Type 2 Hypo unawareness

[arniemouse]

Hi
Unfortunately I am hypo unaware and I just wondered can you become aware again? Has anyone had this happen? Is there anyway to teach your body to start giving you any clues before you get to the brain mush, unable to speak and shaking stage?

 

[Mep]

I haven't read or seen anything on the subject of becoming aware again. I'd be interested to know myself. Fortunately I'm still very hypo aware, but docs tell me the longer you have diabetes you can develop hypo unawareness and your liver can fail to dump glucose. What levels are you getting when you become aware?

 

[yingtong]

I became 'hypo' unaware apparently 5 years ago,after several hypos causing unconscious,one at a clinic appointment with my DSN,I was put on a pump and CGM,after 7 months on the pump my hypo awareness began to return and I have now fully returned.I have been T1 for over 54 years and well controlled for the last 44 years.So for me,yes, I have got my hypo awareness back and am I pleased.

 

[tim2000s]

The answer to this is yes, it is possible. @yingtong has achieved it using a pump with Smartguard and there is a course run out of King's College London that also helps deal with this.

Essentially it seems to boil down to trying to avoid hypo levels and maintain stable glycaemic variability.

EDIT: Oops - overlapped with Yingtong!

 

[catherinecherub]

Hi @arniemouse,
I see from another thread that you have lost your driving licence.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/thr...-need-advice-please.92154/page-3#post-1111211
Reading through that thread you say that you have other medical conditions that contribute to you being hypo unaware rather than your diabetes being the sole cause.

 

[Lamont D]

Hi
Unfortunately I am hypo unaware and I just wondered can you become aware again? Has anyone had this happen? Is there anyway to teach your body to start giving you any clues before you get to the brain mush, unable to speak and shaking stage?

Yes, I was hypo unaware, I didn't even know what a hypo was!
I was in a right mess and just took that it was normal.
I thought at the time that I was having sweats, and having vision problems and the likes of forgetfulness and tiredness and lots of others including anxiety and depression was just me going through the male menopause!
Or just getting old!

It took some time and a drastic lifestyle change to really low carb to get my awareness back. I'm so aware now, because I've been in ketosis for over two years now, that I know when I even slightly get a bump in my levels.

 

[arniemouse]

Hi @arniemouse,
I see from another thread that you have lost your driving licence.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/thr...-need-advice-please.92154/page-3#post-1111211
Reading through that thread you say that you have other medical conditions that contribute to you being hypo unaware rather than your diabetes being the sole cause.

Hi yes just lost licence and that got me thinking about the hypo unawareness as a further obstacle to getting licence back? Will it mean my ban will continue even if no more hypo's requiring assistance?
Hence the thread. Good to hear that if you can get some balance things do recover?
Unfortunately have a triple whammy of problems that conspire to make my BG low a lot of the time. All this has made me think how I might get better control so am testing a lot more. Waiting to see consultant in 2 weeks about a low carb approach.
I am very unusual which does not help when looking for a solution. Consultant is lovely but he admits it is a very difficult problem to solve.
Ah well 13 for dinner tonight so better go and rally my troops (husband and daughter) and get them working!!

 

[arniemouse]

Hi meant to answer about how low Bg goes. Hypos that are most severe happen with swimming so have not been able to test as life guards too keen to get in the jelly babies while I am able to chew! But did have a 2.2 recently and was perfectly ok.

 

[catherinecherub]

Hi yes just lost licence and that got me thinking about the hypo unawareness as a further obstacle to getting licence back? Will it mean my ban will continue even if no more hypo's requiring assistance

f you drive, you are legally obliged to be fit to drive for each journey. If you have lost your awareness of recognising hypoglycemia, you will not be fit to drive.

If you have lost your awareness of hypoglycemia, you must inform your health team as well as the DVLA. You should not drive again until your doctor and the DVLA confirms your suitability to drive.



- See more at: http://www.hypoglycemia.co.uk/guides/hypo-awareness.html#sthash.7CIo4O6r.dpuf

 

[arniemouse]

f you drive, you are legally obliged to be fit to drive for each journey. If you have lost your awareness of recognising hypoglycemia, you will not be fit to drive.

If you have lost your awareness of hypoglycemia, you must inform your health team as well as the DVLA. You should not drive again until your doctor and the DVLA confirms your suitability to drive.



- See more at: http://www.hypoglycemia.co.uk/guides/hypo-awareness.html#sthash.7CIo4O6r.dpuf

Hi and thanks thought that might be the case. I did tick that box on the form too. Need to work on getting something back if possible.

 

[catapillar]

Hi @arniemouse just to say I have had to surrender my driving licence as I have no hypo awareness. They told me if I regain awareness I will just need to get my consultant to write confirming.

I drop well under 2 and have no symptoms. I only occasionally get pronounced facial numbness, which in my opinion is not a hypo symptom, but a sign that my brain is so deprived of sugar it has actually stopped recognising that my nose is attached!

If you are aiming to regain awareness, you will need to run higher. You need to teach your body it is not normal to be under 4. It needs to think falling under 4 is something to panic about - which will mean a release of adrenaline & trigger hypo warning symptoms. At the moment, you body thinks it's normal to be under 4, so you get no adrenaline, no warning signs and should you be unlucky enough to go unconscious your liver dump to bring you back round would be slower.

I'm really really sorry for saying it as if the answer is easy. While the theory of running higher sounds simple, I am painfully aware that putting it in to practice is not.

 

[gscorey]

Unfortunately the DVLA are tightening up on their standards to be able to continue to drive being a diabetic. The problem and issue is, because of this, I fear more people are going to be inclined not to declare their hypo's to their doctor in order to keep their licence.

 

[AndBreathe]

Unfortunately the DVLA are tightening up on their standards to be able to continue to drive being a diabetic. The problem and issue is, because of this, I fear more people are going to be inclined not to declare their hypo's to their doctor in order to keep their licence.

I actually thought the current thinking was that in a short while (apologies because I can't recall the date), the assisted hypo standards will actually be relaxed. The relaxation is around hypos either at night or when the diabetic is asleep, if I recall.

I'm sure I read about it in the paper.

 

[AndBreathe]

@gscorey - here is a link: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_u...hypos-driving-rules-for-people-with-diabetes/

 

[urbanracer]

For anyone interested in hypo (un)awareness, this site has a free hypo awareness program.

I cannot vouch for the content but please have a look........

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/newsletter/19-02-2015/

 

[gscorey]

I actually thought the current thinking was that in a short while (apologies because I can't recall the date), the assisted hypo standards will actually be relaxed. The relaxation is around hypos either at night or when the diabetic is asleep, if I recall.

I'm sure I read about it in the paper.

Well if that's the case, let's hope it happens soon!