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Hypos - just how likely is it you'll keel over?

Northerner

Northerner

Admin (Retired)
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I've had loads of hypos - lowest around 1.7, but I've never felt in danger of passing out. Although my warning signs sometimes come late, they do appear if the level falls low enough. It clearly happens, but I'm wondering what percentage end this way. Is the perception that hypo=coma because that's the most dramatic conclusion, and therefore what tends to get used in films/drama and colours the general public's associations with diabetes?

Anyone here suddenly felt a hypo coming on, then woken up with a crowd standing round them?
 
Last time that I keeled over from a low sugar was 24 years ago and that also involved drinking quite a lot of lager at the time. My friend (who hadn't been drinking) had a great time driving me to the hospital with a car full of friends who were all in a party mood. :) It was quite funny and I had done all of the proper things with regard to eating before drinking etc.

However fingers crossed I haven't collapse from a low sugar since then but when my BG does drop to 1.7 (happens 3-4 times a year) I feel absolutely awful, can't always think straight but thankfully my brain keeps telling me to drink more and more Lucozade.

Having said all of that I would hate to collapse from a low sugar again so at work I purposely keep my sugars slightly higher than they should be and I do c. 10 blood tests a day - I would much rather do that than risk a hypo that I couldn't treat myself
 
I've been diabetic for over twenty years, and I've only passed out once. I felt the hypo coming on, but I was in school at the time (I was eight), and my teacher had my glucose tablets. There were a couple of people waiting in line to see the teacher, and using good old hypo logic, I decided to wait til she was done to ask her...Next thing I know I'm waking up with a paramedic standing over me. Apparently I was active for about ten minutes before that happened, but I have no memory of it.

I have no idea what my blood glucose level actually was, but the only other time I've felt close to passing out I tested at 2.2. I've tested lower and felt fine (well, functional, at least). It makes me wonder whether there's more than just the actual level at work when people pass out.
 
I've never not been able to treat a hypo, I usually feel it somewhere in the 3s. My lowest ever was 1.7 which was really surprising but I was still able to treat it, while having a 'hypo conversation' with a lollypop lady, but that's another story...!
 
aymes said:
I've never not been able to treat a hypo, I usually feel it somewhere in the 3s. My lowest ever was 1.7 which was really surprising but I was still able to treat it, while having a 'hypo conversation' with a lollypop lady, but that's another story...!
Click to expand...

Did she offer you her lollipop?:)
 
For me it's not likely that I will keel over. I have been as low as 1.3 on my meter and treated it, didn't feel great and felt wobbily on my legs, but definatly alert enough to eat/drink.
I have been below 1 (it read LO) before in hospital. I didn't feel typically hypo just a vauge not well, nurse ran and got my hypostop.
I don't know what I'd have to get down to, to lose consciousness.
 
these stories are quite reasuring to us relatively new diabetics! I have been down to 1.9 and treated and although had symptoms, was lucid etc and carried on conversation with my partner while treating. :rolleyes:

I too tend to keep on higher side whilst at work as my fear is having a bad hypo there that i could not treat myself.
 
This is amazing. And reassuring. The fear of hypo is very strong in me, for my son... But so far he spots it and deals with it, although at all different levels. I do find myself panicking until I see a bit of colour coming back... But the wait is hard for him too. He does feel awul. Heartening to see so many different 'lows'.
 
Hello,

I've tested to about 1.3 mmol/L and I've still been able to function and treat myself. I cannot recall nor do I know of a time that I have simply just keeled over becuse of a hypo. Quite fortunately really.

Tom H
 
Like most here i've never had a hypo that i couldn't treat, and quite often the worse they are the better i get at treating them because i jump into action quicker to do something about it.

I have however been stopped while driving because a man was having a hypo. someone flagged me down on a country lane to help give directions to the ambulance crew but not actually knowing where i was at the time i couldn't help but when they said the man in need was a diabetic i got out to help. His BG was 1.1 and even though he was conscious and aware of his surroundings he couldn't do anything to help himself. I managed to get some lucozade in him and within minutes he was smiling at me but his BG hadn't actually gone up according to my meter. when the paramedics came i left them too it and carried on my journey. i never even got his name..... so if you're out there, i hope you're ok!
 
I've hit the deck twice and needed Glucogen - what wonderful stuff, but what a headache for the next 24-48 hours... I knew I was going the second time but couldn't do anything about it, the first time I didn't have a clue, knew I didn't feel too great and then nothing!

My recognition of not feeling right is good, my realsing the cause and appropriate reaction to the symptoms can sometimes be quite flawed. But I now understand this to be reasonably common, except amongst you bunch of model diabetics!
 
Hahahahaha! Model diabetic??? Me? Somehow model doesn't come into my management but I get by David. I don't think I've dropped dead yet, even after thirteen years :) Somehow, I will get better sooner or later though.
 
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