Thought I was doing so well, then just suddenly dropped to 1.8...!

[TrayTray]

This just happened a couple of hours ago and I'm still pretty shaken up.

I'm a recently diagnosed T1 (Nov 2014 by DKA) And ever since then has been a hectic roller-coaster of blood sugar results. I have found that adding 30-60 minutes of moderate cardio a day has helped to keep everything moderately stabilized or at the very least keep my mind off of reality, food timers, insulin doses and carb counting for just a little bit.
This last week I have been getting a few more lows than normal (3.3-3.9) but nothing that would worry me too much. I try to adjust my insulin accordingly since I'm not on the pump (and won't be eligible for at least another 6 months) as best I can but I'll usually find I don't dose enough and end up running high. Days where I do extra cardio I drop my Lantus by a unit or 2 but I try to keep it the same if I can since my levels fluctuate a lot when I drop it too much.

So before dinner today (at 7pm) I was feeling a bit tired (lunch was at 2pm 2.5 units of NR) so I ate an apple as a small snack in case my sugars were dropping and just put my head down for a quick nap. after about 10 minutes I woke up, felt fine, walked upstairs and that when it hit me. Instantly felt dizzy (thank goodness my fiance was there to help) he walked me downstairs but it was getting worse so quickly. I started seeing flashes of shapes and I knew there was something very wrong. we got the monitor and I was at 1.8. he ran to get some OJ and called 911 just in case I went unconscious ( may have been a bit much but we're both super new to all of this and we don't know how to handle situations like this. We have glucagon but haven't had to use it yet) The rest was a bit of a blur but I remember the dizziness getting much more intense and seeing flashes of light and not really hearing his voice or being able to talk. Luckily we were able to pull out of it with the orange juice and since then I have stabilized but The whole experience really shook me.

The worst part is that it was seemingly random sudden occurrence which from when I looked back on my journal I couldn't see what would have caused such a rapid drastic drop in blood sugar. I'm just lucky my finance was home and he was there to help because If I were driving or doing something where I needed to have my full attention I don't know how I would deal with it. I felt so helpless and not in control. Has anybody else experienced this? What did you do to pull yourself out (if you could)? Any suggestions on how to prevent it from happening again?

Thanks for reading to the end <3

 

[tim2000s]

Hi @TrayTray, that was an unpleasant experience for you. Many of us know how you felt.

The first thing I would suggest is learning to understand your hypo symptoms. It sounds from your post like you have some clear hypo symptoms. Now you know what they feel like, it will be easier to deal with. The way to deal with it is to always have a source of glucose at hand. Glucose tablets or jelly babies are favoured by many of us as quick acting carbs. Treat with these when you get this type of symptom before reaching for the meter.

The second question you are looking for is more difficult to answer. As a relatively new diabetic, you are likely to be in the honeymoon period. One of the side effects of this is that your pancreas misfires and can release too much insulin occasionally. It's possible that this is what happened. It is also possible that there was an inconsistent release of Lantus, that you'd done exercise that you hadn't accounted for or that your earlier fast acting had pushed you lower than you realised. It's not always straightforward.

The one thing I would mention is that you said you were feeling a bit tired so you ate an apple before lying down in case your bg level was going low. This statement stands out because many of us feel the need to eat something even when we aren't especially low. I'd suggest that in the future you do a test before settling down if you get that "craving".

Sorry I can't be more use, but it's difficult to explain what went on in cases like these. Best is to be prepared so you know what to do to avoid it next time.

 

[TrayTray]

Thank you @tim2000s !

Great advice This is all so confusing and it seems there are always so many variables! You're right about the hypo symptoms, I'm very grateful that I feel them so drastically because as I'm slowly learning there are quite a few out there who aren't so lucky and don't know until it's too late
I will definitely keep some candies on me at all times.

Thank you so much for the advice and support <3 This site is awesome

 

[Juicyj]

Good advice from Tim above, and sorry these hypos can be pretty nasty so I know how awful they can be.

