I had my first real emergency today

[Antje77]

What about getting something like this to keep in your pocket at all times so you'll have it on hand in case you need it?

You can fill it with syrup, or undiluted squash/cordial, whatever it's called where you live. Much more sugary than orange juice so you need less of it.

 

[plantae]

I know exactly what you mean. This happened to me when I was an apprentice organ builder in 1989:
One evening Mike was locking up the workshop and noticed me staring vacantly. He asked me if I needed food, but got no reponse, so he told me to go into the Assembly Shop where my food was and eat something immediately. When I got there, I could see my bag, but just walked round it without making the connection.

It's astounding isn't it? If you'd asked me yesterday if you could feel/be like I'd have said no. But now I know. It's the strangest experience in the world. I was thinking but could not act

 

[plantae]

What about getting something like this to keep in your pocket at all times so you'll have it on hand in case you need it?

You can fill it with syrup, or undiluted squash/cordial, whatever it's called where you live. Much more sugary than orange juice so you need less of it.

View attachment 64223

That is a classic. Thank you

 

[plantae]

I'm going hypo again right now btw. 3.5 on dexcom, 3.1 fingerprick. But I can still move and, kind of, think. I've skipped my nightly lantus dose

Edit: skipped lantus dose as advised by a doctor

 

[Antje77]

I'm going hypo again right now btw. 3.5 on dexcom, 3.1 fingerprick. But I can still move and, kind of, think. I've skipped my nightly lantus dose

Edit: skipped lantus dose as advised by a doctor

So what are you eating/drinking to treat the hypo?

 

[Grant_Vicat]

It's astounding isn't it? If you'd asked me yesterday if you could feel/be like I'd have said no. But now I know. It's the strangest experience in the world. I was thinking but could not act

It is astounding, but logical when you think that the brain is almost starved of energy. What really intrigues me is that I recall many of these episodes many years later!

 

[Zhnyaka]

What about getting something like this to keep in your pocket at all times so you'll have it on hand in case you need it?

You can fill it with syrup, or undiluted squash/cordial, whatever it's called where you live. Much more sugary than orange juice so you need less of it.

View attachment 64223

I do not know what it is, but it looks like cognac . Although I usually carry this

with me, the idea of pouring liquor into a flask and telling everyone that I need it to treat hypo now haunts me

 

[Antje77]

with me, the idea of pouring liquor into a flask and telling everyone that I need it to treat hypo now haunts me

Uh oh.
Not me admitting I did just that to smuggle some booze into a small festival...
I never use coca cola to treat hypos (I have winegums for that) but it conveniently has the same colour as the traditionally favourite hard liquor in my area: Beerenburg.
Replacing most of the coke in a small bottle is just too easy, and my insulin pen didn't exactly convince the guard about the two bottles but he still let me through.

It's years ago, but among some of my friends yelling: "I'm having a hypo!" is still code for 'pass me the booze'.

I wouldn't recommend you put actual booze in your hypo flask though @plantae !

 

[plantae]

I wouldn't recommend you put actual booze in your hypo flask though @plantae !

Ruining all my fun

 

[Antje77]

Ruining all my fun

Get a second flask for the booze, and make sure it says so clearly on the flask! You don't want to confuse the two...

 

[Antje77]

Here you go!

 

[plantae]

So what are you eating/drinking to treat the hypo?

I had orange juice followed by white basmati rice with some kind of jarred curry sauce, chips (crisps) and a honey sandwich. I think the crisps last the longest. I went highish, but not crazy (15 or something). I then went hypo again overnight at about 4AM (it's 6:45AM here now) and didn't even hear my alarm, despite the neighbours 400km away probably being able to hear it (my brother woke me) and haven't been back to sleep. I'm going to wake my brother up soon to go and get that flask of whiskey

Edit: Oh and I had full sugar ice cream as well. Probably didn't do much long term but it was a nice treat

Edit 2: In case anyone doesn't get my sense of humour, I'm not really getting a flask of whiskey (not today anyway). Alcohol makes me go low

 

[plantae]

I've just been looking at my dexcom clarity results for yesterday and they don't make sense. For a start they're not in chronological order! Anyway, at 4:29 AM I went to 2.8. But I think that must be the level that my alarm goes off (the "event") not what the lowest I got to was; e.g. if I look at the graph and not the alerts it kept dropping for about 15 minutes after that bottoming off at about 2.0 on the graph. I didn't fingerprick so that number could be higher or lower. The event log must be just when the alarms go off. 27 alarms for yesterday 8 "urgent lows", no wonder I'm tired

 

[plantae]

@EllieM do you have any experience with dexcom clarity? Are those "events"/alerts just when the alarm went off (I think they must be because I went lower than that)? But why aren't the events in order of time?! E.g.

Oh. Nevermind. They're backwards in time. Need some of @Antje77 's whiskey

 

[plantae]

And I just had another alarm "3.1 mmol/L within 20 minutes". Getting sick of this. Ok, glucogel and crisps. We can handle this

 

[Paul_]

Hey @plantae. Just wanted to say that although I can't offer any advice whatsoever, I hope you're ok. Take really good care of yourself, reach out (as you've been doing) if you need anything at all.

 

[EllieM]

And I just had another alarm "3.1 mmol/L within 20 minutes". Getting sick of this. Ok, glucogel and crisps. We can handle this

The 3.1 within 20 minutes just means you are heading down.

Do you check your dexcom against a glucometer at all? Mine tends to under-read, particularly in the first 24 hours. eg this morning it said I was 4 when I was actually 5.6....


Do you have any idea why you are suddenly getting more hypos? eg some people find their insulin needs change in warmer weather?

Virtual hugs, how I hate hypos. (My team are putting me on a pump because of them).

 

[plantae]

The 3.1 within 20 minutes just means you are heading down.

Do you check your dexcom against a glucometer at all? Mine tends to under-read, particularly in the first 24 hours. eg this morning it said I was 4 when I was actually 5.6....


Do you have any idea why you are suddenly getting more hypos? eg some people find their insulin needs change in warmer weather?

Virtual hugs, how I hate hypos. (My team are putting me on a pump because of them).

Yes I usually check my dexcom against a glucometer because when I'm low the glucometer usually says I'm lower than what the dexcom says (1 to 1.5 mmol/L lower). I didn't check my low this morning because I knew I had to treat it no matter what the number said.

Yes, I know -- or suspect -- why I'm getting the lows. My Dr tripled my dose of lantus because I was constantly high, in the 20s. The hospital Dr yesterday halved the dose but I had none last night (as per his request). So I don't know why I'm going low right now... the lantus should have worn off well and truly

Edit: My Dr is very, very good. I'm not blaming him in any way, just explaining why I think I'm having such a rough trot

 

[plantae]

I'm back from the shops! I now have UHT orange juice in every room of the house and also outside next to my chair. Very decorative.

No novorapid today yet and only 6.2. Maybe I'm cured!!!!!

 

[EllieM]

I'm back from the shops! I now have UHT orange juice in every room of the house and also outside next to my chair. Very decorative.

No novorapid today yet and only 6.2. Maybe I'm cured!!!!!

Is the orange juice easy to open when hypo/confused? It can be a struggle to do everyday tasks when your brain is short on sugar....