Hi, I got some very low BG readings last week but can't see GP until Wednesday. This morning when I got up my fasting level was 4.4. I had a slice of granary bread, toasted with jam. Two hours later when I tested I got 2.8. What should I do when this happens? Should I straight away eat something or wait for the pre lunch reading to see if it's settles down. I've only been on Metformin 500 for two weeks, upped to three a day yesterday. Could it be this that's forcing my levels down?
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Very low BG after breakfast
- Thread starter Emmandelo
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Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I think you should report this back to your doctor as you should not be suffering such low levels as 2.8 - I only get that when I have misjudged my insulin. There is a possibility that this is something called 'reactive hypoglycaemia', where the insulin put out by your pancreas in response to food is too much, causing you to drop lower than normal. I think you should have your medication reviewed as the three tablets may now be too much for you.
Should this happen to you again then do please have something sugary - 150ml of full sugar coke or lucozade, or the equivalent of three jelly babies (15grams of sugar). You need something that will raise your levels quickly so that they are above 4 but don't want to have too much to cause the levels to rise too high (the temptation is always there!). You then need to test 15 minutes later to check that your levels are back above 4, if not then have more sweet stuff. 🙂
Should this happen to you again then do please have something sugary - 150ml of full sugar coke or lucozade, or the equivalent of three jelly babies (15grams of sugar). You need something that will raise your levels quickly so that they are above 4 but don't want to have too much to cause the levels to rise too high (the temptation is always there!). You then need to test 15 minutes later to check that your levels are back above 4, if not then have more sweet stuff. 🙂
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Probably would be better to have something faster-acting than biscuits should it happen again, as they don't digest quite so quickly. That is quite a run of low results though, I hope your doctor can advise you on adjusting your meds to avoid it in future. Basically, it's excellent to have levels in the 4s, but not if you also dip below 4. How did you feel when you had the 2.8 - any symptoms like sweating, shaking? My eyesight goes funny! There's a danger that if your levels are too low for too long then you don't pick up the symptoms until you are at an increasingly lower level (known as hypo-unawareness).
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
As ever with diabetes, symptoms differ from person to person - as long as you feel something out of the ordinary and it's enough to prompt you to test and take action then you will be OK. Some people find that they begin acting/thinking/talking irrationally - to the extent that they know they need to test and eat something but keep putting it off thinking they have more important things to finish doing first! (I know this as I have done it myself!).
mcdonagh47
Banned
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
metformin doesn't cause hypos ( except in incredibly rare cases). And it is a slow build-up thing, so switching to 1500 from 500 is unlikely to cause a steep drop on the day after the switch.
More likely Reactive Hypoglycemia or some Liver problem. Are you sure you didn't eat anything else apart from the toast? And what were you doing in the time between the toast and the two hour test - how active were you?
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