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Hypo awareness?

LittleGreyCat

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
4,409
Location
Suffolk, UK
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diet drinks - the artificial sweeteners taste vile.
Having to forswear foods I have loved all my life.
Trying to find low carb meals when eating out.
T2 not currently on any medications which carries a high risk of hypos.
Although Dapagliflozin can carry some risk.

I have never (as far as I am aware) had a hypo.
Although my Libre 2+ has shown readings around and below 4 which I have not checked by finger prick.

So how do you know if you are hypo aware?
Are hypos inevitable on certain medications?

I am just pondering this for the future if I progress to some drug which over stimulates my pancreas, or onto insulin.
I would need to notify DVLA and state that I am hypo aware.
Which presumably means that I would have to experience a hypo and be aware of that.
Not something I have thought about much until recently.

Has everyone on hypo risk medications experienced at least one hypo?

What are the implications of being hypo unaware?
Do you just pass out, and with luck there is someone near who can supply sugar?
 
Hello @LittleGreyCat . Have you been prescribed different or new medication? Or still just on Metformin, which shouldn’t put you at risk of hypo.

The following link has some info that could be useful.


Hypo unawareness is used to describe a situation where people with diabetes, usually type 1 diabetes, are frequently unable to notice when they have low blood sugar, hypoglycemia.

Hypo unawareness is used to describe a situation where people with diabetes, usually type 1 diabetes, are frequently unable to notice when they have low blood sugar, hypoglycemia.
www.diabetes.co.uk
 
For one reason or another I get low blood sugars. I’ve had them when not taking drugs that may cause hypoglycaemia as well as my current drug Bupropion which stimulates insulin secretion and is a known risk for causing hypoglycaemia. Looking at my CGM Libre 3 records I have had 5 recorded low blood sugar events in the last 7 days. My lowest recorded event was 3 mmol/ls . I don’t drink alcohol.

Usually I am aware when my blood sugars are going low, I feel nauseated, shaky, agitated and sweaty. I can get a thumping headache as well. If you are prone to low sugars events you get to recognize these low blood sugar symptoms and check your blood sugars. If they happen at night, and you are hypo sensitive then you will wake up. You check your blood sugars. Looking at my recorded Low glucose events , I was not aware of any of these ‘ low sugars episodes. So either my blood sugars were higher than what was recorded by my CGM or I’m not as sensitive to these events.

If you have healthy blood sugars, or If you are diabetic, but not on drugs that can cause hypoglycaemia then dropping into the mid 3’s is considered just fine. If you are fasting for more than 8 hours, according to my lab parameters for spontaneous blood sugars tests, 3.3 is the lower limit.

Risks are greater when you are on drugs than can cause low blood sugars, or if you are on insulin. Being hypo aware, means if you went low at night you would wake up, if you are not hypo aware, then the risk is you don’t wake up and your blood sugars keep falling. So CGM low blood sugar alarms are definitely a good thing.

Edited to correct autocorrected spelling errors
 
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I think hypos depend on the medication. Eg when my dad was on gliclazide ( pre going low carb) he never had a hypo.

As a T1 on insulin who makes none of her own I believe mild hypos are inevitable with current tech, but since going on a pump I no longer fear that I might have a hospital inducing one.

There is quite a big period between feeling hypo at maybe 3.5 to 4 mmol/L and becoming confused at 3 and unconscious at about 2 or even lower.... Non diabetics can happily run bgs in the mid 3s.

I find cgms great at preventing hypos but once I am actually hypo then a glucometer works better.

I have in the past had periods of hypo unawareness, usually associated (for me) with too many hypos. I cured it by keeping my bg higher for several weeks/months.
 
LittleGreyCat said:
Although my Libre 2+ has shown readings around and below 4 which I have not checked by finger prick.

I am just pondering this for the future if I progress to some drug which over stimulates my pancreas, or onto insulin.
I would need to notify DVLA
Click to expand...
if taking any drugs which come with increased hypo chances require to notify dvla. usually issued medical license which can varying lengths of time between 1 and 5 years (mines 3 years).

vision is another thing which can be effected which hasn't been mentioned above.

your comment on libre2+ shown readings below 4, i would be checking against fingerprick. abbots clearly state on their product manuals to check both highs/lows or indeed if you don't feel as per the sensor states before medical decisions. another consideration each person is different, libre2plus reads generally a little lower for me, others have found it can read a little higher. alongside what your doing, for me if im laying down it can read a little bit lower, if i lean directly against the cgm for a little while it can read much lower. despite some quirks absolutely love the libre
 
We’ve had a few nights where the CGM alarm went off for a low, but the person I care for didn’t wake up at all. Honestly, I can’t imagine managing without those alerts — they’ve probably prevented some scary situations. From what I’ve seen, hypo awareness isn’t something fixed; it seems to come and go depending on how often the lows happen. It’s definitely made me realise how valuable regular checks and reliable tech can be for peace of mind.
 
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