Please also advise your diabetic team/nurse when you can today, they will also want to run throught your doses and the chain of events leading up to this, so continue to record in your journal and when you can call them up, you may need to reduce your lantus further so it's a good idea to speak to them about doing this first, as Tim said it's probably your honeymoon causing the pain. I use glucogel and jelly babies to treat mine and will generally eat 3 jelly babies if I feel low then test as your monitor is taking your Bg results from 10 minutes ago so best to get the sugar in asap, hope your ok now.

 

[CarbsRok]

Sorry you had such a rotten experience Just a suggestion though regarding your Lantus. As I understand things, it takes Lantus 3 days to adjust once you change a dose. So perhaps consider your bolus as your first port of call for change. Obviously if low 3 days in a row then change your basal dosage.
As others have said do speak to your team as your safety and wellbeing is yours and theirs no 1 priority.
There are a couple of books which are highly recommended, using insulin and also think like a pancreas. Both can be found on Amazon.
Hope you feel better soon.

 

[donnellysdogs]

A rotten time indeed....

Glucogel is a lot easier for partner to help with, despite it tasting neutrally awful.

Gkycagon injections are not particulary nice for another person to give. From what I remember they have to draw up from one vial and mux in another vial etc. it is scarey to the other half to then have to inject it. Especially when we can be acting really odd and can be argumentative.

Its not nice to hear things going on snd not being anle to talk or respond approriately. I don't recall actually doing it but my first hypo was so severe I had 4 ambulance people and a GP and I hit the GP!!! He was trying to get an intravenous drip in me!! I have a huge fear of intravenous drips and big needles so must have known what he was trying to do when I lashed out at him.

Anyhow, glucogel is much easier to be squirted in mouth and massaged in gums if necessary. For both you and anybody assisting.

I have 3 maoam pinballs if I feel low as I love them. Best that hypo stoppers are quick acting and really liked. I have no tolerance of gelatin products like jelly babies etc and they disrupt my stomach , dislike cold drinks so found my own loved quick acting hypo stoppers, 3 are 15g carb...

I hope your DSN will go through the cause of this hypo with you and will avoid others occuring.

 

[tim2000s]

Gkycagon injections are not particulary nice for another person to give. From what I remember they have to draw up from one vial and mux in another vial etc. it is scarey to the other half to then have to inject it.

One point on Glucagon injections - the guidance given with them is to only use them when the party suffering the symptoms cannot be fed orally wither with glucogel or something else. Essentially, when they are basically unconcsious. The last time this happened to me was 6 or 7 years ago and I had to be held down by the big paramedic while they tried to administer it I was so "angry".

 

[TrayTray]

Sorry you had such a rotten experience Just a suggestion though regarding your Lantus. As I understand things, it takes Lantus 3 days to adjust once you change a dose. So perhaps consider your bolus as your first port of call for change. Obviously if low 3 days in a row then change your basal dosage.
As others have said do speak to your team as your safety and wellbeing is yours and theirs no 1 priority.
There are a couple of books which are highly recommended, using insulin and also think like a pancreas. Both can be found on Amazon.
Hope you feel better soon.

wow nobody told me that info about Lantus before! Good to know. Thank you! I'll check those books out!

 

[RuthW]

This just happened a couple of hours ago and I'm still pretty shaken up.

I'm a recently diagnosed T1 (Nov 2014 by DKA) And ever since then has been a hectic roller-coaster of blood sugar results. I have found that adding 30-60 minutes of moderate cardio a day has helped to keep everything moderately stabilized or at the very least keep my mind off of reality, food timers, insulin doses and carb counting for just a little bit.
This last week I have been getting a few more lows than normal (3.3-3.9) but nothing that would worry me too much. ...

The worst part is that it was seemingly random sudden occurrence which from when I looked back on my journal I couldn't see what would have caused such a rapid drastic drop in blood sugar. <3

It could have been a response to the exercise. That also happens to me. I exercise and exercise for weeks with not much apparent effect, then suddenly it's like my whole system cranks up, my insulin sensitivity increases and my bloods keep dropping. You may indeed need to drop your basal a bit. But don't stop exercising. The less insulin you need to take, the better. And soon it will stabilize, unless you are planning to be a world class body builder, of course.