Going on insulin

[Geezer]

My doctor is starting me on insulin and I'm wondering how this is going to affect my hiking. I like to hike alone but now I'm not sure if that will be such a good idea. Any other diabetic hikers out there can share advice or experiences? Did you have to change the way you hike because of your disease. This is really pressing on my mind.

[SunnyDay]

If you must hike alone I would not do it until you are more familiar with managing your diabetes with insulin. If you have your glucose levels under good control and you know how to recognize and manage a bout with low blood sugar then you might be OK if you are careful. I wouldn't plan any solo hikes until I had more experience with managing my diabetes with insulin though.

[wvbreamfisherman]

As an EMT, I'd second SunnyDay's advice. I'd also suggest taking your glucometer kit along and testing regularly. Carry sugar supplements AND complex carbohydrates to help balance your blood sugar.

Not too sure about carrying unrefrigerated insulin. I suppose you could use a cold pack and small soft cooler if need be.

[carmen]

From what I know insulin does not have to be refrigerated but it is preferred by most doctors. You could keep it in a small pack with your cold drinks and an ice cooler right?

[ponderosa]

My husband has type 1 diabetes, which means he's been on insulin since the beginning of the disease. He is very active, hiking, skiing, mountain biking, etc, and yes, sometimes does those things solo. Definitely be sure to be comfortable with the way your body responds and compensates for exercise beore heading out alone, but once you've had some practice, you can keep hiking solo. Be sure to eat complex carbs and protein to avoid the ups/downs that occur easily with simple, refined carbs. Expect to require less insulin when you're being active than during your normal routine. When we're hiking hard, my husband can eat twice as much than usual and still use about half the insulin he normally does. Remember, you can always take a little insulin, wait a while, test again, and take more if necessary. That's easier on your body than crashing low from taking more than you needed.

He carries his insulin in a little foam padded case, tucked against the water bladder in his pack. This has always worked to keep it cool enough, even in hot weather. You know it is safe to use if it is still clear; if it becomes cloudy, don't use it.

Another thing to consider is an insulin pump, once you kind of have your particular insulin requirements (type, dosage) figured out. There's no question that my husband has had better control since starting a pump, and it makes life easier in general. Instead of having to stop, draw insulin, give a shot...multiple times a day, he just pushes a button. It makes consistent compliance much easier, and he feels better.

There are some hard core hikers who are also diabetics who post regularly on backpacker.com. If you head over there, and do a forum search for "diabetes," you'll find lots of good advice and inspiration. Watch for posts especially from GoBlueHiker and 4WheelBob.

[wvbreamfisherman]

Thanks, Ponderosa! I wasn't sure about the requirement for keeping the insulin cool. We usually deal with acute patients, and they have their own insulin. :-)