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Strange Episode

Chook

Chook

Expert
Messages
5,095
Location
Yorkshire
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
People who think they know everything.
I had a very low carb day yesterday. I ate plenty of food and was totally satisfied but it was VLC. On a routine two hours post prandial test after dinner last night my bg was 3.7. I felt perfectly fine but decided to raise my BG a bit so I had half a dozen cherry tomatoes, which usually works but an hour later it was still 3.7 so I had a 100g bowl of cherries (trying to be healthy) and an hour later it was 3.6. I checked it on a different machine and it really was 3.6 but I really felt fine. No sensation of hypo.

Then I got a bit worried so had half a Lidl Protein Roll with butter. No change. So I broke out the heavy guns and ate 50g of Green & Blacks 85% and it finally went up to 4.0. At no time did I feel hypo-y. At bed time it was still 4 and this morning's fasting test was still 4.0.

Has any one else experienced similar weirdness? And, is it because I've kept my BG at between 4.2 and 5.4 for the last week that I didn't hypo at 3.6?
 
If you feel fine I'd say mid 3 is fine. Excellent, in fact.

Please be aware this isn't qualified medical advice for ALL diabetics within the forum .
Some may feel fine - others may 'not' feel fine .

Each member is individual here within the community .
 
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I have no experience of hypos (nor of under-5 BGs!) but it all sounds reasonable. There are others on this forum whose BGs go under 4 without hypo symptoms.

One thing that I would recommend is your looking into your current medication with a view to reducing it (consulting a GP as well)
 
Hi @Chook,

I am on a very Low Carb (Ketogenic) diet and what you describe (low levels without any symptoms) has become my "normal". For me this strictly corresponds with whether I am in Ketosis or not.

In Ketosis, I can go to very low levels without any symptoms and without any loss of brain function.

Out of Ketosis, a low level will cause symptoms and then a loss of brain function (confusion, double-vision, loss of balance) if I don't treat in time.

Based on the science I have read, I expect this correspondency (between Ketosis and no Hypo symptoms) to be common. This is because the Hypo symptoms are effectively a warning from a brain which feels under threat from lack of fuel. Out of Ketosis, the brain is fuelled solely from Glucose, and therefore lack of Glucose is a serious threat. In Ketosis, the brain is fuelled primarily from Ketones, and lack of Glucose is much less of a threat.

But not all people on this forum report the same thing, so I make clear that I only describe my own situation, and certainly don't intend to say that low levels are generally safe.

(As I'm writing, my level is 2.4 and I'm in a strong Ketosis)

Regards :)
Antony
 
There is a condition called flat curve Hypoglycaemia.
But you do not have the symptoms of that condition, do keep an eye on your levels especially if they go to low!

You may live happily with no symptoms in that range!
 
Thank you for your replies. I have checked and I, too, am strongly in ketosis. I have been checking my BG regularly today and haven't risen above 4.1. Again it's been a very low carb day because that's the kind of food I prefer now and that's the only sort of food that's in this house, apart from the frozen chocolate.

Now it's not worrying me (thanks to your replies) I'm finding it interesting that I can go so low without a hypo when only five months ago I made a note in my BG journal that I felt close to hypo the day that my BG got down into the high 6s.

To be perfectly honest I'm glad that it's not just me that gets this!
 
Please be aware for any Type1 diabetics a range of 2.4 isn't safe to drive ...
We certainly wouldn't want anyone to risk a serious hypo .

If any doubts please discuss this with your GP or DSN .
The DVLA will also view this range as deemed unsafe .
 
like diamondnostril..when my ketones are above 3, my blood sugar has gotten as low as 3.4 without any hypo symptoms whatsoever. prior to LCHF, i would start getting the shakes at about 3.8-4.
 
It seems to have resolved itself. Yesterday my fbg was 4.9 and didn't rise above 5.6 all day and today has also started with an fbg of 4.9. Nowadays I thint of my diabetes as being well controlled. I'm happy with yesterday and Sunday's numbers.

I am interested why it would happen and why I felt perfectly fine at such a low (for me) reading. I'm T2. Thanks @anna29 I don't drive cars/ ride motorbikes nowadays but for a different reason.
 
Chook said:
It seems to have resolved itself. Yesterday my fbg was 4.9 and didn't rise above 5.6 all day and today has also started with an fbg of 4.9. Nowadays I thint of my diabetes as being well controlled. I'm happy with yesterday and Sunday's numbers.

I am interested why it would happen and why I felt perfectly fine at such a low (for me) reading. I'm T2. Thanks @anna29 I don't drive cars/ ride motorbikes nowadays but for a different reason.
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Chock - I'm often in the low 3s and feel fine. I start to feel it under 3, but I'm usually also pretty hungry, so just eat as I planned anyway. I don't "treat" anything. I just need to be fed!

I'd wager you felt fine, either because you're just getting used to having a few lows your body is dealing with, by your liver regulating things, or your meter reading was a bit off, by the accuracy tolerances they are allowed. Either way, unless you feel bad, or are taking hefty medication which could be driving your numbers down, just relax about it.
 
Hi there, I realize this post is a few weeks old, but I just wanted to comment either way, -I also hit 3.6 yesterday with no hypo symptomes at all, -I've had 3.9 fasting a couple mornings and felt fine as well. I am on a lowcarb diet, I usually eat very few carbs for breakfast and lunch, and then some carbs for dinner and supper (including lowcarb-snacks). I had quite a few ketones this afternoon before dinner (I test using ketostix from the pharmacy) but I've just started to use ketostix as I just recently god this blessed gift of diabetes (irony, if in doubt) ;) :)
 
I wish I could find the link, but I read a paper about an experiment someone did on some people on a ketogenic diet. Basically they injected them with insulin and got there blood glucose levels down to coma inducing levels. Surprisingly, they were fine. No hypo symptoms. They speculated that they were fine because they were using ketones as their energy source. Obviously I don't recommend anyone try this at home.
 
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