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How low do you hypo?

Timostags

Well-Known Member
I have noticed the symptoms get when having a hypo have changed.
I used to get shakey and my tongue would go numb. I don't seem to get these symptoms anymore. Now I tend to notice a hypo when I can't concentrate and struggle to focus my sight on something.
When I get these symptoms I'll do a BG test and it's usually below 2.5 mmol.
I can often do a BG test and it be 3-4 and I'll feel really feel.

What BG levels do other people get symptoms that you recognise as a hypo? I know we are taught that <3.9 is a hypo but I also recently read that 2.8 is when people tend to get symptoms ---- this was from Wikipedia
 
3.5-4mmol/L I can feel a bit icky, any lower I can feel it in my chest and start shaking, sweating, being confused, and sometimes get a sharp headache, which feels different to normal headaches. My hands also start to feel heavy and they don't know what they want to do lol
 
Timostags said:
I used to get shakey and my tongue would go numb. I don't seem to get these symptoms anymore.
Click to expand...

Your body has "autonomic responses", which produce adrenaline (which gives the shakes), and the alpha cells produce glucagon to tell the liver to release glucose.

Those responses will generally kick in around the 4 mark before we start getting the "neuroglycopenic" symptoms of confusion etc. through the brain starting to fade through lack of glucose.

But, over time, if there are too many lows, the initial autonomic responses can become blunted, so you the adrenaline just doesn't bother anymore, so you don't get the shakes, and the first you know about it is when your brain starts doing weird stuff.
 
I’m hypoglycemic un-aware. I don’t remember what my bottom end is. I don’t like to test it.

I have a rule to always have food on me, and to eat if under 70.
 
Ok so I'm feeling like I might be becoming hypo in aware. I just recorded a 1.5 and felt fine.

I'm really scared. I'm also really scared to talk to my doctor about this as I'm worried it could effect me renew my driving licence as I remember it being a question the DVLA ask.

I had a couple of bad hypos as a teenager that always made me want to keep my BG higher than it should be. The past few months I have (for the first time in my life) really made the effort to take control, testing 8+ times a day, carb counting, correction doses etc.
I would say I have a hypo every other day. Is this too frequent? Is this the reason I am not aware I am hypo?

I thought I had gotten over my fear, but now I can't help but feel like it's a matter of time before one of these hypos catch me out.
 
I used to always feel it when it got near 4 to be honest and always caught it at 3.8 but the last two days I have been 2.9 and not felt it. Makes me worry a little to be honest.

Symptoms are the usual ones. Sweaty, confusion, shaky etc. Weirdly the first sign of a hypo for me is that I actually feel it in my balls haha. I don't know how to explain it but I get a weird feeling in my, lets be polite and say meat and two veg. Like sort of the feeling of a chill.
 
The more often you go hypo, the more likely you are to become hypo unaware.

If you tell your doctor or DSN, they'll probably tell you to keep your blood sugars higher for several weeks, so that you regain hypo awareness. This doesn't mean in the high teens or 20s , just higher than your present target range, so you avoid hypos.
 
1.1 yesterday before lunch yesterday. Usually I'm ok until around 1.5ish and which point I can start feeling light headed
 
You really need to be telling your Dr/DSN about the frequency of theses hypos. If you have a crash while hypo your insurance is null and void. I have been hypo unaware for a number of years and have also lost my drivers license due to it as well. I wouldn't like to put myself or other people in danger driving while having a hypo
 
O_DP_T1 said:
1.1 yesterday before lunch yesterday. Usually I'm ok until around 1.5ish and which point I can start feeling light headed
Click to expand...

Hi O, gosh that is low, it would worry me greatly. You may feel ok but does that mean you ARE ok I wonder? How would you really know that you were continuing to 'perform' normally? It reminds me of people who are drunk or intoxicated, they think they are speaking sense but...…...also I recall (when my Mum kept going that low swiftly followed by unconsciousness and a week in hospital several times) the Consultants said do not underestimate the lows because they can do severe damage to the brain. x
 

I am really careful when driving. I always do a test before hand and reduce the insulin I take if I know I'm going to riding for a while.
(I don't drive a car it's a motorbike)
 

Below 2 isn't normal, but I tend to get a couple low 2s a week at the moment.

The 1.5 yesterday I was in bed and felt normal. It was only when I got up to turn off a heater that I felt a little strange (it's hard to say how I felt but I didn't feel normal) so I did a test and it was 1.5.

After a hypo like that a tend to get a pretty intense headache for a while but nothing else.

I got scared when I saw a documentary on TV on Saturday where an ambulance was called to a T1. He was passed out at 2.2 and needed intravenous glucose and a trip to hospital. I had had the exact same reading a couple of hours before. I have had hypos in the past where I have passed out etc. But not for 10+ years now
 

I saw that last night. He had cancer and was on chemotherapy which was having a huge affect on his levels.
 

I saw that last night. He had cancer and was on chemotherapy which was having a huge affect on his levels.
 
Human insulin is not well known for giving early warning to hypo as it is well matched to our bodies unlike animal insulins we used to take that left you sweating like a pig and shaking like a leaf.

There is no need to panic just test if in doubt if you cannot make a decision to test your usually hypo and for driving you should be testing before you get into car and stop at intervals to eat and test so thats under control.

Usually your total daily does within reason in 24hour period rarely gives you big hypo in my 40+ years experience its if you make error in any adjustments, insulin to carbs or excessive physical exercise.

Its only a number dont fear it.
 
@Timostags - much of the research that has been done shows that regular hypos under 3.0mmol/l causes hypo awareness issues. When you get below 2.5 your brain is unable to make correct decisions (again this has been studied with both trials and MRI scans).

If you really don’t feel them till 2.5 or lower, then, for the safety of other road users, you need to surrender your license. You aren’t aware of something that impacts your ability to think and react, which can be lethal when driving.

The upside is that there is a programme called “HART” which focuses on recovering hypo awareness, and you can seek referral for it through your team.

Whilst we all fear loss of hypo awareness, we do have to be aware of the risks to others of it as well. You really should be talking to your DSN about the issues and about how they can help you recover.
 

Hi there,

I tend to start feeling that Im having a hypo really from 4 below. I start feeling drowsy and very hungry. The further it drops for me, the more my symptoms worsen! I’ve woken up in the middle of the night on 1.6 feeling increasingly useless and on the verge.

Hope this helps!
Duncan
 
Hi there
I've lost count of the times I have been told to raise my blood sugar readings in order to regain full hypo awareness. This I do and for a little while at least it does work. But it's not too long before I don't feel them until I am around 3.1 or even lower. Then the cycle begins again - reduced hypo awareness I suppose.
 
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