How many hypos do you have a week?

[DunePlodder]

Good point Steve_p6. A true value of 3.0 could have a reading of anywhere between 2.17 & 3.83, & 5% of the time even worse. See http://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose-meters/blood-glucose-meter-accuracy.html It could well be that Eldorado's meter is reading on the low side & is actually feeling the hypo symptoms at a higher level. Isn't diabetes fun?

 

[slip]

I wouldn't want the hassle of loosing my driving license, I'd follow her advice if I was in your situation.

Sounds as though the hypos are slow on-set, without knowing if there's a pattern to yours, I'd suggest knocking back the basal a unit or 2 just to see if that helps - more importantly did the DSN (but not type 1 - so I understand your 'annoyance') give any advice or insight on how to reduce these hypos?!?!

 

[deborabaratto]

Usually I have 4 hipos a week (still trying to correct them) and my awareness is affected whether my hypos occur really fast or slowly - if really fast I only notice around 2,5; if not, around 3-3,5.
You could check if maybe that's happening to you, going down pretty fast maybe clouding your awareness!

 

[Swiftnick]

I've just had a weird telephone conversation with a diabetes specialist nurse who contacted me at the request of the diabetes nurse at my local surgery. I'd asked her about the new fast acting insulin, Fiasp. Neither of them are specialists in type 1. Neither of them know about the new insulin.
We got into a conversation about levels and hypos. My latest hba1c results have been 38, 45 and 46. They're so so much better since I've been using the Aviva Expert, although I don't quite believe the 38 result. I said I try to run my BG at around 5-7. How many hypos do I have on average in a week? I said maybe 2-3, but I get good warning signs (at around 3).She seemed to think this was outrageous and that I needed to run my BG higher to raise the level of my hypo awareness to around 5. She kept talking about 'all these hypos'. I said I wasn't concerned about it and it was something I can live with. After all it's easy to correct with a few jelly babies. No big deal! I have to admit I started to get a but ticked off and said I wasn't prepared to start messing about running my BG higher on the basis of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. I've started to wonder though if I'm wrong and if 2-3 hypos a week is too many. What do you all think? How many hypos might you get in a week and how many is too many? Both my GP and the consultant I see at the hospital annually have been really pleased with my lower hba1c results.

Hi Eldorado. I think 3cis rather low to be warned about hypos, and I think any regular hypos is too many. My lowest reading so far has been 3.7 but I felt OK, but I fainted once and my reading was 6. I often wonder how accurate readings are, and this is worrying when the numbervis low

 

[Freema]

Hi Eldorado. I think 3cis rather low to be warned about hypos, and I think any regular hypos is too many. My lowest reading so far has been 3.7 but I felt OK, but I fainted once and my reading was 6. I often wonder how accurate readings are, and this is worrying when the numbervis low

well the ideal blood glucose for non diabetics is around 4.5 when not just having been eating... so getting hypos from a blood glucose around 6 seems to maybe be what is called false hypos, where ones body react as it is used to an average blood glucose that is alltime too high... but even though called false hypos it is still a bad experience it is in it self not life threatening... but of cause can be if one do faint and hit ones head serverely... .. but maybe it could be a sign that ones blood glucose is in average too high when the body only seem to consider higher blood glucose as a normal state.

http://www.soulcysters.net/showthread.php/220750-FALSE-HYPOs-must-read!

