Hypoglycemia and Hypothermia

Type 1 and LADA
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I have been a T1D for 14 years and never have I needed medical attention for a low. Well, never say never right?

Yesterday morning, I had a low that my meter didn’t register, it just said LOW. I couldn’t walk and apparently was slurring my words and didn’t recognize people that I see everyday. I don’t remember anything of what happened, all this was relayed to me by my boyfriend, who called 911. The EMT’s came and tested my sugar. It didn’t register on their meter either. I was taken to the ED and the ED’s meter didn’t give me a number either. This was after consuming a 20 oz of regular soda, eating what felt like a billion starburst and eating a roll of glucose tabs.
At the ED, my vitals were taken and my body temperature was 87. The nurses asked if I had been sleeping outside (winter time in Boston). Blood was drawn, which later I was told, gave a blood sugar reading of 32. So my blood sugar must have been lower than that considering it was 32 after I ate and drank a ton of sugar.

Has anyone ever experience severe hypoglycemia AND hypothermia? The ED doctor had never seen a diabetic with both hypoglycemia and hyperthermia, but did acknowledge it happens, but it super rare.

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Stacy -

I’m glad you’re OK. Do you have any insight about what went wrong - it’s bad enough to have such a serious low but it’s even worse if you aren’t able to learn something from the situation.

I’m surprised they didn’t put you on a dextrose drip when the meter read LOW.

Maurie

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If you are that low you don’t think.

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A body temp of 87? You’re lucky you survived! How’d it get so low?

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I was taking a pump break and was using Lantus and Humalog pens. My Lantus was adjusted at my endo appointment on Monday. That and skipping breakfast were the culprit. I was given dextrose twice, which was a weird sensation. I felt it in my legs right away.

The ED doctors theorized that the low body temp. was due to the low blood sugar, but were really surprised it was that low. I didn’t realize how serious of a case hypothermia of I had was until I read a bit more about it.

Even after all these years of being a diabetic, it manages to scare the lights out of me.