• 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

Just experienced my first proper hypo attack

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

merrymunky

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hey all,

I’ve had a few low readings over the last few weeks. Usually around the 3.9 mark. I had one of 2.8 the other day too and put that down to potentially having had too much insulin with my evening meal. My levels were fine after tea but crashed a little later on.

I used insulin this evening before my tea and after my level was 7.7 so I was in my target range just fine. An appropriate amount of insulin for that meal. I went to bed a couple of hours ago to try to get an early night since pregnancy is making me tired and I am getting related aches etc now so wanted the extra rest.

I woke up a few minutes ago needing everything loo and instantly knew I wasn’t right. I was very hot and sweaty and felt queasy. Went to the loo and the room was spinning a little. Thought I should check my levels.

1.8.

Terrifying.

I went downstairs immediately and have had a handful of sweets I keep in to treat those lower numbers. A few minutes later I had some bread with peanut butter in the hopes of getting some carbs in that will sustain a higher level again. I feel a lot better, just a bit shaky. Going to retest again in a few minutes before I go back to sleep.

I’m scared this is going to be a bit of a new trend and so worried about my baby if it continues.
 
Last edited:
Got my levels back into the 5s quickly. Have woken in a 4.4 which is average for me at the moment.

Still scared this is going to be a recurrent thing now and worrying it is going to affect my baby girl. I’ve been told to expect higher readings in pregnancy but never expected I would be seeing hypos now instead.
 
Oh nooo,I hope you are fine now. It is very scary isn’t it.
I am wondering if your insulin ratios have changed and you now need a bit less , I suggest you contact your team for urgent advise , Though you have been told higher levels in pregnancy are to be expected, diabetes often works to its own rules.

Imo It’s best to have hypo treatments upstairs too as. needing to negotiate stairs when hypo is a minefield.
I have mine in the downstairs loo, god knows what visitors think seeing a pot of glucose tablets sitting on the shelf next to the spare loo rolls :D, kitchen, dining room, my bedroom , handbag and my d kit. If I have definite hypo signs like you had I would treat then test as I don’t carry my meter from room to room.

I really hope you have seen the last of the hypo’s , they are nasty and even more worrying as you have a little one growing inside you to worry about.
 
I actually did have a bag of sweets in my handbag in the bedroom but in the panic forgot about them and just raced downstairs.

I feel much more myself this morning but have decided to call in work sick as it really did scare me and I think my body is telling me (in a few ways) to look after myself and slow down. I’m a teacher in a special school and this week has been manic. I’m experiencing other pregnancy symptoms suddenly too such as terrible hip and back pain at night as well as burning and numbness in my thighs where something is sitting on a nerve. I’ve got off lightly so far but I’m not risking my baby just for the sake of ploughing on at work.
 
Taking a day off sounds like a very good idea, to give yourself a chance to relax and recover from a difficult night.
Best wishes and carry on taking care of yourself and the baby.
 
I agree taking a bit of time off is a good idea.

Yes we can and do get rather confused when hypo. I’ve sat their testing every 15 minutes getting lower and lower before my two brain cells flickered and said hey shouldn't you be doing something else, yes I’d completely forgotten to treat it 🙄
 
Really sorry you have experienced this @merrymunky

I hope you can tweak your doses downwards a little to prevent anything similar happening again - and be a bit careful today because hypos tend to follow hypos. Might be worth letting any slightly high numbers slide for the rest of the day (though I realise this would be tough while pregnant).

My suggestion would be to make sure you have a bottle of full sugar drink, or a carton of fruit juice on your bedside table so that if you wake feeling the same way again you can treat immediately without having to negotiate stairs.

My understanding is that liquids are usually the fastest acting hypo treatments.

Hope you don’t feel too shaken up today. Nasty hypos tend to knock my confidence for a day or two :(
 
I’m sorry to hear that you had a nasty hypo Merrymonkey.

I was told during both my pregnancies that for some reason a lot of women often have lower hypo awareness during pregnancy - that was certainly the case for me.

Agree with previous poster who said keep hypo treatment everywhere. Also if you feel hypo then personally I’d treat it and then test. Have you been given a Glugagen (sp?) kit ? I was given one both times, but luckily never needed it.

Lastly - I appreciate it’s a horrible feeling esp when pregnant - I was told that the hypos themselves don’t harm the baby - it’s more the potential consequence of having a hypo eg falling over etc that can harm baby.

You are doing the best you can - it’s very difficult what you’re doing so remember to be kind to yourself !
 
I haven’t been given the kit no. I just keep sweets in for treating lower levels at the moment. I just was not expecting a major crash like that.

I have contacted my midwife unit as I wasn’t sure who to contact directly. They suggested talking to my diabetes midwife. I haven’t seen her since I was 13 weeks. I just see the consultant usually. She’s in clinic at the moment but hoping to get a call back later to discuss it.
 
I'm so sorry to hear this! I haven't experienced a hypo before but it sounds horrible. I hope you're feeling much better!

Just out of curiosity are you on insulin permanently or just while you're pregnant?
 
Bonnie23 said:
I'm so sorry to hear this! I haven't experienced a hypo before but it sounds horrible. I hope you're feeling much better!

Just out of curiosity are you on insulin permanently or just while you're pregnant?
Click to expand...

Just for pregnancy. My consultant prescribed it so that I could reintroduce e some foods I’ve had to omit with the diabetes and start to eat more normally so that baby gets everything they need. I’m also vegetarian and fussy so he wanted to ensure I can eat as much as I need to without getting bored of the same foods daily. I usually have a good grip on how much to take and last night was a perfect example so I don’t think the insulin was to blame.

I’m reading up bits and pieces and it seems that some women’s insulin needs decrease for a while. My consultant warned me that it would be harder to handle as pregnancy progresses but we’ve only ever discussed going too high. I never considered that I would start going so low.
 
It’s not uncommon for the ratios of insulin to be different for different meals so I would definitely look at reducing your insulin for your evening meal and doing a glucose test before bed so you can have a snack if you need it.

Having your testing kit and some hypo treatment by the bed is a good idea. As is making sure your other half if they’re present knows what to do. You can get glucose tabs or dextrose tabs from pharmacies or most big supermarkets or having fruit juice or sugary drinks available. If you’re having sweets or the glucose tabs drink with them as it helps disperse the glucose faster into your system.
It would be useful to have a glucogen kit and some glucose gel too if there’s someone who can treat you if you’re unable to treat yourself.

Hopefully you won’t go as low again. Well done for taking today off, you’ll need the rest.
 
My testing kit travels everywhere with me and lives by my bed at night. Good job too after last night. My husband is going to look at getting some glucose tablets today while he is at work as they may be a better option to sweets. Also we will get some fruit juices etc in.

I’m still waiting for a call back from my diabetic midwife to see what she suggests. I am very well looked after and it may be that when I see the consultant next Friday they put some of the extra measures you have suggested in place. Fingers crossed! I don’t want to experience another hypo like that again.
 
I was always told not to worry about hypos impacting baby that it’s probably baby causing it. Jemima just drained me the whole time ha!

The issue is what happens to you when you have a hypo, so treatments everywhere so you don’t have to rush anywhere like the stairs.

Hopefully you’ve not had any more and won’t.

Take care x
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top