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IS blood reading 4mmol/L low

GARY WARNER

GARY WARNER

Member
Messages
6
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
HI Everyone.

I'm a type 2 diabetic and struggling at the moment with my blood levels. When my blood levels drop to 4mmol/L I feel tired and lethargic. Is this normal to feel this way when my blood sugar measures 4mmol/L? I've been told that 4mmol/L is not very low and should not worry, but I feel like ****.
 
have you had high levels for a while? if so your body may be reacting to the lower level by giving you a false hypo, IF its a false hypo its nothing to worry about, your body will adjust to the lower levels soon, 4 is on the bottom end of perfect in my opinion, what meds do you take?
 
I think that if you lower your levels too quickly it can make you feel rubbish
CAROL
 
Are you on meds ? 4 is quite low and you don't want to go any lower really ! If you were on insulin or meds that lower BG levels ( eg Gliclazide ) then it's too low to even drive ! As for your feeling shaky etc, these are signs of hypo. Some get them at 4, some don't feel it til lower or higher.


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Gary, what is it normally?
If you normally have BGs in the 12-16 range then 4 will be low for you and you would expect to feel cr*p. whereas if you normally have BGs in the 5-6 range then 4 is not that much lower. It can be more about relative levels that make you feel bad!
I normally sit in the 4-6 range and feel cr*p if I go ABOVE 7 and for me 4 is not too low as if I drop below 4 I feel it but "dump" my BG back up or eat a snack. only exception is driving when I keep my BG above 5.
 
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Hi Andy Thanks for the reply. my blood levels are usually around the 6,7 my medication is 1000 metformin time release after breakfast
 
FergusCrawford said:
Gary, what is it normally?
If you normally have BGs in the 12-16 range then 4 will be low for you and you would expect tof eel cr*p. whereas if you normally have BGs in the 5-6 range then 4 is not that much lower. It can be more about relative levels that make you feel bad!
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Thanks for the reply. I dont understand my BGs is around the 6 to 7 on a good day. so why do I feel cr*p when my BGs are 4 Strange.
 
metformin doesn't cause hypos so you don't have to worry about that, i am going for 4 being great then, well done, have you changed your diet or lifestyle recently?

this is just my opinion I'm not medical, I'm often in the 3s with no issues

if 6 - 7 on a good day what are they on a bad day?
 
mo1905 said:
Are you on meds ? 4 is quite low and you don't want to go any lower really ! If you were on insulin or meds that lower BG levels ( eg Gliclazide ) then it's too low to even drive ! As for your feeling shaky etc, these are signs of hypo. Some get them at 4, some don't feel it til lower or higher.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply. When my BGs are 4 I feel very tired and can't concentrate. It's usually in the afternoon. This has been happening a while know. My diet is good and I go to the gym and exercise nearly every day. I don't understand.
 
I've got sign off for know but thank you all for the advice. Iv'e got so many questions to ask..Until then stay well
 
hmmmm id say if it were a false hypo you would have adjusted if its been a while, maybe worth asking your doctor as it may be relating to something else, better to check its probably nothing to worry about, hows your blood pressure?
 
I can go down to 4 with no symptoms but just below that and my hands start to shake i.e. hypo warning. I'm lucky (or perhaps unlucky?) that I can go from 4 to the 20s and not be aware of any change other than what the meter tells me. The degree of diabetes tiredness seems to vary a lot. In all of my 10 years with db I have never had any connection between tiredness and my blood sugar level. You probably know the rule:

'Four is the floor and Five to drive'
 
Daibell said:
I can go down to 4 with no symptoms but just below that and my hands start to shake i.e. hypo warning. I'm lucky (or perhaps unlucky?) that I can go from 4 to the 20s and not be aware of any change other than what the meter tells me. The degree of diabetes tiredness seems to vary a lot. In all of my 10 years with db I have never had any connection between tiredness and my blood sugar level. You probably know the rule:

'Four is the floor and Five to drive'
Click to expand...

Hi, I've been on insulin for about 3 weeks, levels before that were 25+. Now down to around 6. If my levels drop below 4. I feel dreadful. Occurred today after the gym when it went to 2.7. Certainly couldn't drive and had to take glucose. Anything <4 and I can tell.
 
4.5 to 7 is ok for me. It's around my normal range, through diet and meds, type 2.
I'm well controlled, so I don't tend to go much higher, then fall back down.
Below 4.5 usually after some strenuous work without eating, and I feel terrible though, and I know it's time to eat something.
We're all different.
 
I can feel bad under 4.5mol. I would talk to your Dr about it as It could be the exercise - if you're bloods are better controlled now and your exercising you might not need as much Metformin. Make sure you have something handy if this happens - read this and see if the symptoms sound familiar: http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-a-hypo.html

I am struggling at the moment as I've started walking lots and lots, so am having to play around with my insulin - but keep going under 4 - sometimes I can tell but the worrying thing is sometimes I can't!
 
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