That’s helped thanks a lot it’s just today was just another normal day yet about 4pm I started feeling really shaking and not right looked at my blood sugar and I was 3 .5 so had some sweets right away and after about an hour I started feeling ok again I’m new to all this so is that normal?
Hi, stupot, yes, those hypo shakes can be very scary, but, just to give some reassurance on this, what's happening goes something like this.
The body is designed to run at about 4 to 5. If it starts running below that, your "autonomic responses", the biology which takes care of behind the scenes stuff like heart rate, breathing, temperature and bg levels, kick in to sort it.
Below around 4, adrenalin will be sent out to tell the liver to release stored glucose to raise the bg level to what the body regards as safe. It's the adrenalin which makes you shake, not the low blood sugar.
Think of people who've been in a car crash or a fight - they've got a fright, so they've been kicking out adrenalin to get the "fight or flight" thing going and they end up shaking from the adrenalin rush.
The shakes aren't nice, but it's a good sign that your body is working hard to get you back into a safe zone.
The big question which we all have to find an answer to is how much additional help do we need to give to help it along. It will depend a lot on what type, 1 or 2, and the meds being used, and on the individual.
Sometimes a single 3g dextrotab will be enough, or a biscuit or two, or some milk, it all depends on the situation and the person: you'll have to find what suits you, and that takes time and a bit of experimentation.
At a bg level of 5, there's only about 1g per litre of blood, about 5g total in an "average" human, so it can be very easy in the panic of a hypo to way overtreat it with masses of sweets/biscuits etc, when a much smaller amount would do, but it's probably safer to overtreat to begin with and then you can nuance it a lot more once you're more comfortable with hypos.
If you're not on insulin or glic, sglt2 etc. the chances of you getting anywhere near a life threatening hypo are very, very slim: the adrenalin response and a biccy or two will be enough.
3.5 isn't anywhere near the danger zone. If you start seeing below 2, that would be a worry.
Hypos are always a serious event requiring immediate attention, but, except in the case of the very young and very old, they are rarely life threatening - although our metabolisms are generally screwed, the bits which raise when necessary still work.
Stay safe out there!