How often does a hypo actually kill someone?

diabetesmum said:

I worry a lot about night time hypos. My older daughter had 2 severe night time hypos last year where she convulsed and her BG was below 1.0. It was very frightening for her and for us as her parents. Whilst she cannot remember the convulsion, she says she remembers feeling ill and trying to cry out for help but not being able to. It is quite distressing. My younger daughter is also Type 1 but so far, thank goodness, this hasn't happened to her. I get up most nights to check their BG's and am quite good now at getting Lucozade down the throats of barely awake children! I cannot imagine them living alone or with flatmates who would not bother to check them (and why should they - it's a real responsibilty). Finding them 'dead in bed' (God forbid) in the morning is certainly something that goes through my mind on occasion.

Sometimes it's hard to see how everything will work out in the future, but I guess technology might come to the rescue.
Sue

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Diabetesmum - I know because I remember not being able to do anything and feeling helpless and sick and my boyfriend asking if I wanted an ambulance. He said he knew I was trying to speak but couldn't and panicked and rang. My BG was high an hour before so he didn't assume a hypo but he knew something was wrong. Before that I was moody and he assumed I was in one of my moods and went out of the room. Thanks to him coming back - I'm alive today :!: It is scary as hell and I do not think we should have to live with this fear at all. There is hope and something should hopefully come up in the future to save us having to live with this fear. Ok yes technically a bus could kill us or accident (I nearly died in a car accident too once as well as due to hypo) but the fact that this condition worsens and forces us into feelings of helplessness is wrong. We were told at the start it was a 'manageable condition' so suddenly being told you can't control it and have to fear the possibility of death by hypo any minute is something I disagree with strongly.

Rach79 said:

<snip>Apparantly the BG can be normal but then a sudden drop in BG can cause hypo and person to lose conscienceness. <snip>

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This came up in my recent interview with the dietitian. My lowest BG's happen when I return home from walking the dogs (and the BG's can drop fast). Dietititian insisted I carry mint cake or something with me. I demurred saying that I was never far from home as one of my dogs has severe arthritis and besides I never go out without my mobile. Dietitian asked "And which of your dogs is going to make the phone call while you're lying there unconscious?"

I carry a little mint cake...

Steve

Lucozade is my answer :!: If I am going for a long hike then I'll drink it on the way. It's great because I don't have to eat whilst exercising yet it keeps my BG up The sudden drops in BG tend to happen to me a short time after though, so I eat something starchy after exercise to make sure my BG's are level.