Dray_F96

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi Diabetes family,

I'm a quite recent diagnosed diabetic and in need of some instant advice if possible!

Today I got sent home ill from work today a few hours ago after feeling very dizzy and having trouble concentrating or doing any task along with blurred vision and now a throbbing headache currently. I am a bit concerned as these symptoms happened quite sudden once i reached work for my shift. My blood glucose before my journey before work was 7.0 and was 3.6, which i treated straight away when i checked straight after feeling these symptoms at work. My journey involves a moderate amount of walking from the tram to work and also from home (approx 10 minutes of walking). I've posted recently about tirednessaround a week ago also which I received great advice about.

Should I ring the hospital? as I cannot reach my diabetic team until Monday, any advice would be helpful, with this being new to me and still adjusting to Diabetes,

Thank you all the support,

Dray
 

Fairygodmother

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,045
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bigotry, reliance on unsupported 'facts', unkindness, unfairness.
Hi Dray, we’re not to give medical advice so I suggest you also ring 111. However, your symptoms sound like I feel when hypo. Have you tested your blood sugars?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dodo and Dray_F96

Fairygodmother

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,045
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bigotry, reliance on unsupported 'facts', unkindness, unfairness.
Sometimes people say they have a headache after hypos. Seriously, though, ring 111 or see if someone can take you to an out of hours treatment centre for advice.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dray_F96

Juicyj

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
9,018
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
Hypos, rude people, ignorance and grey days.
Hello @Dray_F96 - this sounds very common for a hypo - how long have you been diagnosed and have you had many hypos before this one ? Hypos affect us all differently and each one can be different too, if you’re symptoms persist then call 111 for help - how you feeling now ?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dodo and Dray_F96

Pmerrill

Active Member
Messages
44
Type of diabetes
Type 1.5
Treatment type
Insulin
What’s you blood glucose at the moment? Test and if you are low have something to raise you blood sugar. Hope you’re feeling better soon.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dodo and Dray_F96

Fairygodmother

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,045
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bigotry, reliance on unsupported 'facts', unkindness, unfairness.
Yes, let us know how you are. Hope your headache goes soon.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dbr10

Fairygodmother

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,045
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bigotry, reliance on unsupported 'facts', unkindness, unfairness.
It’s also possible that you have high blood sugar after dealing with a hypo, which can also cause a headache. Testing is important. Have you sought medical advice yet?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dray_F96

Bluey1

Well-Known Member
Messages
429
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
People who try and make Diabetes the centre of the party and poor me, I'm special because I have diabetes now everyone run around after me.
It depends on how long ago your hypo was. If I have a really good hypo, my day is ruined, I feel horrible for the rest of the day with pretty much what you described. As you are newly diagnosed a lot of stuff could still be going on. It's also possible that Hypo was caused by just being sick and your symptoms are not related to D at all. I noticed once I was D, I get sick much quicker and it's much worse. I don't get sick anymore frequently. Getting a cold was just a gradual annoyance getting worse over a few days then a week or so latter it was gone, now with D, within a few hours a cold feels more like a flu and it lasts for weeks. Sometimes when I'm sick I go really high, other times I go really low.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dray_F96

EllieM

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
9,209
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
forum bugs
Hypos are horrible. Dizziness and troubles with concentration are symptoms of a hypo, and if your blood sugar was 3.6 then that confirms it. Luckily once your blood sugar goes back to normal you should feel better, but it's very common for blood sugar to go too high after a hypo and so you feel bad again. I assume your clinic has talked to you about hypos, but honestly you need to actually experience one in order to understand the process.

Unfortunately hypos are something that all the Type 1s I've ever met have had to learn to deal with, but if you treat them before they get too bad then you should feel fine once they're over. Always always always keep glucose tablets (or equivalent) where you can reach them easily.

Good luck. Once your diabetes has stabilised (honeymoon period, etc, etc?) you should end up on a regime where they are only very occasional annoyances and you won't need to be sent home from one.
 

Dray_F96

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Thank you all for the great advice and encouraging messages, after treating my hypo my sugar levels went back to normal around 4.6 and just rested at home and slept of my throbbing headache. I think due to me being quite active (the most I have since being diagnosed) that is what caused my hypo and is a new learning curve.

Thank you guys for your advice as it has been very helpful and never experiencing headaches and dizziness with hypos before I was quite worried during the time, a new learning curve for me.
I have a bunch of questions to ask you all in terms of managing diabetes, so it would be great to get more advice so I know the best ways in which to cope with situations.

