What is classed as a Hypo?

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

stewardsons

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Almost every time i am asked about my diabetes people ask have you had any hypos, to which i reply no.

I probably drop below 4 at least once a day and just top up with something containing sugar but does this count as a hypo or is a hypo when you are so low you are not with it? Some people may disagree with how i control my sugars, for example if i am 10 then i will inject say 2 units of humalog to bring it down to 7-8 etc. so on most days i do more than the 4 injections with meals. my doctor has told me that havign this strict control could lead to more complication when im older which i disagree with.


I have had diabetes for 14 years and test about 6-7 times a day. so have my sugars under very strict control.

what are your opinions on this?
 
so next time anyone asks shall i say "yeah about 3 a day?"

i look forward to the look on their face and the assumption i dont look after myself 😉
 
Hi

Is that the same for a t2 not on medication?
 
Anything below 4 is considered a hypo.

It is less likely, but not impossible for a type 2 to have a hypo.
 
I'm type 2 but hypo often esp at mo 4 hypos in 4 days =(
 
Sounds like your GP has read a report which linked lower HbA1c's to increased mortality in diabetics. I can't remember where I came across it, but I seem to remember it was not the low Hba1c that was problematic, but rather the increased risk of severe hypos. These in themselves are quite dangerous young adult males slipping into coma and death overnight for example (cheery!), but more hypos, even quite low-level also put you at increased risk of accident etc.

I've always been asked the same question, and have never really understood what is meant by it. I believe (though you'd have to check with your team really) that the main concern is over 'severe hypos' - those which you are unable to treat yourself, but needed help from family/friends/paramedics/hospitalisation.

Of course the more low level dips you have, the more at risk you are of losing your warning signs - something your team probably also ask you about... The lower you are, the more often, the more likely your body is to start thinking that's 'normal' and not bother sending warning signals.

Bottom line I think is:
Below 4.0mmol/l is a hypo and needs treating
Below 3.0mmol/l is pretty scary and needs to be avoided if at all possible
Below 2.0mmol/l is really nasty. If you are here with any regularity you need to discuss your insulin levels/ratios etc with your team/DSN and see if you can find out what's going on.

For what it's worth I'm with you on the desire for tight control. And I too will inject more than 4 times on many days. I'm cautious about correction doses though. If I know it's an carb miscalculation then fair enough - but very often I'll find 10 will just be an insulin timing/activity curve thing and I'll drop down to decent levels in a couple of hours. I used to correct more often but have avoided a load of hypos with a slightly more 'wait-and-see' approach in the last 3 months or so.

As ever... your diabetes may vary...
 
smile4loubie said:
I'm type 2 but hypo often esp at mo 4 hypos in 4 days =(
Click to expand...

What medication are you on? Things like gliclizide stimulate the pancreas in to producing more insulin. Think also the hot weather encourages better/more efficient absorption of insulin too.
 
Sorry if I am jumping in on someone elses thread here - but this is a question I have been wondering.

Can you hypo as a type 2 only controlled by diet and exercise.
I ask because myself and my husband had a funny experience the other night. He was having a conversation with me and I was listening to him but wasn't responding - just sort of smirking. I can remember him asking me if I was okay and nodding, but he said I seemed weird. he gave me some granary bread and said I only ate half a sandwich and was back with him. We tested my blood and I was 4.2. I had been to the gym earlier. My fingertips were freezing also. Sorry but we are new to this and I have had a couple of 4.x on testing and just wondered.

Sorry again for pinching the thread.
 
i see what you mean by the wait for it to lower approach but sometimes i test 2 hours after a meal and its 10 then i test an hour later and its 12-13ish. normally i find this if i have a curry in the evening, its fine when i test before bed but then shoots up during the night.

i have never been taught about carb calculations so everything i inject is from my past experience from trial and error.
 
Lucy

Yes quite possible I believe (though rarer than T2s on meds).

It may also be that if your body is more used to higher numbers you get the symptoms of a hypo while still above 4.


Stewardsons

I get delayed spikes like that too. Basmati Rice (often served with curries) is quite low GI and tends to be absorbed more slowly by most people. Which means what you can end up with rice still going through the process of being digested after your Humalog has pretty much finished its activity.

There's an online carb-counting course which you might find interesting:
http://www.bdec-e-learning.com

It sounds like you have quite a lot of success with your own methods, but an idea of the amount of carbs you are having vs the injection you normally have can help you to work out a ratio of grams of carbohydrate vs units of insulin required (often something between 1u:10g and 2u:10g). Once you know your ratio (or ratios - they may be different during the day) a little educated guesswork can help with figuring out doses for different/less usual meals.
 
Last edited:
lucy123 said:
Sorry if I am jumping in on someone elses thread here - but this is a question I have been wondering.

Can you hypo as a type 2 only controlled by diet and exercise.
I ask because myself and my husband had a funny experience the other night. He was having a conversation with me and I was listening to him but wasn't responding - just sort of smirking. I can remember him asking me if I was okay and nodding, but he said I seemed weird. he gave me some granary bread and said I only ate half a sandwich and was back with him. We tested my blood and I was 4.2. I had been to the gym earlier. My fingertips were freezing also. Sorry but we are new to this and I have had a couple of 4.x on testing and just wondered.

Sorry again for pinching the thread.
Click to expand...


It is possible, but less likely. 4.2 is not technically a hypo, but if you have been used to higher numbers and the sugars drop, or if the suagrs drop suddenly but are still within range (between 4 & 7) it can feel like a hypo

Non diabetics sometimes hypo if they go for a long time without eating or if they have been very active.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top