-
Guest, the forum is undergoing some upgrades and so the usual themes will be unavailable for a few days. In the meantime, you can use the forum like normal. We'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »
Low Glucose
- Thread starter MarkD72
- Start Date
D
Deleted member 527103
Guest
If you need to raise blood sugars, you need to treat hypos with a fast acting carb. Fat in food will slow down the absorption of the sugar. For this reason, chocolate and biscuits are not suitable treatments for hypos.
Trouble is since December diagnosis have cleared out pretty much anything heavy in carbs from cupboards.
No way was I expecting to get a reading that low so hoping it's a one off else will have to speak to the nurse.
Was diagnosed T2 so would readings this low suggest something else?
I did have a few gin and tonics last night of that has any effect?
What about honey or jam?
D
Deleted member 527103
Guest
Yes, but both are difficult to measure how much you eat and should not be eaten with anything slower acting such as biscuits, scones, butter, …
D
Deleted member 527103
Guest
If you are likely to experience hypos (e.g. due to drugs such as insulin or glycazide), it is not about eating anything heavy in carbs but eating something with fast acting carbs. And, if you are likely to experience hypos, you need these on hand at all times.
Did you experience any hypo symptoms?
If you’re an unmedicated type 2 using diet control then in the absence of symptoms those are unlikely to be true hypos as experienced by insulin users.
Also as meters have an accuracy rate of +/- 15%, the lower readings could have been higher. I’d wager that if you were wearing a Libre or similar you’d see your liver kicking in pretty quickly and the numbers rising.
I’ve been in the 3s fairly often without issues. I once caught a 2.9 with a finger prick. In that instance I only found it because I was ravenous on the way to a meeting I hadn’t planned to eat before and stopped to pick something up so tested before eating. The 2.9 triggered me testing again on the other hand with that showing as 3.1.
In your case just eating anything would likely bring you up a bit although it might be interesting for you to experiment with a 2 week free trial of the Libre to confirm what’s going on.
catinahat
Well-Known Member
Diabetes is a problem of high blood sugar, low blood sugar is not a symptom diabetes. It is a consequence of taking too much insulin or medication that can force the sugar levels to go too low.
If your information is correct and you are a diet controlled T2, unless you have some other medical conditions that can cause low blood sugar, there is no danger if your sugar levels are in the three's.
You may have read about 4mmol/l being the lower limit and some action is needed to raise it. This advice is aimed people using insulin or other hypo inducing meds because their levels could be plummeting to the stage where they would be unable to take any corrective action.
Thankfully those of us not using medication can rely on our livers to give us a little shot of our stored glucose if we need it, no honey or sweets required. You can use your meter to see this happening, next time you get a lovely low reading, don't be tempted to try and correct it yourself just keep testing.
It's worth learning how your body responds. I very occasionally dip into the low 3s around 4am but apart from sweats and vivid dreams nothing else happens. My liver dumps some glucose and the BG goes back up. I'd never have discovered this without using a Libre. I'm not concerned about it (I have an explanation for the sweats now) and I certainly don't do anything to treat it.
catinahat
Well-Known Member
I've been at this malarkey for almost a decade, still trying to figure it all out, still learning. Just Keep reading, asking questions it will eventually get easier
MrsA2
Expert
And just when you think you've got it sussed, something will change! I'm still learning 3 years in
@MarkD72 , if you do not take any medications to lower your blood glucose, it is very unlikely the numbers you describe will do you any harm. In fact, it could be argued they are showing your body has recovered enough to keep your numbers low.
I have never taken diabetes meds, but regularly see numbers such as yours and lower. When lower it usually means I'm hungry. If a meal is imminent, I just sit it out, but if that's a bit further off than I care to wait, I just have a cup of tea with some milk in, which is just enough to nudge me up a little, and still enjoy my next meal.
I don't snack. It has never been my thing, so the thought of taking random sugar just to fend of a number doesn't make sense.
Were I taking medications to supress blood sugars or had other note-wrothy conditions, I would doubtless feel differently.
I have never taken diabetes meds, but regularly see numbers such as yours and lower. When lower it usually means I'm hungry. If a meal is imminent, I just sit it out, but if that's a bit further off than I care to wait, I just have a cup of tea with some milk in, which is just enough to nudge me up a little, and still enjoy my next meal.
I don't snack. It has never been my thing, so the thought of taking random sugar just to fend of a number doesn't make sense.
Were I taking medications to supress blood sugars or had other note-wrothy conditions, I would doubtless feel differently.