 

[MrsKilian]

I've just had a weird telephone conversation with a diabetes specialist nurse who contacted me at the request of the diabetes nurse at my local surgery. I'd asked her about the new fast acting insulin, Fiasp. Neither of them are specialists in type 1. Neither of them know about the new insulin.
We got into a conversation about levels and hypos. My latest hba1c results have been 38, 45 and 46. They're so so much better since I've been using the Aviva Expert, although I don't quite believe the 38 result. I said I try to run my BG at around 5-7. How many hypos do I have on average in a week? I said maybe 2-3, but I get good warning signs (at around 3).She seemed to think this was outrageous and that I needed to run my BG higher to raise the level of my hypo awareness to around 5. She kept talking about 'all these hypos'. I said I wasn't concerned about it and it was something I can live with. After all it's easy to correct with a few jelly babies. No big deal! I have to admit I started to get a but ticked off and said I wasn't prepared to start messing about running my BG higher on the basis of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. I've started to wonder though if I'm wrong and if 2-3 hypos a week is too many. What do you all think? How many hypos might you get in a week and how many is too many? Both my GP and the consultant I see at the hospital annually have been really pleased with my lower hba1c results.

Thank you for raising this topic. I have 4-5 hypos 3.3-3.8 mmol/l) a week and up till now I thought it's my fault, but now I realised it is not a fault on my part. Thank you!

 

[Britishbob]

I've just had a weird telephone conversation with a diabetes specialist nurse who contacted me at the request of the diabetes nurse at my local surgery. I'd asked her about the new fast acting insulin, Fiasp. Neither of them are specialists in type 1. Neither of them know about the new insulin.
We got into a conversation about levels and hypos. My latest hba1c results have been 38, 45 and 46. They're so so much better since I've been using the Aviva Expert, although I don't quite believe the 38 result. I said I try to run my BG at around 5-7. How many hypos do I have on average in a week? I said maybe 2-3, but I get good warning signs (at around 3).She seemed to think this was outrageous and that I needed to run my BG higher to raise the level of my hypo awareness to around 5. She kept talking about 'all these hypos'. I said I wasn't concerned about it and it was something I can live with. After all it's easy to correct with a few jelly babies. No big deal! I have to admit I started to get a but ticked off and said I wasn't prepared to start messing about running my BG higher on the basis of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. I've started to wonder though if I'm wrong and if 2-3 hypos a week is too many. What do you all think? How many hypos might you get in a week and how many is too many? Both my GP and the consultant I see at the hospital annually have been really pleased with my lower hba1c results.

Many people have hypos during the night they know nothing about. The figures you are quoting are risky to say the least. Try using a product like the Libre., to show your up and down trends. It is possible then by using the direction arrows to keep glucose levels in a more desirable target zone. Achieved by tweaking the direction with little alterations

 

[videoman]

After many years I am having a "Hypo" up to twice a day,thakfully I have glucose tablets near by

 

[Peter Lamont]

I've just had a weird telephone conversation with a diabetes specialist nurse who contacted me at the request of the diabetes nurse at my local surgery. I'd asked her about the new fast acting insulin, Fiasp. Neither of them are specialists in type 1. Neither of them know about the new insulin.
We got into a conversation about levels and hypos. My latest hba1c results have been 38, 45 and 46. They're so so much better since I've been using the Aviva Expert, although I don't quite believe the 38 result. I said I try to run my BG at around 5-7. How many hypos do I have on average in a week? I said maybe 2-3, but I get good warning signs (at around 3).She seemed to think this was outrageous and that I needed to run my BG higher to raise the level of my hypo awareness to around 5. She kept talking about 'all these hypos'. I said I wasn't concerned about it and it was something I can live with. After all it's easy to correct with a few jelly babies. No big deal! I have to admit I started to get a but ticked off and said I wasn't prepared to start messing about running my BG higher on the basis of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. I've started to wonder though if I'm wrong and if 2-3 hypos a week is too many. What do you all think? How many hypos might you get in a week and how many is too many? Both my GP and the consultant I see at the hospital annually have been really pleased with my lower hba1c results.

I am wondering about your post also. I have a problem about being too low as I am an HGV driver. My licence gets reviewed by my GP and a consultant. There is also the annual check by my diabetic clinic and health centre diabetic nurses. The problem with having lows like you describe would mean that I would loose my licence and therefore my job to support my family nd keep house. To ensure that doesn't happen I keep my figures high which in turn attacks my organs! I am unable to have a good constant sugar level as I cannot control how hard I have to work at each site in drop goods off, also eating will normally spike my level and I have to check levels every 2 hours whilst driving. For me going below 4 would not affect me but would put my job at risk. The licencing medical board would not allow me to continue. Going below 3 I wouldn't feel great but manage. It is a dilema but I look forward to your replys about the lows!

