T2: What's regarded as "low"?

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karinagal

karinagal

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Here's the thing... I know that as a T2 on diet/exercise I shouldn't have to worry about hypo's, but can I ask have any T2's had any 'symptoms' when their bg is in the 4.0 - 4.9 range? I ask this because if I've been out walking the dog (usually between 2-3 miles), along with the very noisy rumbling tum that heralds the need to eat, I sometimes feel a bit giddy/unsteady. If I test as soon as I get home, the result is always 4 point something.. the lowest I've registered was 4.2..

Should this be something I'll have to watch out for or is it unlikely that it will cause me any problems? :confused:

Karina
 
Hi Karina, I think it's quite normal to feel as you do if you are running short on energy supplies and ready to eat. I feel like that sometimes and am convinced my levels are really low, then find that they are 5.x and I'm just hungry! Anything above 4.0 is fine, as your brain will not suffer at this level. It may be that your body is used to running at higher levels than this generally, so it thinks it is low if you drop below those levels and sends out little distress signals. You don't need to worry unless it drops below 4 (which is possible even for non-diabetics) - then you need a little fast-acting sugar just to raise it a little - a couple of jelly babies does the trick for me!

It is highly unlikely that you will drop to hypo levels - below 3.5 - which is almost always due to too much insulin, and is something that shouldn't happen if you are D&E controlled only.
 
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Northerner said:
Hi Karina, I think it's quite normal to feel as you do if you are running short on energy supplies and ready to eat. I feel like that sometimes and am convinced my levels are really low, then find that they are 5.x and I'm just hungry! Anything above 4.0 is fine, as your brain will not suffer at this level. It may be that your body is used to running at higher levels than this generally, so it thinks it is low if you drop below those levels and sends out little distress signals. You don't need to worry unless it drops below 4 (which is possible even for non-diabetics) - then you need a little fast-acting sugar just to raise it a little - a couple of jelly babies does the trick for me!
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Thanks Northerner - that makes sense. Maybe I should get into the habit of having a banana or something similar before I go out and see if that helps! :D
 
I'm a non-insulin Type 2 on metformin tablets only and my GP tells me that I don't have anything to worry about. He quite simply says that if I think that I might be low then all I need to do is take a little bit of something to eat.

I drop below the floor of 4 quite often - in fact I tested and found a 3.7 before lunch today. The lowest that I've ever recorded is a 3.4. However, my body tells me nothing - I feel just the same whether I am 3.4 or in double figures. I have no hypo symptoms whatsoever that I am aware of.

Whenever, I'm out of the house I carry small pieces of fruit - e.g. satsumas, apples, pears and bananas - with me and snack on it at regular intervals.

I understand that if your blood glucose levels are dropping quickly from a high level then it is possible to experience false hypo symptoms. Maybe that is what you are experiencing?

Best wishes - John
 
wallycorker said:
I'm a non-insulin Type 2 on metformin tablets only and my GP tells me that I don't have anything to worry about. He quite simply says that if I think that I might be low then all I need to do is take a little bit of something to eat.

I drop below the floor of 4 quite often - in fact I tested and found a 3.7 before lunch today. The lowest that I've ever recorded is a 3.4. However, my body tells me nothing - I feel just the same whether I am 3.4 or in double figures. I have no hypo symptoms whatsoever that I am aware of.

Whenever, I'm out of the house I carry small pieces of fruit - e.g. satsumas, apples, pears and bananas - with me and snack on it at regular intervals.

I understand that if your blood glucose levels are dropping quickly from a high level then it is possible to experience false hypo symptoms. Maybe that is what you are experiencing?

Best wishes - John
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Dunno John - but that's given me an idea.. I'll start checking my levels before I go out and as soon as I get back and see if there's any pattern 🙂 Good thinking batman!!

Karina
 
karinagal said:
Dunno John - but that's given me an idea.. I'll start checking my levels before I go out and as soon as I get back and see if there's any pattern 🙂 Good thinking batman!!

Karina
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What I was really referring to wasn't the drop in blood glucose level during your walk. I meant the drop in your overall levels - i.e. have they been high and are now running at lower levels?

By the way, from what I understand, levels over four shouldn't be putting you in any danger whatsoever.

Bets wishes - John
 
The normal range is between 4 and 7, so anything below 4 is considered low. If you have been used to high numbers anything below 5 might feel even lower until your body adjusts to the nomal levels.

You might be feeling hungry because of the physical activity. A snack of some kind or a meal if you are due one will help you stop being hungry. If going for a snack , try for something low carb, although a sweet treat sometimes is OK too.
 
wallycorker said:
What I was really referring to wasn't the drop in blood glucose level during your walk. I meant the drop in your overall levels - i.e. have they been high and are now running at lower levels?

Bets wishes - John
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For the last month or two, I don't believe that my levels have gone above 9.. they would have been higher in November/early December before I got a handle on things but the lightheadedness I've on noticed recently. Right enough, there has usually been at least a 2 hour gap between eating and the exercise.

Today for example, I had 2 weetabix at @ 11am (long lie :D) a banana @ around 1.30 and left for my walk @ 2.30. It was on the final stretch of the walk (got home @ 3.30) that I started feeling a bit giddy. My morning fasting level was 5.4 - didn't test again until 3.30 and it was 4.7..

My highest post prandial level over the past 4 weeks was 9.1...

Karina
 
Non-diabetic people can drop as low as 3.5 (according to my DAFNE course) quite safely (though I bet they feel hungry when they're that low! 😛) As far as I'm aware diabetics are told to stay above four is because if you're using insulin, that's a bit too close to hypo territory!
 
Great numbers those Karina!

I wouldn't be worried about anything at all if I was you.

Best wishes - John
 
Why thank you John, kind of you to say so! I was at my doctors on Wednesday about constant headaches I've been having, and I mentioned that I didn't think that they were blood sugar related and told her my fasting levels etc. She thinks that I may have reversed my insulin sensitivity with the weight loss and the exercise... I guess that would help to explain the improvement in levels?

No ideas about the headaches so far - she has given me paracetamol and ibuprofen to take 3 times a day as a matter of course to see if we can stop the headaches before they start..

Whoop de freaking do...:(

Karina
 
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