I just had a very bad Low on my way home from work. I normally run high at 220 - 300 which my Endo says is normal for me but today I decided to try and do things right by counting my carbs and Dosing my Insulin acordingly I also only ate a salad for lunch at 11:30. I should add I walked a Mile in the Morning then another mile at 2:00.
I left work at 3:00 but by the time I got down the road I felt very strange as I was sitting at the light, I started to kinda spin one way and got a Hunger feeling in my stomach and sweating so I checked my BS and it was 144 which is extremely low for me so I made it across the street to the gas station and bought some M&M's. By then It was too late I felt worse than being drunk and was terified at this point because the chocolate wasn't working. I finally pulled myself together and still have that Pukie feeling in my stomach I got back on the road again. I made it 10 miles when that wierd feeling came back and I stopped at a McDonalds and got a burger , fries and a coke. I drank some coke but I just couldn't eat. I forced myself to eat half and kinda took a nap in my car. I got back on the road again and got home but once I pulled into the drive I was dizzy again and as soon as I opened the car door I threw up.
This has been the worst feeling ever and it's still taking me almost 4 hours to feel bad as I still feel terrible. I just ate Special K's but still feel like I could maybe throw up again.
Is this normal?
Sorry you had an awful day. Been there, done tthat. 220-300 is NOT normal for anyone. You are right: "I decided to try and do things right by counting my carbs and Dosing my Insulin acordingly." Please find a new doctor. Blood glucose over 140 means long term problems. What is your A1C? Are you a Type 1?
Also, M&Ms are high fat and work slowly. Coke was the ultimate choice in your very low state and barfing CAN be a usual repsonse.
I've never barfed from being low, just being really drunk. If I were at 144 and feeling really badly, I'd probably test and test again in 5 minutes. When I was crazier, I'd knock my BG down and drop from 300 to like 70 in like 1/2 hour. At 15 minutes, I'd be feeling sweaty and jittery, but my BG would be around 150? It might be that your're used to the highs and it might aslo be the "delta" or change in your BG making you feel whacked out. I have to agree w/ Spock that it would be prudent to find a doc who can help you get used to more normalized BG as that is likely to help you feel much better.
I didn't know that about M&M's...no wonder why they didn't work quick enough. My Endo say's those numbers are my normals for me to function but She say's it will take time for me to get to 80 - 120 as I get used to the adjustments I've been doing but today I think I went at to aggresive and dearly paid for it. My A1C's are 10.0 up from 8.2. *.2 has been the lowest I've been in the 14 years I've been a what my Doc is calling a Insulin Dependent T2.
I should of went for the Coke but I was so disorientated I grabbed what was closest. I'm glad I'm not the only one that Barfs on lows, it's a terrible feeling.
Thanks for you response!
"When I was crazier, I'd knock my BG down and drop from 300 to like 70 in like 1/2 hour. At 15 minutes,". What do you mean by that because I noticed your a musician like me and I'd do crazy stuff like that when I was playing show's and I felt I was "tapping into the source" so to speak when I playing the guitar. But that kinda think is very dangerous and do not recomend to anyone ever.
What is "delta"? And thanks for the reply.
Your doctor telling you that 200s and even 300s is "normal for you", even if his intent is to slowly bring you down is close to criminal. I agree; run, don't walk to another doctor and endo who will help you get in control of your blood sugar as you are putting yourself at serious risk with numbers like those on a regular basis.
Yes, you do feel low even at normal numbers when your body is used to being high, but that will pass as your body gets used to being in more normal range.
Yes, chocolate has fat which slows down the sugar in candy. Of what you mentioned, the coke was best, but really, glucose tablets are the best to handle lows for three reasons: You can carry them with you anywhere, they act the most quickly and you won't overdo.What you ate to treat your "low" was enough to send your blood sugar soaring again, and that roller coaster is worse.
Delta is the greek letter they use in science to signify "change" so if you go from 200-100 or 300-200, your "delta" is 100. Sometimes you can get those results w/ IOB but ***super dangerous*** IV shots will also do it or sometimes I'd shoot some R into my leg muscles and run up and down the stairs 10x, like for Thanksgiving, in between the appetizer pigout and the dinner pigout?
I will consider your advice on changing doc's. I know I'm putting myself at serious risk and Im scared of the reality of it in my future I just hope there's time for me to reverse it if thats even posable. Clucose tabs sound the best so far I need to get those right a way. Thank you Zoe,
When you have a "harsh" low, your body counterregulates. It releases glucagon, cortisol and adrenaline to help you make it through the emergency. In someone who is using insulin, this counterregulation is suppressed, but still there. And when it kicks in, it can kick like a mule. You can throw up, you can have a rebound high (really high) and you can feel sick, have a headache and generally feel like crap for a whole day.
