1st Hypo. Advice welcomed.

[Scubamup]

Wandering round a garden centre. World went wobbly. That was 17:40. Had a glucose tablet an a oat bar, did BG test at 6:10 read 5.5. Still feeling wobbly though. Am I missing something?

 

[Sorted007]

Try drinking some pure orange juice

 

[Sorted007]

Are you on medication if so lower it until you see your doctor/nurse

 

[Scubamup]

Think cause was too long without a full meal, rather than heavy on meds. Just puzzled why I'm still feeling wobbly.

 

[Bethany buchan]

It normally takes a while to feel 'normal' againx

 

[Sorted007]

You will feel like a jelly baby for a while but orange juice will bring you out of it quicker than anything I know

 

[Bethany buchan]

I find that the dextrose work really well followed by some kind of carbohydrate

 

[Sorted007]

If I have the dextrose tablets I munch six one after the other lol

 

[Bethany buchan]

Hah yeah I have a bad habit of eating the whole packet (14!) but it works tbh

 

[Scubamup]

Well I just had the one dextrose tablet. Followed by an oat bar which was 30g carb 14 of which sugars. I've now drunk orange so another 20g carbs. Now worried when all that when this all kicks in I'll rocket the other way. 40g of carbs is about my limit for an evening meal if I don't want to go over 9.
Yet I still feel 'odd'.
:0(

 

[Bethany buchan]

Well it can take anything from 5 to 15 minutes to feel normal

 

[Sorted007]

Don't worry about your readings too much its no different than a liver dump you'll be fine ok

 

[Nuthead]

Takes me around 45 minutes the feel ' normal ' again after treating a hypo. I prefer to murder jelly babies to get my fix of sugar.

 

[Brunneria]

Hi,

After a bad one, it can take me 3 days to feel 100% again.
I usually feel 'wrong' til I wake up the next morning, but the muscle aches and fatigue and depression often lasts longer.
(I'm a type 2, so speaking from that perspective)

The body's way of dealing with a hypo involves dumping a huge jolt of hormones into the blood stream, including a burst of adrenalin. The goal is to cause the liver to recognise an emergency, and release glycogen (glucose) stores into the blood to normalise levels.

This usually does the trick for type 2s, whether they eat anything or not (although I have always wanted to fall face first into a carb fest) - unless the T2 is on a medication that stimulates insulin. In which case, treatment is, I think, just as it would be for a T1.

But the point I'm trying to make is that the cocktail of adrenalin and other stuff will have as much effect as the low BG did. And it takes time to recover, because your body basically went into full RED ALERT fight or flight, with stress hormones sloshing about. That can cause all sorts of shock-type effects, shaking, aching, lethargy and concentration problems, as well as tiredness and mood swings.

Nowadays, I just try not to overdose on the carb 'treatment' because that causes its own after effect high/low swings, and I take things gently - if possible. Good slow release foods (I low carb), plenty of sleep and hydration, and try (!) to avoid further stress.

 

[Scubamup]

Thanks guys. I'll chalk this one up to experience (or total lack of it) and try and get levels back to normal.

 

[Lamont D]

I tend to agree with brunneria. Wouldn't go the high carb route. Glucose or jelly beans is the emergency recommendation.
Personally I can't do either, would rather have a plain biscuit and a cuppa to slowly bring my blood glucose levels back up. Then between 10-15 minutes later have a low carb meal.

 

[Scubamup]

I'm kinda classing this one under 'emergency' wasn't sure what was going to happen. I didn't think I could have been as low as I clearly was. Then the world went wobbly. Wasn't sure how much was needed and how fast to avoid passing out, or what I was capable of in the mean time. Walking? Probably not a good idea to find out.
How fast do glucose tablets take to hit your system? How long for regular food?

 

[CraigDT]

The advice I got was to take fast acting sugar first. Wait 15 minutes. Retest. If your blood sugar is still low repeat. Once your sugars come up, have something like a biscuit which has slower release carbs to keep your levels up. Taking the oat bar at the same time as the dextrose might slow down the sugar getting to your bloodstream.

 

[Scubamup]

How much sugar/ dextrose would you take? It sounds like my one tablet may have been a bit light.

 

[CraigDT]

I think 20g was the number I was told, but I am 6'5" so I would probably take a little more. I am by no means an expert though, being pretty new to all this myself. Half a packet of fruit pastilles works out at about 20 grams and appeals to me more than dextrose tablets so that is what sits on my desk at work.