Treating a low

[Bon83]

So I got a very inconvenient low today I was out running this evening and after about an hour I felt Wierd (more than usual haha) I did test and was 4 which was quite a bit of a drop from what I thought it would be - I had a gluco gel but as I was about half a mile or so from the car I carried on walking - I tested again at 10 mins and was still 4 so had another gel - I carried on to the car (feeling pretty ropey I may say) when I got to the car it was 3.3 so the gels had done nothing. I suspect I should have sat still at the 1st gel and let it take effect - is this the case :/

 

[TheBigNewt]

I have a saying about diabetes: "you're either on your way up or you're on your way down." Well obviously you were on your way down, so the fact that the gel didn't bring you up only means that you were using up glucose about as fast as you were taking it in. I never used gel myself (apple juice or Lifesavers usually) but from what I've seen they're pretty small containers so you might consider a plastic bottle of apple juice (130 calories). It works just as fast I'm sure. The thing about hard candies is you have to chew 'em up first then swallow 'em. Juice you just pound down.

 

[Bon83]

I have a saying about diabetes: "you're either on your way up or you're on your way down." Well obviously you were on your way down, so the fact that the gel didn't bring you up only means that you were using up glucose about as fast as you were taking it in. I never used gel myself (apple juice or Lifesavers usually) but from what I've seen they're pretty small containers so you might consider a plastic bottle of apple juice (130 calories). It works just as fast I'm sure. The thing about hard candies is you have to chew 'em up first then swallow 'em. Juice you just pound down.

Thanks that makes sense - great saying by the way! Diabetes - well insulin actually is pain in backside isn't it. I like orange juice it normally brings me back to feeling better quickly! But cartons are a bit of a pain to carry so I got the gels. I do find that gels don't "last" so to speak even when used for exercise not just lows. They are apparently easily absorbed so I think your right I must've burned through the glucose. I also find that running and walking really increases my insulin sensitivity much more than other things. Thanks again

 

[TheBigNewt]

PM sent.

 

[Jaylee]

Hi,

It's normally recomended to follow up treatment after fasts acting carbs (sugar.) with longer acting carbs.. Something like a digestive biscuit?
One can peak & drop again rapidly on sugar if continuing to exercise..? Also there is a time lag on a meter reading of upto 20 minutes back. (Like a snapshot in time.) so you may have actually been lower than you read on the meter & not treated sufficiently at that point in time..? 10 minutes between testing can throw similar numbers...?

 

[Mugwump]

We love apple juice too, and often if she was 'on the way down' and we had PE or a very active lesson, I'd use sips of apple juice to keep 'topping up' (weighing at the end to figure out total carbs). Those sips saved us from lows on multiple occasions, and seemed to work quite quickly (within 10 minutes). Yummier than tabs too!

 

[Bon83]

Thanks for all your help - feeling a bit fed up today (I know I don't really need to), I avoided a full on hypo but it's just frustrating when you want to do things and diabetes likes to get in your way lol. Thanks again guys

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[Bon83]

Plus I have just noticed I used up a load of test strips with yesterday's adventure so I have to plead to the gp today to get more

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[Bon83]

Yep. Welcome to my world. Whenever it happens, 10-12 test strips are like nothing, even while using the Libre system. For me, the best solution is to have glucose powder dissolved in water. I'm trying to keep one small bottle like this everywhere: in the car, in my bag, on my bedside table. I use as less water as possible and enough glucose to saturate the water. It doesn't have any special taste but it's very efficient. I know the panic can settle in very fast, but you need to allow the glucose some good minutes till you see a change. If it's sugar, even more (10-15 minutes in my case).

Whenever this happens, try to stop from whatever you're doing physically. The BG will want to drop even tens of minutes after stopping exercising.

The prescription lady was very helpful? :/ they seem to have changed lately. I shouldve sat down I carried on walking and not slowly because panic was setting in. It felt like a lifetime getting to the car. It's so easy to let yourself lose confidence in exercise - what if etc etc