Hypos but dextrose working too slowly. Anyone experiencing same?

[rebrascora]

I certainly had a situation once where I was having a really bad migraine and couldn't hold anything down, not even sips of water and I just chewed and sucked on a JB and kind of let it dissolve in my mouth which thankfully did the trick. It should certainly be quicker to absorb in your mouth than swallowing if you have food sitting in your stomach, because whatever you ate before is going to diluted the hypo treatment, plus your mouth is closer to your brain than your stomach so the absorbed glucose should reach your brain quicker.

As regards coeliac, I am guessing if you have bolused for carbs that are not being digested or absorbed into the blood stream through the gut, then you have injected too much insulin for the food you ate, so that surplus insulin may be continuing to take you down whilst your hypo treatment is trying to bring you back up, hence slowing the recovery. Do you eventually go very high after several hypo treatments. If not, then either your basal insulin is too much or the carbs are not being digested and absorbed I would have thought.

 

[nonethewiser]

I’m type 1 for 40 years, reasonably well-controlled, and with a more recent gastro condition. Recently had episodes where food isn’t digested/absorbed so no carbs entering the blood-stream...but the insulin injection is still acting and pushing down BG level. Responding with dextrose but that's also taking longer to be absorbed than previous. Anyone else managing this scenario or similar?

Do you experience greasy floating stools or are experiencing weight loss?

If so it's worth ruling out Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency, it's were pancreas doesn't produce sufficient enzymes to digest food, got diagnosed with it myself 6 years ago so take a supplement called Creon with each meal to replace those lost enzymes.

Don't remember having issues treating hypos before diagnosis if honest, Kendal Mint Cake acts like rocket fuel for me so might be worth trying.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

so can I ask contributors if it's the preferred route

All things being equal, for a rapid response I’d prefer full sugar Coke.

But if I’m out on a dog walk and need a brisk top-up I’ll hold high glucose sweets (eg Haribo or skittles) in my mouth until they dissolve. If I feel I have slightly longer I’ll chew and swallow.

 

[mashedupmatt]

Agree with everyone about letting the sweets dissolve in the mouth - more carbs are absorbed in the mouth making them work faster IMO

 

[ChrisLG]

I certainly had a situation once where I was having a really bad migraine and couldn't hold anything down, not even sips of water and I just chewed and sucked on a JB and kind of let it dissolve in my mouth which thankfully did the trick. It should certainly be quicker to absorb in your mouth than swallowing if you have food sitting in your stomach, because whatever you ate before is going to diluted the hypo treatment, plus your mouth is closer to your brain than your stomach so the absorbed glucose should reach your brain quicker.

As regards coeliac, I am guessing if you have bolused for carbs that are not being digested or absorbed into the blood stream through the gut, then you have injected too much insulin for the food you ate, so that surplus insulin may be continuing to take you down whilst your hypo treatment is trying to bring you back up, hence slowing the recovery. Do you eventually go very high after several hypo treatments. If not, then either your basal insulin is too much or the carbs are not being digested and absorbed I would have thought.

Thanks for clear and helpful comments. Yes, bolused for carbs but I think it's the right dosage (based upon what I've been doing for years)...so right dosage for food consumed, but too much for food absorbed. Yes, eventually very high once things "settle down" (by which I mean, and sorry about the graphic detail, having to belch continuously over an hour or so to bring up what feels like gas stuck in the lower/mid oesophagus).