[Mike Moon]

I recently discovered that my hypos are going undetected until I reach the "low 3s" and the symptoms have changed. Confusion and hungerpains are my only signs I have been running higher to try to retrain me body but it has not helped. Has any one else experienced the same, and what have you done to overcome. I don't see my "new" doctor until July! I would like to find a couple of people to banter a few other things back and forth too! Actually any help right now would be welcomed.

[Dewey]

Hi Mike and welcome to the forums. I too, have suffered from hypo-unawareness in the past. The way I've helped it (well, a little) is to lower basal rates and the like. Are you on shots or the pump? With shots, it can be a little more difficult, because when the doses are changed, sometimes the blood sugars can change considerably as well.

I'm now on the CGMS (MiniMed), and it has helped catch trends and sugar levels before they get out of hand. If that's an option, it's one definitely worth considering.

Glad you've found us & I'm sure others will be along shortly to help.

[Mike Moon]

I am on shots. So you're saying reducing my NPH, is that to obtain better control or is it to "retrain" reconizing the reactions. I'm hoping to stay away from the pump.

[christie]

i'm on mdi's and most times i have no idea i'm getting low. but i'm t1 since 1983.

[xMenace]

Welcome Mike

You're getting old. Your adrenal gland doesn't work like it used to. I'm betting you are mid-30's¿ Wanna buy the t-shirt?

I wanted to avoid the pump too. I actually wanted to avoid it a lot. How wrong I was! Trust me dude, it's by far the best thing you can do for yourself. I could go on for days, but I won't. I'll save everyone another rant. I now feel totally armed with a ton of knowledge.

There are many things you can and probably should do to help your current cundition. Dumping the NPH and switching to something like Lantus or Levemir is probably one of them, but it's not that simple. Coming to these forums is the biggest decision! It saved my life! (9 911's)

[BlueSky]

I also don't get any warning of low blood sugar until it is in the low threes. And it is not because of "too many hypos", which the nurse keeps telling me to avoid. I like the theory that, the longer you have been T1, the more dysfunctional the counterregulatory system becomes. Eventually, the adrenal glands fail to produce stress hormones when blood glucose is low. So you don't feel it. Pushing up blood glucose and keeping it high doesn't help any more.

I have been T1 for 30 years now, so I think this could be an issue. Switching insulins and/or using a pump may help stabilise blood glucose. You also need to do what it takes to avoid rapid drops in blood glucose, and low-carb eating is the obvious way to do this.

Welcome to the forums .

[Tattoo azz]

I have to agree with both xMenace and Bluesky, having been t1 since '82. I start to feel low at around 3.5 and always have done and have always been nagged at by nurses that this is a sign of bad control, but seeing as i've never known anything different then i tend to just ignore them! :

[SueM]

I find it most odd these comments about adrenal glands not working thus causing unditected lows
My adrenal glands went up the creek years ago (addison's disease) I have full hypo warnings, after 43 years on insulin.
Adrenal glands produce cortisol. I can assure you if your adrenals don't work or are impaired you will have a lot more symptoms than being hypo unaware. If Adrenals are defunct you will not be able to right a hypo even with 500 carbs I know I went down that root before diagnoses, The only cure is steroids by the bucket full. If you have addison's disease the glucogon shot does not work either.

[judi t]

Do you check your BG regularly? That's the only way I've been able to manage that hypoglycaemic unawareness thing. But weirdly, sometimes I can detect a hypo, at other times I can't. I've simply developed the habit of checking before cycling, driving, teaching my classes (I'm a secondary teacher; hypos can be really embarrassing. Don't want to give the kids any 'ammo'), sleeping, whatever - and during all those activities too. It adds up to about 7 to 10 tests a day, but it's worth it.

[ant hill]

Hello Mike, I too have had this and find that yawning or noding off to sleep tels me that I am low but to be shure I test and I test 9 - 12 times a day as type 1's you cannot be to shure.
Oh and welcome to this helpful site and I have had a lot of fun too.

[Stuboy]

it's not written in stone that you HAVE to detect a hypo at 3.9mmol/L

everyone is different, some people can function perfectly well below that number. I can.

I detect my lows at about 3.0.

[NoraWI]

It's not an official hypo until 3.6 or lower (65 mg/dl). I have never felt the symptoms until I was at 3.3 (60 mg/dl) or below. Sounds to me like you are perfectly normal.

[xMenace]

Originally Posted by NoraWI

It's not an official hypo until 3.6 or lower (65 mg/dl). I have never felt the symptoms until I was at 3.3 (60 mg/dl) or below. Sounds to me like you are perfectly normal.

Nora.

You have messaging turned off! I'm going to be in SW WI for a week end of June if you want to say hi.

[Mike Moon]

So I get it now, I'm older now and my body has changed and it is going to take testing my sugars more to regulate my BS better. And there was talk about changing the types of insulin I'm on. I have been on humalog since it came out but the long or the NPH I had started two years ago when they discontinued ultralente, never had any problems with my ultralente. But as they say noone was using it so they cut it. To my great loss. But thankyou for all your input it has been helpful and I'm sure I'll be on here again, probabley sooner than anticipated.

[xMenace]

Originally Posted by Mike Moon

So I get it now, I'm older now and my body has changed and it is going to take testing my sugars more to regulate my BS better. And there was talk about changing the types of insulin I'm on. I have been on humalog since it came out but the long or the NPH I had started two years ago when they discontinued ultralente, never had any problems with my ultralente. But as they say noone was using it so they cut it. To my great loss. But thankyou for all your input it has been helpful and I'm sure I'll be on here again, probabley sooner than anticipated.

We can debate the causes till the cows come home. We've done so before. But the fact is it's permanent.

It's a big change in your life too. Everything you took for granted suddenly cgoes out the window. In my case it was very dramatic. I took two rides to ER two Sundays in a row. No fun at all. Seven more 911's since.

Learn your low symptoms, get your overnight basals tuned, and get your S.O. prepared to help. Check into getting a pump too.