Alternative to Jelly Babies?

[donnellysdogs]

Hi

I hate jelly babies, jelly beans etc as a hypo fix. I don't like the suggested normal hypo fixes of lucozade, glucose tablets, fizzy drinks. I just don't particularly enjoy sweets and sugary, sweet things and won't actively seek to eat them.

I do actually enjoy mini mars or mini milkways as a hypo fix from one of our german supermarkets in the UK. However my healthcare professionals don't like me having one of them as a hypo fix due to the fat content not allowing the glucose getting in asap. For past 25 years I used to like milk with sugar if accessible, but again they didn't like that as a hypo fix either and chocolate limes or chocolate eclairs in the car-but again-these aren't acceptable either.

Has anybody got hypo fixes that they actually enjoy and don't mind taking which the healthcare professionals are happy with?

 

[iHs]

Dates are probably really good hypo fixers. One date is about 6g carb and has loads of good health benefits even though they are sweet and syrupy.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/date-fruit-benefits.html

I'm gonna buy a box as they are now being sold in the shops leading up to Christmas 8)

 

[redrevis]

There is something available on the NHS called Hypo-Fit. I found it on a blog, but as we're not allowed to link to blogs, I'll quote the text from it:

Hypo-Fit is available on prescription. Perhaps this may be a preferable choice for you or an additional option.
It comes in Orange, Tropical or Mint Flavours. The sachet is small and slim therefore easy to carry and takes up little room.

This fast acting carbohydrate product is used by groups other than people, who have diabetes such as:marathon runners, surfers, skiers, cyclists, perhaps that highlights how effective the product is

Each 18 gm sachet contains 13.4 gm of useful carbohydrate with a calorific value of 228 KJ / 54 Kcal (see NICE Guidelines).

HYPO-FITｮ syrup is not recommended for children under 2 years of age.

For details see here. http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetic-prod ... tment.html

Might be worth a try?

 

[janabelle]

HI, if you're happy with your mini mars bars from that Supermarket(their dark choc is great too!), and it works for you, I'd be inclined to go with that.
I know what you mean about lucozade and the like; I find it puts my BG up too quick and I can feel a bit cr*p as a result. Hypos, by their nature, create a panic to raise the BG level that's out of our control and instinctive. Even if your mars bars, milky ways are a bit slower they WILL raise your BG. When I was diagnosed I was told mars bars were the ideal hypo treatment. Doctors are more than likely too frightened these days to say a even a mini-mars bar's ok in case you come back and sue them when if you have a heart attack or put on 3 stone!!
I carry dextro tablets cos they're lighter than a lucozade bottle, but they annoy my teeth and are chalky and easy to choke on. Lemon flavour's lovely though
I've often thought it would handy if we could just inject some glucose instead of rotting our teeth. Then we might get it free on prescription too
Jus

 

[dot]

I've often thought it would handy if we could just inject some glucose instead of rotting our teeth. Then we might get it free on prescription too
Jus

Thats what we do with lambs that are hypothermic and unconcious. Inject glucose solution. Works a treat.
(Sorry - farmer talking)

 

[Dollyrocker]

Wha about juice? Orange works pretty well for me

 

[phoenix]

I hate glucose tablets too, but because of that I don't take any more than the bare minimum (depends on my level) so 'm I don't overtreat and end up high.
Agree about the teeth issue though, what I really hate is having to take some sugar at night after I've cleaned my teeth .
At the hospital here they use syrup de menthe which in my mind is worse than dextrose (any of the other flavours would be better!)

 

[shedges]

Any type of fruit juice does it for me - orange, grape, pineapple, pomigranite, cranberry. They're all about 10-14g of sugar per 100ml.

 

[Patch]

Is it possible to reduce the likelyhood of a hypo by monitoring and adjusting your insulin doses? I'm a T2 so don't really have a good grasp of insulin regimes, but it would make sense to me to try to stop the hypo occuring rather than rectify it once it has happened? (I'm sure it's not as easy as it sounds - can someone school me a little on how difficult this is to achieve?)

