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3.9

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C

CarolK

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Parent of person with diabetes
Just wondering if anyone would treat for a hypo at 3.9? My son just tells me to stop fussin and doesnt seem to think he should. He just got up and had a banana, which to me doesnt seem right, but then Im not the diabetic (or so I keep on getting told!)
 
Because itis below 4 3.9 might be considered a hypo by many. Personally I'd treat it with a small ammount of carb just to be on the safe side, but that is just me.

How old is your son? If he is at the stage where he is finding his feet and not feeling hypo effects he may well rebel. It is just as hard for him to be fussed over as it is for you to just stand by and watch sometimes. Perhaps when you are both feeling relaxed and calm you may like to sit down with him so you can talk about his condition and find out how he would like you to help?
 
To be honest, it really depends how I am feeling. If I feel unwell I will treat it as a hypo, or if I think it may be dropping quickly due to exercise or having taken insulin very recently. If I feel fine I will just eat some carbs as 3.9 is so close to 4 and given the error of the meter I don't always think it is worth treating as I would go high later. He will soon learn what works for him, if the banana works then I would say that is fine. Bananas are sweet anyway, so should work quickly. Caroline has some good advice there too, discussing it with him at a good time would be sensible
 
thanks, just wanted to know what other people do really. He s been diabetic for over 8 years so he knows his body I guess. Just me being a panicky mother. Im sure I have a fear of bad hypos, due to him experiencing a few!
 
You panic because you care. I do the same when my lot are under the weather.
 
I think its down to the individual , when i done DAFNE we was told 3.8 and under is hypo , ut if someone is starting to feel low at 3.9 and can prevent a full blown hypo i would say treat that not a lot of difference in .1 of mmols 🙂
 
You are quite entitled to worry, my Mum still does and yes, it is a bit annoying but I know it's just because she cares 🙂
 
Hey ...

As Nathan's mam ... hes 16 ... I would treat/he would treat 3.9 as a hypo ... when Nathan was first diagnosed 4 1/2 years ago .. we were given a mantra ... by the DSN .... " 4 is the floor" .... 🙂

Heidi
xx🙂
 
I too would have a jelly baby or 2, depending on what I was doing. If I'm sat around, one would do, but if working or walking, I'd want to bring my BG up quite sharpish to a higher level.

It's why the DVLA don't allow driving below 5mmol/l. It doesn't allow leeway for any drops.

I would imagine he also resents being told what to do with regard to his diabetes. It's his diabetes and he probably wants to control it his way. I agree with Caroline about discussing it and negotiating a happy medium.🙂

Rob
 
I'm glad you've asked this because I've been wondering myself. Alhough I've had diabetes for a while I'm new to this hypo lark and when to treat it. I'm having quite a few 'mild' hypos late afternoons at the moment. By that I mean mid to high 3's. Now these happen usually as I'm preparing tea and I usually don't know how low til I test after having my Byetta jab. What I usually do is just wait til tea's ready because I'm not supposed to eat for 30mins after my jab. If I feel like I'm dropping fast or feel really low I'll grab a biscuit or something.

I'm wary of treating as a hypo as such because I don't want to go too high after my meal, I don't need the extra calories and doing the 15/15 thing would get in the way of me cooking the family meal. Also, as I don't have much apetite, treating the hypo would put me off the meal itself. Of course if I was lower than say 3.5 I would take it seriously and treat. I think it's a matter of common sense, which is unfortunite as I don't have any! Lol XXXXX
 
If I am 3.9 I treat but not with the full amount of fast carbs..

When I was on injections it would be a jelly baby to bring up to 4mmol/l then a normal small carb snack of around 10g's, the pump is slightly different don't have to worry about the snack..

As to DVLA sorry but saying that they don't allow driving under 5 mmol/l is incorrect..

What the DVLA advises that at the start of your journey it's advisable that your bg is at least 5mmol/l..

I use a pump so very depending on how long I be driving, a short journey I could start on a level of 4.5mmol/l say I need to drive a mile or so to my brothers etc..

But the DVLA does say if your bg is below 4mmol/l they consider this to be driving under the infulance... And you face the same motoring charges as a driver who's been consumming alochol or drugs
 
At 3.9 I often do half a banana or a small cereal bar.

You sound like a cool, calm collected mum. It must be the hardest thing to take a deep breath, go away and check with another source, say 'ok then so what he's doing isn't that bad' and leave it there.

I'm dreading my child getting diabetes because I know all the mistakes I've made and it'd be very hard for me not to become a controlling / arguing / interfering parent. I don't think my mum'd have handled it very well and I'm not sure I would either (luckily I wasn't diagnosed til 25 and me an adult, Mum's been great,

SO just wanted to say: well done.
 
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