What to eat to stop a hypo in its tracks?

[Kaz261]

My levels appear to be on the slightly higher side for the past couple of days and I'm super sensitive to carbs. So much so that two hours after dinner tonight I was 7.8 and beginning to feel the inevitable hypo coming on.

I'm still learning and am never quite sure what is best to eat at this point? I don't want to overdo carbs and send myself right back up again but need to stop the fast drop (I went from 7.8 to 6.9 in just 10 mins).

Any suggestions welcome. Incidentally, I had a very small satsuma and small spoon of peanut butter (no added sugar variety).

 

[Lamont D]

If you can find something like a piece of low carb ish food about 9 or 10 gms of carbs and it work fast enough to get you going up at a decent rate and its trial and error, because as you say, you don't want hyper again!
I found that a plain biscuit, rich tea, not digestive! Helps me recover!
Mind you last hypo for me was in February!
If you add something full fat it helps slow the climb up!

Do not use glucose tablets!
Do not drink lucozade, coke or high carb food!
Do not have sugar or bread.

I personally wouldn't have had any carbs till I did hypo, 6.8 is nowhere near a hypo and all you are doing is topping up your levels with more carbs and glucose.

What did you have to eat to be that high?
Clearly something you shouldn't have ate, and not eaten again!

I know you are experimenting and your body is getting used to being low carb. But you must still restrict your food to upset you as little as possible and do your experimenting with care and only if you have been in normal range for a few hours!

 

[Lamont D]

Have just read your post on burns thread! @Kaz261 .
That should be your target area and stay there!
That's what you have to aim for and when you get there you will start feeling better!

 

[Kaz261]

Thanks Nosher. I was starting to feel shaky, heart was racing and anxious etc. Didn't know what to do for the best. I thought if I could stop or slow down the drop it might help. Had stuff to do so didn't want to sit it out. For the last two days there has been very little difference between my 1 hour and 2 hour readings, which is odd for me. I think I might be coming down with something.

In future, would I be better to eat protein or fat to help stop the drop? I know we're all different, but I appreciate your advice.

I feel like I have so much to learn. It's so difficult some days. I'm considering getting one of those monitors that Brun has, but not sure I know enough yet to fully interpret or learn from the results. Would you and @Brunneria mind helping me with that if I did get one please? It would be very much appreciated, as I really feel I need to get control of this soon.

 

[Brunneria]

I don't think you will have any problem interpreting a Libre.
It is easier than a phone to use, and the graph says it all!

 

[Lamont D]

Thanks Nosher. I was starting to feel shaky, heart was racing and anxious etc. Didn't know what to do for the best. I thought if I could stop or slow down the drop it might help. Had stuff to do so didn't want to sit it out. For the last two days there has been very little difference between my 1 hour and 2 hour readings, which is odd for me. I think I might be coming down with something.

In future, would I be better to eat protein or fat to help stop the drop? I know we're all different, but I appreciate your advice.

I feel like I have so much to learn. It's so difficult some days. I'm considering getting one of those monitors that Brun has, but not sure I know enough yet to fully interpret or learn from the results. Would you and @Brunneria mind helping me with that if I did get one please? It would be very much appreciated, as I really feel I need to get control of this soon.

Personally, if I did start to hypo (below 4.0) I would have a biscuit and a cuppa and sit down, then have some protein with full fat to ease my way along about fifteen minutes later.

Would not treat a hypo with anything that has very very low carb as protein has very few!
As I said you have to get in the normal zone, like I am!
You still feel bad at times, this is the symptoms because of the fluctuations in blood levels!

I would not have hardly any carbs at all in the next couple of days, if it was me!

And yes, I will help if you get a monitor, as I'm sure Brun will!
But it's no use getting one of them unless you are in control!

What did you eat?

 

[donnellysdogs]

Please don't forget that 1 point drop in your levels you mentioned in 10 mins may just have been the allowance that meters can vary or because you have squeezed more or less blood or from a different hand etc...

 

[Kaz261]

I've got to be super careful as we're out for a few hours tomorrow. I think I'm one of those people who is so in tune with their body, I notice/feel every little change. I then panic sometimes and try to correct things perhaps earlier than I should!

I think this is why the DN suggested I sit it out to see if I would hypo under normal circumstances i.e not as a result of a prolonged OGTT. I just feel I'm dropping quick and want to correct it, not sit and wait for the inevitable!

I had one chicken fajita (homemade, not a kit), but didn't eat all of the tortilla, so not very high carb. I've had the same before with no trouble at all.

Today I've had:
B Greek yogurt with 15g no added sugar muesli, berries, almonds and cinnamon (usually puts me up by no more than 2mmol/l.
S very small Apple
L ham and egg omelette, salad and 5 chips
S half under ripe pear
D fajita
S very small satsuma with peanut butter (to stop hypo occurring)
S 2 spoons Greek yogurt and 6 almonds

I'm now off to bed to hopefully sleep it off. Fingers crossed for a better day tomorrow as its my husbands birthday! Thanks again for being there to give advice x

 

[Kaz261]

Please don't forget that 1 point drop in your levels you mentioned in 10 mins may just have been the allowance that meters can vary or because you have squeezed more or less blood or from a different hand etc...

