45minute rule on hypos ?

[Charlie8]

Hi,

I can’t currently drive but I’m considering it ,

I’m just asking about how after you hypo and your blood sugar goes back to normal,
you then have to wait an additional 45 minutes before driving ?
I had expected you have to wait for some time (i.e 15mins), but 45 mins after blood sugar is good seems like a long time to me,
I understand that all diabetics have different experiences with hypo symptoms so perhaps it is beneficial for some,

I’m just asking how people get to work successfully? and if there is any good advice on the matter I would love to know it !

 

[trophywench]

We get to work safely by making certain our BG is sufficient (ie 5+ and unlikely to plummet) before we start the car. The 45 minute wait is to ensure our BG has regained stability again after we've treated the hypo - some hypos are persistent for no apparent reason and need more than one lot of fast acting glucose, waiting 15 mins and testing again to see if it has worked, to ensure we've got rid of it.

If our BG drops suddenly at unspecified times of day any time it likes repeatedly - then obviously we need to sort it out - wrong dose of insulin, wrong timing of dose, too soon or too long after eating/taking exercise/whatever. Only YOU know what YOU do. So learn that, and don't even get the car keys out if your BG ain't stable. I may be a T1 and not want to kill anyone else - but I'm buggered if I'm going to be happy if you - or anyone else - go hypo at the wheel and makes me or my property suffer for it! (or any member of my family of course)

 

[Charlie8]

H

some hypos are persistent for no apparent reason and need more than one lot of fast acting glucose, waiting 15 mins and testing again to see if it has worked, to ensure we've got rid of it.

If our BG drops suddenly at unspecified times of day any time it likes repeatedly - then obviously we need to sort it out - wrong dose of insulin, wrong timing of dose, too soon or too long after eating/taking exercise/whatever. Only YOU know what YOU do. So learn that, and don't even get the car keys out if your BG ain't stable. I may be a T1 and not want to kill anyone else - but I'm buggered if I'm going to be happy if you - or anyone else - go hypo at the wheel and makes me or my property suffer for it! (or any member of my family of course)

Hi Jenny , yeah I don’t mean taking glucose and waiting 15 mins , I’m referring to the time after your blood glucose has risen to 5+ and the waiting time after that ,
Thanks for your response , I understand what you mean though .

 

[trophywench]

Look Charlie - it's The Law. If you don't intend to obey it - do every single other road user in Europe a favour - and don't bother to even buy a Provisional. It's no different to any other Road Traffic Act law - if you're going to be a driver - you have to comply - end of story! LOL

As black and white as continuous white lines smack along the middle of the carriageway!

 

[Charlie8]

Look Charlie - it's The Law. If you don't intend to obey it - do every single other road user in Europe a favour - and don't bother to even buy a Provisional. It's no different to any other Road Traffic Act law - if you're going to be a driver - you have to comply - end of story! LOL

As black and white as continuous white lines smack along the middle of the carriageway!

I’ve never once said I don’t intend to follow the law , I’m saying that it seems like a long time , and asking how do diabetics get by ?

 

[trophywench]

That's how long it takes, to ensure the brain recovers properly from the hypo Charlie and functions at 100% again.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

The 45 minutes is frustrating yes. Especially if you've only grazed a 3.9.

But that is the requirement, and them's the rules.

If you've had a hypo at lower levels (3.5 is enough for the brain to go on the fritz) it takes 45 minutes for that impairment to clear. Just like when you've had a drink and 'feel fine' you may still be over the limit and your brain might be impaired without you being able to recognise it - but in a lab test your concentration and reaction time would be down.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

In terms of strategy, it just makes me more aware of my BG variability on a day when I'm driving. Since most journeys can't be delated by 45 minutes without disruption to the day it means that in addition to the pre-driving check, I will also check an hour or so before that to see how things are faring.

When I'm wearing a libre or other sensor it's even easier as I can just keep glancing and take action if there is any kind of downward drift.

