Can people explain how they feel during hi's and lo's?

windymillers

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I'm doing a photography project at uni and wanted to get some other people's opinions on how they feel when they are trying to explain the feelings of having hi and/or low blood sugar levels.
Any answers would be great as I'd like some other opinions other than just my own for research! Thanks!
When I have a hypo my first symptom is my eyes go funny, like not focusing properly, then I start to shake inside and sweat. Hope that helps.
Allan
 

amgrundy

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,333
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Being bored
Hi Sometimes I get blurred vision and feel hot, have felt shaky sometimes too. I try and rest for a bit and it disappears, strange!!!
 

Oldvatr

Expert
Messages
8,470
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
My Eyes, My eyes. So far thats all I need to reach for the jelly babies. Not let it progress to any other symptoms. I shake naturally anyway at my age.
 
Messages
11
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Lows: The best description is "vacant". As if I had had too much to drink and my legs won't go in a straight line. I feel sick, but hungry. I feel like a puppet, like a Thunderbird puppet and I am not in control of the strings. I talk rubbish (according to my partner) and I know what I want to say but it won't come out right.

Highs: A heavy feeling, like someone is pressing me into the ground. I get a headache and feel sick.

I have been Type 1 since May 1979 (almost 37 years). Only went on to basal-bolus regime in March 2014, after my Son passed away and my control was all over the place.
 

Kazza63

Member
Messages
23
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Lows - for me I just get a strange anxious feeling in my stomach, feel shaky, can't concentrate and get blurred vision. Highs for me just make me thirsty and need constant trips to the Loo. Hope this helps
 

dogslife

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,287
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Unfairness/ use of offensive language.
The first thing I notice with a hypo is intense/ urgent hunger pangs. My legs then feel wobbly/ jelly-like/ heavy. My hands then shake uncontrollably. Usually I recover quickly after eating something sweet followed about 15 mins. by a small snack. The following day I feel like I've been hit by a truck and need to rest. On one occasion, before I had a blood testing meter, I had what I now recognise as a hypo when I felt extremely nauseous, breathless, dizzy, weak -limbed, disoriented and had to lean against a wall in case my legs gave way or I passed out. Not a pleasant experience at all. Having knowledge about hypos has helped a great deal with their management, partly due to this forum and members who take the time to share their experiences including effects of medication in combination of low carb dieting. Thanks to all.
 

MrsHutt

Well-Known Member
Messages
58
Type of diabetes
Type 2
High - headache, sort of pressure in my head; moody and snappy

Low - shaky, dizzy, funny eyesight, feel a bit sick, hungry, moody and snappy (haha! Maybe nothing to do with diabetes - maybe just moody and snappy anyway!!)
 
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saleem khan

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
I'm doing a photography project at uni and wanted to get some other people's opinions on how they feel when they are trying to explain the feelings of having hi and/or low blood sugar levels.
Any answers would be great as I'd like some other opinions other than just my own for research! Thanks!
i am taking 2000mgs metformin and 3 insulin injections 70 units each (total 210units) per day.my blood sugar reading are from62 to 68.i had low feelings once or twice in the last 3 months.when it's low i feel sweating, feeling weak in the arms and body and feeling sort of dizziness and exhaustion in the brain and eyes.i hope this might be of any benefit for your research. saleem khan
 

Brenda_Mans

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 1
My low sugars used to be very pronounced - sweating, shaking and totally unaware of my surroundings. As I've got older and had diabetes longer they are a lot more subtle - a sight headache and still a feeling of 'not being in the room'. Unfortunately now these feeling don't usually kick in until I'm below 2.5 so I have to test on a very regular basis.
I know when I am high - again headache, strange taste in my mouth and feeling very groggy and generally lethargic. Of course, the feelings can sometimes be similar so I always test to be 100% sure.
 

Bobbie096

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hypo: the first warning sign is a sudden dizziness, as if im going to faint. Then I see sparkles in my eyes -similar to the visual disturbances associated with a migraine. I try to eat something at this point. If I dont, mental confusion sets in. Someone can talk to me but I wont understand what they are saying, I cant answer simple qestions, feel vague and spaced out. Then aggression sets in and I become very angry and abusive.

Hyper: harder to describe. I generally associate this with a low level nagging headache and generally feeling sick. I dont test but I feel as if I am most likely to be having high blood sugar at night as I have to get up every couple of hous to pee, get restless legs and have difficulty sleeping.
 

cathat23

Member
Messages
8
Low blood sugar..Shaky,clammy,stomach pain and a feeling that my heart is sinking into my stomach.

High blood sugar...extreme tiredness,spaced out feeling,blurry vision(above 30mmols) and a nasty headache that radiates behind my eyes.

Hi what is LHCF please. Catharine
 

rachaelc

Active Member
Messages
33
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I get 2 types of lows. In the morning if I'm doing extra physical activity it's always around 11am, as someone has already mentioned. If allowed to progress I get increasingly trembly, anxious to get food asap. I can get sweaty too. I lose energy and have to focus just on getting to the nearest source of sugar/food. I can't cope with people asking questions. I've learned to detect this when it starts at a subtle level and try to pre-empt the symptoms. Consequently I tend to go for walks after lunch. I used to carry oatcakes or an apple around. The other kind is towards the end of the day, when it just feels like increased tiredness, energy drop, like a car running out of petrol. It occurs if I have to wait for dinner, ie can't cope with eating late, 7.30 is the line. I hate it when out social eating and folk say well just have some snacks. I need a meal.
 

cathat23

Member
Messages
8
Thankyou so much for everyone's input, I've been diagnosed pre diabetic and am pleased the symptoms I'm having are normal.

Catharine .
 

Chook

Expert
Messages
5,095
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
People who think they know everything.
Highs: Thirsty all the time. Very sleepy. Feel generally dreadful.

Lows: First symptom is I cry without reason - (I used to be at 3.9 or below to start the crying but recently I was at 3.8 and felt fine). If I ignore the crying then I get shakes, vision goes a bit sparkly round the edges which progresses to tunnel vision. I get a feeling of absolute exhaustion and weakness. I also get an inability to understand what's going on and I literally can't think of ANYTHING apart of my allconsuming hunger and need to eat something sweet..
 

Chook

Expert
Messages
5,095
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
People who think they know everything.
I forgot - if I am having a particularly bad low I can become quite aggressive when people try to reason with me.
 

Jennofspades

Member
Messages
23
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
diabetes
I get both quite frequently. My control isn't the best although am working on it.

Hypo: Shaky, nervous, hungry, bad tempered, aggressive, short fuse, clammy, confused. If it happens during the night i often wake up to my partner force feeding me sugar. Not pleasant. This hasn't happened so much since switching my night time insulin to the mornings.

Hypers: Thirsty and sick. a tiny bit tired but not really. I find them hard to detect. Usually notice when i start feeling sick. Bad at work as have a busy job so these are my first signs if i haven't tested as often as i should have.