Who used to know when occur low BS without meter but now lose that detection

[knight191]

I had had sense to detect low BS by feeling hand shaking, fast beating, etc. but now when my BS go low (lower than 65) I dont feel anything. What happen to me? and what's about your experience?

Thanks :)

[Cloudedbrains]

Those people who go for tight control or are longterm diabetics may suffer from hypo-unawareness, where they lose the ability to tell a hypo :(

I am no expert on it but I suffer from hypo-unawareness because of tight control and other illnesses that mask hypo symptoms :)

Apparently if its due to tight control its possible by lessening the grip of control that hypo signs can reappear - or so my endo/dsn's have told me ;)

Sure someone more experienced will correct me if I am wrong :o

Also at first when diagnosed you may feel it more as your sugars would have been running extremely high at a guess, and once under control you may not feel the drop as badly as at first :o

[sheldon]

Once or twice a month I go really low - in the 40-something range - and in the past I'd feel it a lot more strongly than I do now. While I still feel it now, the strength of those feelings varies substantially - sometimes strong and obvious, sometimes weaker and more subtle. I don't know why the differences exist, I just accept them. I don't worry or think much about it, and 65 (for me, and IMHO) isn't really very low, as I'm often in the range of the mid-70s. I never felt low when in the mid-60s. There are variations in meter accuracy to consider as well, and I've noticed that different fingers give different results, sometimes getting a twenty point difference depending on which finger and which hand I stick.

I wish I could be more helpful.

Sheldon

[Cormac_Doyle]

Your body becomes accustomed to whatever average BG you maintain.

Thus if your average BG is 10 mmol (180 mg), and you drop to 8 mmol (144 mg), you may begin to feel the symptoms of a Hypo.

This means that equally, if your average BG is 4.5 mmol (81 mg), you're awareness of going hypo (below 3.9 mmol/70 mg) is lessened - your body is simply used to coping at those levels ... it's more likely that you will be symptomatic below 3.0 mmol (54 mg)

Also note that your meter will read +/- 0.5 mmol (+/- 10 mg) ... and at low levels, that can be quite a considerable swing

[xMenace]

An insulin reaction -- the shakes and sweats -- is largely a hormonal response. Adrenalin is the biggie. As we age our ability to respond to low blood sugar decreases. I now have to be very aware of my symptoms. I can sleep right into a major hypo or slink into one while awake totally unaware of what's happenning. Not being too low too often helps some, but it will ever bring back the old glory days :(

[poodlebone]

I no longer feel my lows. As others have said, over time your body gets used to being at lower numbers if you strive for tight control. I can now function at very low numbers, which is not good. I'm trying to prevent having lows in the first place so hopefully I'll be able to regain some sense of when I'm low.

[Cormac_Doyle]

An insulin reaction -- the shakes and sweats -- is largely a hormonal response. Adrenalin is the biggie. As we age our ability to respond to low blood sugar decreases. I now have to be very aware of my symptoms. I can sleep right into a major hypo or slink into one while awake totally unaware of what's happenning. Not being too low too often helps some, but it will ever bring back the old glory days :(


I agree abnout the Adrenaline comment ... I can't stand Rollercoasters/water chutes or similar rides ... the adrenaline surge makes me feel massively low (and this can then mask a real low).

[fairyblood]

If you want to regain your awareness you have to run your blood sugars a little higher for a while. Hypo-unawareness can be really dangerous especially if you drive. It is a good idea to bring back those feelings because it can only get worse. To the point were you never feel your low at all but you not functioning well and just don't know it. It is important to bring back the feeling of a low it is a signal that protects you.

[Psycho Penguin]

Does feeling hypo all the time go away eventually? My body feels like **** if it goes under 150, because it was high for so long. I'm assuming it's a temporary thing but it's been going on for a while and it's starting to annoy me.

[xMenace]

Does feeling hypo all the time go away eventually? My body feels like **** if it goes under 150, because it was high for so long. I'm assuming it's a temporary thing but it's been going on for a while and it's starting to annoy me.


Yes, it's a common phenomenon. One plus months is my guess.

[hodgsonsurvivor]

Does feeling hypo all the time go away eventually? My body feels like **** if it goes under 150, because it was high for so long. I'm assuming it's a temporary thing but it's been going on for a while and it's starting to annoy me.

Yeah...it does! I go through it and have gone through it. After testing and seeing my bs in normal ranges while having hypo symptoms, it was very frustrating! :mad: Also, my bad, because I let my body think 250 was normal. :(

[Psycho Penguin]

Thanks guys. It's hard to resist eating, thank god I can test pretty much whenever I want now so I know when I really am hypo or not. Just thought I was a little normal and tested... 212. Sheesh.

[TommyC1]

I'm not sure it has so much to do with your average BS. I have had relatively high A1Cs (8s and 9s) and Hypo unawareness in the past. I was having lots of hypos in between lots of highs. I could walk and talk with no ill effects and find myself in the low 40s when I bothered to test. When it kept going into the 30s things got ugly quick.
My A1Cs are a little better now (low 7s)and my hypoawareness is much better. I hit the mid 60s and I feel it. I'm not having nearly as many hypos and I think that, more than the average BS is why.
YMMV.
~Tommy

[norymom]

This is what is called hypoglycemia unawareness. I have it too. You can retrain your body, so it will feel the lows. My endo. says we need to shoot for my sugar not to go lower than 110 right now, so whenever I am carb counting I take that into consideration. I just started this so I'm hoping it will correct this problem and soon my body will react when I'm falling below 80. Ask you Endo what he thinks too.

[mell1682]

I have lost a lot of my awareness regarding low blood sugar; I used to feel it when it approached the 60's but now I often don't feel it until I'm in the 40's or 50's and my symptoms change a lot. Sometimes I feel numb in the lips and that's my only sign, and a rather new symptom for me is nausea from low blood sugars, I also get really spacey and I wander around, and I get extremely moody lol.