Diabetics and health clubs (buy, blood, plan, require)
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Maybe this won't be important to many people but it is to me, so bear with me. I have been a diabetic for about 75% of my life and exercise has always been a big part of my life. I would say Im very knowledgeable about both, and I know how quickly low blood sugar can occur especially during and after exercise. I have experienced it and that is why I am so cautious with this problem. The gym I go to I have been a member for 3 years. Once a week on sundays I use their cooler to put a protein drink in that I drink right after the workout to help ward off low sugar until I get home and eat. The drink must be refrigerated. The weekdays I buy it from them. They have allowed me this privledge on sundays because nothing in the area is open and the gym has run out of products on the weekend. Today they discarded my drink and told me I would not be allowed to use their cooler any longer, no explanation given to me. I know from my past I have to have nourishment after a workout sometimes even during. If I follow that regiment I am fine. I admit I felt hurt, and thought its a case of does anybody even know my name here and does anybody really care. I told them I think it is probably illegal to not provide sometype of arrangment for a diabetic or anyone with a handicap. They have never had a medical emergeny with me, so it can't be the fear of that happening in their gym. I feel it is just a very impersonal atmosphere. No offense to the younger set but I do feel if it had been older people with a actual health backround I would have been treated better. It puts me in a dangerous situation as I am very prone to severe lows with execise and I hate to depend on glucose tablets. I basically hate the thought of making a unnecessary situation, the drink always seem to help me. How do others that exercise is a big part of their life handle living with diabetes and exercise? I am pretty sure though that Diabetes is listed as a handicap and a health club would be required to make accomodations of some sort.
Location: Visitation between Wal-Mart & Home Depot
8,309 posts, read 38,784,973 times
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The only thing that occurs to me is that management may have received a legal opinion that they could be exposed to liability by getting involved in your routine. I doubt very much that the young staffers have just decided to do this on their own, it sounds like someone with some authority has instructed them that this isn't going to happen anymore and that they are not to discuss it with you. I wouldn't hold it against the day staff.
Maybe this won't be important to many people but it is to me, so bear with me. I have been a diabetic for about 75% of my life and exercise has always been a big part of my life. I would say Im very knowledgeable about both, and I know how quickly low blood sugar can occur especially during and after exercise. I have experienced it and that is why I am so cautious with this problem. The gym I go to I have been a member for 3 years. Once a week on sundays I use their cooler to put a protein drink in that I drink right after the workout to help ward off low sugar until I get home and eat. The drink must be refrigerated. The weekdays I buy it from them. They have allowed me this privledge on sundays because nothing in the area is open and the gym has run out of products on the weekend. Today they discarded my drink and told me I would not be allowed to use their cooler any longer, no explanation given to me. I know from my past I have to have nourishment after a workout sometimes even during. If I follow that regiment I am fine. I admit I felt hurt, and thought its a case of does anybody even know my name here and does anybody really care. I told them I think it is probably illegal to not provide sometype of arrangment for a diabetic or anyone with a handicap. They have never had a medical emergeny with me, so it can't be the fear of that happening in their gym. I feel it is just a very impersonal atmosphere. No offense to the younger set but I do feel if it had been older people with a actual health backround I would have been treated better. It puts me in a dangerous situation as I am very prone to severe lows with execise and I hate to depend on glucose tablets. I basically hate the thought of making a unnecessary situation, the drink always seem to help me. How do others that exercise is a big part of their life handle living with diabetes and exercise? I am pretty sure though that Diabetes is listed as a handicap and a health club would be required to make accomodations of some sort.
Find yourself another gym...........A medically based facility (one sponsored or owned by a hospital) would never allow something like that to happen.
Just a guess..But yeh..I would find another gym that doesnt run out of stuff.
Why not have a protien bar? Also there is that rice milk and other milk alternatives sealed in individual boxes and they dont need a fridge till you open them. They are just like little juice boxes.
I cant believe they didnt tell you though and just did it.
Running out of stuff on the weekend is a sign of bad mngmt.
Not to mention the lack of customer service. Like it would of killed them to let you know on your last shake.
Oh well...Im sure some other gym would gladly take your money.
Jimrob, first congratulations on your commitment to your health. I would think you would have an OCR complaint under Section 504 or the Americans with disabilities act. I would appeal to them and try to negotiate some type of solution. As an aside, it would be nice if they had an atmosphere that was concilatory toward patrons. Did they get a change of management? If so, it sounds like they might not last long....
Thanks everyone for your comments and advice. I do think they did have a change of management, but it is difficult to tell. Portland is not a place that goes out of its way to be friendly and that carries over into businesses here. I have never really seen employees let alone a manager come by and say hello. In fact in the 3 years I have gone there, had I not been the type that says hello, I never would have even got that. There is a noticeable oblivious type vibe in that gym, I doubt they even considered me or what could happen to me from their action. I did notify the main headquarters for 24 hour fitness in California this morning. I am told they will be researching just what happened yesterday, and then notify me. A friend of mine recommended a gym I did not even know about here in downtown Portland. It is just about the last privately owned gym here and caters to more of a mixture of people and ages. It also is more in tune with the health end of people as well as the fitness end. I think I would be more comfortable there and am visiting it later this week. Again thank you for your interest and comments.
24 hour fitness has contacted me, that in the future I will be able to bring my Diabetic product into their gym and use their cooler. They explained they were sorry for this incident to have happened in the first place.
Hi Jimrob1, I am a type 1 diabetic and have had similar experiences at my local 24 hour fitness gym. It's the most convenient and nicest gym around so I have continued to go there, but have had to modify my eating schedule before and after workouts. I have a dream and if enough support is gained I would like to pursue this business idea of mine. I would like to open my own gym that caters specifically to diabetics of both types with nutritionists and personal trainers that know exactly how to ensure a diabetic gets the best exercise experience. I had this idea when I was working out at the 24 and suddenly got a low blood sugar and had to ask the people at the counter for a little bit of juice. They replied that I could only buy a whole drink and I told them that I would have to go all the way to my house for just 1/4 cup of orange juice. I though to myself, Gee, that sure would be nice if this place was designed for people like me and understood how to take care of me, the valued customer right? So let me know what you think. email me at kernatho@yahoo.com if you think that's a good idea or if you have any criticisms. Thanks.
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