 

[totsy]

hya patch,
sometimes its unavoidable sadly

 

[phoenix]

Patch,
A picture rather than a thousand words, give the balls labels like hormones, absorption rate, stress, health, temperature, mood, time of day, time of the month etc , then imagine what happens when you get one of the legs in the wrong place or is too long or too short . (and I suppose there really ought to be 2 insulin legs)

If you try to keep your blood glucose down at low levels, it is very likely that you will tip down below 4 from time to time.
Aiming for slightly higher levels can help. Some people are very frightened of hypos and keep their levels very high because of it. Having a very structured life, with regular meals and similar exercise ,there is less to vary . Even so you still have the unknown variables to contend with so you will still have some hypos .
(pumps help, but that's another story)

 

[goji]

Marks and Spencers do mini bags of sweets - they are perfect for my hypos. You can get 3 bags for a pound.

I get the pink foam shrimps or the banana foam sweets. You get about 18 sweets in a pack and a pack is worth 70 grams of Carbs. There is little fat in the sweets - just fast sugars.

They are easy to carry round and taste a lot nicer than glucotabs. Also they are gluten free.

ETA - The only problem is that because I like the taste of these sweets - I am tempted to eat them when I don't have a hypo!!

 

[donnellysdogs]

Love the idea of dates and ok with juices... am on pump, just that I will not drive below 6 now, and sometimes if my levels are 4 or 5 I just want something in my car to bring me up reasonably quickly.
Due to my previous incident my friend will never leave me before I drive home from walking our dogs and I will not drive if I am under 6. Sometimes we are soaked through (more often than not, where we live!!) and it is a pain hanging around outside the car (definitely won't even get in to it) and then eating sweets that I really do not like!!
I think the dates sound brilliant, and from the link they are pretty healthy too. Fortunately my BG's dipping down after my dog walks have all but disappeared, but still need something to take outside and keep in bumbag and car.
I also love dried bananas and pineapple, so no doubt won't be so healthy as the dates, but would another good enough alernative just to get me up that little bit extra if I am under 6 for my short journey home.
I think in the house, that a pineapple fruitjuice sounds a good idea for me too, especially as I won't normally drink them too much because of the sugar content, and it again is the only juice I like....especially as my husband will say '1 for you and 2 for him' when it comes to having a minimars!!

So glad I have asked the seemingly silly question, as yet again I have got some 'experienced' replies....

 

[tom79]

I wonder is raisins would do the trick, easy to carry and last a while? well I bought a pack but so far no need to use them, but its only day 3! (im not counting..)

 

[donnellysdogs]

Please let me know Tom as I also like raisins-have you worked out approx how many to eat??

 

[tom79]

Well Hospital today said to eat about 15g of sugar, the sugar content of them is 15g sugar in about 25g, but I cant say for sure, I am new to this so... however my theory is better to have a little too much than not enought, can always eat less next time? im no expert but wouldnt how much to eat depend on your height and weight also? currently i am trying to get my levels down however im thinking ahead.

Also I was told those little cans of fizzy drinks, or the panda bottles (you know the small bright cheap ones) are good because they are aparently pretty much perfect size for the job. Ill be getting some cans also to pop in my car/work desk also.

 

[annettekp]

You get raisins in a snack box size, meant for kids lunch boxes. They are about 15g of carbs.

 

[totsy]

i love the taste of the new raspberry glucotabs

 

[forth]

chocolate raisins is excellent you can enjoy the fruit and the chocolate makes you feel its worthwhile, :wink: a good handful does the job for me but like everybody else they can b addictive but what an addiction :lol: if your out walking you can eat a bag quite easily in all honesty not the best but a nice treat

 

[malibu0509]

Have you tried Kendal Mint cake, you can get small packets and it is very quick to work.