What are your hypo symptoms?

[louloulou]

I had an interesting chat today with a fellow diabolical and was struck that our hypo signals were very different, now I’m curious about what other folk experience.

So for me there’s quite a nice little package of signs:
1. Below 4 but above 3 - unusual warmth, I’m a cold soul so it’s unusual for me to feel warm
2. Below 3 or rapid descent - stomach cramps, quite painful and unpleasant, followed by hypo legs or a complete loss of coordination, and much clearer vision.
3. Below 2 - giddiness, and babble/mixed up words and fainting

My fellow chatter has none of these, he gets a headache and a powerful hunger, so he tends to overcorrect and eat too much. I have only ever felt hungry once, I tend to feel sick and don’t want to eat so over correcting isn’t an issue. I’d always just sort of assumed that the signs were much the same for other people so now I’m intrigued. He was quite surprised that I can tell what level I am by the type of symptom I’m getting. What signs do others get? Are they as structured as mine?

My Symptoms are anxiety... trembly feeling confused and go really hot and cant seem to do a single easy task and really bad head and feel like going to faint Lou

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

I restored hypo awareness by religiously correcting to a min of 6mM rather than some lower molarity and the 6mM lower target has really helped reduce the hypo freq and restore awareness, more or less.

Aiming for a higher number is the thing consultants always tell me to do ... trouble is, even with a half unit pen I'm aiming for 5-8 and getting about 1.5-15, so if I aimed any higher I'd be getting readings in the high teens and twenties. I need smaller fractions of a unit - ie a pump!

 

[missclb]

It's really interesting reading everyone's symptoms, great thread

I feel like i've grown very sensitive to any 'changes' in my body since being diabetic, and I think I react to the very early ones. For general, slow dips below where I should be, I get a mild feeling like i'm shaking or vibrating internally and sometimes a tingling in my mouth which is a relatively new thing. These hypos are easy to fix with a glucose tablet. I have woken in the night a few times, presumably because of either a faster or lower drop and the feelings are similar but stronger, plus a sweat. I love that my brain knows to wake me up and hope that never changes. But sometimes it take a minute or two to catch up with my brain, and I often have this really stupid thing when my mind is literally trying to find a delete button or hit command z to undo the problem (yes – I work long days on my computer!!). Really bad hypos bring on the insatiable hunger (and it's hard to reign in the correction) the sweats get intense and don't stop, but all faculties stay in working order. Or at least they have thus far. I've only ever been mildly confused, but still able to communicate, albeit a bit slower.

 

[daducky88]

Fall over and break bones, so far 4 times this year, honest ask @eggyg.

That's not so good :-/
I fell over onto my face into rockery once, tripped over my feet. Embarrassing diagonal graze across the face.
I mentioned in passing a past event anecdote to diab nurse and of course she scribbled it down even through it'd happened 4 years agp.
The NHS big brotherism may result in patients not asking for better care, because there are consequences in asking for it/ not asking for it if emergency care is involved.

 

[daducky88]

Aiming for a higher number is the thing consultants always tell me to do ... trouble is, even with a half unit pen I'm aiming for 5-8 and getting about 1.5-15, so if I aimed any higher I'd be getting readings in the high teens and twenties. I need smaller fractions of a unit - ie a pump!

Or U60 rather than U100 insulin, if such exists anymore?

 

[daducky88]

Jelly babies. They are a favourite hypo treatment for many people, I can’t have any in the house as I would scoff them.

I like fruit pastillies.
I have the same problem with having an unfunished packet lurking within reach. He he. Naughty.

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

Or U60 rather than U100 insulin, if such exists anymore?

I don't know - I've never heard of U60!
I suspect I would have been offered it if it does exist and might help with my hypos though, they have suggested everything else!

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

It's really interesting to read about - thanks @daducky88 for the explanation - but I think in any case given 1) my severe brain fog, 2) my alcohol allergy, and 3) my needle phobia, I wouldn't be able to do something like mixing my own, even if it were recommended by consultants!

 

[daducky88]

It's really interesting to read about - thanks @daducky88 for the explanation - but I think in any case given 1) my severe brain fog, 2) my alcohol allergy, and 3) my needle phobia, I wouldn't be able to do something like mixing my own, even if it were recommended by consultants!

Sorry Juliet for my tardy reply. I've really gotta work how get the content of messages automatically to email inbox ':-o

Its certainly worth in a pharmacy.
I think its worth knowing the options. And practice on a peach until ones ready to swap one daylight injection for a mix.
Remember
0.5ml U100 +0.5ml U200
=1ml U60. 🙂 Yay

 

[daducky88]

Sorry Juliet for my tardy reply. I've really gotta work how get the content of messages automatically to email inbox ':-o

Its certainly worth in a pharmacy.
I think its worth knowing the options. And practice on a peach until ones ready to swap one daylight injection for a mix.
Remember
0.5ml U100 +0.5ml U200
=1ml U60. 🙂 Yay

PS the alcohol in insulin i believe is actually phenol, a benzoyl alcohol. But can you not use insulin being allergic? Are you a T2D?

 

[freesia]

I've noticed i get warm, trembly (like i'm shaking inside) and hungry. If it drops lower i struggle to speak as i can't think of the words i want to say so leave huge gaps in my speech. Once, my tongue felt tingly and too big for my mouth, when i tested it had dropped (suddenly) to 1.8!!! Thankfully that has only been once. Its interesting to read how we are all different but similar in awareness.

 

[KARNAK]

Got fed up with phoning an ambulance although its got my name on the number plates.

Just phone the local undertaker now.

 

[trophywench]

Got fed up with phoning an ambulance although its got my name on the number plates.

Just phone the local undertaker now.

Well you can have a decent lie down at least …...

 

[daducky88]

Got fed up with phoning an ambulance although its got my name on the number plates.

Just phone the local undertaker now.

Its one to get a stable blood sugar.
Otherwise we'll muck out horses, prprrrr

 

[daducky88]

I've noticed i get warm, trembly (like i'm shaking inside) and hungry. If it drops lower i struggle to speak as i can't think of the words i want to say so leave huge gaps in my speech. Once, my tongue felt tingly and too big for my mouth, when i tested it had dropped (suddenly) to 1.8!!! Thankfully that has only been once. Its interesting to read how we are all different but similar in awareness.

I can get the hots too accompanied playdo doll hair winding out sweat. I bought a mattress protector and stick a blanket on top to distance the skin from plastic. Xs probably thought i was an incontinent alcofrolic.

I wonder if its caused by adrenalin release?

 

[KARNAK]

I don`t use a mattress any more just lay on a bed of nails.

Thanks Jenny love you too.🙂