Type 2 When to call for help with a hypo

brottonmoores

Well-Known Member
Messages
151
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
not posted for ages but after 2 hypos today the first my bs went back to normal after a glass of lucozade followed by a sandwich but had a second hypo later in the afternoon when I really struggled to stop my bs going down it dropped to 2.4 before it started going up again but it stuck at 3.6/3.7 for three quarters of and hour before I could get it up over 6
Needless to say I was beginning to panic and felt really ill what I really want to know is should I have called for help? at the 2.4 stage
Thanks in anticipation of your views
Jan
Ps I'm taking gliclazide and metformin
 

ickihun

Master
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13,698
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Insulin
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Bullies
When are you seeing your diabetic nurse next? If soon then take your readings and ask if worth reducing gliclazide!
If keep happening as to see your dn or team for an earlier appointment.
Myself, as long as I'm conscious I treat my hypos. If I was to lose consciousness I'd need assistance.
I'm lucky, I'm never on my own due to mobility problems.
Are you often on your own when you're at risk of bad hypos?
 

brottonmoores

Well-Known Member
Messages
151
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
When are you seeing your diabetic nurse next? If soon then take your readings and ask if worth reducing gliclazide!
If keep happening as to see your dn or team for an earlier appointment.
Myself, as long as I'm conscious I treat my hypos. If I was to lose consciousness I'd need assistance.
I'm lucky, I'm never on my own due to mobility problems.
Are you often on your own when you're at risk of bad hypos?
My hypos today were a result of not watching the time to eat I'm usually more aware of time to eat so my own fault still horrible tho
You have been through the mill ickihun I'm of the same opinion as long as I'm consious I'll handle it myself having said that I always let family or friend know I'm having a hypo and if they dont hear anything else they will check up on me thankfully I have good hypo awareness from 4.3 ish and lower
Trouble is now I'm high on lucozade and can't/darent go to sleep
Isn't it fun when you are diabetic
Cheers
Jan
 

ickihun

Master
Messages
13,698
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bullies
My hypos today were a result of not watching the time to eat I'm usually more aware of time to eat so my own fault still horrible tho
You have been through the mill ickihun I'm of the same opinion as long as I'm consious I'll handle it myself having said that I always let family or friend know I'm having a hypo and if they dont hear anything else they will check up on me thankfully I have good hypo awareness from 4.3 ish and lower
Trouble is now I'm high on lucozade and can't/darent go to sleep
Isn't it fun when you are diabetic
Cheers
Jan
Are you ok now?
How about use someyhing less bouncy than lucozade for your hypo treatment? Lucozade will bounce me high, too high. Then later another hypo.
A small amount of protein will steady me, but I only use protein if its daytime and I can reach glucose if protein fails to reduce my hypo sufficiently. Are your hypos severe and familiar to low 3s or less?
We do have a bit playing field as meter isn't 100% accurate and the majority of type 2s have insulin still been released, just not the first phase insulin.
Are you getting a hyper after lucozade?
The key is to keep these bgs stead. Irratic bgs cause nerve damage and can put your heart and other organs under stress. Be gentle to your system. Don't panic and feel confident once you've understood your reaction to glucose at times of mild hypos and severe ones.
The more damaging the corrective hypo treatment, the more bouncy your bgs will be thereafter (that day, or for some, 2 days after).
Let me know how you get on. Feel confident with what treatment you use. ;)
 

Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,215
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
not posted for ages but after 2 hypos today the first my bs went back to normal after a glass of lucozade followed by a sandwich but had a second hypo later in the afternoon when I really struggled to stop my bs going down it dropped to 2.4 before it started going up again but it stuck at 3.6/3.7 for three quarters of and hour before I could get it up over 6
Needless to say I was beginning to panic and felt really ill what I really want to know is should I have called for help? at the 2.4 stage
Thanks in anticipation of your views
Jan
Ps I'm taking gliclazide and metformin

Hi, it's a personal "thing" treating hypos.. I have never had 3rd party assistance in the 40 years of diagnosis.. Lol, I was a proud kid!
I've been a lot lower than 2.4 & still handled it. But that's just me..? If you need help by all means call for it.
I've helped the odd hypoglycemic D who was clearly confused & they didn't like it... I normally throw the sweets from a safe distance now & let em get on with it.... ;)
 

azure

Expert
Messages
9,780
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
@ickihun Its not safe to treat a 2.4 with protein. @brottonmoores did the right thing having Lucozade and then following it up with food.

@brottonmoores At least, you know why you had the hypo - that's a good thing as you can act to reduce your risk of having more. Do speak to your nurse though in case a change in your meds is necessary.
 

Oldvatr

Expert
Messages
8,470
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
The way Gliclazide works is by squeezing more insulin out of your pancreas: unfortunately it does not know when to stop, so it is possible to overdose on Glic, causing hypo's that can be difficult to deal with.

I was on 4 x 80mg Glicm and as I used an LC diet to reduce my bgl through diet, so I noted that I did not need to take so many tabs, and I adjusted my dose as my bgl averages dropped I am now officially (i.e. GP approved) on only 2 tabs a day, and we have an agreement that I can reduce this whenever I feel it is appropriate. At the moment I am taking the full 2 tabs a day, and I am dropping my bgl after a meal to between 3.2 and 4,8 mmol/L, which I can deal with. The beauty for me is that I find that these hypo's are quite gentle, and I have never used glucose to treat one. An oatie bar or choc wafer is enough to raise me by one mmol/L which gives me gentle control. My daily average currently is running at 5,3 which is lower than my GP needs me to be, so I don't have to stress myself over the occasional dietary lapse.

The advantage of cutting Glic dosage is that I am reducing my risk of pancreas burnout so hopefully prolonging the time I have where I do not need insulin, That and the LC diet works for me, and it makes more sense than me fighting insulin resistance by pumping greater anounts of insulin to force fat storage if I do not need to, Simples.

I think I am suggesting you start to lay off on the Gliclazide sledgehammer and find a level at which it is easier to cope,
 
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Energize

Well-Known Member
Messages
810
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi brottonmoores

Sorry to hear you've been experiencing hypos but, being on Gliclazide, it's cetainly possible, as you appreciate. I am wondering how much Lucozade you took for your hypo? Perhaps a bit more than you really needed. I haven't had Lucozade to treat a hype but I do have some in the house now. If I was to need some, I think I would only drink a very small amount as, being fizzy, I'm assuming it will be absorbed more quickly.

As already mentioned, it seems that if one goes high, either due to intake of food or treating a hypo, I understand that another hypo often results, hence getting into the 'yo yo' effect. Personally, I haven't experienced this. Once my glucose levels start to come up after treating a hypo, I then have some cheese or coffee with cream - which will then slow down the absorption of the glucose. Umm, yes, timing of this can be interesting, even a bit challenging ;) The overall results and effects are good, though, and I haven't had a rebound hypo - maybe by luck rather than judgement ;)
 
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