 

[clareb1970]

I've just had a weird telephone conversation with a diabetes specialist nurse who contacted me at the request of the diabetes nurse at my local surgery. I'd asked her about the new fast acting insulin, Fiasp. Neither of them are specialists in type 1. Neither of them know about the new insulin.
We got into a conversation about levels and hypos. My latest hba1c results have been 38, 45 and 46. They're so so much better since I've been using the Aviva Expert, although I don't quite believe the 38 result. I said I try to run my BG at around 5-7. How many hypos do I have on average in a week? I said maybe 2-3, but I get good warning signs (at around 3).She seemed to think this was outrageous and that I needed to run my BG higher to raise the level of my hypo awareness to around 5. She kept talking about 'all these hypos'. I said I wasn't concerned about it and it was something I can live with. After all it's easy to correct with a few jelly babies. No big deal! I have to admit I started to get a but ticked off and said I wasn't prepared to start messing about running my BG higher on the basis of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. I've started to wonder though if I'm wrong and if 2-3 hypos a week is too many. What do you all think? How many hypos might you get in a week and how many is too many? Both my GP and the consultant I see at the hospital annually have been really pleased with my lower hba1c results.

Before I received a kidney/pancreas transplant I would have hypos all the time. My BG could just plummet and I would have the worst hypos. I could go from feeling fine at work (desk job) then a few minutes later my heart would be pounding and my clothes soaked through. I could neither move not speak coherently and I would get so scared that I was going to pass out and never wake up again. This would happen a lot - about 4 or 5 times per week - sometimes at work and often in the night. Yet other times my BG would be high for no reason at all.
It wasn't always like this. Before I had children I had few hypos and could feel them coming on long before I got the shakes. I used to get a tickle under my left upper arm and I would think "here we go" and true enough about ten minutes later I would start to get very hot and shakes.
Hypos were the absolute bane of my life as a diabetic. I got too scared to go out anywhere on my own in case I had one. I never learned to drive for fear of having one at the wheel. When I was pregnant with my daughter I was on my way, walking to the diabetic clinic when I suddenly went into a hypo. I was on my own and couldn't speak to get help. I ended up making it into a hardware shop and just collapsed on the floor. Luckily an assistant realised what the problem was and brought me a sugary drink. It took me two days to get over that one.
Sorry, I've gone off on a tangent here! I was always told that I should not be having any more than 2 hypos a month. What annoyed me was that those giving the advise did so from a textbook - NOT through experience. I hated having hypos and would have done anything to avoid that awful feeling.

 

[simple_simon]

Have been a Type 1 diabetic for 40+ years, no neuropathy, no nephropathy, no retinopathy. I put this down to always trying to keep blood glucose at normal levels for a none diabetic, I remember reading years ago a book on diabetes and the professor that wrote it stated that 2-3 hypos a week were unavoidable for a well controlled diabetic (well controlled meaning keeping HbA1c within normal levels for a none diabetic). Its your choice but raised blood glucose levels will increase the chances of the long term, crippling and ultimately life ending problems mentioned above. Personally i'd stick with the jelly babies or whatever snack you like and ask the nurses for the statistics on diabetes and the long term problems and also get them to state exactly why diabetes suffer these problems.

