So this is what happened. I have been having troubles with highs and lows lately, although to my knowledge, I haven’t changed any of my practises in the last month or so. I have often been awakened lately buy lows, in the area of 3 -4 mmol/l in the last 3 weeks or so. I usually get out of bed and drink about 250 ml. (8oz) of orange juice, sit quietly for a while and then go back to bed.
By the way, I’m going to get professional advice on this, so don’t give me any non-professional advice about going gluten-free or vegan, or anything else.
Anyway, last night I got up with a low about 3AM. I didn’t realize at first how low I was, but I knew I didn’t have time to take a bg. I went to the kitchen, got a juice box of OJ, and as things got worse, I tried to get a glass of OJ. I got it poured, just barely as my hands were shaking and my eyes were doing funny things. I thought of calling for help, but I’m English, and we don’t call for help, it’s just not done. At this point I was unable to think clearly, and was afraid of falling on the floor and not getting up. I worked a slice of Wonder Bread out of the bag, and reached for something to put on it, so I got a jar of powdered chicken stock out of the cupboard, opened it, and tried to figure out what the hell it was, and what to do with it. That’s how disoriented I was.
At this point, my wife came in, and asked me if I was OK. I could not get any words out, but I remember shaking my head. When she assessed how bad I was she got a chair and made me sit in it. Then she asked if I needed anything. At this point, I was able to say, “I know what I want but I can’t articulate it.” (That is how I talk, OK?) Then she asked if I could use an orange juice, and I said, “That would be a good start.” She got me the drink, and I sat for a while as the symptoms abated. I had about 22oz of OJ in me at this point, so she helped me to bed, and this morning my bg was at 15.6. Too high, but livable.
I really think if my wife had not come to me, I would have fallen on the floor and died. I am sending this information to my endo, and I am going to try taking my long-acting insulin in the morning, so that if it is driving my bg down, I will feel it coming and be able to deal with it before it takes off on me. I don’t know what you may take from this, but I am now convinced I cannot live alone. Perhaps I should have thought to deal with this earlier. Who knows what lurks in the insulin bottle? Only the Endo knows.
God bless, and may all your bgs be on target.