[Penny]

Seeing the debate about the man who was put off Amtrak, made me wonder......If you were in public and low, would others know? I have been low in public, but I recognized it and tested and did what I needed to fix it. But a couple of times I have been at home and my husband saw it before I did, and he knew what to do. Usually, my stomach feels upset, almost like I need to throw up, I feel very tired, maybe even lightheaded, and have "just a feeling" that I am low, maybe a bit spaced out. But, my husband says, I get very quiet, my eyes kind of glaze over, and I stare at nothing. He says he asks me something and I might or might not give him a sensible answer, but I usually slur my words. Yesterday, I could not open the glucose bottle to eat some tablets, kind of threw them to Hubby to open. To me this kind of sounds like the way you might describe a drunken person. I have never been violent or disruptive...though Hubby complained about the glucose bottle hitting him in the head. But I wonder if this behavior could be mistaken for me being drunk in public???? Most of the time, I see it coming before I get that bad, but if it happened at home a couple of times, who knows?

[barko]

Wearing a medical ID bracelet that is easily recognizable would be one option. Emergency medical workers are trained to look for bracelet IDs (not always other types like shoe-lace IDs, etc).

[Penny]

I wear a necklace, but......if you were not a diabetic, and you were walking in the park, saw a chubby grandmother sitting on the ground staring at nothing and slurring her words, would you go looking for a bracelet? I am thinking most people would say, "Look at that old drunk!" and avoid me like the plague. I am just wondering if some of you also have behavior that would confuse the general public? Myself, I plan to not let it happen if I can at all help it, but I still wonder if it could.

[barko]

Your right, probably not everyone would recognize a bracelet like this:



But at least hopefully the people who can save your life (and stop you from being kicked off of a train) would. In contrast, they probably would not even have a chance to notice a necklace that is hidden under clothing. If your passed out, etc. someone at some point will probably at least take your pulse ;-)

Just my 2 cents - I wear a necklace also, but the recent Amtrak incident has helped me change my mind. I just signed up with Medicalert

[notme]

Very good question Penny. Honestly, I doubt people would know. When I get extremely low, I know I am not making sense and it frustrates me. I have a hard time comprehending things and the harder I try, the more frustrated I get. I tend to be quiet when that happens. My husband knows because I am being quiet and look spacey. I do tend to try to hide my lows from people.

I am not the unruly type when I get low. I am the quiet type which could be more dangerous. At least when you are unruly, you get attention. I don't think I would get attention until I passed out (which I have never done).

[andypoo]

Usually when I go low, it hits really quickly,I start sweating profusely from my head and forehead my hair will be soaked and I'm really rushing around and trying to get things done is when it happens. My daughter seems to be the only one that notices ,I just say "Insulin reaction "and grab a coke and sit. My husband is completely oblivious to it,he just thinks I'm being *****y or something,I've always managed without anyone s help dealing with it,it's my problem really,I know what to do. But if I was in public place, such as on a train or bus station or airport,I don't want to say I wouldn't manage because everything is different in those places you'd probably have to walk a mile to get a coke or something if you didn't have anything on you. But when I go somewhere that is out of my llittle circle, I alway pack stuff on me in my pockets,in my purse,everywhere to get to quickly.

[Katmandu]

Originally Posted by notme

Very good question Penny. Honestly, I doubt people would know. When I get extremely low, I know I am not making sense and it frustrates me. I have a hard time comprehending things and the harder I try, the more frustrated I get. I tend to be quiet when that happens. My husband knows because I am being quiet and look spacey. I do tend to try to hide my lows from people.

When I was first diagnosed I used to have a VERY difficult time with my lows. My wife and I would be out at the mall (or somewhere) and I would say...."I don't feel right". We would immediately head to the food court and get a coke.

I learned to recognize the symptoms and too react (QUICKLY) to them.

Nowadays, I use a 1-10 Scale with my wife on how I feel am currently feeling. 1 is just fine and 10 is EMERGENCY.

Using this 1-10 Scale has been a godsend for our relationship!

Those of you that have been in Hypo crises KNOW that STRESS that it puts on your loved ones!

I strongly suggest ALL diabetics use this 1-10 Scale with your loved ones!!!!

.

[coconut]

I had a very bad low in a doctor's office in the exam room (a neurologist/acupuncturist) after he put multiple shots in the back of my head and neck for a severe migraine. It was seconds later - I was in a cold sweat, sick to my stomach, my peripheral vision started to gray and I could barely move so I just laid down and closed my eyes. The doctor was teasing that I was afraid of needles and I kept saying that's not it.

It was the tech in the office that knew what was happening (he said his mom was a diabetic) and got me some candy and called my boyfriend to come get me.

If a doctor can't see or figure out what was happening I really don't have much confidence that people who have not already experience it will know what is wrong with you.

That was a life lesson for me - and now I am always prepared when I leave the house no matter when my last meal or how long I expect to be on the road.

[coconut]

Originally Posted by notme

When I get extremely low, I know I am not making sense and it frustrates me. ..... I do tend to try to hide my lows from people.

Originally Posted by andypoo

Usually when I go low, it hits really quickly,I start sweating profusely from my head and forehead my hair will be soaked ....

I'm totally the same way - I'm thinking the words but the just don't come out.

I've had lows for years and never knew - I always blamed them on migraines. I would lay on the cold bathroom floor until I could move and I would drink coke or ginger ale because it alwasy made me feel better.

Pretty ironic considering the cause and affect were most likely the opposite of what I had thought all along.

[cheryl]

I am rarely alone in public, i have kids with me or my husband so i don't worry about it, but if i am alone, my bg is always in normal range, so i don't worry about it at all......

Cheryl

[Penny]

Today, 2 hours after breakfast, I was 150 (usually takes me almost 3 hours to get to a normal range), so figured I was fine for a couple of hours anyway. I went shopping for groceries, but had a few other things to pick up in the "mega store", so was in there for 1 and 1/2 hours. I was feeling a little hungry, but they were giving out samples at the store, so I figured that would be enough to do me until I got home( small piece of pizza, sausage, chips). Hubby picked me up and needed to stop for his mother's meds, maybe took us 20 minutes to get home. I tested while waiting for him in the drugstore, I was 62. This meter always reads about 10 higher than the one I use most of the time, but I was feeling hungry, but OK. When we got home, it was close to 4 hours after I had eaten, and my meter said 48. I thought I had planned pretty good, and had the few snacks at the store, so should have been OK. I could have been alone, in fact now thatI think about it,there were a couple of minutes when I really knew I wasn't right. I sure hate to think I cannot even shop for groceries without someone tagging along to watch me. I will probably test more often, even in the grocery, make sure I have my glucose, and wear my ID.

[Dewey]

To answer the question, it depends. Usually, I'm with someone, so if I go low, either I'll catch it or they'll know. It also depends on how one acts when low. Sometimes, I act totally "normal" (lol) & am in the 40s....other times, I'll be in the same range & act differently (i.e. weak & tired, etc).

If I weren't with someone I knew, I might have a tougher time...again, it just depends.

[parrotletzoo]

Others would suspect I'm not drunk once they read my medical ID bracelet.

...yet another good reason to wear id.

[notme]

One to ten scale is genious. That would help relay to someone how bad you feel. What a concept!!!!

Genious Katmandu!

[kgm0612]

My younger brother slurs his words and acts obnoxious when he's having a low. I am sure people would think he was feeling a "little tipsy" if he was out alone. He does not always wear his medical ID.

Karen