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Hypo Warning Signs

D

DunePlodder

Well-Known Member
Messages
861
Location
N Somerset
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
My early warning sign for a hypo is a visual disturbance. I get a small area of "shimmering" in the centre of my vision.
Anyone else see this?
It's a little confusing as this is also how migraines begin for me. However if it is a migraine the disturbance then spreads outward to the periphery of my vision.
 
Hello @DunePlodder I have many symptoms when I run low but haven't experienced this, I tend to find my vision does get poor the lower I get though.
 
I find my focus tends to go a bit, but the main initial indication I feel is an inrease in heart rate..
 
Mine can include: Vision change (not a shimmer though), feeling very hungry, everything feeling like a huge effort and being very snappy at people.
 
It's strange how different we are. Just to add another twist to my warnings I recently had a cataract op & the visual sign is the same, but happens at a a higher BG - sometimes 4.5 or more.
I get all the other signs - shaky/sweaty/hard to think etc as I get lower.
Oh yes & & very hungry of course.
 
I get the same with a migraine. My hypo symptoms are sweats, shivering, headache, tiredness and, so I am told but don't believe, foul temper.
 
Hi,

Yeah, lower field of vision I get an Arizona desert effect. Or flashing sparkles of LED lighting..

I call it my "heads up display."
 
It's weird how we all get very different symptoms. If mine drops to between 3 & 4, I get a fluttery, shaky feeling. If it drops to between 2 & 3 the signs get much more intense (as you would expect) and my mouth goes numb, as if I have numbed it with a gum ulcer cream.
 
The last severe hypo I had I didn't get any warning signs I just came round on the bedroom floor at 3 AM with my concerned family trying to get me up off the floor I still can't remember exactly what happened

The last low reading since then of 2.2 I didn't get much in the the way of signs or it could be that I just didn't recognize them as such I did feel sick and dizzy and had head pains with blurred vision but then again that's pretty normal for me these days

You get used to it.
 
That sounded very unpleasant to say the least. I've always had good warning signs - my worst hypos being overnight.
A really nasty one, on my own, in a hotel, persuaded me to fund a Dexcom CGM.
 
I too get a shimmering view of the world when I'm very low, it can quickly turn to bright flashing lights (probably similar to what jaylee describes tbh) that almost blind me if not treated but have to say it doesn't happen always and I rarely get in that state anyway - tingling lips, sometimes a numbness in the mouth (and a fluttery feeling that someone else also mentioned) is enough to stop me doing what ever I was doing and reach for the glucotabs and then the BG meter.
 
DunePlodder said:
That sounded very unpleasant to say the least. I've always had good warning signs - my worst hypos being overnight.
A really nasty one, on my own, in a hotel, persuaded me to fund a Dexcom CGM.
Click to expand...

Yes I can see why, I always test at bedtime now and if on the low side will have some carbs because that experience scared me somewhat and I want to avoid it ever happening again if possible.
 
No vision changes for me, my warning signs are a sense of dread and fingers getting shaky. The shaking worsens if I get lower and I've been told all the colour drains from my face.
 
My first sign is feeling anxious, trying to finish quickly the job I’m doing, this is probably due to an increase of Adrenalin. This then mixed with getting hotter, then noticing slight changes in focus. I don’t always feel hungry.
 
I have similar experiences during the day, but night-time hypos are characterised by what can only really be termed as dreams which go round in circles. It’s like trying to solve a puzzle where the solutions are constantly moving. At some point I get so frustrated by it all that I wake up.
 
@SalRead1 . Wow your post brings back so many memories of night time hypos from years back.
Fortunately I’ve not had a nighttime/ nightmare hypo for along time.
I can still vividly recall some horrendous and scary dreams whilst being hypo and asleep.
 

Exactly what happens to me,first time i see another has same thing..i always called it wormy vision,no migraines though,its just spreads out and disappears.
had no idea it was diabetes related
 
AJRimmsey said:
Exactly what happens to me,first time i see another has same thing..i always called it wormy vision,no migraines though,its just spreads out and disappears.
had no idea it was diabetes related
Click to expand...
Sort of glad I'm not the only one! Mine is definitely connected to low blood sugars.
 
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