And if you have been running high for a while, your body will adjust, essentially reestablishing your new "set point." It can be hard changing things all at once, your body can interpret a reading of 144 mg/dl as a harsh low and react that way.
A better strategy is to establish targets, a new more aggressive one every two weeks. If you are averaging a fasting of 250mg/dl, then target to get down to 200 mg/dl. And then when you get there, move down to 150 mg/dl. And just do it in steps.
I hope you feel better.
That's exactly the topic Chadd!!
I'm thinking that what Chadd describes is what Gregg's doctor may have meant when she said that 200-300 is normal for him and that it would take time to get it down.
She probably meant that his body thinks that 200-300 is where it's supposed to be and he will feel low when he's not really as he brings it down in stages.
Gregg, I completely agree that you should bring it down gradually to let your body adjust to the "new normal" at each step as you come down. You won't feel nearly as bad if you do it this way.
Good for you for taking the steps to bring your blood glucose down, though. It's hard and it's alot of work but you can do it. And you'll feel a lot better when you get there. :) I hope you have a better day today.
Gregg, your story sounds a lot like mine. I spent many a night doubled over a toilet from situations like this.
I was to the point about 2 years ago where I had basically given up. My A1C was never below 11 or 12.
I embraced this community, asked a lot of questions, and went on an insulin pump. My A1C last month was 9.3. That's the lowest it's been in 10 years. I know it's not excellent yet, but I feel so much better and am noticing small improvements. Being 130 doesn't feel like death anymore. You can do it. Go very slow. Write everything down and bolus a little lower than your carb ratio says to. One of the best tips I've EVER gotten from my endo was "take a unit less than your numbers say you should, do that slowly until the lower numbers feel more comfortable."
Force yourself to wait 15 minutes when you test a little low. only take the 15 or 20 carbs of quick acting sugar. Do not over correct by eating an entire mcdonalds meal. The resulting rush of sugar and highs will keel you over and plague you for 2 days.
Gregg- Your endo isn't doing you any favors by telling you that 200-300 is "normal" for you. It isn't normal for any Diabetic. Also, 144 isn't low for anyone, it is a normal #. You need to learn what is best for you to eat to overcome a low BG and it isn't M & M's or McDonald's. You should use glucose tabs to raise your BG into your normal zone. How long have you been a D ? Sometimes I feel queasy when I get low, but my low is around under 50. I have never thrown up. It takes a while for your body to adjust to the proper #'s and to feel "normal" when you are high.
Wise words, Sagwabetes. I'm so happy for you that you're making so much progress.
Does this Endo have a team? people you can call on to get coached? Now that you've hit 144 I'm sure you'll not want to go there again, but it's a target along the way. If you're running 220-300, your basal is out of whack: it's the first thing to work on. Start getting coaching on that first. But keep the target for the basal no lower than 180 at first if you are 220 between meals.
You listed everything - counted carbs, dosed, ate low carb salad, walked 2 miles, all involved in lowering your blood glucose. Now let's talk glucose tabs to raise you: experiment when doing nothing else, neither eating nor exercising, to see what one 4 gm tablet will raise you. Write it down. Now figure what you need to raise you 40.
And best wishes. Trial and error with small numbers is done by you, and is the most successful way to go.
Yes puking in lows is a frequent occurrence.
Thank you.
I'm concerned that Gregg may not have even been educated as to what "basal and bolus" means?
I was DXed in 1996. Wasn't taught about these things until 2006.
Sag, Good thinking!
Gregg, BASAL is that insulin that is long acting, supposed to act around the clock to take care of the needs of your cells for all-the-time fuel. Cells use this to perform their daily tasks. This is taken once a day and in many people it doesn't quite last 24 hours, so people take a dose twice daily, not necessarily the same amount each time. It keeps the blood sugar even - at target - round the clock, hopefully. It's not supposed to have much of a peak. Are you taking basal?
In contrast, BOLUS insulin is short-acting, peaks, and handles the blood sugar when it goes up from having eaten. It has a tail that may last 4 hours! One usually takes a shot of this just prior to a meal.
Now Sag, you can add to this whatever, to keep the conversation going!
Hi Super_sally good to know I can reverse it, i have been really working hard on changing my ways. It's seems my numbers are so high for so many years I'm actaully functioning well but I know for my health I need to start now being more deligent. I don't know if I use basal or bolus but I know I use Levemir and Humalog pens.
I'll definately look into those books soon.
Thanks
Thanks Brian(bsc) great advice !