An "Off The Wall" Thought

ncpd25 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-16-2009, 10:32 AM

I had a low yesterday (nothing extreme but the the symptoms were definitely there). After I treated the low, for some unknown reason, I thought about how the symtoms of my lows can differ each time. I'm sure that's the case with many of us. Each low can be completely different sometimes.
I then sat back and thought how lousy a major low can make you feel: profuse sweating, disoriented etc..then when you treat it, you ending up freezing your butt off (at least I do).
As crappy as they feel, I thought, there are people that cannot relate to how lows feel etc... At times, they are really difficult to describe. The sweats are easy to describe but, that tunnel vision feeling etc..
Then, I thought "I wonder if a non-diabetic was ever given an extremely low dose of insulin (a couple of units) in order to experience what a low is like for a diabetic". Of course it wouldn't be some random person off the street but, either a family member or friend. I realize this is an insane thought but, if it was done by a medical professional that could monitor the person very closely (definitely unethical in the medical field).
I don't mean to have somebody go real low to the point of almost passing out but, a mild to moderate low.
As I said, this just popped into my head after treating a low. I know it's a stupid thought but, people have asked me what it's like when I have low blood sugar but, when I try to explain it, I don't feel I'm describing it to the point that's really spot on.
I then realized that I had way too much free time on my hands yesterday to even think about it.
Please know, I would never consider doing anything like this (I was an EMT for 12 years when I was a cop). Well, maybe if I really didn't like the person!
I don't know, there are times when people ask me what it's like. I feel like saying you really wanna know?
Maybe, instead of giving them insulin, they could take a syringe of tequila?? Nah, wouldn't be the same!
I guess my brain wasn't back to a 100% for a few minutes after that low.....

gettingby · #2 (**permalink**) 02-16-2009, 10:37 AM

I've thought of that too. I have an older sister who, at times, experiences low bgs (told she's not hypoglycemic) and she has said to me "If you feel as bad as I do when you are low, I'm glad I'm not you". She seems to understand the feeling better than most people.

Mich · #3 (**permalink**) 02-16-2009, 11:00 AM

Hi NCPD25,

Many people who are not diabetics experience what a low feels like after an accident. In fact, a low used to be called "insulin shock."

Have you ever been the first one on the scene of an accident where someone has injuries? The first instruction is to keep them warm. During the accident or injury they usually get a big burst of adrenaline (like we do when we are low) which is followed by a chill and the shakes.

Look up FIRST AID SHOCK. The Mayo Clinichas a good article.You will recognize the symptoms.

Not that this does you any good when trying to explain it unless the person has been injured or badly scared.

Mich

Luke · #4 (**permalink**) 02-16-2009, 11:04 AM

What sucks is when you have a low in public and people think you are drunk, police want to interigate you, yeah....

GeishaGirl · #5 (**permalink**) 02-16-2009, 01:56 PM

I've thought about doing that to my husband. He has a tendancy to argue with me when I'm low. I've explained to him that "Amanda has gone bye-bye" and only the instinctual need for survival is left, but he has a hard time getting it.

Which is really strange, because he can sugar-crash HARDCORE and get low-symptoms. He even passed out once, in his teens, because of it, and he can't seem to apply it to my situation. Needless to say, I tend to deal with this **** myself.

AngelKitty · #6 (**permalink**) 02-16-2009, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeishaGirl

I've thought about doing that to my husband. He has a tendancy to argue with me when I'm low. I've explained to him that "Amanda has gone bye-bye" and only the instinctual need for survival is left, but he has a hard time getting it.

OMG me too - I've thought about "administering a low" to my husband so that he can "appreciate" just what I'm feeling.
He too argues with me when I get low, which only makes me feel worse and adds to my confusion.
I guess they panic because they can't control what we're experiencing and are scared of what they know will happen to us if the low goes untreated.
I've asked my spouse to not "bark orders at me like a Drill Sergeant" and to take a "less abrasive" approach when I'm having a hypo.
I don't think our husbands are deliberately being mean, I think it's fear that makes them react this way, but again I agree with you, non-diabetics can't understand the full impact a hypo has on a person.

robbytype2 · #7 (**permalink**) 02-16-2009, 02:37 PM

one time my wife was in a hurry to get ready for work , and was talking on the phone and getting dressed and taking here meds (so she thought) she instead of taking her pill i think she was taking vicodin at the time , she took one of my met 500mg's instead , well they are both white in color so guess an honest mistake ( she should get up earlier so she can get ready shhhh.) but while she was at work it kicked in she almost fainted , i got a call saying i may want to come get her and take her to hospital no one new what was wrong with her,,as i was getting ready to go get her i noticed the pill bottle she left on the dresser , so i called and had them have her start drinking some juice till i got there,,,,

she reads the labels now lol

art · #8 (**permalink**) 02-16-2009, 02:41 PM

When they tell you "they understand" they don't. Not any part of it.

