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Sedge

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Type 2
I feel i need advice from others who understand what its like living with type 2 diabetes. I've been diabetic Type 2 for about 8 years, ive recently started empagliflozin after being unable to tolerate side effects of victoza. Im also on metformin. Today I had a scare, my blood sugar dipped to 3.9. I felt awful, etc. Adding to this id eaten at 10.30am and this happened around 14.30. I work in care and had just showered my client. I drink loads as you should with the medication however im menopausal so was perfusly sweating too. I know its not drastically low but for me a low reading is usually 6 and above, obviously high readings being my problem. I was told hypos are unlikely with this medication. I am under the weather with a viral type illness thankfully not covid. Wondered if others experience this type of situation
 
Hi @Sedge Well 3.9 isn't really a hypo. People who don't have diabetes can often be at that level. However, if it is low compared to the levels you normally run at then your body may perceive it as a "hypo" and you will feel the symptoms as though it was a real rather than a false hypo. It's probably the Empafliflozin kicking in to reduce your levels to more normal ones. What are your usual levels like?
 
Hi Sedge - Just wanted to say hello to demonstrate that you and I are not the same person since my usual internet nickname of Sedge which I use on various other forums isn't used on here, but some other members know me as Sedge too and may therefore get a bit confused!
 
Hi @Sedge
A viral illness usually raises Blood Glucose, but I recall somebody saying that they got a drop in BG when ill.
Other than that, to me it sound like either:
A). Your empagliflozin dose may be too high.
B). You worked harder than usual which made you use up your Blood Glucose faster than normal.
C). You ate a smaller amount of Carbohydrates than usual in your meal.

Empagliflozin is an SGLT2 inhibitor. It makes you pee out excess glucose. The common side effects are :
dehydration
thirst
dizziness
lightheadedness
weakness
yeast infection - because of glucose in your pee.
low blood sugar - which is why you are taking it.
nausea
upper respiratory tract infection

Personally I don't like the idea of SGLT2's, but some people are OK with them - I never took any diabetes medication (not even metformin) and reversed my Type 2 with just a low carbohydrate way of eating.
 
trophywench said:
Hi Sedge - Just wanted to say hello to demonstrate that you and I are not the same person since my usual internet nickname of Sedge which I use on various other forums isn't used on here, but some other members know me as Sedge too and may therefore get a bit confused!
Click to expand...

Tee hee! I thought of you as soon as I saw @Sedge’s username Jen! :D

Sorry to hear about your low BG and how it made you feel. It must have been especially difficult as you were trying to care for your client. The sweating could have been one of the symptoms of your low BG. You might also have felt anxious and a bit spaced out.

Different people get different symptoms when their BG is lower than usual for them, but there are a few common sensations

  • feeling shaky
  • feeling disorientated
  • sweating
  • being anxious or irritable
  • going pale
  • palpitations and a fast pulse
  • lips feeling tingly
  • blurred vision
  • being hungry
  • feeling tearful
  • tiredness
  • having a headache
  • lack of concentration
  • night sweats.
(https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/complications/hypos)

Can you remember what you ate for your previous meal? Amd had you been more active than usual?
 
Pattidevans said:
Hi @Sedge Well 3.9 isn't really a hypo. People who don't have diabetes can often be at that level. However, if it is low compared to the levels you normally run at then your body may perceive it as a "hypo" and you will feel the symptoms as though it was a real rather than a false hypo. It's probably the Empafliflozin kicking in to reduce your levels to more normal ones. What are your usual levels like?
Click to expand...
Thanks for the feedback, I am aware that a B below 4 is classed as a hypo, since having diabetes ive had false hypos and my blood sugar has never been below 6. At 3.9 the impact of how I felt was significant with the classic symptoms of a hypo. My concern was the risk of hypos on this medication and others experiences. I was under the impression that it would not cause my blood sugar to dip too low.
 
3.9 isn’t really too low, it’s in the range of normal and only on the borderline of being a hypo. You just had strong symptoms as you aren’t used to having normal blood sugars yet.
 
ianf0ster said:
Hi @Sedge
A viral illness usually raises Blood Glucose, but I recall somebody saying that they got a drop in BG when ill.
Other than that, to me it sound like either:
A). Your empagliflozin dose may be too high.
B). You worked harder than usual which made you use up your Blood Glucose faster than normal.
C). You ate a smaller amount of Carbohydrates than usual in your meal.

Empagliflozin is an SGLT2 inhibitor. It makes you pee out excess glucose. The common side effects are :
dehydration
thirst
dizziness
lightheadedness
weakness
yeast infection - because of glucose in your pee.
low blood sugar - which is why you are taking it.
nausea
upper respiratory tract infection

Personally I don't like the idea of SGLT2's, but some people are OK with them - I never took any diabetes medication (not even metformin) and reversed my Type 2 with just a low carbohydrate way of eating.
Click to expand...
Hi
ianf0ster said:
Hi @Sedge
A viral illness usually raises Blood Glucose, but I recall somebody saying that they got a drop in BG when ill.
Other than that, to me it sound like either:
A). Your empagliflozin dose may be too high.
B). You worked harder than usual which made you use up your Blood Glucose faster than normal.
C). You ate a smaller amount of Carbohydrates than usual in your meal.

