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Hypo or not?

Croc

Well-Known Member
Messages
403
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Sea filth!
So today I recorded my lowest ever BS reading since I've been recording of 5.2. Had breakfast and 2 hours later was still at 12.8 which is pretty normal for me. Went up the high street to the bank then walked to meet my mother in law off a coach at noon. Walked to the Co-op to get some salad and stuff for lunch and then walked home, or started to.

Halfway home I started to feel awful, very sweaty and clammy, shaking and dizzy and felt like I was going to keel over. Id only walked about 2 miles which is nothing for me but I had to sit on the grass verge while my daughter phoned my husband to come and pick me up cos I couldn't go any further. I had nothing sweet on me so just nibbled a couple of breadsticks and had some low sugar squash my mother in law had on her. Got picked up and when I got in tested my sugars again and they were 5.6.

Felt pretty bad for a while till I'd had something to eat and drink.

So, even though my BS wasn't really low, was this a hypo?
 
Sorry that you had this scare , maybe your BS did dip rapidly before you are the bread ? The symptoms certainly sound like a hypo , I think usually the BS dips to under 3.5 or so before you start to feel poorly but as I say , maybe it did dip this low especially as you were walking a fair distance . My husband went through a period of having hypo attacks when he was put onto additional medication , he tended to drip to around 3 .2 or even 3.1 but had similar symptoms to the ones you describe . Usually, once sugar gets back into the system , you feel loads better , just be vigilant and if in doubt and you feel poorly , get help as soon as possible .
 
8.5 am fasting and 14.8 now.I got over a virus last week and then work up with tooth ache.Saw dentist yesterday who treated a abscess and told
me to come back for two teeth removal.
 
If you had symptoms of a hypo, it was a hypo. A true definition is generally less than 4 ( DAFNE say less than 3.5 ) but they are just numbers. Some people feel fine at these low numbers and don't experience hypo symptoms. Another possible cause could be that as your levels were high earlier on ( 12.8 ) and went down to 5.6, your body sensed the big drop hence the symptoms.
 
Thanks Kate. It was pretty scary as its the first time its happened to me.

Looks like I may have to take precautions when I hit Cornwall in a few weeks and do my long beach walks.
 
My husband always has a small carton of orange juice at hand plus a few jelly babies, both really good for treating hypos , hope you enjoy our lovely Cornwall , the weather has been glorious lately , I`m lucky in living near the beach , take care .
 
You probably had a false hypo. The big quick drop in your blood glucose levels probably accounted for this.
If your normal levels are that high, maybe another look at what you are eating, to try and get it down gradually. Review your insulin dosage and see if you are taking too much for what you eat.

Walking does reduce your blood glucose levels a point or two, but shouldn't drop it that quick. It's been quite warm as well and that could play around with your levels. Take it easy in the sun. Enjoy your hols.

Hope this helps.
 
If thats a false one I dread having a real one. I'm just glad I wasn't on my own
 
Nothing false about how you were feeling
 
My dentist gave me a small class of lemonade, so he must have noticed something.
 
So it happened to me again in Tesco this morning! I was running at 9.6 2 hrs after breakfast, just before I went out. Strolling round doing my shopping and I was in the same state. Recognised the signs and this time I'd made sure I had some glucose tablets in my bag. Had two and carried on shopping. Tested when I got home and I was 5.7 even after the glucose tablets. This is after 4 years of being diabetic and finally managing to get some readings that are about where they should be.

Sod this for a game of soldiers if this is how it's going to be!
 
In your position, what I'd be more concerned about is the levels your blood glucose is at normally. 5.7 is smack bang in the middle of the normal range for a non-diabetic. That you are running so high that this is low for you should be a cause of concern. The amount of damage you are doing to yourself is pretty high.

If I was in your position I would be going away and working out how to bring my bg levels to where they should be, not worrying that I was feeling low at the level you are seeing them.

Sorry to be blunt but I do think you are sticking your head in the sand and avoiding the obvious.
 

I can understand why you may have reached for the glucose tablets, but you really need to test at that point too, not some time afterwards, when you have actually missed the facts of the event. should it happen again, could you try putting your remedy of choice into your mouth, then immediately testing, as you chew? That way, you have some rock, solid numbers to discuss with your medics.

Looking at the mess you take, it could well be that your insulin, or other mess need to be reduced in order to cope with your improved eating regime? I'm not a believer in eating up to the meds. I believe meds should match the eating.
 
Oh I know I've been running too high, I was diagnosed at a BS of 26 4 and a half years ago when I went to the Dr for something completely unrelated and the Dr sent me for a blood test. I was pretty much just shoved on tablets and left to it until my surgery merged with another. I've only been testing my bloods since I was put on insulin in December.

Since then the amount of insulin has been gradually increased and it's only recently that it's actually made much difference to the numbers.
 

I didn't have my testing kit on me because it's never been an issue before and I've never had to test randomly when I'm out so I've never carried it with me.

My eating also hasn't really improved cos it's not really been a problem. I've always had a pretty good diet (especially in the summer cos I love a salad. I don't eat processed food and I try to keep the Carbs in check though not super strictly.
 
You do really need to get a grip on your diet and reduce your plate size and your carbs and sugars. You are denying that nothing is seriously wrong. You are not in control!
Till you are, you will feel rough with your blood glucose levels bouncing around all over.
Control is the key, to feeling better and healthier.
You cannot rely on meds to give you what you want.
Sorry to be abrupt, but I think you need it
 
Apologies, I thought I had read you had improved your diet, but I clearly made that up!!

Perhaps your body is recovering a bit, since it's had meds that may be allowing less strain on your pancreas? Just a thought.

Look so ikebana to time to start carrying your kit with you and build some data for a review. Can you maybe book something in for about a month, so that you have lots of info to take with you?
 
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