Frequent hypos when ill

[Sheppeyescapee]

Hi everyone, I have had a severe ear infection for nearly 2weeks and since I've been ill I've been having regular hypos. I'm on a low carb diet but not keto (usually aim for under 100g). They seem to happen between lunch and dinner or sometime around 2-3am. I'm not on insulin anymore only Metformin and don't usually have hypos unless I exercise and forget to eat. The only thing different from the norm is medication to treat the ear infection antibiotic, antidizziness and painkillers. Not sure what I should be doing different? Breakfast is usually about 8am, lunch 12/1, dinner 5/6.

 

[PhoebeC]

Try a little fruit juice maybe to keep your levels up?

I find coffee is a good level riser for me x

 

[rebrascora]

Are you testing your levels when you feel hypo and if so what sort of readings are you getting?
If you are not on any medication to lower your BG levels then it would be highly unusual for you to hypo which is why I ask if you are testing them and if not, could it be low blood pressure rather than hypos or dizziness caused by the ear infection. What symptoms of hypo are you experiencing?

 

[Sheppeyescapee]

Yes, I am testing when I feel shaky, dizzy and sweaty. The levels have been around 3.8-4mmol.

 

[rayray119]

Yes, I am testing when I feel shaky, dizzy and sweaty. The levels have been around 3.8-4mmol.

As I've been told 3.8 isn't a number to to worry about if not on insulin or other blood sugar lowing medication and considered normal for non diabetics the reason people on blood sugar lowering medication treat as a hypo for the sake as hypo awareness.

 

[rebrascora]

I wonder if perhaps your levels are going high first and then coming crashing down? Do you keep a food diary along with your readings. Could there be a correlation between particular foods and then your levels crashing afterwards like this?
If you don't keep a food diary along with your readings and how you feel it might be a good idea to start to see if it will help you identify if there is a particular food group which may be doing this because Metformin isn't really able to, nor will a low carb diet.
Non-diabetic people can have levels below 4 and it isn't considered a hypo. The problem for people on insulin or medication which lowers your BG is that it can lower it too far and too fast. Since you are not on these medications anymore then these levels of 4 and slightly below should not be causing your body a problem as your liver should release glucose to rebalance them. It is only if the insulin we have in our body is dropping levels faster than the liver can output glucose that it becomes a problem.