I was wondering what everyone does during tournaments. Since there is game after game after game, things get a little tricky. How often do you check your sugar? How often do you eat or drink? If you are on a pump, how do you deal with tournaments since sometimes you have to have your pump off for more then 2 hours?
Thankfully rugby tournaments give you a little bit of time between matches to eat/get drunk so there's time to check your levels. If I am high then I'll reconnect my pump for a moment in order to bolus (usually half the normal amount) then disconnect and check my levels again in after the match is over.
Tournaments are hard! but i do the same as Pat.. sometimes im just high after the tournament, and i get back in control after its done.
Same here. I have soccer tournaments and it gets pretty tiring but yep.
I somethime treat my highs, bad? or okay?
I'm usually drinking a gatorade with playing though, and not covering it...
When Im playing in a basketball tournament or something like that, usually I have atleast an hour or two between games and I like to bring like an energy bar or protein bar (since is good to have all of those things besides carbs to help you recover) and then I will drink a Gatorade or G2 during and after the game. It seems like to me when im playing in some sort of competition I usually can avoid taking insulin most of the day, unless im eating an actual meal, but if i just take carbs in every hour or so my BS seems to be right where I want it most of the time. But its not just your sugars you need to watch out for make sure your giving your body everything you need through out the day too. Hope this helps.
[quote user="Nicole"]
I somethime treat my highs, bad? or okay?
I'm usually drinking a gatorade with playing though, and not covering it...
[/quote]
Well, you should treat your highs at least a little if you're going to remain disconnected after discovering the high. I've found that what your glucose does is related to the intensity of whatever activity you're doing. A really intense game or half of running around and adrenaline pumping can spike me up into the 400's. Other times I will test before the match, be something like 115, give myself 1 or 2 units that I know will be 'on board' for about 2-4 hours. This usually mitigates the super high spikes. Sometimes it has the opposite effect though since your body absorbs insulin faster during exercise.
I really wish there was a set way to do it and be sure, but everything thus far for me (and others I suppose) is trial and error.
I play lacrosse, so it's very intense, and a lot of runing.
So, if I'm like way high like that it's because it's intense? I never knew that! It makes so much more sense. I never understood why I would be high after games sometimes, since activity brings your sugar down.
Thank you for your help!
It does! Thanks :)
I havn't quite found something that works for me during games/practices/tournaments.
So all the advice I can get, the better!
Nicole,
I play lacrosse too! its nice meeting someone else who plays as it is not a really popular sport where i live...but anyway for tournaments i disconnect my pump before the game and take 20% of the basal i will miss for the hour that I have it off. When the game is over, I reconnect and take another 60% of the missed basal. (If i take all 80 i end up low the next game) I check my blood before and after each game but usually not during unless i dont feel well. If i am under 250 when i check I don't correct, because it will drop once i start playing. If im over 250 then I will correct but I reduce it by about 50%. I have to drink water not gatorade cause i find with me the extra carbs complicate things...
For practice I always correct for whatever snack i have before the practice, but sometimes for games i find its better not to. The extra adrenaline that comes with playing a real game makes my bloodsugar drop more, so if i am under 175 i try to have 15-25 carbs just to be safe.
This is just what I do so it's probably different for you....but i hope it helps! Good luck with your season!
hey nicole!! i play a lot of basketball. During every timeout or when im on the bench, i will check my blood sugar and put in any insulin that i need. i also check in between games. I drink a lot of gatorade and water mixed together. i also have crackers or a sandwhich in between games. hope this helps.
I do Gatorade & water mixed too!
it does! it does!
Oh wow!
Yeah, last year my school got a LAX team for the first year, ever.
Untill then, I'd never heard of it, haha.
I haven't really messed around with my % of basal yet, so I may have to try that.
I've only had my pump for about a month now.
Thank you! & Good luck to you also :)
Hey Nicole,
If it is an all day tounatment and your pump is off for an extended period of time be careful only drinking Gatorade. It is a great fix for the short term, but for extended periods like this you should lean towards more complex carbs that will last longer. My Dr has told me to correct any extreme highs during exercise/activity, as being high will have an adverse affect on your playing ability, and having those more complex carbs in you will help keep from crashing. As with anything, it is unfortunately trial and error, and the basal and bolus for these days will vary drastically from your 'normal' days. If your Dr does not specialize/have a LOT of experience in treating serious Athletes with diabetes, look around for someone that does. It will make a world of difference for what they can do for you. Good Luck!!
Hello Nicole and any one else who reads this post. My son has wrestling tournaments. He has found that drinking pedialyte is better than gatorade as it does not contain the sugars that gatorade has, he doesn't get the highs from sugars and this helps him stay hydrated.
Good Luck,
Debbie