Empagliflozin is an SGLT2 inhibitor. It makes you pee out excess glucose. The common side effects are :
dehydration
thirst
dizziness
lightheadedness
weakness
yeast infection - because of glucose in your pee.
low blood sugar - which is why you are taking it.
nausea
upper respiratory tract infection

Personally I don't like the idea of SGLT2's, but some people are OK with them - I never took any diabetes medication (not even metformin) and reversed my Type 2 with just a low carbohydrate way of eating.
Click to expand...
Hi IanF0ster
I appreciate your response, agreed that a raised blood sugar level usually happens when fighting an infection. I think it is why I
everydayupsanddowns said:
Tee hee! I thought of you as soon as I saw @Sedge’s username Jen! :D

Sorry to hear about your low BG and how it made you feel. It must have been especially difficult as you were trying to care for your client. The sweating could have been one of the symptoms of your low BG. You might also have felt anxious and a bit spaced out.

Different people get different symptoms when their BG is lower than usual for them, but there are a few common sensations

  • feeling shaky
  • feeling disorientated
  • sweating
  • being anxious or irritable
  • going pale
  • palpitations and a fast pulse
  • lips feeling tingly
  • blurred vision
  • being hungry
  • feeling tearful
  • tiredness
  • having a headache
  • lack of concentration
  • night sweats.
(https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/complications/hypos)

Can you remember what you ate for your previous meal? Amd had you been more active than usual?
Click to expand...
Why i was shocked and a little frightened about how I felt. Ive had problems already with the medication and have only had about 3weeks on the 25mg dose. I plan to monitor my blood sugar levels more frequently especially as im dealing with a viral illness too.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Tee hee! I thought of you as soon as I saw @Sedge’s username Jen! :D

Sorry to hear about your low BG and how it made you feel. It must have been especially difficult as you were trying to care for your client. The sweating could have been one of the symptoms of your low BG. You might also have felt anxious and a bit spaced out.

Different people get different symptoms when their BG is lower than usual for them, but there are a few common sensations

  • feeling shaky
  • feeling disorientated
  • sweating
  • being anxious or irritable
  • going pale
  • palpitations and a fast pulse
  • lips feeling tingly
  • blurred vision
  • being hungry
  • feeling tearful
  • tiredness
  • having a headache
  • lack of concentration
  • night sweats.
(https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/complications/hypos)

Can you remember what you ate for your previous meal? Amd had you been more active than usual?
Click to expand...
Thanks for your understanding. I was frightened and the symptoms I had were worse than normal. I'd eaten that morning at 8am slice of bread and then 11am a bowl of weetabix. I also suffer with anxiety attacks which are identical symptoms. I think it was a mixture of all factors
Feeling unwell
Anxiety attack
Using up my energy levels
My client on an easy day can be demanding and yet despite informing him of how I felt he kept expecting more. At this point I was waiting to be relieved by a colleague.
I plan to arrange a discussion with the diabetic nurse ASAP.
 
trophywench said:
Hi Sedge - Just wanted to say hello to demonstrate that you and I are not the same person since my usual internet nickname of Sedge which I use on various other forums isn't used on here, but some other members know me as Sedge too and may therefore get a bit confused!
Click to expand...
Hi, my nickname Sadge is from my siste, im Sarah Jane, and she called me ser jade which over the years became sedge. Still used by sis today
 
Sedge said:
Why i was shocked and a little frightened about how I felt. Ive had problems already with the medication and have only had about 3weeks on the 25mg dose. I plan to monitor my blood sugar levels more frequently especially as im dealing with a viral illness too.
Click to expand...

Good to hear you are going to speak to your nurse. I wonder if the Weetabix made you kick out a lot of insulin, which then dropped your BG low with the effect of empagliflozin which inhibits glucose uptake. Despite its high fibre content, Weetabix unfortunately always hit my BGs like a train.

Hope you find a way to balance your menu and your meds to even out your levels and steer them into your target range 🙂
 
The only food you had on that day was carbohydrate which is not that good for managing your blood glucose levels, I know they are an easy grab when busy but alternatives including some protein would be better.
So maybe full fat yoghurt and berries with seeds or nuts or some cheese or eggs or cooked meat and some salad or veg would help.
 
Sedge said:
Hi, my nickname Sadge is from my siste, im Sarah Jane, and she called me ser jade which over the years became sedge. Still used by sis today
Click to expand...
My sister and I's maiden surname was Sedger and the junior school headmaster shortened it in jest one day when joking about with the kids in her class - she left in 1957 and I started there in that September and when we moved on to senior school, so did another Jennifer from my class - both Jen for short - hence we were both in the same class at senior school along with 3 Susans - so it got a tad confusing which one we were talking to or about - so I just adopted the Sedge and similar for the Sues. The other Jen's husband still calls me Sedge and Jen's elder bro still calls one of the Sues the short form of her surname. Hilarious scene at Jen & bro's mother's funeral 'wake' - when her bro came over to me whilst I was standing smack next to Sue and asked me if (her nickname) was attending cos he hadn't worked that out? Yes, I certainly am! said she and we all fell about - then Sue & I had a bit of fun at his expense suggesting what pointed comment May (his mom) would have come out with ! Not sure Steve thought it was quite so funny, but he does or certainly should, have a thick skin!
 
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