Feelin' low and worried

[Cinnabon]

I have recently noticed that when I am experiencing a LBS I don't have hardly any symptoms. I used to feel them coming on, or just get confused or have my vision fail me. Now, they are very slight and I'm worried. What can this mean? I have been at 38 and Im ok.

[lgvincent]

I have the same problem. So far, I'm having to depend on checking my blood sugar more often. I used to have a cat that would warn me when I was in insulin shock but he died many years ago. I've seen some suggestions to let your blood sugar run a little higher for a while to make it easier to recognize low blood sugar but I don't know how well or how long that works.

[Oradev]

My guess is that you are probably taking too much insulin. Your body has grown accustomed to the low sugars; therefore not giving you any warning signs when you fall below 70. I would reduce your dosage.

[rzrbks]

Many discussions on this topic.

Can't find the link right now, but it boils down to:

When you have really tight control, you get to the point where you aren't "Feeling" the Low come to visit you. The response is to let your B/G run higher than normal for two or three days ( for me, that eans letting them go up to 130/7.2 or even 140/7.7 at the two hour readings.

After doing this for several days, I start to recognise the symptoms of a Low sneeking up on me.

The truly horrible part :smartass: is having to eat extra to get to the point where my B/Gs are rising. I really hate that. :hypocrite :whistling

[camjen1]

I deal with the same thing. When first diagnosed I would feel low at about 100 now it just all of a sudden hits me. Just a few weeks ago I felt icky and I thought I would check my BS to make sure it won't go to low and I was at 29 :eek:. I thought at that point I should go get a refill of my Glucagon. Maybe you should check into one of those kits.

[DeusXM]

Bear in mind though that glucogon injection kits are totally useless unless you've got someone with you when you're having a hypo who's been taught how to use them. By the time you actually need a glucogon injection you'll be unconscious. I also wouldn't recommend giving yourself one when conscious - for it to work effectively you have to jab the needle (which is somewhat larger than the one used for insulin delivery) deep into muscle tissue, such as the arm or thigh. That hurts. A lot.

As always, carry Lucozade tablets with you at all times, test frequently, get a feel for how your bg usually runs. I also keep a 2 litre bottle of Lucozade next to my bed too so if I wake up with a hypo, I can just take a few swigs without having to stumble around trying to find food. Typically sugar in liquid form is much more quickly absorbed than in it's solid form.

[soremom]

I have actually gave myself a glucagon shot. I was at work and on a long call. Towards the end I could feel that I was going low, got off and tested. Was showing 23. Started drinking some juice, must have gone out for a few minutes because I noticed a big difference in the time. Retested and was still around the same. Since I was thinking clearly, surprisingly, I decided I better give myself a shot before I got worse. After I started to get my bgs to rise, I couldn't believe what I had done. I still seems like a dream. Never had to repeat doing that again. I never even felt the needle go in and I hate needles.

Kim

[Eri's mom]

Wow Kim, that's freaky...those glucogon needles are so long!!!

Eri's been having some continuous lows lately(like yesterday)...and all through the night...was in the low 50's(for her that's something as of late, but her lowest ever was 19 on the paramedics glucometer...didn't know it could go that low!!!)...she doesn't act any different either, and that freaks me out b/c she's been experiencing so many hypers lately. We went through a whole vial of test strips yesterday alone(accu-chek compact)...

[DeusXM]

Wow, rather you than me, Kim! Lowest reading I ever had was 1.7 (30), and even then I was perfectly able of leaving the house and going to the shop at the top of the road to buy some lucozade and chocolate.

Guess I've been fortunate in that I've never had a serious hypo.

[Cinnabon]

I know what you mean about going through a whole vial. Since my insurance doesnt cover my preffered choice test strips, being Freestyle Flash, it hurts to think that each test strip is about $1 ea. :mad:

Im really hoping Eri gets better, it sounds like she is slowly but surely. How have you been holding up?

[Eri's mom]

I'm doing good, ty...just TIRED...lol...up all night b/c her sugar was staying in the 50's for over 3 or so hours...:)

Hope you don't experience anything like that again !!!

[Eri's mom]

I thought I'd bring this up again...
Eri was talking to me about going low(we had tested her, and she was 47 and didn't even feel like it...she was previously 167 about an hour or so b/f that)...
She's now getting worried again that she'll start w/ the shock and seizures since she is starting to drop so fast again and claims she doesn't notice...when she was first dx'd and got over the high readings, (w/in 3 months), she went to the total opposite side of the spectrum and was hypo all the time...(NPH and humalog routine)...amazing it has this affect on her again....

[Cinnabon]

I can soo relate to this.... Im on R & N still and I feel ya. I will go to 38 and not feel it. Constant testing is so important. Are they thinking of changing insulins or even he pump as her A1Cs get better?

[Eri's mom]

I PRAY they change it once she gets under control...today and yesterday she was bouncing all over the place...and I have her on a total schedule now...that I'm TOTALLY doing everything that these doc's suggested.
Seeing that BRAND NEW mini med 512 every day, it just makes me want her on it more and more.(and the one endo said she does not think the pump would be good for Eri, while the other endo's think it would be)....we shall see....

[gettingby]

Not being able to recognize a low comes from very tight control. I tend to follow what rzr does and "loosen" up for a couple of days. Everything goes back to normal after about 2 days. Ah..the pleasures of diabetes. NOT !!!!!!!!!