HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Hypo

Support Forums
>
Diabetes
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 7/11/2007 4:49 PM (GMT 0)
I know I'm in a small minority of Type 1's even here, where most are more open to new thinking and are better informed than many of the 'specialists'. Maybe someone can offer some advice?

Like many Type 1's who've had the condition for a while, I have hypoglycemia unawareness. It can be pretty embarassing and even life threatening. It's without doubt the one thing that concerns me more than anything else. I used to feel the shakiness, sweatiness and tingling on my tongue, but all syptoms disappeared a few years ago, never to return I fear. I may be partly to blame if this is caused by the many years of really tight control - isn't that a great reward for my efforts!

Are there other sufferers, and if so, have you been able to regain any of your former 'hypo' symptoms?

All the best,

fergusc

Posted 7/13/2007 6:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hi furgusc..... Yup. I do know what you're talking about.

Seems that the tight control I've been having for a while now comes at the cost of the hypo unawareness. I typically have 1-2 "lows" a day (below 4 but not below 3 (54-72mg/dL)). I've been catching them usually in the mid-3's... up until recently. The tighter my control the lower my hypo reading tests have been.

For the first time during the night (last night), I was awaken by a low. Took my brain a bit to figure it out but, by the time I got up and made it to my monitor, the sweat started puring off me. I tested at 2.2 (40). So much for getting my blood testing done today like I was supposed to.

Man! I remember the days I would get shaky at around 5-6 (90-106)!

I have read in a number of different places that long-time insulin users sometimes let their sugars run higher than normal in order to regain that hypo awareness. I think the key is to run all your usual levels consistently higher for 2-4 days; a meal-time high isn't going to cut it. How high should they run? I'm sure that depends on the individual (as usual :-)

If you try it, do let us know if you have success. I'm anxious to see the results of my A1C next week (if I can get the darn bloodwork done :-) I'd like to know if my extra efforts these past months show me something good.

Cheers,
Kris

p.s. Just wanted to add that lately I've been catching my lows because of testing and not because I'm experiencing major symptoms. I typically "crash" between certain times in the day so, I'm learning to test when the slightest signs of a crash might be coming on.
Posted 7/13/2007 8:08 PM (GMT 0)

furgusc,

Yes, I haven't been able to feel hypos for about 15 years now.

I have switched insulins and I found that the old pork and beef insulins would give me better hypo awareness, but not as good control as I got with humulin insulin.  I switched back and forth to see what would agree with me the best.  I can not feel the lows using lantus and the fast acting humilog.  I can feel the lows with the beef and pork reg and nph.  I can slightly feel the lows with the humulin reg and nph.

So......... I am now using the reg and nph humulin insulins and checking alot these days.  I still catch myself with lows in the 50s and don't really feel lit until I get into the 40s.  I keep smarties in my pockets at all times to raise my sugar fast (dextrose=glucose).

I have not had any Firemen at my house in about 6 years, so I must be catching the lows.  I used to have Firemen at my house about once a year to pump glucose into me because of lows.  I just keep my fingers crossed and test test test. 

Yea, life sux and then you have to fight for your life not to go low.

Bob

Posted 7/13/2007 10:38 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Kris and Bob,

it helps to know that others are dealing with this too. All you type 2's out there have got it easy!
Yours is an interesting point, Bob. I first noticed my hypo symptoms going when I switched to recombinant human insulin too. I brought it up with my doctor who insisted it had nothing to do with the change in insulin, merely the length of time I'd been type 1. These days I have absolutely no symptoms whatsoever - I tested 1.7 (30) tonight and yet was still able to have a conversation with a friend who had no idea I was low.
I'm going to run my sugars higher than normal over the next couple of weeks to see if any symptoms return. Kris, I just had an A1C done a few weeks ago (4.9) so it's not going to screw up my numbers as far as the doctors are concerned - they want me to have higher A1C numbers anyway.
If it works, I suspect the symptoms will fade as soon as I get back to normal blood sugars, but you have to try don't you?
You'll be the first to know if it succeeds. It's a bit like swimming with your clothes on if you have to work twice as hard just to stay afloat.

All the best,

fergusc
Posted 7/13/2007 11:41 PM (GMT 0)
HEY ... I get low, but not in the 40's! What IS considered low anyways??? I can get into the mid/upper 60's and don't really care for it. JUST today I got some Dex4 tabs to keep in the car, my purse, and the house. It was my understanding that as bs's normalize they can swing. I'm hoping that's all it is ... since following Dr. B's 6-12-12 I've had more numbers in the that mid/upper 60's range than I ever have before. The highest reading I've had in three weeks is 107. I'd LIKE lower certainly, but I'm hoping I'm just normalizing.
Posted 7/14/2007 1:28 AM (GMT 0)
When I got my hypo unawareness I hadn't changed any insulin, just stopped feeling my lows. I'd get down to around 30 and still feel just fine until things started to go dark. When I would start to come back up that is when I would realize all around my mouth was numb. I ran consistantly just a little higher and my symptoms did return. There are no guarantees with anything with diabetes, I guess. A couple of weeks of consistantly higher readings won't be too bad. Hopefully it works and you will be feeling your hypos again.
Posted 7/21/2007 4:49 PM (GMT 0)

I have had increasing amounts of hypoglycemia unawareness over the years; now I'm at the point that I don't feel it until I'm in the 30's or 40's, and it doesn't matter whether or not I've been running high.  I lose conciousness on average once a month because my blood sugar drops so fast that I don't have time to recognize it (and I usually lose conciousness around 20.)  Beta Blockers can make HU worse, so you might consider that if you're taking any.  I am, but quitting didn't help so I'm back on.  I've just accepted that nothing I do will help, and I just have to live with it as best I can.

I also catch most of my lows due to testing.  I ALWAYS test before I drive.

Glad/sad to know I'm not the only one.  Keep testing! 

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply