I’ve only been diabetic for a few years, but I’m the same. I’ve had plenty of lows, though so far never lower than 1.1mmol (around 20mg/dl). So far (this had better not ‘jinx’ me lol) never passed out, never tried to take all my clothes off in public, never done anything weird - just had the typical symptoms and reached for food.
I DO get a little touchy, sometimes a bit bossy - but that’s the extent of my weirdness.
I can only hope I’ll stay that way for the rest of my life!! Crossed fingers.
I have not felt any hypo symptoms for like 25 years (I’ve lived with T1DM for 31 years now). I first experienced lows with no symptoms when I was about 13 years old. This coincided with the introduction of synthetic “human” insulin. I was taken in an ambulance for passing out at the school playground, and this was back in the days before intensive control when we took 2 shots daily, so it was not because of giving a wrong dosage since we took fixed dosages and followed stricter dietary controls and ate at a fixed schedule back then. I have never gone postal, but like Chris, I sometimes find the ability to concentrate becomes more difficult or I may make more mistakes when typing at my keyboard or something. The problem is these symptoms are very subtle and could easily be mistaken for something unrelated to diabetes, especially if my attention is focused on other issues, and usually and these symptoms only appear when my blood glucose levels are dropping quickly, but when they drop slowly, I couldn’t tell the difference between 40 mg/dL and 400 mg/dL. Also, contrary to what some people claim, easing up on control does not necessarily restore symptoms. The issue is due to a compromised counterregulatory function and the fact that symptoms are caused by what is arguably a second backup system in the hierarchy of glucose counter regulation. (the first one is stopping insulin, which cannot be done if it is artificially injected, the next is alpha cells releasing of glucagon, but because the islets are permanently damaged by the autoimmune attack that causes type 1 diabetes, this line of defense is also gone. The third is when the adrenal glands secrete epinephrine, which increases glucose production by the liver and kidneys and keeps certain body tissues, such as muscle, from using as much as glucose from the blood bloodstream. Over time, this response can become reduced in many patients, for reasons that researchers do not understand completely.
Although I do not have any neuropathy as far as senses in my hands, feet, legs, etc., and have never received a diagnosis of autonomic neuropathy, this can indeed cause unawareness and does for many people.
Consider yourself very, very lucky!!
In my 11 years I have probably had more than my fair share of bad control.
I punched a nurse at the hospital, no one seemed to mind though.
I felt a low coming on in walmart so I hurried to the vending machines. By the time I got there I couldn’t make heads or tails of the machine so I got help getting a two sodas. I chugged one, and sipped the second and next thing I knew I was being hauled away on a stretcher. when I got to the hospital they wouldn’t listen to me and couldn’t figure out why I had a seizure and my bg was now in the 300s.
I managed to feel a low coming on alone at home so I scarfed down some carbs. I walked to the bathroom and then back to my living room and got a splitting headache and started throwing up. I had to sit down for a while, but I noticed a whole in the wall next to the bathroom. I had passed out, put my head through the sheetrock(inches from a stud) got back up and continued on my way with no knowledge of the fallout. I also broke my tailbone with that one.
I’m sooooo glad that I take care of myself these days, and to imagine that it is so easy, I was just neglectful.
Chris, have you thought about setting your alarm clock so that it will wake you up in the middle of the night or early morning hours, say 2-4 or 5 AM? I have to do this, since I have had diabetes for 42 years next month. I get up, turn off the clock, check my BG and depending on what the reading is - have a glass of 0% milk and a couple of p/b crackers, it is usally all I need. Sure pays from having to call 911, you take a chance of going into a coma when you are in your 30’s. Lowest I ever got was 28, everything was going dark, from then on I check every night into the early morning hours.
Mary
After 39 years I’ve had my share of sever lows. My worst was before meters and my roommate found me on the floor in front of the refrigerator with its contents over me. Since meters my lowest was 24 and I was able to take care of myself. What I find suprising is everyone else can see the lows on me before I know about them. They call it a blank stare. I sweat in the past but do not anymore, Inever had anger problems but so slur my words and am very unsteady. Ino longer know lows until they are down to the 40’s and need to be above 300 to know I’m high. I have found that when exercise sends me low I know it sooner than with shot lows.
Compared to me your just lucky! I’ve had those sever lows that have made me wreak a car about 4 times (I have no warning when I start falling and 1 unit of insulin will drop me 56 points) Passed out on my couch, on the computer, shopping in a Kroger’s and in jury duty! As for the seizers well let’s just say I can have them about twice a month and it’s NOT from not checking my bs it just happens SO FAST! YOUR LUCKY!!!
I read with interest the above responses to treating lows. Whatever you do, do not leave your home without something to stop a low in your car or on your person. I would and have never taken the chance of walking down to the vending machine to grab a snicker bar when I felt a low coming on, what if it is out of order. I guess because my Dad was Type I also for years, he educated me when this all started with my Type I diagnosis 42 years ago, and ALWAYS BEING PREPARED FOR A LOW. If you hit someone with your car and kill or maim them during a low, you will likely be sent to prison. This happened here in Florida. For some reason it is always the “diabetics fault”. If this happened while on heart meds, they would just say “oh well, had a heart attack”. But, they will blame a diabetic because you did not test before leaving the house, did not carb up or were reckless with your control. Not everyone has perfect control no matter how hard they try. I had to educate an attorney here in the county I live in about 7 years about hypounawareness due to synthetic insulin in regards a young man who was in such a deep low he passed a semi on the shoulder of the road and came back on the highway and went directly across the front of the semi and hit a woman roadworker and cut her body in two. He was 15 miles from the hospital and when they got him there his BG had only come up to 40. He had stopped to get a coke when he felt the low coming on, and the restaurant he walked into was not open for business yet, and the manager told him to get out. He got back in his car and proceeded to head home. IF he had carried something in his car at all times he would have NEVER killed anyone like he did. I carry Capri Sun and p/b crackers in my car at all times. I am NEVER without some form of sugar in my purse. If I go out for a walk, I carry sugar of some type with me. I would rather be safe than sorry.
