Hello All…
I am quite concerned… as twice today my BG was 25 mg/dl without me feeling any symptoms.
I’m pregnant (5 weeks and 6 days)…
any recommendations oh how to start feeling symptoms again??
That’s a lot harder one to deal with as you are pregnant. My first recommendation is to try to get a Dexcom ASAP so you are alerted way before you hit such a low number. It can’t be good for you.
Usually you try to stay at higher numbers and not go low and you usually can restore hypo awareness, although not in everyone. For example you try to never go below a certain number, I’m just not sure what numbers when you are pregnant they want you at. If you don’t have recommended levels yet, try to get some and tell them you have had some severe lows so they can give you some help with your ranges.
1 Like
How are you getting your numbers? Finger sticks or CGM? Like @Marie20 says, if you don’t have a CGM you should really really have one, just because of the pregnancy irrespective of this other problem. Hormonal changes interact with everything and you can’t rely on the snapshot you get from a finger stick, which tells you nothing about where you’re trending, can’t warn you if things are getting dangerous in either direction, and can’t tell you whether you’re staying in range in the hours between tests. If you do have one, it should be set to alert you well before getting down to 24mg/dl, at least if it’s a Dexcom. Not as sure about Libre, which you have to “wand” to get your current number, but there are 3rd-party add-ons that allow it to provide trends and alerts like a Dexcom. Lots of people here should be able to weigh in on that.
More info please, so we can be of more help!
1 Like
Cgm is a great idea, but checking more often, especially before driving, exercises, etc will help tremendously. You can also check on your arm, then your finger to find out if you are dropping or rising…I used to do this when I changed Insurance companies, or if the Cgm was too expensive. The arm is less painful, but usually delayed, which is why checking twice will give you a Cgm style arrow…the solution is still unfortunately a higher glucose start or target, at least until your adrenomedullary sympathoadrenal epinephrine secretion works again…my current endocrinologist recommends a goal of 150, 180 for strenuous exercise since it’ll probably drop… he argues that a higher than 7 a1c has proven to have more complications, however anything lower than 7 does not see benefits, and usually leads to more hypoglycemia, which leads to less adrenomedullary sympathoadrenal epinephrine secretion, which will cause comas
Was it a slow drop to 25, or a sudden drop?
This is going to seem odd to a lot of us, just because of getting the same exact perfectly round number, let alone such an extreme one, twice in one day. I’m guessing that was a fingerstick result, since it came as an absolute surprise. You might need to get a different meter, or try a different vial of test strips, for confirmation this isn’t a matter of equipment failure. Unfortunately, “hypoglycemia unawareness” does exist, and can be a qualifying point for insurance coverage for CGM.
I would check with your state bureau or department of motor vehicles to see if you are required to report type 1 diabetes or type 1 diabetes complications such as hypoglycemia unawareness before looking into trying to use it as a Dexcom excuse/reason… I’d hate to see a post on how do I get my suspended license back along with why hasn’t my Dexcom arrived even though I already paid $1700? I agree with Robyn on another meter just for verification, although many meters stop at 30, or 25, so it might read 25mg/DL, and be lower, it just won’t register… hopefully it is a bad meter…a lot of endocrinologists have many unopened pharmaceutical representative extras and are happy to give them away if you ask…
This does not apply during pregnancy. BG targets during pregnancy are much lower for a few reasons, mainly for the safety of the baby.
That said, if the reading was truly accurate, adjustments need to made ASAP. Severe lows can be harmful to the baby as well.
1 Like
So I have the Medtronic enlite meter but it wasn’t giving me the right numbers for some reason.
And it was a slow drop.
Now that I have changed my Basel rates a bit. I do have some highs that are concerning me lol. But yet again, I’m trying my best.
Unfortunately Dexcom is not available where I live.
I would contact Medtronic and ask them if they have any ideas about why you were not getting the right numbers…In theory you could potentially “reset” your hypoglycemic unawareness but I don’t know that it would be safe to do it pregnancy. From what I read, you have to have a period of time (believe it varies from person to person) where your blood sugars are always in target and never drop to low or go to high. In theory, that could reset your sensitivity to the low blood sugars. For some, doing this can be quite dangerous, which is why I say that it is not may not be feasible during the pregnancy.
1 Like
I am also pregnant only a few weeks behind you! (congrats) I have noticed I don’t notice lows either like I did pre pregnancy and I think thats why the recommend CGM so much. I do have a Dexcom which helps troumendously but i tend to double check with my meter anyway because Dexcom tends to over exaggerate lows. 50’s is usually when I get low symptoms right now when I used to feel it at 70-80. I was very concerned about this at first because I was getting a lot of 60’s and 70’s but was told thats considered normal for pregnant women and not to worry unless its below 60. I did notice that im getting different symptoms…like instead of feeling shaky/sweaty like I usually do my eyes have trouble focusing if i’m reading or looking at my phone-so keep an eye out for weird things that may be a low symptom. I hope you get the answers you are looking for because the lows are very irritating! 
This is something I posted a few weeks back that might be useful, but it suggests using high intensity exercise:
Thank you. Such a great help!