nightmares/night terrors

sunspots

Well-Known Member
Messages
302
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
I've just had a sneaky sleep as my night sleep is poor at present and I'm going out tonight (excuses, excuses). Anyway, I had the worst night terror I have had ever. I knew I was in another state and that if I could open my eyes I would be safe. I opened them once ortwice but was, of course, paralysed. I screamed a lot and tried to sit up. It was awful (made a tiny bit worse by some sane part of my brain remembering I live in a terraced house and telling me the neighbours would think I was having sex). It went on much longer than any other night terrors I have had before.

Could it be the loss of carbs - I'm on day 5? I'd like to stop them if possible or the neighbours might think I'm louche. ;)
 

Brunneria

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,889
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
If it happens again, can you check your blood glucose?

I have had night terrors. And they are usually linked to either over-eating and having indigestion, or from too high BG.

The first time I went low carb (way back in the 90s!), we went camping. I messed up and had no low carb snack, and ended up eating a large portion of very sweet mango just before bed (I hate going to bed hungry). Big mistake.

I woke up from a night terror, sweating, shaking, terrified, disoriented... Woke the whole camp :oops:You get the picture,
Wish I had had a meter in those days. It was probably a reactive hypoglycaemic hypo. :(
 

sunspots

Well-Known Member
Messages
302
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Well it has been 20 mins or so but I've just checked and it's 5.7 which is good forme.
 

Brunneria

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,889
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Sometimes we get hypo symptoms with BG levels well above 4. (4 is the 'magic number' that makes a hypo, a hypo, according to many people)

But if our bodies are used to running on high BG, then a sharpish drop in BG can trigger a hypo-like reaction.

Of course, it am speculating that may have been what happened to you... And it doesn't help the nastiness of the whole stressful experience!
 
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sunspots

Well-Known Member
Messages
302
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
So I guess I should make sure I haven't eaten too little (or too much) before sleeping. I suppose it's not surprising really that my body is struggling with such a major change in diet.
 
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lacey1

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Messages
152
Im not a diabetic hubby is i have really horrible nightmares at times myself mine are caused by hormones ,stress and being over tired even though they are awful and very unsettling at the time they are very common and normal and sometimes have no trigger good luck and sweet dreams :p

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
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sunspots

Well-Known Member
Messages
302
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Thank you lacey1. Hormones are dfinitely a possibility too. I didn't know they could cause night terrors though. I've had them before under stress but rarely. I often sleep talk and once sleep walked, all as an adult, but this was the worst terror I've had. I could hear my attempts to scream but wasn't waking. Horrible.

It's not all bad though. I once woke myself up by giggling at something funny in my dream.