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work performance after a hypo

Mep

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,461
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Insulin
I had an early morning hypo that I missed treating today. I woke up at 4 am and felt like I was having a hypo, tested at 6.6 and thought **** I missed it and then got up 1.5 hours later and was sitting on 8.2. Of course I woke up feeling awful and not very quick with my thinking. I spent my morning walking into rooms and going into cupboards and having to revisit everything because I kept forgetting things. It probably took me most of my working day (I only work 6 hours) to recover fully.

So what I noticed is that although I was still functional and I could think, I just couldn't seem to retain my thoughts and keep focused. I had what I call the "brain drain" quite bad. So I'd be processing something at work and then my mind would go blank and I'd sit there thinking about what is it I'm trying to do exactly. I found myself typing things I wasn't even thinking, etc.

Well that's ok when you're on your own and no one knows about it. But I gave myself away just after lunch when I handed one of the big bosses a piece of work for them to action it and they take a look and let me know it's already actioned... they asked me what exactly I was wanting. I felt like a complete idiot when I went back to the file and had a look again. Given it was a bit more complex, but usually I'm quick and can pick up this sort of thing and not request work be done by anyone else unnecessarily. So when I realised what I'd done and I was being questioned I suddenly felt the need to explain myself... sorry about that but I did have a hypo this morning and I haven't quite recovered properly. I got "oh ok... you had a hypo?" But then there was the vague look like they didn't know what a hypo is or what it does anyhow.

I'm a bit of a perfectionist (virgo) and I hate making mistakes. But these **** hypos when I don't get to them and treat them can really impact on my performance. I also don't think others realise how much it can affect us.
 
Sounds like the hypo really washed you out @Mep
 
Mep said:
yeh I must've gone real low I tend to take a lot longer to recover from those night ones I miss.
Click to expand...

As you get more sensitive and aware of hypos, the body does take its time getting the fug out of your head, and it usually would take a good night's sleep to get back to normal.
I have had so many memory lapses in work and at home and doing the chores, shopping etc. I think it so hard to remember what you have forgotten.
Or is it the other way around?
That you have forgotten to remember?

I don't know!

It will come back to me!
 

Yeh it's definitely my brain that is the last to recover. It is pretty hard to describe to someone what it feels like as it isn't just the exhausted feeling... it's more like my brain has been zapped. Of course I know it has been zapped literally of glucose and it's recovering. A bit like a flat battery I suppose. But it is definitely nothing I ever felt prior to diabetes and having hypos... so really people wouldn't have a clue what it's like unless they've had a hypo. Although on saying that my epilepsy friend describes how she feels after a seizure and it is very similar to how I am after a hypo. But of course epilepsy seizures are caused by imbalances in the brain.
 

Sorry to read about your experience this morning. Hope you are feeling better now (or asap).

From what you have described it sounds very similar to what I've heard termed 'fibro fog'. When the fibromyalgia affects the brain function we can do literally anything, and forget anything! Yesterday I was looking at a sign that said contactless payments under £30 and then asked about apple pay on a purchase that was over £150 (just one of the silly (and potentially less problematic) things fibromyalgia has made me do!). Although I've done things such as you describe, forgotten to lock my car at times and the list is endless.
 

Yes, I've heard about the fibro fog. I guess this is similar to that. I've been asked if I have fibro before but I don't think I do. The reason is apparently I have conditions that are linked to it (ic, migraines, pcos). I do get pain throughout my body but it's only really been like that since being on meds so I figure it's my meds doing it. I'm on baclofen which weakens my muscles. I'm on amitriptyline which one of the side effects it gives me is nerve pain under the skin and it can shoot pain anywhere at any time all over my body... sometimes in quite a few places. I know it's the drug as when they took me off it that symptom stopped. When they put me back on it, it started again. So yeh it's hard to figure things out once you get diagnosed with a few things. Is it a new condition or just meds? Usually 9/10 just the meds.
 

I too am on amitriptyline although that is to treat the fibro pain, I'm on a couple of other meds also and yeah the conundrum of meds side effects, new conditions vs existing conditions is a night mare. I go by the rule of if it dont feel 'right' then likely it's new or meds side effects.
 
I have what I call a 'hypover' often for hours after a nighttime hypo or a very fast dropping daytime one. Not so much now I have the pump - but I can easily lose an entire day along the way.

Hope you're feeling better, @Mep !
 
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