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First hypo! I think

F

Fionanewbie

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi everyone,
I was diagnosed with type 1 about a month ago now and I think I've just had my first hypo, I was up and getting ready, felt pretty normal, then started to feel a little irritated (but that's quite normal since diagnosis!)
I checked my blood sugars as normal (they are usually crazy high between 9-19) I've never been 4-7 before this morning, so I tested and I was 4.1, within ten minutes I was completely disorientated, my legs felt like lead, confused, sweating and tingling in my lips and one of my hands was shaking. I panicked and treated as a hypo, I assumed it must have been, took glucose tabs x3 and a small glass of Coke, ten minutes later I started to feel normal again, if not absolutely knackered, but normal. I had toast a bit afterwards, and have just tested again now (maybe 40 minutes after first test) and I'm 9.1.
I suppose my question is at 4.1 was a true hypo? And did I do the right thing? Or did I panic and act too quickly?

Next question my Lantus is due, do I take it as normal now?

Thanks all xxx
 
Hi @Fionanewbie Yes take your lantus as normal, and yes you did the right thing.

When you are feeling hypo there are no wrong or right answers you treat to prevent low glucose levels, so treating at 4.1 was right.

We all react differently, I tend to treat at 3.8 and below, however if you're dropping quickly then you would feel the effects at above 4, also if you're used to running at higher levels then as soon as you near 4 mmol/l it will feel very much like you are beginning to hypo. It's also good you have this awareness which is important to keep with managing your type 1.

What's important to understand from this is why you went low, so as you are newly diagnosed I would report this to your DSN as you may need to tweak your insulin doses (which we cannot advise you on).
 
Hi, and welcome to the club no one wants to join!
It was a hypo. It sounds like you were dropping quickly, continuing to drop after the 4.1.
If you have been running high for a long time the symptoms will feel worse.
You did the right thing, perhaps eating a bit too much but it's very difficult not to, we all know!

The Lantus is your long acting background insulin. It's important to take it, possibly a reduced dose, but the best thing is to discuss it with your Diabetes Specialist Nurse.
Yes hypo's can be exhausting!
 
Fionanewbie said:
I tested and I was 4.1, within ten minutes I was completely disorientated
Click to expand...
Hi and welcome.Just bear in mind that no measurement is 100% accurate. You might have been under 4. Test twice, at the same time, you will most probably get two different readings. But, yes, those are the symptoms of a hypo.
And also, something I try to teach my diabetic son, when you are hypo, your body says give me some food, not give me lots of sugar. Even if you take 30 grams of sugar, it will not instantly make you feel better.
Cheers
 
It could've been the speed of your sugar drop that caused the symptoms. Although for me my endocrinologist doesn't want me below 5 on my meter and that's because below 5 my bsl drops real quick. I had my first hypo and walked into a wall... I was 4.2 on the meter. I've had plenty of hypo's since then where I've been as low as 1.9 on my meter. I react the same with hypos and just have a couple of variations the lower I go... eg. my speech starts to slur, I lose sensation of my feet on the ground, I start pulling to the left and usually walk into things if I'm walking and hypo. You get to know for yourself over time when you're having a hypo. I think you did the right thing by treating it as if you didn't you would've likely dropped lower soon after. Also my endo likes to remind me that by the time I feel the 'symptoms' of a hypo my judgment has already gone and it is the last thing to return after symptoms go and you feel ok. So he tells me not to do any risky for a good half an hour afterwards.
 
No question it was a hypo. Lantus shouldn't change after a hypo. You usually "correct" with a bit too much food and "rebound" a bit high afterward, which was what happened to you it seems.
 
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