Losing hypo symptoms

[Sunshine6]

Hi, I've had type 1 just over 12 years now. In the past half a year, I have turned my diabetes control around. (I've never been great with my control) but my last HBA1c result was (in old terms) 6.4% so I'm really happy with my progress however, in the last two/three months I've started to lose my usual hypo warning signs. I'm testing my sugars every hour at the minute, just did them and I'm 3.2 (but feel fine) has anyone else experienced this? I obviously treat the hypo (with 15 grams of carbs) straight away however, surely this isn't right? Any experience/advice much appreciated Thanks x

 

[diamondnostril]

Hi, I've had type 1 just over 12 years now. In the past half a year, I have turned my diabetes control around. (I've never been great with my control) but my last HBA1c result was (in old terms) 6.4% so I'm really happy with my progress however, in the last two/three months I've started to lose my usual hypo warning signs. I'm testing my sugars every hour at the minute, just did them and I'm 3.2 (but feel fine) has anyone else experienced this? I obviously treat the hypo (with 15 grams of carbs) straight away however, surely this isn't right? Any experience/advice much appreciated Thanks x

Hi Ms 6,

For me, it's useful to know how you have turned around your diabetes control?

If you are using a Ketogenic (LCHF) style diet? then the lack of symptoms during low levels may be explained as a result of your brain being Keto-powered rather than glucose-powered. The brain will not panic at low blood-glucose levels when it is not being fuelled primarily from glucose.

If you are not using such a diet? then the lack of symptoms during low levels is more likely to be exlained by your brain simply adapting to lower levels because it has needed to. People tend to consider this as dangerous, because you lose your 'buffer' between a low level which can be treated when you notice the warnings, and the level at which things can become more serious.

I don't know you or your situation, so in the above I have been careful not to state anything as an 'absolute' . . . just offering what I see as the most likely explanations in different cases.

Regards
Antony

 

[novorapidboi26]

I would say I have experienced lows as low as 3.0 and felt nothing, but its usually because it has came on slowly and i was distracted with other things..........

it doesn't happen all the time though so there is no concern.......

are your hypos always like this.......?

how many hypos are you having in a day?

i would assume you are having more than you should be having, hence why your body is now used to the lower numbers.....

increasing your BG target will help....

 

[Sunshine6]

Hi Ms 6,

For me, it's useful to know how you have turned around your diabetes control?

If you are using a Ketogenic (LCHF) style diet? then the lack of symptoms during low levels may be explained as a result of your brain being Keto-powered rather than glucose-powered. The brain will not panic at low blood-glucose levels when it is not being fuelled primarily from glucose.

If you are not using such a diet? then the lack of symptoms during low levels is more likely to be exlained by your brain simply adapting to lower levels because it has needed to. People tend to consider this as dangerous, because you lose your 'buffer' between a low level which can be treated when you notice the warnings, and the level at which things can become more serious.

I don't know you or your situation, so in the above I have been careful not to state anything as an 'absolute' . . . just offering what I see as the most likely explanations in different cases.

Regards
Antony

Hi, thanks for your reply. To be honest, I have basically just started to use my pump properly – i.e. carb counting and entering the exact carbs into my pump along with my sugar readings.

Before, I did a lot of guess work and obviously – this just didn’t work. I count every single carb I eat. Not sure if this is a Ketogenic (LCHF) style diet? Thanks

 

[Sunshine6]

I would say I have experienced lows as low as 3.0 and felt nothing, but its usually because it has came on slowly and i was distracted with other things..........

it doesn't happen all the time though so there is no concern.......

are your hypos always like this.......?

how many hypos are you having in a day?

i would assume you are having more than you should be having, hence why your body is now used to the lower numbers.....

increasing your BG target will help....

Thanks No, sometimes I drop to 4.3 and I feel low (back in the day when I used to run really high I’d drop to a perfect reading (say 6.4) and feel awful! They are very sporadic. I would say I have about two hypos a day at the minute.

I think you’re right – because they are happening every day my body is getting used to them and doesn’t feel the need to warn me anymore!

My BG target is 6/5 (+/_ 0.5mmol)

 

[novorapidboi26]

If your not getting hypos all the time and not feeling them then I would say your going to be fine in terms of awareness........

you could increase your target slightly, on the pump, so that your running slightly higher say for a week....see how it goes......

when are the hypos occurring?

have you basal tested recently.....?

 

[diamondnostril]

Hi, thanks for your reply. To be honest, I have basically just started to use my pump properly – i.e. carb counting and entering the exact carbs into my pump along with my sugar readings.

Before, I did a lot of guess work and obviously – this just didn’t work. I count every single carb I eat. Not sure if this is a Ketogenic (LCHF) style diet? Thanks

Congratulations on gaining control !

I spent around 10 years of frustration with my levels, before finally discovering a strategy that really worked for me. It turned out that this was a Ketogenic diet, although I didn't know that at first.

Ketogenic or not is determined primarily by the amount of Carbs (and Protein) you eat. If you eat/make less glucose, each day, than the amount your brain requires as fuel, each day, then the body is forced to adapt and find a different power source. This is Fat, and the Ketones derived from Fat.

My reference book states that if you are eating less than 100g Carbs per day, then you have a chance of being Ketogenic. (In practice, I have found it to be much less than this for me).

But of course there are individual variations, and the easiest way to check is with a Ketostix test to see if you have Ketones.

Regards
Antony

 

[noblehead]

Agree with @novorapidboi26, set the lower end of your bg range slightly higher on your pump, this in itself should reduce the frequency of your hypo's and improve your hypo awareness symptoms, but your doing the right thing by testing regularly although every hour is maybe too excessive.

 

[Sunshine6]

Agree with @novorapidboi26, set the lower end of your bg range slightly higher on your pump, this in itself should reduce the frequency of your hypo's and improve your hypo awareness symptoms, but your doing the right thing by testing regularly although every hour is maybe too excessive.

Thanks, will adjust my target just a little higher on the pump & see what happens.

 

[Sunshine6]

If your not getting hypos all the time and not feeling them then I would say your going to be fine in terms of awareness........

you could increase your target slightly, on the pump, so that your running slightly higher say for a week....see how it goes......

when are the hypos occurring?

have you basal tested recently.....?

Thanks, I'm going to adjust my target ever so slightly. I tend to have the hypos just before I go to bed (or after I've popped out at lunch) with that - I can normally justify why - (walk has burned off the sugars)

 

[NannyPoppins]

Just come across this thread. My bloods are currently 2.9 but I feel fine. Not had this before with bloods this low...