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Posted 5/7/2010 7:51 PM (GMT 0)
Wow! BGL of 1.6/28. Fun times - NOT! Especially when it happens at 4 in the morning.

It never ceases to amaze me that I can function almost normally at such a low level when sometimes at 2.8/50 can knock me on my butt.

What's the lowest you've ever gone?

Kris
Posted 5/8/2010 1:21 AM (GMT 0)
Well, I'm type 2 and not on meds, so I don't go low.  The lowest I've ever gone since I've been testing (3 years now) is 71 - and that was because of one egg for breakfast with coffee and an hour at the gym sometime after that.  Kris, do you think having a pump would avoid those lows?
Posted 5/8/2010 12:36 PM (GMT 0)
It might, Lanie.

I was asked by my Endo last Friday if I wanted to start the pump process again (for the 3rd time :-) I still have issues with doing that (mostly psychological). There's so much going on in my life right now, too that I wouldn't be able to dedicate the necessary time to the process. We'll revisit the option again in November.

I think my hypo awareness is low enough that I'm not catching them till they're already in the dumps. Wierd how when I get to testing, and see how low I am, it's after I start to fix it that the sweats/shakes come on. I figure I'm trending down and by the time the sugar hits me, I'm a few points lower than when I tested. It's so hard to stop eating when I go that low. Can you say rebound high? :-)

Kris
Posted 5/8/2010 6:11 PM (GMT 0)
Kris,
I know what you mean!!! Doc had me on a diabetes med.. (Glipazide?) that gave me lows all the time. One hit me when we were going out on our boat. Had to turn around and trek back to the campsite, glug oj, eat candy and be frantic until it passed. I hate lows!!!
Posted 5/9/2010 5:15 PM (GMT 0)
I was on glipizide for ten years (Glucotrol) and did well but I would get down in the low 50's at times.  I would be shaking at that level.  I would carry sour dough pretzel nuggets and a piece of candy with me at all times.  No, lows are not fun at all.

 

Sherrine

Posted 5/10/2010 6:51 AM (GMT 0)
Okay, I'm just being nosey, but when the lows got too low, were y'all trying to eat right as well or were you eating bad stuff along with taking meds? When I was on Metformin, my lows were not all that low, especially as I cheated a lot. When I tried to eat right, it still didn't get under 110 very often at all. rolleyes

jl

Posted 5/10/2010 1:29 PM (GMT 0)
Unfortunately, managing an insulin regimen is more of an art than a science. I can follow all my ratios and calculations but, sometimes all it takes is a slight miscalculation (usually for unanticipated activities/food), that can send BGLs in either direction.

I'm also what they (still) refer to as: a brittle diabetic. Meaning I experience wide swings in BGLs most times. Case in point:
- morning BGL = 6.7/120
- 2-hour post prandial = 11.5/210
- 2.5 hours after that = 8.9/160
- 1 hour later (12:15PM) = 2.6/47

I was with a new dietician at the time of my last two tests that morning (and trying to explain to her my situation by showing her my logs). Her only comment? "Wow! You are all over the place. I'm used to dealing with people whose BGLs fluctuate between normal and a little high and low. I've never seen anyone with swings as wide as yours. I guess you need some sugar before you get in your car and drive". Needless to say, she got crossed off my list pretty fast with the thought: You can't help me.

I generally try to keep meals consistent and balanced from day to day and low enough carb to use only 2-5 units of insulin (law of small numbers) but, every day is slightly different and and can be a bi-hourly adventure some days :-)

I usually go with the flow pretty well but those sucker punches can be disheartening at times.

Kris
Posted 5/10/2010 6:35 PM (GMT 0)
Kris,
If you weren't as well informed as you are and as attentive to your diabetes as you are you would probably be in a coma half the time! This is why I like your input. You have been there and done that. Even being a TypeI you still have valuable info for us.

Janetlee,
Metformin doesn't give you lows unless you take it with alcohol, exercise your brains out on no food or something is up with your liver. It's a very safe med. If you take the starches out of your food plan and substitute vegetables you will see numbers lower than 110 and you will see weight loss as well.
Posted 5/20/2010 1:46 AM (GMT 0)
Well not diagnosed at this point, they say I have hypoglycemia and my lowest yet was 2.9..this was 2 hrs after supper....
Posted 5/22/2010 3:26 PM (GMT 0)
I've been type 1 diabetic since '88. I think the lowest I've ever measured was 2.3, but I assumed it was a meter error that time. In my case, when the blood glucose drops, I can quite reliably tell from a sudden weakness that I should now eat something. If it drops even further, I get a sudden cold sweat, and I know that I should get sugars immediately. However, a type2 diabetic that I know could pass out just like that on the street after just starting or changing his insulin medication. He said it was something about his body "not agreeing" with the type of insulin he took, so that he couldn't feel the lows coming at all.

My blood glucose has never dropped so far that I would go into a shock while awake, but it has happened in the mornings a few times a few years ago. After my insulin was changed to Levemir, I don't think I've had a single shock, but I'm still learning how this new insulin behaves, and I'm getting more highs than lows currently because the rapid insulin does not seem to be as effective as before.
Posted 5/23/2010 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
I often find what's more important than the BGL reading itself, is to determine whether I'm trending down or maintaining that BGL.

If I hit a low because I took a correction dose without food, then it's pretty likely that I'm trending down and need sugar fast. If I hit a low because of physical activity, it doesn't tend to trend further down and is more easily "fixed" with less sugar than an insulin overdose low. There are no set rules of course.

I've tried being really aggressive with the high readings lately but it seems to be costing me a lot of hypos and hypo unawareness along with it. Doing a lot more testing to get it figured out :-)
Posted 5/25/2010 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
I cannot wait to see th endo on Friday,,,cause once again about 2-3 hrs after supper, I hit 3.2 and man I felt like crap...I had 2 dex tabs and a glass of milk, and about 1/2 hr later BGL was 8.1...I am so confused....

:)
Posted 5/27/2010 3:06 PM (GMT 0)
The lowest I ever got was 38. I was in the hospital recovering from a procedure and they gave me my normal meds and insulin. Turned out the nurse didn't realize what Prandin did (quickly lowers sugar) and gave me too much insulin.
Posted 5/27/2010 7:08 PM (GMT 0)
Yikes!!!! Just beat my lowest low with a BGL of 1.4/25.

I just beat my own record and went that low while preparing dinner yesterday. I almost never snack between lunch & dinner and yesterday I had some cookies and milk (with my 6 year old Nephew). I don't eat cookies but, well, it was one of those "social situations" that I let my usual routine slide by :-)

I injected too much insulin to cover the snack and/or didn't compensate for the extra activity and/or now know that my I/C ratio in the late afternoon is more like 1:15. Oh wait... it was also the eve before a full moon and we all know how full moons play havoc with blood sugars :-)

Gotta say, I was surprised I was still standing at that low. The onions I was chopping started to look like I was looking at them through the wrong end of binoculars (tunnel vision?) and then I thought I was going to faint so, I tested. Sucked back a juice box and 4 candy rolls in about 30 seconds flat when I saw the number. Of course the sweats and shakes started just as I fixed. Couldn't talk or move for about 10 minutes but the sugar kicked in and I was fine 10 minutes later. Talk about feeling like you've run a marathon - I felt exhausted. Gave Hubby and Sis quite a scare, too.

I guess that's hypo unawareness if I can get that low before any signs show up? Hmmmm... might have to do something about that. (Ya think? :-)

Kris
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