A twelve is way below an emergency, but respect the 3.
Blood glucose meters now routinely alert users to check for ketones for any reading above 14.
Clamp studies show that the brain is affected at or around 3.5mmol/L
Increased time spent at or below 3.5mmol/L physically changes the brain - it adapts to perform better at low glucose levels and autonomic responses reduce which can lead to impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia.
So yes respect the 3. But you DO also need to look at appropriate treatment for each. The frustrated cycle of 3 to 18 to 3.5 to 20 is no good to anyone.
Sorry if the truth is scary,
It isn't. It's just a pain that the human body is so good at managing blood glucose variation within very tight parameters. Having said that every non-diabetic I know who has worn CGM is astonished at the number of times their BG briefly dips below 4.0mmol/L.
but low blood sugar is more urgent than high blood sugar.
Absolutely agree with you.
The very matter of peer pressure to achieve tight blood sugar's is dangerous and that should not be encouraged for people on hypoglycemia inducing therapies.
If it were only peer pressure that would be one thing. But it is also cold, hard, research data. Management of blood glucose values near the non-diabetic range reduces the risk of long-term complications. The majority of the benefit is found by aiming for below 59mmol/mol or 7.5% but benefits continue below 48mmol/mol or 6.5% (AS LONG as hypoglycaemia is minimised). So we are caught between a rock and a hard place, needing to avoid both high AND low, but to be terrified of neither. Treat
both with respect and treat both hypo- and hyperglycaemia appropriately. Not be so desparate for a low A1c that we are hypo unaware and repeatedly in SH or so terrified of lows (and imminent heart attack) that we run constantly in double figures until [insert your least favourite long term complication here].
Sorry if it offends, but 6 is more than adequate a BM for any diabetic.
Absolutely agree with that. My ideal target is 6.0mmol/L during the day and 6.5mmol/L at night.
🙂
