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Terrified of hypo whilst asleep

P

pinewood

Well-Known Member
Messages
792
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Apologies if this has been discussed before but I keep reading conflicting stories. I was diagnosed with Type 1 over the weekend and have not had a hypo yet.

I think I'm starting to adjust to the insulin injections, the testing, carb counting etc. but the one thing I just cannot cope with is the thought of a hypo in my sleep. I've read that most people wake up but what if you don't wake up? My partner sleeps through anything so I doubt they would wake up to help me and I can't expect them to watch me all night!

Without wishing to sound too sombre, is it an actual common possibility to die from this?

Would be grateful for any advice/reassurance...
 
Hi. I understand the concern which I had when I went onto insulin and had a cow bell by my bedside in case! For most people the liver will dump glucose in an emergency to stop a bad hypo and as others have said you will probably wake from the shaking etc. I've yet to have a nightime hypo and do have early warning signs if one is in the wings and have glucose tablets by the bed-side. Do make sure you don't use the wrong insulin if you inject at bed-time; I have a process to minimise the risk. Once you have the insulin control you are learning about you should find you know how your blood sugar is doing even without very frequent monitoring. BTW watch out for too much alcohol as it stops the liver dumping glucose until it has removed any alcohol.
 
Every new Type 1 worries about possible hypos. You will calm down after a while.

It is highly unlikely that you will die from a hypo. What is more likely is that you will waken up - after having strange dreams/nightmares, or even having to get up to the toilet - or maybe just waken up in a dreadful sweat. I keep a test kit beside my bed, just in case. Sometimes I've just had a very strange dream, just needed the loo or it's too warm in the bedroom - but 99% of the time I've been hypo. Then, of course there's the times when you don't waken up till morning, finding your blood sugar is sky high. That'll be the liver dump!

Oh, speaking of the liver, if you do drink alcohol, make sure you have a snack before going to bed.

I was diabetic for almost 3 years before I had a hypo. It happens, but it's something we all learn to recognize and deal with. You will deal with it so try not to worry.
 
It's very rare thankfully Pinewood, you will wake up if you hypo in your sleep and will recognize the symptoms straight away, even if you don't it's likely your liver will dump glucose and bring your bg levels back up.

Try to keep things like Glocotabs, Jelly Babies and a small party-size tin of Coke in your bedside cabinet in case you do wake up hypo, if your unsure what symptoms to look out for with a hypo have a read of the following:

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-a-hypo.html
 
Pinewood, when I was first diagnosed with Type 2, and read up on this disease, I too
was frightened of a syndrome called "dead in bed". In a way it may not be a bad death,
but of course nobody wants to die. What I found in my diabetes literature was that you should
have plenty of carbs for a pre-sleep snack and make sure you are not below 7.8. So far that
has worked for me though a few time there was sweating and I got up to eat.
 
My experience is pretty much the same as dancers... waking in a sweat, or strange dreams... even just waking up thinking you need the toilet & realising you also feel a bit strange... if I wake through the night, I always test any way and am very rarely low...

What are your levels at bedtime at the moment & what medication are you on?
 
The human body can be clever thing. I find I dream of having to eat or searching for food and then wake up finding I am having a hypo! Like an internal alarm system!

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Try not to worry, I know that its easier said than done but it is more than likely that a hypo during your sleep would wake you. For the first few months after diagnosis I had nighttime hypos at least twice a week (they had me on far to much basal) and trust me when I say I could not have slept through any of them and I'm a very deep sleeper. The cold sweating and trembling never fail to alert me to a hypo. As others have said keep quick sugar snacks by the bed so they're just to hand if they should be needed. I also used to take my meter to bed with me and keep it open, ready to use if that night time hypo reared its ugly head.
 
Have you Considered a continous Glucose Monitor? Like a Dexcom G4, That is what I use, It moitors your levels and will Alarm if you go to high or low. and its Load... I forget and leave it in my closet sometimes and always hear it. It is definatley good for peace of Mind! It is great to show your trends and how different foods effect you what exercise does to your levels...etc I highly recommend one, It takes a lot of the guess work out diebetes.

Best of Luck!
 
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