

 

Practices are twice a week for two hours.  I also skate on my own for two hours one day a week.  What a difference these two activities have on my BG!  When I skate on my own, my BG will crash if I do not reduce or eliminate my basal rate and drink plenty of Gatorade.  On the flip side, when I am at practice with the team, my BG tends to spike about an hour into it!  If I start practice at 150, I will end up at 300-400 by the end.  Because of this, I have started taking larger and larger correction boluses before the rise, but am afraid my body will betray me and all of a sudden decide to drop.  I know that these rises are due to stress hormoes like adrenaline and cortisone (sp?).  Is there any way to get around it?  If it weren't for these spikes, I would probably be able to take my pump off during practices and not have to worry about a place to put it in my bra!

 

My endo did not have a lot of useful information for me, so I was hoping to get some here.  Thanks again, and don't forget to support your local roller girls, LOL!

2

Take your pump off.  When you get a break, check your blood sugar and give any correction boluses needed.  Often the lack of insulin will balance out with the blood sugar drop from exercise.  

I don't use a dexcom... is it a separante device like the pump?  If so, I'd clip it inside the sport bra.  You're unlikely to fall on your chest, so it's a good spot to protect.  

3

Thank you for the reply!  Yes, my Dexcom is a separate device at this time.  I am waiting for the integrated one to become available in the US.  You are right that the bra seems like the best place.  While I am unlikely to fall on my chest, I could get hit pretty hard in that area, but I can't think of anywhere else to put it.

4

Hi cc:

I am looking to start roller derby in my city, but I missed the spring training/tryouts so I will have to wait until fall. I too am on the insulin pump and wondered where to put it. I wear a tummitote when I rollerblade, but I don't trust that for derby. I hadn't thought about the bra. I've only been on the pump a few weeks but I decided to purchase this exercise harness. You place the pump in this little pocket and wear it on your back like a book bag. I'd love to hear how its going for you as a pumper in roller derby.

Best wishes.