Are Lows That Bad?

[gobbly2100]

I was just interested in finding out if going low is harmful atall?

Recently I been adjusting my diet alot and it is leaving me with atleast 2 lows a day so I just wondered what kind of effects it has in short and long term.

I could imagine that if you pass out because of being low then that could cause some kind of damage to the brain maybe but I have no clue.

[LancetChick]

Prolonged lows near the zero mark have caused brain damage, according to some nebulous studies, but otherwise I have not heard of brain damage mentioned outside of those circumstances. It's very rare to die from hypoglycemia, but my grandmother did, and I know that my liver makes no response to low blood sugar (no rebound), so perhaps there's a genetic condition to be mindful of. If you do rebound, a bad low can send your blood sugar bouncing back and forth for a while (even days, I've heard), so going very low must be avoided even more diligently than a high..... at least for me. I barely consider minor lows if I'm in a position to monitor them, although if they happen often over a 1 1/2 to 2-day period I change my insulin doses.

[DeusXM]

Depends on the severity of the low. I'll shrug off most hypos as something that comes with the territory because they're not really that big a deal. There's a perception in the medical community and in some of the charities that a hypo is some sort of catastrophic disaster that absolutely should not happen under any circumstances.

I say that's bull. Hypos are for the most part just an inconvenience in much the same way as being thirsty or tired are inconveniences - they're easily remedied, you just have to put a teensy bit of effort in. They're only a problem when they start affecting how your body functions - hypos can be a MAJOR problem if you're driving, operating machinery, nowhere near food, or about to 'play some midnight ping-pong', as one member once memorably put it.

Ideally you want to minimise them. 2 a day is a bit much, but that's the Mixtard for you. Provided though that your hypos are nothing more than you just feeling a bit hungry and shaky, they're probably not doing any real damage. You're also probably feeling your hypos a bit more after your prolonged period of elevated A1Cs.

[cheryl]

Low's will not cause brain damage unless you are in a state where you stay low just like metioned above, don't worry just correct your low's appropriately and what not, as you try to get yourself back into normal range your gonna experience low's which to me is a good sign that you are getting back on the right track, Just keep track of when you get the low's and how to lower your med's accordingly, cause no one wants to be in hypo land all the time either.....good luck your doing Great:D

[Tim_Roy]

Ways in which a low can be dangerous:

Police think you're drunk, throw you in jail. If you don't speak up about your condition (or can't), you could die. Back in the 50s or 60s my uncle's friend had this happen to him. Could've died as a result, but my uncle clued them in when he went in to bail the fellow out.

You could have an accident, wreck your car, hurt others. Serious stuff. It's a good idea to test every time before you start your car.

If you have a seizure, you'll likely bite up your tongue, and every single muscle on your body will be sore for days. Used to have them when I was a kid.

Insulin reactions tend to make the brain have a fight-or-flight response. You can become quite surly or cranky. Get unnecessarily confrontational with people. At home (not good), in public (bad), at work (worse), or when you're out at a club (can you say, "get beaten on by security?").

[parrotletzoo]

Low can also effect cardiac function. Ask my mother, oh wait, you can't a low killed her because her heart couldnt handle it and it stopped. When her bs was tested just before she died it was 54. not THAT low....

Do I sound irritated? sure, because it bothers me that people say lows aren't dangerous. Maybe not long term, but short term for many reasons they can be.

That being said. i wouldnt freak out and keep my bs elevated. cause well thats bad too....

which is why we have target goals and are urged to keep fast acting carbs/glucose on us in case of lows....

[kazza]

the one thing i'm not seeing mentioned here is that repeated hypos, at least in my case, led to hypo-unawareness which is how i got myself into a car accident :o among many other interesting experiences i've had. yes you can get your awareness back by staying in better control and/or running higher than your normal target range for a bit or testing all the time but the goal is to stay in your target range as much as possible (which i liken to walking a tight rope or balance beam, depending upon my mood :wink: ) anyhow, good luck to you in keeping your balance :top:

[jen_slc]

I would say that the majority of symptomatic hypos that are dealt with immediately do not produce any long-term or permanent damaging effects; however, recurrent, long-lasting hypoglycemia can have adverse effects on certain brain functions. I wouldn't call it brain damage, but certain regions in the brain are much more sensitive to low BG levels than others (those involving memory function, motor control, balance and other cognitive functions), and it's these regions that can be impaired after repeated hypoglycemic events lasting an hour or more (e.g. nighttime lows while sleeping and not waking up).

[gobbly2100]

The thing is, I can go as low as 1.7 (lowest I ever been) and still be fully aware and able to talk, I have never really gone into a drunk state where I am unaware of my surroundings and what is going on.

Since I have had such elevated blood sugars for so long, now I am getting better and having the lows, I never feel any panic is needed, I just go get something to eat/drink in the same fashion as if I was not low.

It sounds as if nobody knows the answer so I guess it is one of them things that people have to make up their own mind about.

[jen_slc]

I never feel any panic is needed, I just go get something to eat/drink in the same fashion as if I was not low.That is sensible. Lows happen, they are a part of all of our lives. And when they do happen, they can be taken care of easily. This is assuming that you are always aware of your hypos, so just make sure that you can always feel them coming on, otherwise you will run into problems!

[sweetblood]

Prolonged lows near the zero mark have caused brain damage, according to some nebulous studies, but otherwise I have not heard of brain damage mentioned outside of those circumstances. It's very rare to die from hypoglycemia, but my grandmother did, and I know that my liver makes no response to low blood sugar (no rebound), so perhaps there's a genetic condition to be mindful of. If you do rebound, a bad low can send your blood sugar bouncing back and forth for a while (even days, I've heard), so going very low must be avoided even more diligently than a high..... at least for me. I barely consider minor lows if I'm in a position to monitor them, although if they happen often over a 1 1/2 to 2-day period I change my insulin doses.

sorry abt your grandma...i gather she had diabetes??

[ant hill]

The thing is, I can go as low as 1.7 (lowest I ever been) and still be fully aware and able to talk, I have never really gone into a drunk state where I am unaware of my surroundings and what is going on.

When you drink beer whiskey or other lovely stuff the BG's go low and you feel fine so actually with enough sugar in the drink it's self then the meter is telling you a lie. However going low should be taken as serious event no matter the situation. :eek:

[Funnygrl]

It's 3:30 am and my bs just clocked in at 56 and I have rasberry chalk **** tabs in my mouth.

Nope...not bad at all.