Hypo’s getting worse

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Cheesecake

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Hello, I’ve been T1 for 18 years now, currently on Dexcom and Omnipod.

Recently my hypo’s have been much worse, I’m getting to the point where I need help, which I have never been like before. They are really knocking me out and often I need to sleep afterwards.

I have been incredibly stressed the last few months, and I believe I’m peri-menopausal. At times over the years I’ve lost hypo awareness, but not had a phase like this.

Is there anything I can do? Or is it just part of the disease after so long? Is there any guidance on safety measures to put in place, mainly for my young children as well as myself.
 
Hi @Cheesecake What do you mean by getting worse? Do you mean more frequent? Dropping lower? Not getting warning signs? Or maybe a mix of those things? The peri-menopause can really mess up your sugars. It affects some women more than others so don’t feel you’re fussing if it’s affecting you.

Is it the Dexcom G6 you have?

Hypo awareness can blunt over time. I now aim to stay 5 or above, and eat a few carbs if I’m not. Just staying at that slightly higher level has sharpened up my awareness even though it was very good before.

If you have the G6, look at setting your Low alarm higher so you get more warning that you’re heading low.

Insulin needs can change as we get older and during the peri-menopause, so I suggest looking at your basal rates and mealtime ratios and making sure they’re ok. You might need to change them more frequently if your hormones are fluctuating.

Finally, there are a few medical conditions that can increase hypos so it’s worth talking to your consultant or doctor to get them ruled out.
 
Thanks.

I guess I mean the impact of them is more noticeable. I’m starting to feel like I need help & support, when I’ve always been able to sort myself out. I’m struggling to talk and construct sentences. Huge amounts of brain fog, which wasn’t there pre-hypo, so not a menopausal symptom I’m guessing.

Sadly only a Dexcom 1 at this time, I am pushing for a 6, but the CCG are dragging their heels.

My diabetes in general is very much out of control right now, I don’t feel like I have capacity to address this at this time. Also, I need my Hba1c to be ‘worse’ to qualify for the Dexcom 6 when the CCG finally pull their fingers out. I dearly want my levels on my smartwatch.

The frequency of the hypos is about the same, but I’m feeling the impact of them more and they’re making me very fuzzy and tired.
 
How low are you going? If you’re getting different symptoms (more brain fog, etc) this could still be connected to the peri-menopause. Until I experienced it myself, I’d never have thought it would have such a big effect. I find the symptoms come and go, so it’s possible you’re ‘just coping’ and then low blood sugar pushes you over into brain fog. Tiredness can be a peri-menopausal symptom too.

After a lot of thought, I finally got some HRT patches and I feel so much more myself now. I’m a total convert.

In your position, I’d try running slightly higher; see your GP for some basic blood tests to make sure you don’t have coeliac, aren’t anaemic, aren’t low in Vitamin D, don’t have thyroid issues, etc, then I’d think about a trial of HRT to see if it helped at all. I felt the benefit in a few weeks, and the benefits have increased as the months have gone by. I’m on the lowest dose but it’s made such a difference physically, mentally and emotionally.
 
I have a g6. There was no requirements for hypos to be bad for me to get it.
I have never had hypo awareness but thats not really been a problem for me as i can rely on dexcom.
Were are your alerts set? I have mine at 4.9 or lower which catches most, but setting it in the low 5s should give you more time to respond and nip those potential hypos in the bud
I find drinks work a lot quicker than glucose tablets, which surprised me to be honest.
But if i were you i would concernatrate on getting your sugars as controlled as possible, in general, which will probably sort the hypo.
I also think its the menopause/ hormones. Mind you i find my bolus ratios change week to week anyway
 
Sometimes not massively low, a 3.6 can do it. Yesterday was 2.9 and I’m feeling that today, which then led to a 3.1.

I‘m not officially recognised as peri-menopausal as I’m too young and I’ve had hormone bloods which were fine. I’ve a bunch of weird symptoms which fluctuate and I’m attributing to the peri-menopause. So while I’m happy to get HRT, I think I’ve got naff all chance of demonstrating that to a GP. Diabetes consultant is useless, wouldn’t listen to me and prescribed me medications I didn’t want for something which I don’t think is the issue.
 
I’m pretty sure GPS are supposed to prescribe HRT on symptoms not hormone levels as they fluctuate. I swear I read that online elsewhere. Have a Google - and I will too when I come back online x
 
I’m 40, so fall into the bracket of needing tests as they recommend not testing over 45. My symptoms aren’t typical. GP has also stepped back as I have a diabetes consultant. Feels like I’m in a rock and a hard place and have 5 years to wait!
 
Cheesecake said:
I’m 40, so fall into the bracket of needing tests as they recommend not testing over 45. My symptoms aren’t typical. GP has also stepped back as I have a diabetes consultant. Feels like I’m in a rock and a hard place and have 5 years to wait!
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Hmm, I’d push a little. The nurse I spoke to told me some GPs are a lot more helpful than others. When you said you weren’t old enough, I thought you meant early 30s but 40 isn’t that young, if you get what I mean and no offence meant. Peri can start 10 years before the actual menopause so it’s not as though you’re being ridiculous. If you do think your hormones are fluctuating, you could see if there are other options (ie hormonal but not HRT).
 
I read somewhere that women with Type 1 diabetes typically experience menopause younger than someone without. I think it said something like 10 years younger which I was shocked about (and did not experience but put that down to being diagnosed with Type 1 later).
If that is the case, I think you could easily argue that 5 years for perimenopausal is a reasonable variation for you.
 
Thanks, I think I’d decided my symptoms were peri-menopausal, but figured they weren’t bad enough to fight the system and try and get any treatment. Maybe I should revise that. From messaging here it’s become clear to me that hypos are causing brain fog, not necessarily tiredness. Which is helpful as I think that could mean I can continue to function. While at the same time going back to basics with my diabetes management.
 
Cheesecake said:
My diabetes in general is very much out of control right now, I don’t feel like I have capacity to address this at this time. Also, I need my Hba1c to be ‘worse’ to qualify for the Dexcom 6 when the CCG finally pull their fingers out. I dearly want my levels on my smartwatch.
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The bottom line is things wont get better unless you do something about it.
So you need to do some basal testing and sort your basal pattern and levels out first then Check your carb ratio's.
If you are having a lot of hypo's then you will be very tired.
 
Hi. You don't mention your insulin types and regime. These are obviously the biggest influence on what your blood sugar levels are. The next important factor is the amount of carbs you are eating?
 
DaveB said:
Hi. You don't mention your insulin types and regime. These are obviously the biggest influence on what your blood sugar levels are. The next important factor is the amount of carbs you are eating?
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If you read the first post it tells you OP is using a pump.
 
In your shoes @Cheesecake I’d be tempted to simply make a 10% reduction in my insulin settings on my pump. If you haven’t got the head space for a full-on reset of your diabetes management at the moment, and you are having more frequent and lower hypos then it feels to me like you are taking too much insulin.

I started a thread this morning about how a very small change can have a massive impact. A few fractions of a unit here and there are the difference between multiple double-dip lows and none at all for me. And that’s with the benefit of a hybrid closed loop working behind the scenes!
 
DaveB said:
Hi. You don't mention your insulin types and regime. These are obviously the biggest influence on what your blood sugar levels are. The next important factor is the amount of carbs you are eating?
Click to expand...
Pumper_Sue said:
If you read the first post it tells you OP is using a pump.
Click to expand...
Whoops - sorry!
 
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