Feeling neasuous and can't finish workout

johnnyr24
johnnyr24 Posts: 90 Member
Hello everyone I'm John and I just joined this group just. I have type 2 diabetes I just found out earlier this week. It has been hard but I am managing as best I can with it. My main goal here is to lose weight and better my health. I'm not sure if it's the medication that could be causing this or the sudden change in diet but I find myself feeling nauseous to a certain point. I tried doing my workout and to my surprise for the last 2 days I have been completely out of energy during the workout which is something that almost never happens to me. I feel like I can barely get through a workout here.

I always check my numbers especially when I am feeling nauseous and so far my numbers have been alright. The lowest reading I have gotten so far was a 78 and the highest I have gotten is 115. Why would I be feeling this nausea if I am in fact within an ok blood sugar level? Or would you say my numbers are not good at all? Could my diet change have something to do with this? Also why am I feeling like I can barely workout like I am out of energy? I'm currently on Metformin HLC 500mg. I'm just not sure what the problem could be or how to fix it. Advice is appreciated.

Replies

  • A common side effect of metformin is nausea. If you've made changes to your diet, to decrease calories and carbohydrate that could be part of the reason why you don't have energy for your workouts. Have you met with a diabetes educator to learn more about nutrition for people with diabetes? There's no one set diet plan that works for everyone, and figuring out how to eat so that you manage blood sugar levels and also have good energy is key. ~Lynn /Glucerna
  • johnnyr24
    johnnyr24 Posts: 90 Member
    A common side effect of metformin is nausea. If you've made changes to your diet, to decrease calories and carbohydrate that could be part of the reason why you don't have energy for your workouts. Have you met with a diabetes educator to learn more about nutrition for people with diabetes? There's no one set diet plan that works for everyone, and figuring out how to eat so that you manage blood sugar levels and also have good energy is key. ~Lynn /Glucerna

    Thank you for the reply. My doctor has already put in paperwork for the diabetes education classes but the classes won't begin until the start of next month as I was told they are booked and don't have any available spots until then. But the only orders my dr. gave me for now was to keep up my exercise routine and to just eat healthier and to replace all my fattening and sugary foods with healthy alternatives. At least now I know about the side affect I didn't see it listed on the bottle and my friend takes the same medication and didn't have this symptom which is why I asked. But always good to know I'm hoping I can adjust to my diet soon enough and that I can get used to the medication.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,282 Member
    I was having trouble with my Metformin making me feel nausiated...the Dr. told me that different pharmacies have different generic brands and that perhaps another pharmacy would have a brand that wouldn't bother me. So I got my prescription filled at a different pharmacy and it was like magic...no more nausea!
  • cclepew
    cclepew Posts: 40 Member
    It could be the Metformin, as other people have commented. I've been on it since May and haven't ever had any problems with it, but a lot of people do. Make sure you don't take it on an empty stomach. It should be taken with meals. Speaking of food, it's possible that a sudden change in diet could be upsetting your stomach. Especially if you're eating a lot more fiber all of a sudden. That could throw things off and make you very uncomfortable. But keep eating healthy, though! It's worth it.

    I would also ask, what were your before-workout and after-workout blood sugar readings? Did you maybe go low during the workout? That could definitely make you feel low on energy, and possibly nauseous (everybody's different). I know from testing before and after that my usual one hour workout on the stationary bike drops my blood sugar around 50-70 points. I test before each workout and make sure my blood sugar is high enough so that a 50-70 point drop won't be a problem. If it looks like I'll go too too low, I'll eat some carbs before the workout to give me enough energy. I also know that one carb gram will raise my blood sugar about 5 points, so I can do the math and not worry about going overboard with extra carbs.

    Your blood sugar meter will be your new best friend. It's the best tool you have to manage diabetes. Blood sugar levels can be very random sometimes (like when you're stressed out or sick), but in some ways it's pretty predictable. Learn to test strategically (like before a meal, 1 hour after the meal, and 2 hours after the meal), and you'll find patterns that will help you manage things. Check out the website http://www.bloodsugar101.com. She's got a lot of good information. I wish I'd found her site when I was first diagnosed!

    I know it's confusing and takes a while to figure all this stuff out. Hang around these message boards and you'll learn a lot! Good luck!
  • I'm glad you're set to take a diabetes education class. cclepew has some great suggestions for using your meter to help you learn more about how exercise affects you. You might also try exercise at different times of day if possible to see if that makes a difference in how you feel. ~Lynn /Glucerna
  • ecclesse
    ecclesse Posts: 42 Member
    Agree with testing before and after so you can see how your workout is affecting your numbers. I recently changed my workout plan to go immediately after work and before dinner. I ate a greek yogurt with walnuts as a snack beforehand. By the time I got home, I was feeling shaky. Tested and I was at a 79. Had another snack and felt better in a couple of minutes. Try changing when you eat to see if that has an impact on how you feel. Good Luck.