Art

soso · #9 (**permalink**) 02-16-2009, 11:40 PM

I mentioned that very idea at xmas time and my SIL got well p***ed off at me... my DH has had a few lows once he had a 3.3 when we were walking.. he is very sympathetic to me when I am low..though he says I can be a bit of a cow during it..lol...

Luke · #10 (**permalink**) 02-16-2009, 11:55 PM

I have tendencies to "go off" on people when I am having a low as well. People truly dont understand.

ncpd25 · #11 (**permalink**) 02-17-2009, 03:37 PM

[quote=Mich;420643]Hi NCPD25,

Have you ever been the first one on the scene of an accident where someone has injuries? The first instruction is to keep them warm. During the accident or injury they usually get a big burst of adrenaline (like we do when we are low) which is followed by a chill and the shakes.

I was the first at many accident scenes where the person was either in shock already or went into shock while I was there.
I know their symptoms from the "outside looking in" but never knew what they were feeling as I had never been injured to that extent (Was hit by a car once while directing traffic but, actually wasn't bad).
So, in essence, I was the "non-diabetic" in those situations.

As for another statement, I too can get pretty short tempered when I'm low (good thing i'm not a cop anymore, I'd end up shooting somebody). Sometimes it feels as if somebody says "Hello", my response would be "Shut up, get away from me you knucklehead" (Not really). The slightest little thing...

That's the reason I initially thought of this whole thing. A husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend etc...sees our symptoms yet, has no idea what we're feeling. I'm confident if they did, maybe they would have a different perspective when they saw us with a low the next time. In turn, maybe they would have a different reponse or reaction to us given the fact, they would have a first hand account of lows.

I spoke of the tequila in the syringe thing. I was joking with a friend one night and told him, "I want to fill a resevoir with tequila". "If I were pulled over on the way home and the cop asked me if I had been drinking, I could say "Nope, not a drop".
Would probably need about 10 resevoirs to have an effect.
Then he started asking me: Could you smell it on your breath, would you test positive on a breathalyzer etc..Again, too much time on our hands!! Of course, I wouldn't do this either. Funny though: "I'm losing my buzz, I better eneter about 200 carbs in my pump"

Jabra1871 · #12 (**permalink**) 02-25-2009, 05:23 PM

In a kind of weird way, i enjoy hypos. As you say, you get that initial adrenaline rush and, certainly for me, i get extremely hungry and seem to have heightened taste sense. I have like three bowls of cereal(luckily im skinny), and it tastes amazing!

Bonbra · #13 (**permalink**) 03-02-2009, 04:32 PM

i had an amazing dr who made the hospital put him in a low...in a controlled environment, so he knew what his patients felt like!!

Tattoo azz · #14 (**permalink**) 03-02-2009, 05:50 PM

I've been locked up by police because someone saw me inject when i was in the town centre, they were VERY apologetic when they realised after 12 hrs that i wasn't a junkie. I was doing some gardening a few years ago and went into a very sudden and severe hypo, my older brother poured a whole tin of syrup into my mouth, over my face and in my hair, then laughed about it when i came round in the hospital. I didn't speak to him for about 6 months. I got my own back tho when we went to NYC in 2004, he got mugged by a hooker, so i laughed my head off in the police station. I wish he could know how it feels during a hypo.

leopardladie · #15 (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 10:15 PM

My son is type 1 and when he gets his lows I always felt bad for him and wondered what it felt like and why he gets so annoyed and well sure enough I found out. It was odd for a month or so I would get a low around low 50s and I felt it all. It was very scarey and didnt relize what it was but at that same time he called me from school with a low and asked if im ok, I told him how I felt and he said omg mom your low go check your bs so I did and he was right. Had oj and was fine within 10 mins. I had a bunch of tests to see if I was hypoglycimic but all came back fine and it disappeard as mysteriously as it appeard. So careful what ya wish for LOL but honestly Im glad i had that expirence cuz I know I know what hes going through. Just thought Id share that. Im new here