A letter from diabetic cyclist:
Most of diabetic cyclist have that “Diabetes doesn’t stop me from doing anything” attitude, which I also have but it does not change the fact that Diabetes is still a big pain in the ass. There are some major challenges in cycling with diabetes. One of them is a different kind of fatigue after a long distance ride. Basically your body feels like you are still riding and your blood sugars are at a dangerously low levels. I deal with this by constantly checking my blood sugar levels and do the necessary corrections. Of course it would be impossible to do without my glucose monitor which I got from canadadrugpharmacy.com where I also get most of my meds since I got no insurance…boohoo.
Another common problem that most diabetic cyclists have is lack of stamina, especially when comparing to the pre diabetes days. Some people just write it off to the diabetes, which in fact does not have to do anything with it, well… not diabetes itself but more of their reaction to some of the medication. So before you push yourself too hard or give up see which medication you are using and what other reaction you having in addition to the lack of stamina.
Lots of diabetic cyclists have a lactate build-up and/or flushing in addition to the problems with stamina. Usually if you have those signs and you take both Niacin and Zocor it can cause a condition known as rhabdomyolysis -breakdown of the muscle–general muscle soreness. Have your liver function tests and talk with your doctor about holding one of the two above medications for a few weeks and see if it has any effect on your well being. Also if you take Lipitor and other cholesterol drugs, they are known to cause cramping, especially in the calves. Levoquin, Cefaclor, and other flouroquinine based antibiotics are known to cause tendonitis, especially in the achille’s tendon.
Either way, keep an eye on your blood sugar levels during and after those long rides and for stamina problems talk to you doctor and see if you cycle some of the medication off and see if it resulted in less overall soreness and more stamina. Good luck and don’t give up on cycling.