Regards

Dray
 

Fairygodmother

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,045
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bigotry, reliance on unsupported 'facts', unkindness, unfairness.
Glad you’re feeling better Dray!
Yes, extra exercise will use up energy and therefore will deplete blood sugars. Eating a bit more carb for breakfast on the days you do more in the morning might solve that. I always used to keep some carb in a safe place at work (colleagues would eat it if it was obvious) and tell people where it was and what it was for.
It sounds as though people where you work are thoughtful.
I used to tell everyone I worked with how they might spot if I were going hypo and ask that if they did then please tell me to eat some carb or give me a biscuit/sweet/glucotab. Not a doughnut though, which was the treat of choice for some of them, unless that was all they could find.
You’re right, it’s quite a learning curve, and only you will know what your own symptoms feel like but there are some common things that we all get to know, and feel, with hypos.
Welcome to the forum!
The first bit of knowledge I learned was never to take things for granted: the second was always to have something hypo-busting on my person or within reach. Glucotabs in bag or pocket, in a desk drawer, by the bed, especially jelly babies, and by the driver’s seat in the car. And I always test before doing something energetic, even if it’s only walking into town, and also whenever I feel too high or too low.
You’ll get the habit.
Well done for getting on with life the way you have!
 
Last edited:

Bluey1

Well-Known Member
Messages
429
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
People who try and make Diabetes the centre of the party and poor me, I'm special because I have diabetes now everyone run around after me.
If you wake up feeling like that, it's worth getting a Libre occasionally. they are expensive and not not that reliable as in 1 out of 3 sensors are duds. In Australia at least customer service is non existent. I woke up this morning feeling horrible with head ache, I had a lotto night (pick any number between 2.5 and 20) I have all the numbers last night.
 

EllieM

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
9,209
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
forum bugs
If you wake up feeling like that, it's worth getting a Libre occasionally. they are expensive and not not that reliable as in 1 out of 3 sensors are duds. In Australia at least customer service is non existent. I woke up this morning feeling horrible with head ache, I had a lotto night (pick any number between 2.5 and 20) I have all the numbers last night.

I had fairly good service from Abbott when I lived in Australia, they replaced sensors which fell off or just didn't work very willingly. BUT, they aren't much help on other issues - I developed a rash from the sensors and have found that they now under read so badly that a LO reading can be anything up to a blood glucose of 6 or 7 - they seem unwilling to discuss these issues, maybe because they don't want to admit that some people don't get good results. (I got very accurate results for the first 8 months and thought that my diabetic life was changed forever, now I've had to go back to finger pricking.)
 

phdiabetic

Well-Known Member
Messages
880
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I had fairly good service from Abbott when I lived in Australia, they replaced sensors which fell off or just didn't work very willingly. BUT, they aren't much help on other issues - I developed a rash from the sensors and have found that they now under read so badly that a LO reading can be anything up to a blood glucose of 6 or 7 - they seem unwilling to discuss these issues, maybe because they don't want to admit that some people don't get good results. (I got very accurate results for the first 8 months and thought that my diabetic life was changed forever, now I've had to go back to finger pricking.)

I was not at all pleased with Abbott service - same as you, I had a sensor reading LO when I was 6-8 in reality (checked multiple times on different meters). They basically said yeah that happens, now **** off coz we're not gonna fix it. I was also the same as you with accuracy - very good at the start, and worse as time goes on. Eventually I gave up on them and went to Dexcom, which is not perfect but way way better than the libre. I had 4 libre sensors left when I got my dexcom, but I didn't bother putting them on because I just kept getting upset by the incorrect values - no matter how many times you do a finger prick and get a good number, if the sensor is saying you're half dead then you tend to be a bit on edge.
 
  • Like
Reactions: yingtong

Cobia

Well-Known Member
Messages
221
Type of diabetes
LADA
With the libre sensors did you try to correct them?

ATM its got about correction value of 2.5-2.8.....

I check it each day when no novarapid is active.
..
20171218_183615.jpg



Still reseting basle after truck driving..... summer temps alter things a bit...

It is correctable this way tho...
 

EllieM

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
9,209
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
forum bugs
With the libre sensors did you try to correct them?

ATM its got about correction value of 2.5-2.8.....

I check it each day when no novarapid is active.
..View attachment 24745


Still reseting basle after truck driving..... summer temps alter things a bit...

It is correctable this way tho...

No way to correct once the reading is LO... Unless I'm missing something? And once the reading is up to 8 it's not too bad, but I like to keep my readings lower than that. And the difference was very variable, both as a % and an absolute value. I'm assuming that my autoimmune system has taken a dislike to the sensor, hence it doesn't work any more? But this is a wild guess...:(
 

Cobia

Well-Known Member
Messages
221
Type of diabetes
LADA
No way to correct once the reading is LO... Unless I'm missing something? And once the reading is up to 8 it's not too bad, but I like to keep my readings lower than that. And the difference was very variable, both as a % and an absolute value. I'm assuming that my autoimmune system has taken a dislike to the sensor, hence it doesn't work any more? But this is a wild guess...:(
Its not the libre app which i cant get in australia.... i know 5he reader cant do this.

Same screen with a new blood test looks like im on target for pre evening meal.




20171218_194924.jpg




Last hba1c glimp (android phone) it was 0.2 different. Just had another drawn. Know in a couple days.