Glucosr drinks etc

[Sparkle]

Can anyone over in the States tell me what they take when they have a hypo? I have a glucose drink called Lucozade but last time I came over for a hol the pharmacies etc didn't stock it and hadn't heard of it. Don't want to lug bottles of it with me!!

It's really fast acting (better than glucose tablets I think). :whistling

Any suggestions

[Cinnabon]

Well, for me GATORADE/POWERADE works. Recently, there was a project done at my daughter's school where RED BULL came out to be the #1 choice for fast acting results.

[LauRa Lu]

It's really fast acting (better than glucose tablets I think). :whistling

Any suggestions

I always thought glucose tablets work just as quick, it's the same stuff after all and the sugar from the tablets gets absorbed straight into your mouth. They're so cheap here that you could just buy loads of them and take them with you.

But if you don't like glucose tabs, like Cinnabon says Red bull would certainly do the job.... or what about coke? When I'm at home I tend to drink Coke if I have hypo so that I can keep glucose tablets for taking out with me. I find about one 3rd of a can to be about the same as 3 tablets.

[jeggeman31]

Can anyone over in the States tell me what they take when they have a hypo?


I drink Orange Juice. I buy Minute Maid Original six pack 12 oz bottles. Keep 3 at home and 3 at work

However whenever I am not at home/work I keep some glucose tablets with me.

[DeusXM]

I carry Lucozade tablets with me at all times. In my room I have a big 2 litre bottle of Lucozade, which I use if I have a hypo at home. Glucose in liquid form enters the blood a little bit more quckly than in tablet form, so I prefer the drink. Also, the tabs are portable, so I'd rather save them for when there's no other source.

If I'm on a night out and have a hypo I'll have either a few tabs, or instead I might just buy a regular Coke. In fact, I've found a good way to stop going low whilst drinking is to alternate your mixers - have diet Coke for the first three, then a regular Coke for one, then another DC for the next three.

Usually though I look on hypos as a good excuse to eat a chocolate bar - my personal favourite are the green Boost bars, that have extra glucose AND guarana!

I don't think they actually have Lucozade in the States, but any isotonic sports drink or regular soft-drink will do exactly the same job.

[middnite03]

Actually I use glucose gel. it sells in all the drug stores, and works faster then the tabs. even if a person is un responsive, all you do is place it in thier mouth. the gel is absorbed from the moment it hit your mouth and works really fast, the tubes are very small, you can even carry one in your pocket or hand bag, and very easy to store... the only drawback... it's a bit expensive, 2 tubes cost about 10.00. I also know they sell it in wal mart in the pharmacy, and any other drug stores..

take a look next time your in getting your prec. refilled. it's alot easier to carry and store compaired to a drink of some kind...

[Sparkle]

Thanks - will try coke maybe sometime - bit nervous at taking it instead of lucozade as not as much sugar in it but prob sugary enough! Ever since going down to 1.7mmol one evening I worry a bit.... :(

Def. liquid works better than tabs but I do carry tabs when out like you all.

Tried the Gater wotsit drink cinnabon - well looked at it - lucozade has about 17g of carbs per 100ml which is high - also, how green is that drink!!!?? :confused:

The US has the BEST :thumbsup: glucose tablets flavour wise - watermelon etc - yum :p

Ah well, at least I won't be searching for lucozade now over there...

Deus - good tip on the booze - does your sugar level drop rapidly tho the next AM if you don't have a snack before bed? At least it keeps you from having to eat when out - especially when everyone else isn't bothered about a meal and you are getting low!

By the way, anyone tried Hypo-Stop Gel ever ?

[Sparkle]

Sorry - just seen your reply on gel!!

Can't buy it in chemist here - maybe on prescription...

May get it when I arrive over there just to try.

Ta! :1eye:

[Eri's mom]

Eri's new endo told me in know way was I ever to give Eri gatorade(UGH)...so we always have a tube of frosting on hand, or those little juice packs(minute maid ones) and the cheese and crackers in those little packs.
She's not crazy about the glucose tabs, but I have those as well...don't remember where I packed the glucose gel :(

[Sparkle]

Hi

Think Gatorade must be full of additives don't you? Colouring etc...

