• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

T1s only: how many hypos?

D

desidiabulum

Well-Known Member
Messages
706
This isn’t about me (I’m lucky enough to be MODY and have managed to just about cut out hypos altogether) but my sister, who has had late-onset T1 for 20 years. She always ran good hba1c numbers (low 6s), but a recent review exposed the fact that this was disguising a regular pattern of spikes and hypos. Clinic is insisting on putting her on a hypo-awareness course, but she claims that frequentish hypos are just an occupational hazard of T1. I’m not sure if I need to provide fraternal nagging on this, so would appreciate some guidance. For those T1s with good control, and who are good friends of DAFNE, how often do you expect to get hypos?
 
I probably have 1-2 a fortnight. If I have more its because I have exercised more than usual, have eaten less, eaten much later, been unwell etc. In other words, there is a reason for them. There are, however, periods where I will get more hypos and I cannot explain them. Annoying but a few tweaks in the old insulin regime normally get me back on track fairly quickly.

Being on insulin, hypos are always going to be a risk. If your sister is I jetting the right amount and eating the right number of carbs then she shouldn't be getting too many.

I certainly get the odd high and low. Most of the time though, my sugars are pretty stable.
 
I used to spike and hypo when on novomix 30, but have been quite level since been on novorapid and levemir, just the odd 3ish if had to guesstimate, and got a little wrong.



Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
novorapid and lantus injections
I get far fewer than I used to - only about 1 per month max but my hba1c has crept up over 7 of late. when it was healthier looking I would get them more often - especially if exercising. never really got the hang of dosing sugar for exercise so tend not to do anything during the activity. suspect this leads to wilder fluctuations.
 
Until a week ago I had 1 a fortnight..... Usually no lower that 3.5 and very mild. Slight odd feeling and a few haribo knocked it on the head.

I've started exercising more and had 4 last week, 2 in the same day. This is not good enough and I have reduced my insulin to stop this!

Hypos can be expected on occasion, but regular hypos shouldnt be shrugged off as "normal"
 
I have fairly regualr hypos (upto 5 a week) but like mentioned there are normally reasons. My A1C is about 10 so i cant even say they are helping!
 
When I was carb counting (HbA1c in the 7s) I was having one or two per week. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Often in the 2s. I think if she exercises and drinks then perhaps her hypo frequency would be higher.
 
desidiabulum said:
This isn’t about me (I’m lucky enough to be MODY and have managed to just about cut out hypos altogether) but my sister, who has had late-onset T1 for 20 years. She always ran good hba1c numbers (low 6s), but a recent review exposed the fact that this was disguising a regular pattern of spikes and hypos. Clinic is insisting on putting her on a hypo-awareness course, but she claims that frequentish hypos are just an occupational hazard of T1. I’m not sure if I need to provide fraternal nagging on this, so would appreciate some guidance. For those T1s with good control, and who are good friends of DAFNE, how often do you expect to get hypos?
Click to expand...


As my late father use to say ''You don't look a gift horse in the mouth''......so your sister should take the hypo-awareness course and any other help that is offered her way!

Anyone on insulin cannot avoid hypo's completely but the frequency of them can be controlled to a certain extent, on the hypo awareness course they may offer a CGM where they can monitor her bg and see where the hypo's and hypers are occurring, before DAFNE and getting to grips with my diabetes hypo's would be a weekly occurrence, now I can go a few weeks without one and very rarely do I drop into the 2's, it's hard work at first but it's worth her enrolling on DAFNE as her HCP's may advise.
 
Many thanks to all who responded to this thread -- it's clear that I need to exercise some friendly brotherly pressure. She's a T1 veteran, knows DAFNE backwards, worked for decades in intensive care units in hospitals, so knows all the issues very well, and is very sensible and level-headed. But I think long-term diabetics, especially those with other health problems, can get a bit fatalistic about the hypos and side-effects, even if their control is generally OK. It's an awkward b***er, diabetes...
 
Back
Top