Heat and Hypos

[richardq]

Thoughts on this anyone?

I finished work at about 3 this afternoon, and went to the car. Did a test with the kit that was in the car and it said 2.4 Didn't belive it particularly as normally at about 3.5 I feel as though I'm about to pass out. Tested again with the meter that is in my bag and it said 3.7. Loads of time wasted hanging around waiting for it BG to rise again.

I am concerned on two things, one that the two meters were so far apart - the inside of the car was certainly warm, but I wouldn't have thought it was hugely hot. The other is that my BG had fallen so far without me noticing it. There was nothing untoward at work - and I was a little high at lunch about 2.5 hours previously.

I'm putting it down to the heat I think, as the hot weather last year sent my BG all over the place, sometimes up and sometimes down, but mostly down...

 

[Robster65]

Hi Richard.

They can read differently from different fingers, so as long as it showed you were hypo, it's difficult to criticise.

I presume you treated on the first reading and just used the second as a confirmation.

And obviously followed the DVLA advice to wait 45 minutes after recovering (I think) before setting off.🙂

Rob

 

[Copepod]

A few thoughts -

hypos can feel different at different air temperatures

meter readings can vary by around 20%

don't leave meter (or pets) in parked car, as temperatures can get quite extreme

personally, I'd trust a meter that had been with me, rather than left in the car

waiting for blood glucose level to rise isn't wasting time; it can be life saving

 

[richardq]

Thanks for the thoughts... I hadn't thought about hypos feeling different at different temperatures, and I suppose I should have thought about the heat in the car affecting the meter, given the state of the mars bars from under the seat that I was reaching for having got the meter reading.
R

 

[Robster65]

I keep a couple of mini cans of coke (150ml), which contain about 16g of glucose each, in the car for hypos. They work a lot quicker than mars bars. Lucozade is an alternative. 🙂

I also have a huge pot of jelly babies in there. As well as a can or 2 of coke and JBs that I have on my person for when I get out of the car. You can never have too much fast acting glucose with you. I've been caught out too many times.🙄

Rob

 

[trophywench]

Err, Mars bars aren't the best hypo treatment ever - too much fat in em really. Coke or Lucozade gets there a lot more efficiently. Even warm Coke, which I find strangely palatable when it's accidentally got hot but it's still fizzy! Normally, not my favourite taste!