Do you buy gel in your pharmacy then? Must get some and bring it back! My friend can try it too - she has T1 also.

Sure tabs are dreadful for your teeth! They are a must-have thing tho!

I hate hypo's! Always feel **** afterwards.....

[DeusXM]

will try coke maybe sometime - bit nervous at taking it instead of lucozade as not as much sugar in it but prob sugary enough!

I remember reading somewhere that there's something like 10 teaspoons of sugar in a can of Coke - soft drinks are not exactly low in sugar and to be honest aren't much lower in sugar than Lucozade. The key difference is that the sugar in Lucozade is in the form of glucose, which gets absorbed slightly quicker that the sucrose in Coke.

Deus - good tip on the booze - does your sugar level drop rapidly tho the next AM if you don't have a snack before bed?

It can do. The effect of drinking alcohol is that it inhibits your liver's ability to release glycogen afterwards for several hours, which can cause lows. Basically though, booze is a bit of a mixed bag - cider and beer actually elevate my blood sugar and keep it high for quite a while, and after a particularly heavy night I can wake up with a worryingly high bg that is most definitely not a result of Somi.

As a golden rule though, if I'm out drinking and I do feel myself running low, I'l get myself a sugary drink whilst out and will definitely eat something afterwards. However I've got pretty good at balancing out so I don't usually have to eat, although I prefer to anyway because it helps stop hangovers.

By the way, anyone tried Hypo-Stop Gel ever ?

Yes and it's absolutely foul. You can get it on prescription but to be honest there's simply no point to it because it does exactly the same job as Lucozade, costs the NHS a fortune and is just plain horrible.

Sure tabs are dreadful for your teeth! They are a must-have thing tho!

If you're that worried about your teeth, try swallowing them with water. That way you don't chew them and get them all over your teeth but you still get the sugar you need.

[Sparkle]

Glad you said about the drinking thing because I've found exactly the same thing. My sugars elevate even with wine and then drop the next morning so I've learnt to have breakfast and maybe no insulin or really reduce the amount. It is always a high reading in the morning but false.

Try not to overdo it too much as getting on a bit now and , as I said before, hangovers from ****!!

Prob won't bother with the gel thing - as long as I've got tablets or a sweet drink nearby.......can't believe the US hasn't got lucozade!

[DeusXM]

They also don't have squash either....what a backward country! :p

[Sparkle]

Seriously?? Are you joking - I will have a look!

[Harold]

They also don't have squash either....what a backward country! :p
:topic: What do you mean we don't have squash? We have green, yellow, tan, and white ones, and sometimes I even eat some with dinner. :D

[Cinnabon]

Eri's new endo told me in know way was I ever to give Eri gatorade(UGH)...so we always have a tube of frosting on hand, or those little juice packs(minute maid ones) and the cheese and crackers in those little packs.
She's not crazy about the glucose tabs, but I have those as well...don't remember where I packed the glucose gel :(

The frosting is SO popular in schools, at least Elementary. It is real fast and tasty, too (lol) . I always keep tabs but, in the middle of a low, I go for the juice or anything w/ carbs. I have manged to be able to still apply the 15 to 15 in the middle of it all so I wont over do it.

[DeusXM]

What do you mean we don't have squash? We have green, yellow, tan, and white ones, and sometimes I even eat some with dinner.

Hehe....not what I meant! :p

[Sparkle]

What is 'frosting'? I can only think it's like icing sugar for cakes!??

Harold, I'm sure you are joking when you say about squash - if not we mean coridial! Sure you knew that tho! ;)

[Eri's mom]

Yeppers, frosting is icing sugar for cakes....have to keep that hidden well...or else all of my kids would devour it immediately(little sugar fiends)...