Yes, that's entirely possible. Although my symptoms at the time did feel like I was dropping fast. In hindsight, I panicked and should have waited a little longer before eating again. Thanks donnellysdogs

 

[Lamont D]

I don't want to repeat myself but if you were in the normal range zone, then I would have no qualms of how you feel or how sensitive you feel a drop. I have become very sensitive to ups and downs as well. But I wouldn't worry too much about dropping unless you actually do go hypo!
Once again as you did the other week, you are over worrying about things, let nature take its course and let the low carb diet work for you! Do be careful about what you put in your body and how you cook it! Polyunsaturated and unsaturated fats are no good for us RH ers.
Chips and maybe the fajitas have also not only too many carbs for complete control but you may be as I am, intolerant to potato starch and grains. They are my nemesis, even one chip would raise me too much.
I'm not trying to frighten you but you do need to get in the normal range and stay there, the benefits outweigh the odd chip, I assure you!
Hope sleep sorts you out!

 

[Kaz261]

Thanks Nosher. I'm a bit anxious about Christmas which isn't helping. Had a decent night. Woke to a 6.1 which is my highest ever fasting reading and a slight headache. Today I will be sticking to the "script"!

 

[Lamont D]

6.1 is not too bad!

Yep get Christmas out of the way and the stress will lessen.

Keep your carbs low today!

 

[Kaz261]

I've been on the high side all day and not felt hungry. Hardly eaten anything and all low carb, but by 5pm I got really shaky at 5.8. Perhaps this was because I'd been high all day (6's and 7's)? I've had half a lidl protein roll made into a pizza (as everyone else is having dominoes) with salad, but don't quite feel as though it's made a difference yet. I don't think I've had enough fat today to compensate for the lack of carbs which hasn't helped

 

[Linagirl]

Have you got any coconut oil kaz? Try it when you next feel shaky take a teaspoon and see what happens it works for me x

 

[donnellysdogs]

I've been on the high side all day and not felt hungry. Hardly eaten anything and all low carb, but by 5pm I got really shaky at 5.8. Perhaps this was because I'd been high all day (6's and 7's)? I've had half a lidl protein roll made into a pizza (as everyone else is having dominoes) with salad, but don't quite feel as though it's made a difference yet. I don't think I've had enough fat today to compensate for the lack of carbs which hasn't helped

I'm another like Nosher.. No tolerance to anything potato or pasta, rice, bread etc.....totally mess me up and better just avoiding.. (I don't snack either). Mind you, I am a T1!!

 

[Kaz261]

Have you got any coconut oil kaz? Try it when you next feel shaky take a teaspoon and see what happens it works for me x

Hi Emma, I had some delivered earlier in the week so will give it a try thanks. I think I must be fighting a bug off as my levels are all over the place! Either that or it's just the stress of Christmas! I've had a couple of things on this week which have meant eating out and it stresses me out! Have a lovely Christmas and new year xx

 

[lindisfel]

What about having half an apple?
D.

 

[Linagirl]

and you too kaz and yes I know what you mean I have days of worry over eating out but it hasn't been too bad. Works do yesterday I had salmon followed by Turkey and sprouts and then cheese and celery! And a gluten free slice of bread. Had a 6.5 after two hours which I was very chuffed with. Good luck to you and happy new year. Xx

 

[PC16]

My levels appear to be on the slightly higher side for the past couple of days and I'm super sensitive to carbs. So much so that two hours after dinner tonight I was 7.8 and beginning to feel the inevitable hypo coming on.

I'm still learning and am never quite sure what is best to eat at this point? I don't want to overdo carbs and send myself right back up again but need to stop the fast drop (I went from 7.8 to 6.9 in just 10 mins).

Any suggestions welcome. Incidentally, I had a very small satsuma and small spoon of peanut butter (no added sugar variety).

Hi Kaz261 (my 1st DUK forum post BTW!) I am fairly new to type 1 only a year in and I am still breathing - I am the same in a way 6 or 7 I start feeling it but I have been advised that a hypo is actually 3.9mmol (I know OMG) and over the last month I have had to train myself into not reacting till between 4.5-4 then just eat a biscuit and not cure - it takes a bit to get used to that - only the other day I went to 3.5 while out n about so be careful, I use to cure at 6 and 7 but now 4 or lower - either way I say in the end its your illness and do what feels best for you and if your HbA1c is below 70 then you are on the right track - hope this helps

 

[RobertBruce]

I'm the one on the left and have T2, and my diabetic nurse suggested that if I get a hypo, which is usually if my level drops to 4 or lower, and I have the shakes with sweating, to eat 4-5 jelly babies. For me I find this has worked each time, so I always have a bag close by.