Hypo's (various thoughts and traits)

Hi,
i never been on a chat room for diabetes before but it would be nice to know someone else is going thru the same as me altho what am dealin with i also hope no one is! I haven't had the best control but always coped and had a normal life but i ended up going into a DKA's and intensive care twice in 1 year in 2005. i lucky had no perm damage and have finally got good hb1c (7.5) and good blood sugars ( first time in 5 years) but now am losing my sysmtoms for my hypo's and have even got as low as 1.4 before feelin a little weak and thinkin my blood sugar would have been about 4 and needing a snack. This is doin my head in as no one warned me this would happen and the first time it did it was the first week in my new job meaning everyone now is constanley panicking around me and i felt so ashamed when it happened, i struggle speaking sometimes starting a sentance and not being able to finish it and friends have noticed it saying it sound like turrets and then i stare at them looking like am having a stroke and if i am with new friends and they dont know some one with diabetes its really embarrassing as once i have dealt with my hypo i feel i then have to explain it to them and reassure them am fine even tho i am frightened myself. does anyone else have these systoms?

hi gmarie, I think a lot of people have experienced this! My mantra when hypo is usually 'I'm fine!' to my OH or daughter or whomever is with me. It IS embarassing as it draws attention to you. I totally get what you are saying! However, it is what it is. If you are losing your awareness then you need to take steps to get it back. Discuss with your Diabetes Doc or nurse and try running your BG levels a bit higher than normal for 2 or 3 weeks, this may help your awareness to return.

If it helps, perhaps you could have a chat with your work colleagues, explain what is happening and let them know that they don't need to panic but you would appreciate it if they would be aware of what you are dealing with? I went to a meeting the other day and forgot to take my handbag with me (impromptu meeting, I just stood up and walked in) and even though it was only for 20 mins, I felt very anxious as I didn't have my BG meter/pump remote and fruit pastilles within easy reach! if the meeting had been longer I would have excused myself to go and get them, everyone I work with knows but I'm sure at times they forget so it doesn't hurt to remind them

thanks deboubled,
i have just been so worried lately as i have had type 1 diabetes for 22 yrs and always had a warnig sign at bout 3.8 meaning i could just say " just nipping the toilet wen am actually wolfin down a choclate bar round the corner but now iam unable to help myself without anyone knowing because am not having that warning sign. i have always been independant with it but and made it unnoticable to other people but now because of these warning now everbody in the office notices i am having a low blood sugar and i hate it! r u on the insulin pump become i have had my mum mention it a couple of times to me but am a bit worried about have it? if u are? wot do u find are the disadvatages and advantages of it?

Thanks
Gmarie

Hi marieg, I understand why you are embarassed about hypo's etc as I have been and probably always will be! But I never excuse myself to treat one I just eat my jelly babies! :lol: (btw, chocolate isn't good for treating hypo's you need 15g quick acting carbs, so x5 glucose tablets or x5 fruit pastilles)

I have been on a pump since Feb this year and I love it, can't imagine going back to the days before I had it and I have much tighter control now. I becamse hypo unaware a few years ago and it was a horrifying experience and I had to run my BG levels in the 9/10 region for a few weeks (with consultant/DN supervision) to get them back. I now feel hypo around 4, although I can get under 3 before I realise I need to treat. my answer is I test a huge amount! Why dont' you ask your DN about the pump? If you check out the pump section on this forum you will find lots of advice about who can/can't have one etc. It will probably depend on your local PCT and if they fund them. no harm in asking though, eh?!

so, advantages of the pump are the discretion (I can bolus without anyone knowing!) and much tighter control, so less hypo's. Disadvantages would be being permanantly attached but frankly, that isn't really a problem, it's just a downside, you get used to it! 8)

Hello, I am new to this forum. I have Type 1 diabetes for 26 years and hypo's occur to me pretty often. I have lost the hypo awareness symptoms long time ago, it differes from day to day though, sometimes I do, sometimes I do not.
I had a terrible experience this week that made me google for something similar and found this forum. I had a severe low during the night and had the feeling that I died. There was a sepulchral silence, something I had never experienced before in real life. I could feel like my mind was outside my body. It is really hard to explain with words. I was kind of aware that I was dying but could not do anything.
Luckily my wife noticed my hypo and gave me liquid glucose which eventually made me wake up. When I woke up I took air with great anxiety and was in shock for a long period of time. It was a horrid experience. It felt so real.
I have had many hypo episodes in the night, sometimes very distressing, but nothing like this.
I really hope it never happens again.

Just wanted to share this experience with the original post about the 'supernatural' experience.

Thank you

Luis