[statdeac]

I always eat a piece of fruit, if handy. :)

For something more portable, a roll of sugary candy (like Sweet Tarts) is not really much different than the glucose tabs, and generally less expensive. When I do this straight sugar sort of thing though, it usually throws me off for the whole day so I try to avoid it if possible.

[archimeech]

Orange Juice,
Cranberry Juice,
Pinapple Juice,
Coca Cola,
Pepsi Cola,
Sprite,
7-Up,
Mt. Dew,
Dr. Pepper,
candy,
plain sugar,
syrup,
honey,
marchmallows,
frosting,
peanut butter and jelly,
whatever I have on hand, as you can tell
oh yeah! and gluco-tabs although I don't have an affinity for them like Cielo!
:D

[LauRa Lu]

Mt. Dew,


MMmmm..... Mt.Dew..... :1eye: I so wish they'd still sell that here! Probably a good thing they don't though I wouldn't be a very good diabetic with that stuff available :whistling

[archimeech]

MMmmm..... Mt.Dew..... :1eye: I so wish they'd still sell that here! Probably a good thing they don't though I wouldn't be a very good diabetic with that stuff available :whistling

Ah but Laura, they make "DIET" Mt. Dew, as well! No sugar, has the fake stuff in it. Doesn't taste as good as the real stuff, but when you're diabetic, it's the very next best thing! :thumbsup:
just gotta watch all the caffiene they put in it.

[Cielo]

Adam drinks those small sized boxes of Juicy Juice. You know the juice boxes that kids pack in their school lunch? Well they have mini boxes of Juicy Juice that are 15 carbs each (some of the flavors are 16-17 carbs each).

[DeusXM]

On average I get through about a litre a day of Tesco Diet Kick - it's exactly like sugar-free Red Bull, but about a quarter of the price! A 1 litre bottle (98p) costs less than a 250ml can of Red Bull (£1.10, and that's if you're lucky).

[archimeech]

Cielo,
I'm with Adam. I use those same Juice boxes. The tiny ones are great, just 15gms instead of my downing a 43gm Coke. I just have to fight my kids for the last box! ;)

[Cielo]

Cielo,
I'm with Adam. I use those same Juice boxes. The tiny ones are great, just 15gms instead of my downing a 43gm Coke. I just have to fight my kids for the last box! ;)

They are great, they taste good and you can leave a pack in your bedroom, at work, in the kitchen. They beat those glucose tabs, even I'm sick of them. Who woulda thought that would ever come to pass?

[Erin]

I usually drink any of it, but I'm pretty sure Lucozade and Gatorade / Powerade are basically the same thing. Spent some time in Europe and did use the occasional bottle of Lucozade to treat a hypo and it did the same job and tasted like the sport drinks (Gatorade being the most famous) we've got here. I usually just carry around some lifesavers candies or a can of juice (usually pineapple but that's just my preference) but if you are a fan of lucozade I'd say gatorade would be your best bet.

[Pitzi]

Excuse the stupid question, but in my experience using sugar or glucose to cure a hypo causes a severe "aftershock" with the blood sugar levels going sky high??

[Erin]

That's what the 15 / 15 rule is all about. 15 grams of fast acting sugar or glucose, 15 grams of complex carbs. (although in my experience it's usually 30 / 30) you'd want to use a fast acting sugar to get you up quick, but not too much, and then the complex carbs keep you up.

[DeusXM]

Depends how much glucose you take. The only way to treat a hypo is through glucose - you simply don't have time to wait half an hour for piece of bread to get digested into glucose.

It's common sense really, just don't go stuffing yourself with sugar. Personally I find 3 glucose tablets usually adequate enough to raise my bg by a couple of mmol/l, which takes me out of the hypo range without wrecking my control.

[LauRa Lu]

It's common sense really, just don't go stuffing yourself with sugar. Personally I find 3 glucose tablets usually adequate enough to raise my bg by a couple of mmol/l, which takes me out of the hypo range without wrecking my control.

