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Do you feel your Diabetes?

tim2000s

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
8,936
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Other
Okay, so this might seem a little odd, but what I mean is, can you estimate your blood sugar from how your body feels?

I don't mean to the nearest 0.5 mmol/l, but more widely.

We are told about warning signs around hypos, but who else also feels the high blood sugars setting in?

I've recently started low carbing, and obviously you end up in a ketosis state. What I wasn't expecting was for it to feel like I had a moderately high blood sugar. By that I mean 12-16 mmol, rather than >16. It was slightly disconcerting but is something that I am getting used to.

It also made me realise just how much of my diabetes I actually 'feel'.

Anyone else get something similar?
 
The feeling you are getting may be ketoadaptation, in which case it should pass in a few days.

But yes I have a feeling I recognise as somewhat high, or high, or very high. It's not perfectly reliable but I feel it most times.
 
Hi, yes I feel high blood sugars. The first sign is slightly blurred vision that comes on quickly. The second sign is a kind of giddy feeling, others may indicate I'm being a little excitable. The third is a slight frontal headache that doesn't lift with painkillers. If I get any of the above I will test my blood. Even if it's not injection time.
 
When I go high I get a similar sensation to having a burned tongue. Since low carbing I also get it much earlier. I used to get symptoms around 18 or higher. Now an 8 or 9 will bring it on. I don't know if this is down to the diet, or the fact I rarely go above 7.5 now, so my body finds 9 unusual. I also have to be careful not to burn my tongue on coffee as it makes me feel high, even if I go hypo!
 
Its very odd but mostly I do realise when my blood sugar is over about 11mmols . Mainly because I keep having to pee and feel tired and keep yawning.
But occasionally I have no symptoms and it is a real surprise!
 
Do tend to feel sluggish if bg goes into double figures, but the strongest symptoms are when my bg drops low, this is particularly so if it's 1-2 hours postprandial.

Had an unusual episode last night when making dinner, I was about 10 mins away from serving up and was adding up the carbs when this intense hunger feeling appeared, around 40 mins before that I had tested my bg and got a reading of 4.8mmol, with no active IOB I didn't worry too much about it, so when this hunger feeling appeared I tested my bg and it read 3.7mmol, but my symptoms suggested it was much lower.

So I ate 2 JB's and injected after my food with a reduced dose as I was walking later, I think I need to look at my basal insulin again as it must be too high, just strange how it dropped in such a short space of time and so long after my previous bolus dose
 
Going hypo just before eating, often with strong sudden hunger feelings, is a common pattern for me. I think there is something going on there that is not just about your basal dose. I have a feeling that your digestion is getting into first gear in anticipation, and some how this drops blood sugar low. Something like that.
 


Could well be Spiker, but TBH this hasn't happened many times before. My basal dose needs some fine-tuning, thinking about asking about Tresiba as a background insulin as I've read some good things about it and Robert72 says it's a really good basal insulin since he changed over, lantus is good mind and I do find it has quite a flat profile (when you get the dose right)
 
True it could easily be chicken and egg - maybe I'm often getting low before food because I am sensing the imminent low and that's why I'm preparing food!
 
Spiker said:
True it could easily be chicken and egg - maybe I'm often getting low before food because I am sensing the imminent low and that's why I'm preparing food!
Click to expand...

That's a good theory
 

I'm sure Bernstein talks about this in his book. Something about BG dropping prior to food. Sorry, can't remember the details properly, but it is something to do with appetite/anticipation causing the drop. Of course, it might just be about type 2s who release insulin in preparation for eating...
 
I can tell once mine gets to the high 8's and 9's as I get very sleepy. It's a weird kind of sleepy though, like a million years of napping wouldn't be enough. Luckily not had anything higher than a 10, so can't really comment on what might happen above that.
 
I'm Type 2. My current daily average is running at about 6.5mmol/l. I have quite a few readings in the 4's pre-prandial, including one at spot on 4. I also had a one-off reading of 12.4 at 2 hours post prandial that was still 11.4 at 2.5 hours. I have never felt any different, whether as low as 4 or as high as 12.4. No sleepiness, headaches, vision problems. Nothing. When I test I have no idea what sort of level it will be.
 

Yes it would make sense for type 2's, just wondering how that might work for type 1's as we produce little or no insulin.
 
Yep - I know certain ranges with the symptoms I experience
and feel .
I like to test when feel n get the symptoms then I can get
wiser to the range that sets or equals = the symptoms

If am over 10.4 - need fluids to drink more
If over 12 start to need loo more
If over 14.5 - get stroppy in personality !

When am up to 8 feel really calm n chilled !

Good topic and thread - I so get this style of thinking too
 
You stroppy Anna........................................never
 
noblehead said:
You stroppy Anna........................................never
Click to expand...
Am sure my hubby would say differently in an over 14.5 BG range

Its a bit like PMT (premenstrual tension) was when I was a teenager and younger lady .
You know you are being stroppy n tempermental but are unable to
quit or stop the heated reactions kind of thing .
 
Just asked hubby about this - he has said I turn into
a real 'diva' when hungry when too low BG range .

Forgot this - and I do - even shouted and created in a cafe once .
Luckily they know me and hurried my food over to me .

Remember in ireland I threw a bread stick back as I
didnt want it with my homemade soup !
Just wanted the soup WITHOUT the brick loaf ...
Hubby was in shock n horror and the kitchen/counter
assistants were in giggles .

So either too low or too high - I get stroppy
 
Remind me not to go out for a meal with you Anna..................

Seriously though, hypo's can do some strange things to people and get them to act out of character.
 
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