Night before last got up at 4 am to check and I was 84. Got a glass of 0% milk, and my p/b crackers (ate only 3), but still continued to drop some because I had the flashing lights. Thank God I had set my clock.
PS: Capri Sun will keep in the heat or cold. No need to refrigerate. I have to restock my pb crackers every so often - hate stale crackers, .
Mary,
I just met with a instructer who told me that the old peanutbutter and crackers really didn’t help you b/c you had to digest them and that took awhile. Her suggestion was to eat (not suck) about 7 lifesavers when you fell that low so the sugar from them could get into your blood stream faster.
I really hate to hear that about the guy having a wreak and killing that woman! That’s just so sad for him and her family too! Your right they ALWAYS seem to blame the diabetic not the heart patients! I checked mine before driving it’s just that I fall SOOO FAST that one unit of insulin will drop me so far that it happens SOOOO FAST and of course at that time I’m not in my right mind anyway (At that time I"M ALWAYS RIGHT) That if anyone tells me to check my blood sugar I out to hurt them badly or just ignore them! Paid for that more than once! Thank God I never hurt anyone else (only me) in those wreaks.
My son has had lows in his sleep, and seizures. Only after more than 10, an on call Doc suggested they could be from another cause. After seeing a neuro, he was dx with a seizure disorder. The main trigger was low blood sugar. It has never happened with a normal BG. The neuro also commented that we should have been referred to him after one or 2 seizures. You are very lucky, and should have glucose tabs in your car, and in your pocket. They are much more effective than chocolate. My brother in law went low and drove his car onto someone’s lawn.
Well I think that’s great you haven’t had real lows. I went for about 24 years since diagnosis without having an emergency low until this past year. I generally try to maintain my blood sugar levels very consistently but this particular low happened in the night time and I was very lucky that my boyfriend was able to wake me up and get some sugar into my body. It’s funny, I thought after all of that time I was some sort of expert and then events happen like that and you realize that every day is certainly a learning process.
While 30 would qualify as a severe low, 50 wouldn’t for most. 50 would be a low that you need to treat immediately. Walking to the M&M jar, grabbing a Snickers bar, well I am surprised you did not go lower while waiting for the chocolate and high fat to digest! You should be treating lows with fast acting sugar such as glucose tabs, juice and candies such as Sweet Tarts, Smarties or Skittles. Lifesavers not too bad either. You are lucky you have never passed out or gotten combative. These symptoms are not uncommon. As far as committing a crime, I have never heard of someone committing a crime because of a low. Every person reacts to lows differently and each person’s body reacts to diabetes differently. You are very lucky and I hope we are just as lucky. So far, not too many problems, but we check an awful lot.
How did you find out that your hypo unawareness was related to nerve damage? I’ve had really sever hypo unawareness for over 2 years now and hardly anything I’ve tried has helped. I frequently will not notice I’m low till I pass out or till someone else makes me test and the meter reads “below 20”. When I was in college the EMTs all knew me because I’ve had some really bad episodes. I guess I’m fairly certain I don’t have nerve damage because I’ve only been a T1 for 5 or so years, but sometimes I worry…
I have to admit I have very alertly watched Dancing with the Stars, but even after 15 years, I have never experienced any of hte others! I too find your low bg treatments scary. Juice or glucose tabs are always on me or nearby, and help me recover quickly.
Passed Out… check!
Cried… check!
Gone Bezerk… check!
Starting Screaming… check!
Fought with SIX policeman and EMT guys at once… check!
Watched “Dancing with the Stars”… nope. never been there. I guess my lows HAVEN’T been too severe, after all !!!
(If I’m ever seen watching a TV showing “Dancing with the Stars”, shoot me. Please, for the love of G-d, put me out of that misery!)
NOW THAT"S FUNNY!!! Your list kinda sounds like mine!
I am T2? on metformin, actos and novolog 70/30 I was wondering if there was the posibility of a severe lows. Don’t know if I am true type 2 or T 1.5 lada/mody?
yes you can have sever lows on any type on insulin. If you don’t know if you are 1.5 or 2 then ask your doctor. What is your last C-peptide?
I most recently flipped a paramedic off while low. I called 911 on my dr’s advice as I was having trouble keeping my sugar up and my neighbor was outside with me and told me I did this. The paramedic was arguing with me saying I wasn’t as low as I claimed and they pricked my finger and of course I have calluouses so it didn’t work so I guess I grabbed their lancet device rammed it into my finger and then made sure all other fingers were down and flipped them the bird while they checked my sugar. My dr thought it was quite hilarious. And oh yea I won a trip to the hospital with two amps of D50 and an overnight stay, but I wasn’t as low as I claimed to be, told me it was impossible cause I was to calm and coherent, but I don’t remember flipping them off.
Has any body had a severe low on novolog 70/30
You’re lucky. I’ve had B sugars in the low 20’s and experienced seizures, crying, going bizerk, and just a feeling of panic. The symptoms seem to change as I get older. You should consider carrying glucose tablets or gel just in case. Eventhough I am 35, I keep juice box drinks convenient as they provide just the right amount of sugar and are easily transported and opened. When I do get a low bs, I find it difficult to think about what to do and to have to walk a ways to get a source of sugar. Try keeping a candy bar in your desk. Good luck.