Type 1 Different sized pupils

M

MaxWill

Newbie
Messages
1
Hi all,

My wife has Type 1 diabetes (disgnosed 2.5 years ago in her 30s) and when she has a hypo her pupils are different sizes. She also has hypo unawareness so relies on me to tell her when she needs to eat/take action.

Yesterday she very obviously had the issue with her pupils being mismatched and I urged her to eat/put some sugar in her coffee but she was adamant she was fine and tested her blood sugar levels which were good (7.7 I think). She was also not 'acting' hypo and we had had a big lunch only a few hours previously.

Does anyone else have this issue and is there an explanation for having hypo symptoms whilst sugar levels are OK?

Sorry if question is basic, it's my first post (I did do a search first).

Thanks,
Max
 
  • Like
Reactions: Juicyj
K

Knikki

Guest
Hi Welcome to the forum. :)

Nope can happen, not often but can.

Normally you may find that the T1 concerned has been running very high sugars for a long time and when they drop suddenly they may get the effects of a hypo, even though they are not.

Must confess that I have no idea if my pupils are of a different size when I am in hypo territory, must ask Mrs Knikki to keep an eye (no pun intended) for that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Juicyj
Antje77

Antje77

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
19,455
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
I had different size pupils when I was on antidepressants (2 different kinds of SSRI's), but no idea if having a hypo does that as well. I'll try to remember to take a selfie to check next time :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: lindijanice
slip

slip

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,523
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
MaxWill said:
Does anyone else have this issue and is there an explanation for having hypo symptoms whilst sugar levels are OK?
Click to expand...

Could her blood sample have been affected by something on her hands? (wash, rinse thoroughly, dry completely - then test) Having eaten a large meal only a few hours before isn't always a sure sign that someone isn't hypo either.

I can't say any ones notice if my pupils are different sizes when hypo but as a hypo symptom it's a new one on me! but everyone different :happy: From my limited medical knowledge, (ie none, unless you include watching Casualty on TV :hilarious:) having odd size pupils normally suggest a brain defect..........:playful:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Knikki
Antje77

Antje77

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
19,455
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
slip said:
Could her blood sample have been affected by something on her hands? (wash, rinse thoroughly, dry completely - then test) Having eaten a large meal only a few hours before isn't always a sure sign that someone isn't hypo either.
Click to expand...
Agree!
slip said:
having odd size pupils normally suggest a brain defect..........:playful:
Click to expand...
Well, what is a hypo other than a temporary brain defect? The brain is acutely lacking of energy when hypo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Knikki
K

Knikki

Guest
@MaxWill Just been speaking to Mrs Knikki and she says that my pupils can be an inappropriate size for the amount of light when hypo.

Which means that if I'm in a room where there is not much light then normally the pupils will be wide open, however when hypoing the pupils could be very small.

So wrong size but both the same.

If your wife has different size pupils I would certainly seek more information from someone more medically qualified than us.

It is best to be on the safe side.
 
Top Bottom