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Hypos

Pauliegreg

Active Member
Messages
27
Location
Blackpool UK
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Is it possible to have a hypo if your bs is above 4?

I've just had full on hypo symptoms, shaking, sweaty, feeling sick, headache, and when I tested my blood it was 4.2.
I had a few jelly babies and my blood went up to 5.6 but I'm still feeling the after effects of a hypo.

I'm a T2 on metformin, abasalgar insulin and humalog Insulin.

Just wondering if anyone had had that?

Thanks, Paul.
 
Yes. If you have been having high glucose for a prolong period. The brain is used to the high glucose levels and there isn't enough ketones to serve as alternative energy source.
 
Hi @Pauliegreg, It has happened to me, even from a glucose meter, repeated 5.6. I repeated the reading 10 minutes later and it was 3.6 mmol/l. So my doctor reckoned it was the fast fall in my BSLS which had triggered the 'early warning' symptoms.
I have tested at 3.8 mmol/l in the past without any symptoms also, but reckon the fall was quite gradual.
 
It's called a false hypo. Your body is so used to higher numbers, it reacts as if there's an actual hypo going on. If you get your numbers down, your body'll get used to it and the false alarms will be a thing of the past. I used to have them in the fives... No worries, it'll get better.
 
It's called a false hypo.

not necessarily, testing strips/monitors have a variance allowance of 15% so a 4.2mmol blood test could actually cover a range from 3.57 to 4.83

Agree that having high BGs for some time and then getting into the low 4s can cause false hypos along with the speed of the drop to.
 
It used to be if my blood sugar levels dropped to 5.0 I would know straight away now I get no idea it is dropping until I start feeling shaky and weird
 
not necessarily, testing strips/monitors have a variance allowance of 15% so a 4.2mmol blood test could actually cover a range from 3.57 to 4.83

Agree that having high BGs for some time and then getting into the low 4s can cause false hypos along with the speed of the drop to.
Right.... I always forget about the 15%. Duh...
 
What you actually mean is the manufacturers don't tend to 'advertise' this fact so it's easily forgotten :hilarious:
The first I heard about it was on this forum! By then I had 3 meters and had used them for well over a year. Learning all the time eh.
 
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