Type 1 Hypo awareness// support// struggle [emoji25]

[Sunshine2297]

My hypo awareness has always been so so good. Maybe because I used to run high a lot so as soon as I got to 5/4mmol I'd start to feel shaky.

Since having the libre I have been having highs and lows more often as previously posted on here...
My hypo symptoms are next to nothing at the mo?!? I'm currently in bed quite tearful and just feel like giving up with diabetes. (I know it's silly but it just feels like no matter what I do nothing is working for me)
I can be at work, or at home cooking and suddenly I think oo I feel slightly of balance and maybe have a bit of visual distirbance... Sort of like black blobs but not so defined.. anyway I'll do a BM and I'm 2.0..1.9.. even LO.
In the 12 years I've been diabetic I've never felt so awful after a hypo as I do tonight.

I guess this post is reaching out for someone who may have experienced the same, some motivation..?
Thanks guys xx

 

[Marie 2]

Big hugs!!! I know I have had a couple of hypos where I have gotten very teary over. With me it was the frustration of doing so well and still having it happen. Why you think, why??? You can try so hard and it still goes awry. And it just doesn't feel fair.

Once I had a good frustrated cry, I just got it out of my system I guess. But I can still remember the complete frustration.

 

[EllieM]

OK, I've had several periods of hypo unawareness whenever I've had too many hypos.....And, after 50 years of T1, I have to say my symptoms are no where near as dramatic as they used to be. So, how do I cope

1) I don't let myself run low enough to frequently hypo. (last time I used the libre this happened). Basically, once my hba1c goes much below 7 or 50 ish (choose your units) I risk losing awareness, so I concentrate on time in range and avoiding the highs and lows

2) When I last lost awareness my clinic suggested I aim to run between 6 and 12 for a few weeks, and it came back.

3) If I could still use the libre (it no longer works for my body) I'd add a transmitter (miao miao?) to give me alerts before I went hypo (eg 4.5 or 5). I like to believe that it's not high blood sugar that keeps hypo awareness, but the avoidance of too many hypos in the first place.

But lots of virtual hugs. If there was one single thing that I could choose to eliminate in T1 diabetes, it would be the hypos. I hate them with a passion.

 

[EllieM]

Sort of like black blobs but not so defined.. anyway I'll do a BM and I'm 2.0..1.9.. even LO.
In the 12 years I've been diabetic I've never felt so awful after a hypo as I do tonight.

Oh, I forgot to say, if you are getting those readings from the libre, it quite often under reads once you go hypo.

 

[Jollymon]

I’m wondering if the problem is that now you’re seeing the lows. If you didn’t use the Libre and couldn’t check as rapidly, would you know? If you didn’t know, would you react differently?

Makes me flashback to the first time I checked my blood sugar the moment I realized I was hypo unaware. It was the first week after I’d quit an extremely stressful job, and my stress level was gone. Emotionally I was a clean slate (an unemployed clean slate). I was just doing stuff, and decided to check my blood sugar. It was an extremely crazy lo number. I saw it and could not believe it, so I checked again to find the same thing. Terrified I got on the floor and curled up into a ball and waited for help. No one came. After laying there awhile I realized I felt fine. I got my butt off the ground, and decided to make lunch.

Sure the lo number might not be a good thing, but seeing it shouldn’t be the problem. Seeing it is just data- use data to manage the problem. So I’m wondering if that’s where you’re at- with Libre now you’re seeing the data.

 

[Sunshine2297]

I’m wondering if the problem is that now you’re seeing the lows. If you didn’t use the Libre and couldn’t check as rapidly, would you know? If you didn’t know, would you react differently?

Makes me flashback to the first time I checked my blood sugar the moment I realized I was hypo unaware. It was the first week after I’d quit an extremely stressful job, and my stress level was gone. Emotionally I was a clean slate (an unemployed clean slate). I was just doing stuff, and decided to check my blood sugar. It was an extremely crazy lo number. I saw it and could not believe it, so I checked again to find the same thing. Terrified I got on the floor and curled up into a ball and waited for help. No one came. After laying there awhile I realized I felt fine. I got my butt off the ground, and decided to make lunch.

Sure the lo number might not be a good thing, but seeing it shouldn’t be the problem. Seeing it is just data- use data to manage the problem. So I’m wondering if that’s where you’re at- with Libre now you’re seeing the data.

I think to a certain extent you may be right, I think the main thing is because of how hypo aware I was before. I used to be a very bad diabetic, I'd just go off how I felt and inject x amount of insulin or drink some juice. (I know lock me up!) Anyway, I think to go from being so aware of my symptoms and levels, to being so hypo and not feel it is so so strange. I used to get extremely shaky, but now I feel dizzy and have visual disturbances I think that change has shocked me.

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience, I've woken up this morning and sat and read through the replies whilst I got ready for work, much better frame of mind!

Xxx

 

[Sunshine2297]

OK, I've had several periods of hypo unawareness whenever I've had too many hypos.....And, after 50 years of T1, I have to say my symptoms are no where near as dramatic as they used to be. So, how do I cope

1) I don't let myself run low enough to frequently hypo. (last time I used the libre this happened). Basically, once my hba1c goes much below 7 or 50 ish (choose your units) I risk losing awareness, so I concentrate on time in range and avoiding the highs and lows

2) When I last lost awareness my clinic suggested I aim to run between 6 and 12 for a few weeks, and it came back.

3) If I could still use the libre (it no longer works for my body) I'd add a transmitter (miao miao?) to give me alerts before I went hypo (eg 4.5 or 5). I like to believe that it's not high blood sugar that keeps hypo awareness, but the avoidance of too many hypos in the first place.

But lots of virtual hugs. If there was one single thing that I could choose to eliminate in T1 diabetes, it would be the hypos. I hate them with a passion.

Thank you Ellie!! This is what I really needed, reading someone elses experience and just normalising it a little bit I guess. I'm definitely going to aim to keep my levels around the 6-12 mark and see if that will help. I have a telephone review in a month or so, it's nice to go back with things I've already tried I guess I was emotional because of the hypo last night but also just a bit overwhelmed I've always had such strong symptoms of hypos I'd be ever so shaky at 4 mmol so I'd rarely drop lower than that.

I did finger prick last night when it said LO on the libre and I was 1.9. I think that was then when the tantrum came in, got my glass of juice and vented on here to you lovely lot. Haha!

I really appreciate your reply
Xxx

 

[Ushthetaff]

Hi
I must admit I have recently been th8nking I am hypo unaware, as I too get readings on my Libre saying Lo , however when I checked against s a finger prick my actual reading was 5.1. As good as the Libre system is it can tend to throw up some odd results , I’m not sure if your readings are from the Libre sensor or a finger prick but as a rule of thumb ( or finger) whenever I get a low reading I always check it against a finger prick, it makes me realise I’m not as hypo “unaware “ as I first thought.

 

[Jollymon]

Is there a fear in the UK about being hypo unaware? I’m thinking maybe yes, but I don’t understand the rationale.

 

[KK123]

very bad diabetic

Hi Sunshine, you're not a bad diabetic at all, you're a normal human being! A human being who has a condition that requires 100% full attention, no wonder you sometimes want a day off! x

 

[KK123]

Is there a fear in the UK about being hypo unaware? I’m thinking maybe yes, but I don’t understand the rationale.

Hi there, I don't think it's unique to the UK, just individuals who are worried about going too low and not realising. I would hate that too, with my job it could be very dangerous for example.