kitedoc
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 4,784
- Location
- Adelaide, South Australia
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Pump
- Dislikes
- black jelly beans
Slip, I feel for you.
I can get really hungry during a hypo, INSATIABLY hungry.
Let me tell you a true story. Once upon a time (in 1977 or so) I was a medical student in Sydney.
I had been diabetic for 11 years and was sitting in a hospital diabetes clinic waiting room.= to see the doctor there.
A nurse called me in and said the doctor had asked me to take a blood test from an elderly lady who was having a hypo. (No glucometers back then).
This lady was sweating, confused, pale and the staff had been told to obtain the blood tests before giving her a sweetened cup of tea and a biscuit. ( I look back and cringe at this attitude).
The lady recovered over the next 15 minutes. The nurse mentioned in my hearing that the lady's blood sugar result was something like 16 mmol/l).
It was a great teaching moment. Even though this lady was exhibiting all the usual signs and symptoms of a hypo, her blood sugar level was already well above hypo range. In hindsight even giving her the sweet tea and biscuit was properly doing her a disservice.
So if I am feeling low in sugar I try to check my blood sugar FIRST, before resorting to those 'forbidden' lollies etc.
Sometimes I have caught things early enough to read low in the glucometer but know that whilst I take some glucotabs etc there is still likely to be a rebound of sugar levels upward as the glucose store from my liver is released.
THE ONLY EXCEPTION I make ( and it is 20 + years since this happened) is if I have had a glass of wine or other alcohol. I have read that alcohol 'holds my liver hostage' and stored liver glucose is not released. I know that in this case I REALLY NEED the glucose boost. Not that I am suggesting you try drinking alcohol so there is an excuse to eat/devour/hoover up the Snickers bar !!
Now, back to the real world, you say the 5 glucotabs did not seem to be working. But what was your blood sugar 'saying'? If your blood sugar was above say 6 mmol/l is there any point in taking more glucotabs?
The Sniggers bar - isn't the food industry really sneaky. The same food in a pile of cocoa, shreds of coco-nut, blobs of fat etc etc is never as enticing.
My rationalisation (and we all need excuses) is to take the Sniggers bar with me on a long hike, bike ride etc when I know some extra carbs with the delaying effect of the chocolate etc will give me an extra sugar boost.
I hope you can find the cause of the hypo ( the sun should not set on a case of unexplained hypos) and can prevent it in future.
I do not personally have shares in any company making confectionary bars !!!!
I can get really hungry during a hypo, INSATIABLY hungry.
Let me tell you a true story. Once upon a time (in 1977 or so) I was a medical student in Sydney.
I had been diabetic for 11 years and was sitting in a hospital diabetes clinic waiting room.= to see the doctor there.
A nurse called me in and said the doctor had asked me to take a blood test from an elderly lady who was having a hypo. (No glucometers back then).
This lady was sweating, confused, pale and the staff had been told to obtain the blood tests before giving her a sweetened cup of tea and a biscuit. ( I look back and cringe at this attitude).
The lady recovered over the next 15 minutes. The nurse mentioned in my hearing that the lady's blood sugar result was something like 16 mmol/l).
It was a great teaching moment. Even though this lady was exhibiting all the usual signs and symptoms of a hypo, her blood sugar level was already well above hypo range. In hindsight even giving her the sweet tea and biscuit was properly doing her a disservice.
So if I am feeling low in sugar I try to check my blood sugar FIRST, before resorting to those 'forbidden' lollies etc.
Sometimes I have caught things early enough to read low in the glucometer but know that whilst I take some glucotabs etc there is still likely to be a rebound of sugar levels upward as the glucose store from my liver is released.
THE ONLY EXCEPTION I make ( and it is 20 + years since this happened) is if I have had a glass of wine or other alcohol. I have read that alcohol 'holds my liver hostage' and stored liver glucose is not released. I know that in this case I REALLY NEED the glucose boost. Not that I am suggesting you try drinking alcohol so there is an excuse to eat/devour/hoover up the Snickers bar !!
Now, back to the real world, you say the 5 glucotabs did not seem to be working. But what was your blood sugar 'saying'? If your blood sugar was above say 6 mmol/l is there any point in taking more glucotabs?
The Sniggers bar - isn't the food industry really sneaky. The same food in a pile of cocoa, shreds of coco-nut, blobs of fat etc etc is never as enticing.
My rationalisation (and we all need excuses) is to take the Sniggers bar with me on a long hike, bike ride etc when I know some extra carbs with the delaying effect of the chocolate etc will give me an extra sugar boost.
I hope you can find the cause of the hypo ( the sun should not set on a case of unexplained hypos) and can prevent it in future.
I do not personally have shares in any company making confectionary bars !!!!
