Sorry Bluetit, just read your last posts and realised what you are asking.
If, at any point during the experience, I eat something carby, the symptoms ease then disappear, but I usually feel weird for a bit, even if I catch it at an early stage.
Ok, my particular brand of hypo usually follows this route (I will describe a bad one, but I very rarely get them like this, since I became diabetic. I used to get them a lot more often when I was hypoglycaemic, then pre-diabetic. it is one of the reasons I prefer being diabetic to then!):
- Subtle loss of concentration
- Slight zoning out/vagueness
- Mistakes in judgement
- Slow or clumsy reactions
As it gets worse, all the above get worse, plus
- A weird disconnect between hearing what people say and actually understanding it
- Numb cheekbones (this is the best clue I have that there is a problem, and I have learned to heed it!)
- Heaviness in the limbs
- Lack of energy/lethargy
- Apathy, hopelessness
- Black misery
Physical exertion or stress (even walking up a few steps) can make all of them get worse, very, very quickly.
At some point, my body notices that there is a problem and goes through a complicated series of steps to cause glucose be dumped into the bloodstream as an emergency. One of these steps (I have a very rudimentary understanding of the process), uses adrenalin.
- I go white - Morticia white
- my hands and knees shake
- I feel hollow
- I feel off balance and
and if there is anyone around me, breathing in my direction
- I experience the most terrifying RAGE. like PMT - irrational fury. Poor Mr B is rather nervous of this stage. with good reason. I have had to work really REALLY hard at not physically attacking him, and some of the things I have said. Vicious, venomous... they have been awful. he recognises the signs nowadays (it has only been really bad about 4 times in 6 years) and he know to leave - the room, the floor, the building, as necessary. We have actually discussed the best exit strategy, for the next time.
Even if there is no one else around, I probably realise at this point that there is a problem, and eat something. usually high carb. usually a feeding frenzy.
The aftermath is piteous misery, all over aches, weird, jangly blood glucose levels and excessive highs and lows for up to 3 days. Weepy depression, slowly easing as time passes.