What number is considered a hypo?

Anything ≤ 3.9mmol/L is considered a hypo officially for anyone on insulin as far as I understand.

Hi @O_DP_T1 DAFNE defines a hypo at 3.5, however personally I would call a hypo at 3.8 and would treat with 10g of carb at 3.8mmol/l. I would treat with fast acting glucose at anything below 3.5 though as I start to lose any common sense at this level. It also depends how much quick acting you have on board too. We are all different though in terms of when we start feeling it, if I'm falling fast I can feel it before a hypo hits.

Juicyj said:

Hi @O_DP_T1 DAFNE defines a hypo at 3.5, however personally I would call a hypo at 3.8 and would treat with 10g of carb or fast acting at 3.8mmol/l. I would treat with fast acting glucose at anything below 3.5 though as I start to lose any common sense at this level. We are all different though in terms of when we start feeling it, if I'm falling fast I can feel it before a hypo hits.

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Not to mention not all hypos are the same or act at the same values.

My understanding is under 4.0 is considered a hypo.
I would not be surprised if there was some "fat" built into this to catch a hypo before it gets dangerous.

I was told that our brains need 2.8 mmol/l in order to function correctly. Sure, we may be able to do pretty straightforward stuff (like find our hypo treatment) but for more complex activities we need more glucose.
At 1.5 mmol/l you may think you are "performing normally" but typically, when we are at this level we make mistakes or incorrect decisions.

And then there is the lack of hypo awareness - our bodies are incredibly good at adapting to a changed "normal" BG.
We see this from people who are newly diagnosed with high BG feeling hypo symptoms at higher than 4.0 - this is because out bodies are used to having more glucose.
Likewise, we can get used to lower BG and appear to function ok. Except we are now closer to the level where no one can function and we pass out. I don't know what this is and don't want to find out from personal experience.
Whenever I feel I am starting to lose my hypo awareness (when I don't spot my hypo until 2.5 or below), I start to retrain my body by temporarily raising my target to 5.7 for about a month.

In the UK it's clinically defined as below 4mmol/L

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/low-blood-sugar-hypoglycaemia/

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/Diabetes-and-Hypoglycaemia.html

Further argumentative posts will encur a warning so please be mindful of your content before posting.

I don't know what a hypo feels like and am worried that I've never experienced one. This sounds stupid but I'd rather have one at home, I realise you can't have a hypo to order, than experience my first one in the street. I've read what to expect and it sounds like the end is nigh!!

SueJB said:

I don't know what a hypo feels like and am worried that I've never experienced one. This sounds stupid but I'd rather have one at home, I realise you can't have a hypo to order, than experience my first one in the street. I've read what to expect and it sounds like the end is nigh!!

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How long have you been T1? Not having hypos is excellent, but it's worth finding out what the symptoms are so you can self correct if necessary. I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that clinics would give people supervised hypos so that they knew what to expect? Maybe ask next time you go to your clinic, as it wouldn't be hard for them to do, (though they may not be willing because of time constraints). I'm NOT advocating giving yourself extra insulin at home when alone - too many possibilities for getting it wrong.
And the end isn't (normally) nigh, though sometimes you may feel like it.

EllieM said:

How long have you been T1? Not having hypos is excellent, but it's worth finding out what the symptoms are so you can self correct if necessary. I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that clinics would give people supervised hypos so that they knew what to expect? Maybe ask next time you go to your clinic, as it wouldn't be hard for them to do, (though they may not be willing because of time constraints). I'm NOT advocating giving yourself extra insulin at home when alone - too many possibilities for getting it wrong.
And the end isn't (normally) nigh, though sometimes you may feel like it.

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T1 = 8months and I'm certainly not going to overdose on insulin just to find out. I sometimes get slightly freaked when I'm travelling on my own and wonder if I'd recognise a hypo if it hit me in the wherever, I've gone to 3.2 and felt normal

I turn into a dithering idiot when my bloods are around the 4mmol mark. I can't explain how I feel as it's a strange feeling. But sometimes I feel exactly the same when my bloods over 12 mmol but with a bit more of a sharp fuse added into the mix.


The lowest I've knowingly been is 3.1 and that was my first hypo and it's been my worst so far.