Hypo Awareness

[AlisonM]

Until today I've always known when I was hypo, mostly because I was usually running high and the fall was really noticeable. I've been in the zone for almost three weeks now though and have clearly lost my hypo awareness as that 3.6 this morning brought no obvious signs. I wasn't even slightly shaky. The notion of going hypo and not knowing it scares me, it's the first time this has happened to me since Dx though I've had plenty of hypos, some of them really serious one, none have ever crept up on me before.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Until today I've always known when I was hypo, mostly because I was usually running high and the fall was really noticeable. I've been in the zone for almost three weeks now though and have clearly lost my hypo awareness as that 3.6 this morning brought no obvious signs. I wasn't even slightly shaky. The notion of going hypo and not knowing it scares me, it's the first time this has happened to me since Dx though I've had plenty of hypos, some of them really serious one, none have ever crept up on me before.

Hi Ally,
sorry you have been scared like that. As you say due to your high and then sudden drop in blood sugars it's noticeable, so think of it now in a different context. Look for different signs .... like losing concentration, being a bit sleepy, feeling hungry.
I'm sure you wont have lost your hypo awareness due to better control over a 3 week period.
PS well done on tameing the beast 🙂

 

[novorapidboi26]

I think some folk who get good blood sugar control cant regularly get 3.5 plus without feeling much to be honest.........I wouldn't say I have had the best control over the years but have had no symptoms on some occasions of 3.5 plus......

I think it also depends on the speed of the drop and time of day......

Its still a scary thought though...........I hope your next hypo comes on strong........🙂

 

[Northerner]

I would tend to agree with Sue, I think your improved control has meant you have less of the 'plummeting' hypos and may be more naturally settling at the lower end of the range i.e. mid-3s. Whilst this might be alarming when it first starts happening to you, if you think about it, it is just what a non-D might be at when they haven't eaten for a bit or been very active. If you don't get ;'heavy' hypo symptoms, it's more than likely that your levels have just about reached their lowest - unless you are still likely to have insulin circulating. For me, that would just mean one jelly baby to top up my levels a bit.

I've had loads of hypos in the mid-3s with quite subtle symptoms - but the symptoms are still there once you learn to recognise them, so I wouldn't worry that you have lost your awareness at this stage - just try and consider what factors may be at play that mean that your symptoms might be mild 🙂

 

[AlisonM]

So all I need is practice at 'reading' more subtle signs? And a bit of patience. 🙄

 

[Northerner]

So all I need is practice at 'reading' more subtle signs? And a bit of patience. 🙄

Hehe! I started noticing subtle changes in my vision were my warning of a more 'benevolent' low 🙂

 

[Homedaze]

Try looking for other symptoms that a hypo is on its way.

I have a sensation of being distant from what is going on - like being at a noisy party and the sound is fading into the distance. I also become snappy and lacking in patience. I sometimes make inappropriate or cutting comments - speaking before brain is in gear! Shakiness follows if I have ignored the signals - ignoring them being another sign of a hypo.

 

[trophywench]

LOL - yes!

Funnily enough Alison after many, many years - decades - of not having all that good control but far better since I got my pump - I noticed very recently I have one of me really really ancient symptoms back, not actually experienced since early doors in 1972 - the distinct feeling that I've broken out in beads of sweat along my philtrum !

Nothing else at that stage, just that, no shaking or brain fog - but ignore it at my peril ......

 

[AlisonM]

I did feel rather foggy (brain dead) when I woke up today, but that's nothing new so I didn't pay much attention. I've always been a slow starter in the mornings as I'm a bit of a night owl so waking up feeling druggy is usual. I wasn't aware of any other symptoms beyond feeling cold, but this is the Highlands in winter, feeling cold is normal.

 

[robofski]

Bear in mind the acceptable error margin for meters your 3.6 could have been >4

 

[AlisonM]

Bear in mind the acceptable error margin for meters your 3.6 could have been >4

Two different fingers, two different meters. One read 3.6, the other 3.3. I took the higher reading as gospel and had a jelly baby. 1 hour later tried again, 3.4 so had toast and jam and retested, 4.1. Still hovering in the low fours and now feeling slightly shaky, though that could be because I'm focussed on the symptoms I 'should' be having.

 

[robofski]

Two different fingers, two different meters. One read 3.6, the other 3.3. I took the higher reading as gospel and had a jelly baby. 1 hour later tried again, 3.4 so had toast and jam and retested, 4.1. Still hovering in the low fours and now feeling slightly shaky, though that could be because I'm focussed on the symptoms I 'should' be having.

In that case you're probably right about the Hypo! I have noticed with me in the past that I think I'm hypo, test and find out I'm 5.x and all of a sudden the symptoms that made me think I was hypo go away, so much is in the mind (well my mind anyway!)

 

[Northerner]

In that case you're probably right about the Hypo! I have noticed with me in the past that I think I'm hypo, test and find out I'm 5.x and all of a sudden the symptoms that made me think I was hypo go away, so much is in the mind (well my mind anyway!)

That's a Reverse Schroedinger Hypo. A Schroedinger Hypo is when you just happen to test, with no symptoms, find out that you are hypo, and suddenly manifest the full Shakin' Stevens! 🙂

http://diabetespoetry.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/quantum-diabetes-and-schroedingers-hypo.html

 

[pgcity]

I agree with comments about your more regular readings leading to more gentle drops and therefore subtler symptoms. I found the same thing and reluctantly asked my dsn whether I might lose my license. She sad that if I was hyping regularly below 3.5 without noticing that would be a problem but not noticing the ones in the high 3s wasn't untypical and who is to know you weren't going back up anyway.