Hypos on a pump

[sophc]

Good morning all

I’ve been using a minimed 640g pump now for about 6 weeks and had previously been on lantus with a MDI regime.

In the past 6 weeks I’ve never had such good BG readings and am thrilled with it so far. However
I am experiencing a change in my hypo awareness and I just wanted to see if anyone else had the same experiences?

Previously with a hypo I would start to feel sweaty , really hungry, my arms would feel weak and I would go light headed. Now I’m on the pump I don’t get the same warning signs. Anywhere from 3.9 downwards I don’t get what I did previously , the only tell tale sign is my vision. For example yesterday I was stood in some changing rooms trying on clothes and all of a suddenly my eyes couldn’t really focus properly in the mirror but I had none of my previous hypo awareness feelings. I checked my BG and they were 3.8. Is this normal to have altered hypo awareness sensations on the pump? Anyone else’s experiences would be greatly received

Sophie x

 

[Juicyj]

Hi @sophc I also use the 640g . My hypo awareness is affected by the speed at which my bg levels are changing, so if I am falling quickly then I get poor vision, sweats, shakes at around 3.8 but if it is a much slower slide then I very often don't get hypo systems until I am in the low 3's.

If you are experiencing more hypos than you did previously then you would need to review your ratios with your DSN and this could ultimately impact on your hypo awareness.

 

[sophc]

Hi @sophc I also use the 640g . My hypo awareness is affected by the speed at which my bg levels are changing, so if I am falling quickly then I get poor vision, sweats, shakes at around 3.8 but if it is a much slower slide then I very often don't get hypo systems until I am in the low 3's.

If you are experiencing more hypos than you did previously then you would need to review your ratios with your DSN and this could ultimately impact on your hypo awareness.

@Juicyj Thank you for sharing your experiences. I had checked an hour before and they were 7.8 so they had come down quickly. The DSN had changed my carb ratio in the afternoons so it sounds like this had something to do with it. It just worried me a bit as I usually get the same symptoms

 

[Juicyj]

Hi @sophc As long as this isn’t a pattern and hasn’t happened more than once as you may need to change the ratio back. Yes I blame speed rather than the reading for how I respond to hypos.

 

[SallyEzra]

Hi sophc

Reading your post resonated with some of my experiences of type 1 diabetes in recent years. I had purposefully been running my blood sugar slightly lower in order to manage it for a healthy pregnancy and I am doing the same again at the moment. What this means for me is that hypo awareness symptoms change as the blood sugars run overall at a lower level. Plus hypo awareness kicks in at a lower level too, so currently for me, I become aware at the low 3's and at that stage it is not strong symptoms, I am just mentally aware of it.

So when you say that you have been pleased with your really good BG readings whilst you have transferred to a pump, is it possible that your overall hba1c may have lowered resulting in your hypo symptoms kicking in at a slightly lower level?.

Equally, before I had a pump, I had to use Lantus for a little while & the hypo symptoms I experienced on Lantus were really strong & fast & for me, noticeably different to other basal insulins I used. So the change of insulin could be another factor for you.

As others have said, it is probably worth establishing if you are going hypo more frequently than you used to, as this would mean that you can make any insulin dose adjustments you need to on your pump and hopefully then keep your hypo awareness kicking in at a decent level. I don't know if you use a freestyle libre, but that would give you a good insight to exactly what is happening with your BG throughout the day.

 

[sophc]

Hi Sally , thank you for taking the time to write to me, sometimes the world of diabetes can be a daunting place!

Oh Lantus I could be 18 one minute and it would crash and I could be 3 the next so the symptoms felt quite severe. Now they run steady between 4-7 so I dont get the big swings you speak of. I don’t think I hypo as much I’m more consistent with my readings , it’s taken those steep ups and downs away.

I have used one and I loved it , I was on a trial via the hospital but I would have to fund it myself and I wouldn’t be able to afford one all the time. Is Libre funded by your CCG?

 

[Chas C]

Hi @sophc its common when you get more stabilised control that your BG's rise and fall more slowly therefore the old warnings caused by the wilder drops would not be there. Prior to getting a CGM I was testing around 8 times a day (every two hours). Its hard when you need to fight for or cannot afford to get a CGM as they make a world of difference.