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My First Hypo

M

Mark Rawlinson

Well-Known Member
Messages
131
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Yesterday I had done my usual routine 2 units Trutapi, 10 minutes later eaten, then after half an hour or more went for an afternoon walk,
about 4 miles
came back in then as I was making a coffee suddenly it started I thought I was just rushing about too much got a trembling feeling, I thought it was something that was just going to pass then realised I grabbed the nearest thing which was a tim of rice pudding ate half. I was told by other half I had gone rather white. Did a blood test and 5 mmol/L that is low compared to most readings I get.
I wondered if maybe I am doing too many bolus injections (4 a day) perhaps I should cut one out (I dont eat much with the 12.00 dinner meal. Has any one else tried this ?
2 units Trurapi (bolus) 7am eat then take 1` metformin 40 units Trujeao (Basal) 8 am. 2 units Trurapi 12 (dinner) 1 units Trurapi (before Main Meal) 7pm then 2 units late evening (before a bowl of bran)
Note I only take the 1 metformin due to bad experinces with it
thank you
 

Yes I understand 5 isnt technically not a hypo but my DN has said due to my body being used to rather high sugar levels his is how it is reacting to new (to it) Lower levels
 
Risking cross posting a bit here as although I’m T2 I’m diet only, (was on insulin for a very short time in the beginning as thought I was T1, moved to max dose Gliclizide then reduced over the years) but you may have been lower than 5 when you starting feeling funny & you were on the way back up when you tested, either from the rice pudding or your liver doing its job. I agree with your DSN regards the body being used to higher levels. Doesn’t make the “false hypo” feeling any easier though, when I had them in the very beginning I felt just as rough! It feels very real

Maybe get in touch with your DSN & explain what happened & ask them what they think re the bolus etc, they are best placed to advise you, we can’t really tell you on the forum if you should drop any of your injections
 

Thank you I am due a phone call from her tomorrow and will mention this to her. I understand people cannot advise I just was asking in case any others had similar experiences. I am just glad I knew what it was and what to do
 
Of course members can share their experiences, good that you’ve got a call with her tomorrow, I also think you did the right think treating it, keep some fast acting carbs like jelly babies or dextrose tabs on you just in case it happens again
 
your first hypo can always be a scary thing , but every cloud as they say , now you know what to look out for. I can definetly vouch that number that you get a hypos at related how high you run your sugars even though the medical value of a hypo is below 4. If you don’t already have one I would get a Libre or similar continuous glucose monitor, as these have low alarms on them which are very useful for preventing hypos.
 
maybe you can take some reassurance i was used to high sugar levels for ages. when sugars were more controlled had issues with eyesight everything very blurry which was informed was just body getting used to new levels. That gradually got better and passed after several weeks.

tinned rice pudding wouldnt be my choice for me to treat hypo feeling. thats pretty fatty, fats can slow digestion would be better off a couple of jelly babies/lift tablets or even 100ml or so cocacola (regular not diet/zero). when hypo levels better to raise levels as quick as possible so much better choices out there.

i got lectured for eating some chocolate digestive biscuits to treat hypo's as was fed up of jelly babies.
 
The rice was the nearest thing to hand when it happened, I do have a supply of butter mints they may probably have been better.
 
forgot to mention something regards insulin: bare in mind was diagnosed as type1. if i did zero exercise levels were fine. nice flat in between meals. with any exercise i ended up going low. exercise can have effect on sugars. i think it might be worth asking at your appointment later on if you should perhaps adjust your dosage if have any planned exercise (outwith normal routine) eg was told try 50% (swimming for an hour) depending on activity and duration that % changed.
 
Thank you for that I will ask tomorrow when she calls (she does call every week) for readings etc and advises
 
Mark Rawlinson said:
Thank you for that I will ask tomorrow when she calls (she does call every week) for readings etc and advises
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expect those calls to get less frequent as settle into a regime that works for you. i asked for email address as kept forgetting to query a couple of things wanted to ask (despite having a sheet of paper with bullet list of topics and checking them off as speaking). dsn appears to me more or less a bit like uni they don't really teach instead give basics alongside advice ensuring you have enough knowledge for you to then continue so can self manage as best as possible. has a lot of advantages although some disadvantages depending on what type of person you are

Ushthetaff said:
If you don’t already have one I would get a Libre or similar continuous glucose monitor, as these have low alarms on them which are very useful for preventing hypos.
Click to expand...

couple of links free trials cgms if havent used product before:
https://www.freestyle.abbott/uk-en/getting-started/sampling.html 15 day libre2+/3+.
https://www.dexcom.com/en-GB/one-plus-campaign-sample 10 day dexcom 1+.

(edit added below line)
ps nice guidelines multiple daily injections should allow libre prescibed for you as type2 on multiple injections a day
 

Re exercise she did say abut this, I do not want you to give up as it helps, but make sure you take your test kit with you and some suitable snacks youust eat on the long walks you do (some are the Yorkshire Dales hills you don't believe how hard they can be)
Yesterdays was a 3 mile walk to tesco
 
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Thank you my phone is ancient (nokia 110 not even have internet) and technology scares me
 
I'm not on insulin, but just in case you read up on false hypo's on the forum, in other threads... Mostly the advice one'd get, if not on insulin, is to ride it out with some fats and protein, so the body can get used to lower levels as quickly as possible. That goes completely out of the window with insulin, because a real honest-to-god hypo can potentially happen, (and may have happened... Your liver and the rice might've bounced you back some already) so do keep something quick handy, like orange juice, or sachets of honey, if jelly babies and the like don't suit.

Just, you know... I've said and read from others, the ride-it-out thing on here so often, you might run across it... Doesn't apply to insulin users.

Hope you'll not go through that again!
Jo
PS: I don't know if it applies to all continuous glucose monitors, but some don't require a phone. You could order a reader-gadget to get your numbers off the sensor.
 
Thank you I will see what DN says when she phones tomorrow
 
Mark Rawlinson said:
Would butter mints do I am rather fond of them
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Depends on the brand... Some have more sugar than others. You'd need about 15 to 20 grams of carbs/fast acting sugars to treat a hypo, so check the nutritional info of the brand you like. Because it could be the difference between having to eat eight, or three.
 
JoKalsbeek said:
You'd need about 15 to 20 grams of carbs/fast acting sugars to treat a hypo
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This is a rule of thumb, and good advice for someone new to insulin.

But @Mark Rawlinson , it's definitely worth testing after the hypo as well to see if this was about the right amount of sugar to treat, it may be you need less than that. It's highly personal, and it also depends on the type of hypo and how much active insulin is still on board.
 
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