I am having problems maintaining a good BS level.

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angeladalton

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Type 2
Recently my bs have become unstable and I have had hypos. I have reduced my insulin by 25%. I have been in touch with my diabetic nurse. I have had hypos with no symptoms, should I tell dvla or wait until I have seen the nurse later in the month when my hba1c will be checked?
 
angeladalton said:
Recently my bs have become unstable and I have had hypos. I have reduced my insulin by 25%. I have been in touch with my diabetic nurse. I have had hypos with no symptoms, should I tell dvla or wait until I have seen the nurse later in the month when my hba1c will be checked?
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Not that I am any sort of expert, but this does come up fairly regularly in messages I have read. The DVLA definition of a hypo you should report is one where you required assistance to treat it. I think that means serious assistance, not 'could you pass me my bag' level.
A low level of blood glucose passing unnoticed would not come under their definition.
 
@Drummer That’s not the full picture. You also have to have hypo awareness. @angeladalton If you’re going hypo with no hypo symptoms, you shouldn’t drive and I would inform the DVLA.
 
Hi. Can I ask what you are using to measure your hypos? ie. Do you have Libre or other CGM or are these finger prick hypos?
The reason I ask is that Libre cannot always be relied upon to be accurate and any lows should always be checked with a finger prick before treating, unless you actually feel hypo. What I am wondering is whether you think you have lost your awreness because Libre says you are low when you don't feel low, but you have not double checked with a finger prick.
I would hate for you to put your driving licence in jeopardy because of a misunderstanding with Libre and unfortunately many people are not aware of the limitations with Libre, great as it is.
 
Can I ask which insulin(s) you are using and how long you have been using insulin and what sort of doses you use?

I see you first joined the forum in 2010 but your early posts seem to have been lost from the system, so it's not possible to check back on the forum for background info.

Can you give us some details of particular circumstances where you went hypo and didn't know it. ie. did you need assistance from someone else or did you just do a test and find your levels were low perhaps before a meal and if so, how low and did you double check with a second test strip if you didn't feel low? Measuring equipement can be wrong but obviously if there is a pattern then less likely unless they are nocturnal hypos showing on Libre in which case they might be compression lows.
 
I am on mixtard 30 insulin. I finger prick to monitor my bs. I have been on insulin for at least 5 years. This problem has just started. Other meds that I have been taken for other medical issue have been discontinued and/or reduced. I have never had assistance to recover from hypos. Just don't know whether to inform dvla about hypos with no symptoms
 
If you are only using finger pricks, how do you know you have had hypos with no symptoms?
When are you testing your blood sugars to find you are below 4.0?
 
angeladalton said:
I am on mixtard 30 insulin. I finger prick to monitor my bs. I have been on insulin for at least 5 years. This problem has just started. Other meds that I have been taken for other medical issue have been discontinued and/or reduced. I have never had assistance to recover from hypos. Just don't know whether to inform dvla about hypos with no symptoms
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Yes - see my post above. If you have hypo unawareness you must inform the DVLA.
 
This is from the DVLA. I’ve put the underlining in:

Impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia – ‘hypoglycaemia unawareness’​

Group 1 Car and motorcycleGroup 2 Bus and lorry
✘- Must not drive and must notify DVLA.

Driving may resume after a clinical report by a GP or consultant diabetes specialist confirms that adequate hypoglycaemia awareness has been regained.
 
angeladalton said:
I am on mixtard 30 insulin. I finger prick to monitor my bs. I have been on insulin for at least 5 years. This problem has just started. Other meds that I have been taken for other medical issue have been discontinued and/or reduced. I have never had assistance to recover from hypos. Just don't know whether to inform dvla about hypos with no symptoms
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On your other thread you said you were on Novomix 30?
 
helli said:
If you are only using finger pricks, how do you know you have had hypos with no symptoms?
When are you testing your blood sugars to find you are below 4.0?
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I have been testing my bs 2 - 3 times a day. I also check it before I drive.
 
Was one of the medications that has been stopped a steroid? That could well account for your insulin needs dropping significantly and you should really have been forewarned if that is the case.

Can you describe a situation where you have discovered yourself hypo and not realized it?
 
rebrascora said:
Was one of the medications that has been stopped a steroid? That could well account for your insulin needs dropping significantly and you should really have been forewarned if that is the case.

Can you describe a situation where you have discovered yourself hypo and not realized it?
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I have not been on steroids. I found my self hypo when I was randomly checking my blood
 
angeladalton said:
I am on mixtard 30 insulin. I finger prick to monitor my bs. I have been on insulin for at least 5 years. This problem has just started. Other meds that I have been taken for other medical issue have been discontinued and/or reduced. I have never had assistance to recover from hypos. Just don't know whether to inform dvla about hypos with no symptoms
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Sorry to hear you are struggling with hypos @angeladalton :(

How many times has this happened? And what were the levels that you saw? Do you get symptoms reliably at lower levels? If so, what level would you say that you always feel?

It does sound like you need to speak to your GP or nurse about adjusting your insulin doses. Avoiding readings below 4.0 as completely as possible (including overnight) should help your symptoms to reset themselves
 
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