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Hypos and their symptoms. Type1

S

Sarahkylie7

Active Member
Messages
26
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I have been type one diabetic for almost 16 years and I would say this is the second 'bad' hypo I have ever had.

My sugar is normally very well controlled so please so t think this is a regular occurrence! It actually scared me a little!
The past few days have got me thinking. I had quite and hypo yesterday (combination of too much heat and unexpected exercise) but I was still able to manage it myself. My sugar was below 2mmols but I was able to be coherent enough to do my test, get lucazade and bring my own sugar back up. I knew I needed to sit down and get sorted there and then. There were other people with me but I am extremely independent and would hate for someone to have to help me. This would make me unbelievably embarrassed! My friends knew I wasn't right and do know how to help if I should need them to, but the truth is I don't want to be like that, I do not want to be a burden. I was wondering if it was sheer stubbornness that enabled me to treat my own hypos without the need of other people?

These episodes are thankfully extremely rare, actually scared me a bit as it fell so fast, I could tell it was bad as my symptoms were different, I felt like a whole bucket of water had been chucked over me as I was really sweating! I knew I needed food, anything to bring up my sugar! My augar normally returns to normal very quickly, but this time took a little longer. I was still determined not to let my friends know how bad it was, am I unusual in this? I know some people wouldn't mind letting others know, but I didn't want to, maybe I'm a diabetes control freak!!!

The reason this for my thinking is that my mum is also type one diabetic, but there have been many occasions where I have had to help her and her sugar wasn't anywhere near as low as mine and she was completely unable to help herself? I have had to test her sugar and treat her hypo appropriately, hers takes such long time to come back up and during this time she is unable to speak and sometimes has gone into full collapse!

I have only had one other experience like this before where my sugar has gone below 2 and that was on a diabetic camp about 10 years ago and it was the same combo heat and exercise, again I sorted myself out where as others during the week were u able to?


Is it because I have seen my mum like this and I am determined not to be reliant on someone else to help me? Are any of us the same? Just felt it was an interesting question to ask, please let me know your thoughts.

Sarah 27, type one 16 years!
 
Hi Sarah,

I'd imagine we are all like that and don't want any help in dealing with hypo's unless its necessary, if this is just your second bad hypo in 16 years then your doing extremely well, all I would say is if you feel a hypo come on that sudden again where your sweating buckets don't bother testing your bg levels first, just get the fast-acting glucose in then you can test later to see if your bg levels have returned to normal.

Hope this is your last bad hypo for a long time.
 
Hi @Sarahkylie7

I seem to recall there was a similar thread on this subject a while ago but can't think what it was called now or I would post a link.

Although I'm sure there are some that are happy to accept help when needed...I think the majority of us view it as our condition...we are generally in control of it 24/7 thus only we ourselves know how to best treat the high's/lows. Obviously there will be occasions when we're not able to deal with it ourselves...but for me personally...so long as I am capable...I will. Like you I hate having people fuss over me...I know they mean well but it makes me feel quite uncomfortable. Not only that...I can be quite moody when I'm hypo so tend to dismiss everyone...those who know me just leave me to get on with it...those who don't...get told. Although I'm always very apologetic afterwards.

Found it...http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/worst-place.70338/...actually some of these are pretty funny, I've not re read the whole thread but as I recall there was a bit of a debate on this topic...apologies if I'm wrong
 
Thanks! I will have a look, just found it weird that at a similar level I am ok to sort myself but my mum isn't? X
 
I guess it depends on individuals...I personally have dealt with hypo's at a range of levels right down to 1.2...although that was scary...there was no one here to help me so I had no choice but to deal with it...perhaps having you there and knowing that you are able to deal with it means she's able to let you take control. Which asks another question...had you been in her company at the time...would you have allowed her to take control and help you?
 
Diabetes.co.uk define a hypo as below 4, and we will all feel differently below 4. In my own experience, as soon as I felt awful I took my BG, it was 3.5, time to get the glucose tablets out. We will all be different though.
 
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