 

[Eldorado]

All the different comments here just make me think we each need to do what suits us as individuals taking our lifestyles into account. I've worked really hard to get my hba1c to an acceptable level. An average of 6.3 sounds good to me, my GP and my consultant. I've had type 1 for 37 years and have had laser treatment for retinopathy, which is stable now. That reason alone makes me reluctant to run my tests higher so that I can 'tweak' my hypo awareness. I'm certainly not going to start messing about because some nurse, who is not even a specialist in type 1 thinks I'm running too low and talks about 'all these hypos'. All these hypos are merely the early signs of BG below 4, which is easily fixed with jelly babies. I can tolerate that. Surely it's just one of the many things that diabetics learn to live with? Of course an HGV driver couldn't manage his diabetes in this way, I understand that. Someone asked above if the nurse offered any advice? No, she didn't! She actually asked me very little about myself. Incidentally I can't remember the last time I had a 'full blown' hypo.
The next time I see my GP I've decided to register a complaint about this nurse. The more I think about her comments and attitude, the crosser I get. Grrrrrrr!

 

[dmoroccco]

Wow reading all these comments are making me feel like I have very un controlled diabetes. T1d for 15 years and I used to have maybe 3-6 a week for the first 14 years with some change. Maybe not always that many but a lot. Now I'm off the pump and on lantis and humalog I've gotten my a1c down to where I'd like it but I've had a tough time lately with lows. I get like 1-2 lows a DAY! It's been so hard and frustrating makes me wanna give up. Although I feel more in control on shots then on the pump. I live in USA so I have different numbers but I've recently have been going super low into the 20's and 30's with out symptom which is freaking me out. My a1c is at about 7%. So yeah I have about 1-2 a day and about 7-10 a week, loving life

 

[Ledzeptt]

Can I ask a question about the two hypo symptoms in @catapillar's answer?

I get many "false hypos" or confusing symptoms due to other medical conditions - I also have low blood pressure and epilepsy. I get an actual hypo about once a fortnight on average, usually only just under 4.0. My first response isn't to test my blood or eat glucose, but to solve maths problems in my head! i.e. on the basis I can't do maths during a hypo.

From what @catapillar says, this only approach addresses hypo symptom 2 (the more serious one); so is this a high risk approach? (I don't always have a BG test kit with me, although I always have some glucose with me 24/7. I certainly don't carry a blood pressure monitor with me and there's no method of testing for a partial seizure or one of epilepsy's subtle variations.)

***
Hi @Eldorado

I also get told off by my DSN for keeping my BG too low: my last three Hba1c levels have been about 42 which apparently is too low for a T1*. She's not unduly worried about my small number of known hypos, but the damage caused by hypos I'm unaware of (i.e. between BG readings), which is a valid point. I think I have reasonable hypo awareness, triggered around 4 (hence some false hypos in the low 4s), but as I said, at the time I can't easily tell if it's a genuine hypo or something else, so I may not take the correct and immediate action.

I do get anxious about high BG readings (my late father had T2 and suffered all sorts of complications - I think that (potential) fate worries me more); hence the urge to stay within range AND specifically to aim low.

*Technically I'm an insulin-dependant T3c, but let's not go there.

 

[catapillar]

@Ledzeptt why don't you always have your test kit?

If your getting a symptom that makes you think you should test but you don't have a test kit so your alternative test is can I do maths in my head then at least your getting a warning to make you do your alternative test. Which is a bit different to only noticing you might be hypo in the middle of doing maths when you get all confused. It's mild cognitive impairment and quickly resolved. If you had your test kit with you you'd be able to sort out a low quicker and not have to worry about potentially treating a hypo that you don't have.

 

[Ledzeptt]

Thanks @catapillar

I don't have a good reason for not carrying a test kit at all times.

I own multiple test kits and keep one at home, one at work and another in my wife's car. I take one with me if I'm going out for the day, but just "don't bother" if I'm out of the house for a short period (particularly if I'm not going to be eating, so I'm not taking insulin etc either).

It's may be a simple as I've got away with it so far (only diabetic for 2.5 years).

Coincidentally, I've been following one of the other threads about the Freestyle Libre and have just ordered the starter kit. I'll start carrying a BG test kit with me until the Libre arrives.

Thanks for your advice.