I'm not sure of it's just me, but I need to set a precautionary TBR for driving anyway. I'd rather have a gently upward trajectory than any possibility of a dip. Before being on a pump I'd aim to be in double figures 'just in case'.

On the days when I've not managed to do enough checking and find I'm just below 4 when I need to set off I just wait it out and phone to make my excuses.

 

[mikeyB]

I don’t drive, but I use a road going mobility scooter. I still follow the 45 minute rule. It’s a lot easier with the Libre generally, as Mike says, a 5 with an ascending arrow is no concern, but if it’s descending it’s jelly baby time. I don’t work, so it’s just the shopping that gets delayed.

 

[Charlie8]

thanks for the responses , this has been useful.

 

[Matt Cycle]

Asking for a friend. Being totally honest does anyone (living in the real world) actually wait 45 minutes?

 

[Ralph-YK]

Look Charlie - it's The Law. If you don't intend to obey it - do every single other road user in Europe a favour - and don't bother to even buy a Provisional. It's no different to any other Road Traffic Act law - if you're going to be a driver - you have to comply - end of story! LOL

As black and white as continuous white lines smack along the middle of the carriageway!

Didn't seem to be any suggestion of not following the law, to me, in Charlie's posts @trophywench. Appears to be a question of how people copy with this, and needing to be places.

 

[stephknits]

Thanks for that Matt, my friend has to pick up the children everyday,doesnt have a libre and usually teaches up to the second then runs to the car parked other side of town. She is lucky if she has time to test and often hasn't had time for lunch. The school doesn't really take kindly to a 45 minute delay. She lives in the real world. This is a real dilemma. No one wants to put lives at risk or break the law, but life with type 1 is difficult to manage.

 

[Dave W]

Thanks for that Matt, my friend has to pick up the children everyday,doesnt have a libre and usually teaches up to the second then runs to the car parked other side of town. She is lucky if she has time to test and often hasn't had time for lunch. The school doesn't really take kindly to a 45 minute delay. She lives in the real world. This is a real dilemma. No one wants to put lives at risk or break the law, but life with type 1 is difficult to manage.

Life is indeed difficult to manage with T1 or as a T2 insulin dependent. However your friend isn't doing herself any favours by skipping lunch and later rushing to get to her car - she's in real risk of a hypo and certainly a very real risk of falling below the DVLA's "5 Before you drive." Packing a couple of sandwiches for lunch would help as would a carby snack bar.

 

[HOBIE]

Life is indeed difficult to manage with T1 or as a T2 insulin dependent. However your friend isn't doing herself any favours by skipping lunch and later rushing to get to her car - she's in real risk of a hypo and certainly a very real risk of falling below the DVLA's "5 Before you drive." Packing a couple of sandwiches for lunch would help as would a carby snack bar.

I adore to MISS a meal or two. Being T1 since being 3 I am sick sick of eating. Please tell your friend Steph that we mean her well.😉

 

[Lizzzie]

Unfortunately if you have a condition where you might suddenly become useless at the wheel and kill someone, there are two choices 1) take all necessary precautions or 2) don't drive.

There are many people with worse Illnesses than diabetes that affect them in much worse ways, many of whom cannot drive at all. I am greatful for the leeway the law makes for me and have no wish to abuse it.

So how to manage it? Make it a priority. Sometimes over the complexity, location of the job. The outward trip is easiest: wake early enough to have breakfast and get it right.
Coming home - make time to check and eat in advance. The good thing about working in a school is, schools do follow a routine. That said, the child's school would probably rather someone stayed back late occasionally to wait with a kid, than the kid ended up parentless

Thanks for that Matt, my friend has to pick up the children everyday,doesnt have a libre and usually teaches up to the second then runs to the car parked other side of town. She is lucky if she has time to test and often hasn't had time for lunch. The school doesn't really take kindly to a 45 minute delay. She lives in the real world. This is a real dilemma. No one wants to put lives at risk or break the law, but life with type 1 is difficult to manage.