Hypo Fits

Hey, I wrote this small essay on the introductions strand when I joined this week, think I might have posted it in the wrong place!

I have been very lucky with my control and thought I was fine with a very good Hba1c of 6.4 in the summer. However out of the blue I had a fit in my sleep, only noticed because I was sharing a room with my sister at the time. When I came round I was completely unaware of what was going on, I felt very confused but did not feel 'low'. An ambulance had been called whilst I was fitting and when they arrived my blood sugar was very low so they pumped me full of sugar (way way too much!!) and then let me out of the ambulance with instructions to go to my doctor in the morning.

Before I could get to see my diabetic doctor I had another fit 3 days later whereby I walked downstairs and collapsed on the floor and then had a fit- I have absolutely no recollection of even getting out of bed! I woke up on the hard conservatory floor! This time my blood was tested immediately after the fit and again I was low. I was taken into A+E by the ambulance this time where they did many tests but everything was normal.

I got to see my Diabetic Doc the next day and he thought they did sound like hypos but he was going to do epilepsy tests also. I had a MRI scan and then an EEG monitoring, both came back completely clear. My doctor said that my control had been running too low and my low symptoms had turned themselves off whilst I was asleep. I was just wondering if anybody else has had this problem? I took to very stringent testing before bedtime to make sure I was at least 8 before could sleep. I had heard that the glargine I was on, the absoption of it could vary by 30% during the day and I thought that this is what must be happening whilst I sleep.My doctor had now cut out 30 units of my daily dosage. I had one more fit exactly a month after my first one, I had slept in late on a Sunday but was plenty high enough before I had gone to bed. Again I was taken to hospital and I was low again. I was put on a carb counting course which was so useful, I can't believe hwo much insulin I used to take without need!

I then asked to have a go on Levemir as its absorption was a lot more level, I have been on this twice daily now and am so much more stable! No fits and I have regained my sleep hypo symptoms, as I was woken up by one the other day- I was so pleased!! I am wary that had I not known about Levemir and my doc being quite wary of putting me on it I might still be struggling on with Glargine which after 4 or 5 years had chosen to not agree with me!

Sorry for the very long nature of this post, just wondered if anybody else had experienced a similar situation? I am having an absolute nightmare with the DVLA at the minute trying to get my license back!!
Jemma

Hi Marie,

I agree- I am sorry that you are having such a hard time but it is refreshign to hear that someone is having the same thing! I must admit that prior to the summer, despite having it for 14 years I was not even aware that diabetes could cause fits so had even convinced myself I had epilepsy!!

I thankfully have only had 3 fits that I am aware of, but on all 3 occasions the feelings of confusion were immense. It took me a good few hours in A & E to piece together what day it was, my sisters 21st had been a few days before and I had real trouble even recalling if it had been her birthday yet. You sound like you have been very confused aswell, I now live with a friend but was thankful to be living with my family when these fits occurred to bring me round!

Are your hypo symptoms in the day still prominent? Mine have never gone in the day so thankfully no fits in the day. Now im on levemir the dips in the night I was suffering from seem to have completely gone. Have you tried to change the type of insulin at all? Did you get your sleep symptoms back when you were on the pump?

Good to hear about your licence, DVLA are just soo slow and I get a different story on the progress everytime I ring up, very very frustrating!!

I am suprised at how little has been written about the occurence of fits with diabetes! Also even my diab doctor seemed to be a little confused on the issue which was a bit worrying.

Take care,
Jemmax

I think it might be what would happen in the day if you left the hypo untreated, I was told that the fit is the brains last ditch attempt at getting attention to the problem? ie by alerting others I guess. I have also been told it is a result of the body hauling sugar from your liver to stop the hypo.

KimSuzanne, its interesting what you say about the insulin having different reactions with hormone levels, 2 of mine happened exactly a month apart. I don't seem to be having any variation according to the time on Levemir now.

I do think there could do with being a bit more research on these fits and the effects the different types of insulin have on their occurence. It is nice to know there are others having very similar situations!