• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Hypos

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Sullipepper

Sullipepper

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi. I was diagnosed type 2 diabetes a couple of months ago and put on 500mg of metformin once a day. I have lost 14 1bs in weight and had in range glocose reading every time. My question is Im having up to 2 hypos a day where my meter says 3.9. There is no one to ask help at my surgery they just don't care. My only hb1c on diagnosis was 7.2 so I'm wondering if I need the metformin. I can't believe I have only spoken to a nurse once and that when I ring the surgery just told I am not emergency. I am going to change Dr's too.
 
I was led to understand that metformin can't cause hypos (though strangely I had one myself today for the first time ever!). I was told this by one of the nurses I work with, although admittedly she trained in general medicine a long time ago and is now a specialist mental health nurse but she usually knows what she is talking about and I trust her.

@helli gave me some advice on my hypo today, ie paramedics wouldn't consider it a hypo unless you are under 3 if you aren't on insulin. If you are, your reading (and mine) would be considered a hypo.

You may not be an emergency, but you should certainly discuss this with your GP or DN. Did they say why they can't give you an appointment?
 
@Sullipepper, what type of meter are you using to get the 3.9 readings? Bear in mind that meters are not 100% accurate so a 3.9 is not necessarily an insulin hypo, especially if it was on a Libre.
 
helli said:
@Sullipepper, what type of meter are you using to get the 3.9 readings? Bear in mind that meters are not 100% accurate so a 3.9 is not necessarily an insulin hypo, especially if it was on a Libre.
Click to expand...
Hi thankyou to all who have replied. I'm not on insulin only metformin. My meter is a ONE touch given to me by the nurse. I was only diagnosed in July but my readings are now in range according to the meter all the time, plus I have lost 14 1bs in weight. The surgery has had no diabetic nurse for 6 months ( hence a unknown nurse rang around all new on a list telling us we were diabetic) so there is no one to speak to and all they say is your not an emergency to speak to a Dr. The whole diabetic experience there has been 0. Am looking at changing Drs today.
 
Hi @Sullipepper When you say you’re having hypos, are you having any physical symptoms or do you just mean that you got a ‘hypo number’ on your glucose meter? People without diabetes can get results in the 3s sometimes so it might not be anything to worry about.
 
3.9 is very borderline, the meters only have to be accurate to within 15% so that 3.9 could be anywhere up to 4.5. It’s also possible for non-diabetics to dip briefly below 4, but their endocrine systems recognise the problem and take measures to halt the drop and bring it up again. I don’t have diabetes but when my mum first got a meter she tested all of us and I came out at 3.6! (It was just before lunch I believe). If you aren’t having any hypo symptoms then I’d be inclined not to worry about it unless you start getting lower numbers.
 
Hi yes having symptoms. Sick clammy like you going to pass out, legs like jelly. I only tested with symptoms. I have also suffered from hypoglycemia for most of my life. The DN said I now have both which is odd.
 
I wouldn’t really worry about 3.5-3.9 myself if only on metformin as non diabetics get readings under 4 too. If there is a pattern to them such as after a high carb meal then there could be some changes to stop them but otherwise it could just be a “normal” thing. The symptoms may just be that you’re used to being higher so getting towards hypo levels makes you feel low. If they were going under 3.5 I’d probably seek medical advice.
 
Sullipepper said:
Hi yes having symptoms. Sick clammy like you going to pass out, legs like jelly. I only tested with symptoms. I have also suffered from hypoglycemia for most of my life. The DN said I now have both which is odd.
Click to expand...

Are you going from a high level to a low level quickly? That can cause hypo-like symptoms. Or perhaps your own insulin is over-reacting to a high glucose level? If your body produced a little too much insulin that would cause you to feel hypo maybe as you’d be hovering around the lowest normal level whereas someone else who ate the same food, had the same blood sugar but wasn’t diabetic might get a quicker, more ‘accurate’ insulin response so only drop to the high 4s for example.

If it was me, I’d be investigating by testing and also by seeing if it’s a response to certain foods in case that’s contributing.
 
thankyou guys for your answers. I was at diagnosis starting at high levels of 10 before breakfast and 14 and 15s at other times. A month later I have lost a stone in weight and been on a low carb diet. blood sugars normal bp normal so I think like others have said when it started coming down to normal readings I am feeling it . I've had one Hb1c since may (diagnosis) so have a 2nd one in September. Hopefully the meds the weight loss and lifestyle changes are paying off.
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top