Loss of hypo awareness

[learntopogo]

Hi all,

I've been diagnosed T1 for just over a year and in the past few weeks I have begun to experience some worrying loss of hypo awareness.

I used to get the usual hypo symptoms when my BS levels dropped to about 4.2 and below, however my recent BS monitoring has shown readings as low as 2.9 without me feeling anything is wrong. That means if I do experience a hypo it's around the 2.5 mark and it hits quite hard.

I've tried a couple of different meters so know it's not the equipment.

Just a little concerned, anyone else suffering similarly and/or know how you can get your symptom awareness back to normal?


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[mo1905]

You have to run your levels a little higher than normal for a while and your hypo awareness will return ;-)


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[learntopogo]

Really? That's amazing help, and relatively easy too, thanks so much. Any idea how this comes about? I've read that stress can be a factor.


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[mo1905]

I'm not really sure why it happens. I think your body slowly gets used to lower levels so you lose awareness as it starts to become the norm. Try a couple of weeks at higher levels, maybe 8 or 9 and you regain awareness as your body becomes more accustomed to the higher levels. Good luck ;-)


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[_gregthompson]

Agree with Mo. At the start of the year my diabetes management was all over the place. I suffered a few severe hypos, and found that I wasn't recognising them until I had a level of about 2. My endo told advised me to run my glucose a little higher in order to gain awareness again!

Good luck!

 

[SimonClifford]

I find that we tend to forget about rate of change (as well as relative change, as we've been discussing). I find that if my blood-glucose is plummeting (OK, dropping 2mml/l in 20 mins) I'm very aware of that "hypo" feel - but the blood glucose is 6. An hour later, though we're down in the 2-3s. Never much of a problem mind, as there's a big bag of sugar in the tea-room, and folk get to know that "glazed" look.
Mind you, since getting a pump, this hasn't happened (tailoring basals is great). Also plenty of tests helps a load too, but I am getting through the test-strips - I MUST try and ration myself to 200 a month!

 

[Alanem]

Hi
I’m T2 and this happened to me a few years ago and I only found out when the specialist nurse was showing me how to use my new meter and I was at 2.1. Up till then I didn’t have any idea I was getting so low. She went ballistic as all the records from my annual check were showing good control. She took me away from my GP and made me measure at least 4 times per day. I had to keep a diary and I had to see her on a weekly basis with my readings. She wanted me to increase my BG and was not anxious if it went to 11. Wonderful!!! After 6 weeks she decided, but I don’t know what prompted her, that I had then got to get my BG back under control.
The problem I now have and I suspect there will many like me, I don’t know if my hypo awareness is satisfactory as whenever I check my BG it is always 5.0 - 7.0…I know lucky me but that takes a lot of hard work on my part and also my wife . I suppose I could starve myself and induce a hypo or measure all day but then what? I’d rather keep away from them anyway. I know lots of people will say one day something serious could happen if you don’t know you’re having a hypo and all I can do is be aware of every new change in feeling I experience and ask myself. Is it a hypo? Get something inside me just in case and see if the feeling goes away. If it did I would then talk to somebody post haste. If it doesn't...it wasn't a hypo and remember it for next time.

 

[Glynn123rifles]

Hi, I sometimes have Hypo's with a Bs of 4.5, and sometimes don't have one when my Bs is 2.5 so I think your body is still in a bit of flux. Don't worry it's a temporary thing. Your body will always let you know, you must just make sure to be prepared just in case. I carry dextrose and energy drinks in my car for these occasions.

 

[Glynn123rifles]

Sorry, forgot to say, I'm a type 1 having been misdiagnosed as a type 2 for a year or so. This was found out after my Bs went off the scale at 34 + for 6 weeks making me feel lousy. My hypos start with a shaky feeling then profuse sweating. Literally running off me. Your body can't function without sugar as you know and you will feel odd with definate signs . So don't be worried, you won't go into a coma without experiencing some signs, and they will be fairly obvious. I used to panic when my Bs got to about 6 as I thought I'd suddenly have a serious hypo. It didn't happen, and touch wood hasn't to date!Hope this helps

 

[Netty70]

Hi Glynn I am t2 and as soon as I get near 4 the shakes start I have gone as far as to feel disorientated and loose the feeling of where I am scary stuff as I am only 3 months into diagnosis I like you carry glucose tabs everywhere they are my comfort blanket


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[Hooked]

Hi, I sometimes have Hypo's with a Bs of 4.5, and sometimes don't have one when my Bs is 2.5 so I think your body is still in a bit of flux. Don't worry it's a temporary thing. Your body will always let you know, you must just make sure to be prepared just in case. I carry dextrose and energy drinks in my car for these occasions.

No, if you lose hypo awareness you body won't let you know until it's maybe too late. Hence why loss of hypo awareness is a serious issue for some diabetics.