Worried about mom

[bittersweet5]

I just joined the forum today. Hello everyone. My mom has been a type I diabetic for the past 36 years. She spent most of that time giving herself shots and not testing her blood very often. I assumed she had everything under control. Then, about five years ago, I found out throught my dad and aunt that she was having terrible lows in the middle of the night. Her behavior would drastically change, she would say crazy things and thrash around in bed. Sometimes she would get up and wander the house. My father subsequently admitted that, at times, he would have to force her to drink juice because she would fight him. She does not wake up until she is in this state. I forced her (with love, of course) to find a better doctor to manage her care. She is now on an insulin pump and tests her blood regularly and her episodes have significanlty decreased in number, but have not gone away completely. She had one last night while she was visiting. I helped my dad with her. We tested her blood and it was 29. We gave her juice and 10 minutes late some candy. It took her almost 30 minutes to come back to us. Does anyone have any experience with this? Any advice? I think it might help just to know that it happens to others. It is very scary to witness and I want to be as helpful as I can.

[Simon]

Hello and welcome.

I would guess that her basal rate is way too high and it may be that she's not carb counting either. This is something she really needs to sort out with her doctor though. Taking advice purely from here would be risky.

[It Ain't Over]

Sounds like stories from home. Unfortunately T1 can go that way. Pump will solve most of the problems, but she must learn to use it correctly, including checking her sugar levels even more often than before.
She is experiencing hypoglycemic unawareness. Common problem. It sets in over the years, although if she can get away from having lows for a week or so she may begin to feel the onset once again, but the more dramatic symptoms of lows are probably gone forever. That makes it harder.
I was in the same state before I was put on a pump. Still have lows, but by keeping a reign on the number and the extremes I am able to feel most coming on, not like back 25 years ago, but there is something to alert me to the onset. I doubt your mother feels anything at all now.
Do your best to get her to check the sugar levels twice after dinner, once 2 -3 hours after and again right before, and record them. That is where to start. If she turns in with good level readings and goes low overnight she should lower the basal rate on the pump starting an hour before she goes to bed, Start with small changes, wait a few days before any further changes and record every reading.

[lgvincent]

I do the same thing when my blood sugar gets low. I'll be convinced that everthing is fine and refuse sugar and won't check my blood sugar.

[bittersweet5]

Thanks for the advice. I'll pass it along to her. I know she changes her rates after seeing her diabetes educator. Is there anying I can do for her during an attack or should I just let her ride it out?

[Emm]

Just keep feeding her fast-acting sugary stuff, checking her blood sugar, and keeping a good eye out for her in case she hurts herself.

The odd hypo is sometimes unavoidable... there are too many changing values in a persons life to get our insulin balance 100% perfect. And people themselves aren't perfect... So expect hypos once in a while. The trick is to test often enough to catch them early (not so helpful for the middle-of-the-night hypos of course) and know the signs so you can deal with them.

[Stuboy]

You could consider a CGMS system with a Hypo alarm...

[bittersweet5]

It sounds like this hypo reaction is not uncommon. Good to know. I think she is looking in to the dual glucose monitoring/insulin pump. She has always been a sound sleeper....