Low Blood Sugar--How do you know and what do you do about it?

Three questions I am asked frequently are:

"How do you know when your blood sugar levels are low ?", "How do you know what to do to treat them?", and "What can someone else do to help someone who has low blood sugar?"

One of the first things I learned when I was diagnosed with diabetes was when and how to check my blood sugars. The nurses in the hospital would come in and check my blood glucose regularly on an hourly schedule; kind of like the nurse thing for making sure the patient is resting well by waking them to ask every hour if they are resting well, except they came to extract blood from my fingers every hour. Evil but necessary, especially in the beginning. Then, I was given a meter and taught how and when to torture myself (check my own blood). The schedule looked something like: test upon waking, before and after eating, prior to going to sleep, and then whenever I felt I needed to or didn't "feel right".

When I am feeling “not right” because my blood sugars are low some symptoms others may notice or that I feel are being 'off balance'--I can't focus, I change the subject in the middle of a sentence, I feel 'panicky'; parts of my body tingle or go numb. In extreme cases, I start to act like someone who is "drunk"; if you check though, the test would be negative for "drunkenness". I quit making sense, become edgy, excessively happy or angry; Often switching back and forth for no apparent reason. This sudden unpredictability keeps my family on their toes because at times it gets pointed at them if I don’t catch it fast enough.

This sound worse than it actually is. I have a habit of presenting the worst-case scenario and then you get to be pleasantly surprised when my blood sugars are 49 and I am joking around and acting loopy and not exhibiting any of the above behaviors. Wow--what a long sentence--I think I am low, I am going to go check my blood...be right back...

This feeling was very unnerving when I was first diagnosed, and can still be a pain if I get caught off guard by it. At first I wanted to stop that feeling quickly so I would eat all the food in the "refrigerator" until I felt better. Talk about OVERDOSE! I would have to deal with the "7,000,000" blood sugar (ok the 300 +) that resulted. Not a really fun experience to say the least.

I guess I could put something in here about CONTROL....people with OCD have nothing on people with Type 1 Diabetes who want to have good blood sugars all the time; but that is another post. I can see it all now.

A Type 1 diabetic (I can only guess that Type 2 is similar) with a very low blood sugar isn't going to like anything you give them. Low blood sugar affects how they taste things and they may or may not give you a preference. If they do: give them what they ask for, if you have it, and then have them check their sugar again in 15 minutes to see if the food you provided had an effect.

Just for your information: if you know someone who is dealing with this or you see any of these signs, or they ask you for something with sugar--juice is best:--preferably not Orange Juice.

Why not orange juice (or anything acidic?) you may ask. Because the acidic taste is nasty to me in this state, as my brain is not firing normally. You are likely to end up wearing it if you stand in the wrong place when I spit out the nasty tasting fluid on the well-intended you (not on purpose, of course). However if nothing else is available talk me into drinking it anyway; just stand out of direct spitting range (hubby's experience speaking). I like apple juice, or anything that is sweet; a small package will do; (Gallons not required; see the 7 million BGS above). I need a snack with enough sugar to pump glucose into my system. Then I can stabilize the whole thing when all the synapses in my brain are firing correctly.



The order for treating low blood sugar in my opinion and experience is the following:

• fruit juice--or some other sweet liquid--1 serving having 15 grams of CHO(carbohydrate)

• 1/2 of a Banana or some other fruit easily eaten and digested

• Milk--1 cup --milk has protein which the body turns into glocose at a much slower rate. This helps the BG to stabilize.

• If all you have available is a candy bar, that will do, it's just not as healthy or as fast as juice.

When you check the BG level again, if the number has not changed or is lower: treat again by giving 15 more grams of carbohydrate. Repeat this process until the blood sugars return to normal; normal range being between 80-120mg.


*FYI: I am not a medical doctor. I am someone who has battled type 1 diabetes for 16 years with no complications or hospitalizations. Yeah I’m proud of that accomplishment!!!... (and humble too)!