I also always use three glucose tablets to deal with a hypo. If I'm out of tablets I use half a small bottle of coke or half a can... but thats rare.

My blood sugar usually returns to about 5.5 (99) at the most.

There have been times when I've panicked and wanted to have way more glucose than I should, because after all its not always easy to think straight with a hypo, and then I would go way to high and feel sick afterwards. But now I try to stay calm and stay confident that three tablets will do the job, sometimes I still feel hypo when it's gone up but At least i'm ok and soon feel better.

[daddyo]

You know the best for me has always been milk you get the fast reaction, and the long term control because of the protien. This has always worked for me, plus I just realy enjoy milk, At least 1/2 gal a day if not more.

[LauRa Lu]

Certain things must really be very diferent for diferent people. Because for me there's no way milk would raise my bg during a hypo, only eventually. For me milk doesnt raise my glucose level for a long time and never makes it go up quickly.

Every one is diferent, makes life interesting :p

[Pitzi]

In sugar terms, how many teaspoonfuls dissolved in water would be considered safe to treat a hypo?

[Cinnabon]

A dab of hunny on the gums, a few cookies, but milk for me only stabalizes my BS levels. Milk is great before bedtime, too.

[oz-858]

Sugar in water!!! Please. Drink some Mtn Dew or OJ and follow it up with some solid food like peanut butter crackers or something. No wonder yall ***** about diabetes so much!

[BriOnH]

Actually I use glucose gel. it sells in all the drug stores, and works faster then the tabs. even if a person is un responsive, all you do is place it in thier mouth. the gel is absorbed from the moment it hit your mouth and works really fast, the tubes are very small, you can even carry one in your pocket or hand bag, and very easy to store... the only drawback... it's a bit expensive, 2 tubes cost about 10.00. I also know they sell it in wal mart in the pharmacy, and any other drug stores..

take a look next time your in getting your prec. refilled. it's alot easier to carry and store compaired to a drink of some kind...

I can only speak for myself here, but thought I would share my results. I was (and still am) trying to find the quickest way to raise my blood sugar from a hypo and by far (on average) the glucose gel has won hands down.

8 ounces of coke / sprite (26g of carb) takes 15 min (to raise bg)
8 ounces of OJ / apple juice (27g of carb) 11 min
1 tube glucose gel (24g of carb) 8 min

I have had the glucose gel work in as quick as 7 min. The red bull sounds really interesting. Caffiene increases the absorption rate of most chemicals into the body (thats why it is in a lot of fast acting medicines).

[DeusXM]

You might also want to try glucose drinks - they will absorbed far faster than any other liquid intake and may even be faster than hypogel.

[drewgolden]

Can anyone over in the States tell me what they take when they have a hypo?


Depends. At home, I love OJ in a tall glass with ice. As it's not something I can usually have, when I go low it might as well be a bit of a treat, eh?

On the road, I carry some non-melting sweets. SKITTLES or STARBURST tend to be small enough for travel and allow for any quick low-sugar adjustments.

Years ago I tried the glucose tablets, drinks, etc. Makes no sense to me whatsoever, just the drug companies trying to make more money. Look, you are a diabetic and you need/have opportunity to eat something sweet - by all means don't be crazy and have cake but at least have something you enjoy.

With time and testing, you will find the right combination of things to carry around and have convenient at home. I will point out that you should never leave home without something sweet in your pocket.

And I will also point out that you will end up wearing out the little sacks of sweets and pitch them more than you will consume them. It's sad, but far cheaper than those pressed sugar tablets.

I can tell you that Vanilla Waffers are sweeter than you think! It's best to test around and not get too fancy. Cookies and cakes and so fourth never seemed to offer me predictable results. Stick with something simple, well tested and that you can enjoy.

Cheers,
drew

[am1977]

I don't really care for glucose tabs. Someone suggested that I carry Smarties candies with me...I believe 3 rolls have about 18 carbs. So I now have some stashed at work, in my car, and at my apartment too. I guess they basically are the same as tabs, but for some reason they appeal to me more.