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Why do we sweat when hypo

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

Laura davies

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I've found it hard to settle tonight hence typing this at 2am! I tested at 12.40am before bed and was 8.1 then within an hour hot and bothered and now 3.1😡 and sweaty! I thought it was the heat but no it was hypo time just ate a chocolate digestive and a fairy cake! Couldn't face chalky dextrose or sweet lucozade! I sound like a rebel!!! Im dead beat tired but going to stay awake to re test is it too early for dawn phenomenon?
 
Im going to have a few sips of lucozade and go to bed i can't believe im typing this! Im aware of how i feel my heart feels like its beating in my throat, i feel clammy and dizzy but very aware that i have to get my sugars up i would rather go to bed with a high reading i really would or am i missing the plot! Sorry feel pants right now an proba Bly rambling! God i feel so stupid and hungry i could eat a horse
 
Laura, it sounds like you were having another hypo, did you test before going to bed? Sweating is a symptom of hypo, but very difficult to know when it is so hot. When your blood sugars drop low your brain goes into panic mode and releases stress hormones, and at the same time switching off any insulin production. These are supposed to prompt your liver to release extra glucose to give you a boost of energy to face whatever the problem is, but because we can't 'switch off' the insulin we have injected this doesn't happen for us and levels continue to fall and our hypo symptoms get worse e.g. fast-beating heart, shaking, clamminess, woozy head - so it must be treated with sugar quickly to counteract the insulin. The hypo is also why you feel so hungry!

I do hope you are OK. You will probably have a bit of a headache from the hypo. It sounds like you may have too much basal insulin during this hot weather and it needs reducing - talk to your DSN as soon as possible for advice.
 
Northerner eloquently explained what happens, so I won't add to that. But I will say it's perfectly normal, when you are low in the middle of the night, to not care if you wake up high just to get out of the hypo. I hypo regularly (used to be daily, now it's weekly, though more in this weather) and even though it's so common for me, whenever I do go low I still want to eat everything.

The other day I went low in a supermaket. The only reason my husband knew was because I picked up a jam donut (i really dislike jam donuts), 5 chocolate bars and a bottle of fanta. I didn't know I was low, I just knew I was hungry and craving sweet things.

Your brain doesn't work properly when you are hypo. You don't think straight. So it's normal. 🙂
 
Hi northerner i did test before going to bed i was 5.4 and yes I woke up with a earache and was 3.1 i feel like I want to take my eyes out and put them in a bowl of water to wake up lol.

Thank you for explaining Alan you are so knowledgeable

I have appt with consultant on Tuesday 29 July i will discuss it then. Gosh I am going through so any testing strips in this weather! Im going to ask can i have a smart metre Trophywench suggested it as i count carbs and take insulin to match that. I've eye balled a lot of food lately to guess the carb and that of course isn't ideal. The hunger is so intense when you hypo
 
Dear Amberzak im so glad you don't get hypos everyday like you used to

The hunger is so incredible isn't it. I love jam donuts goodness me if i was in supermarket going hypo i would probably eat the whole pack
 
I have the accucheck aviva expert sugar tester. It's amazing. One of the things I've learnt from it is that sometimes when you have a high reading, you don't inject. If you put in everything into the machine - carbs, illness, excercise, it knows how much insulin you still have in your body. What I used to do was inject whenever I saw a high reading. Sometimes it just takes some time for the insulin to work, and I then had too mich and was going hypo.

I'm also now able to prevent a hypo before it comes because I test, see I'm on say 5, but that I still have 3 units of insulin, or whatever. Mind you, I do check between 8-10 times a day, sometimes more.

What I'm saying is I highly recommend a smart tester.

And a few months ago I was doing the same thing as you, guessing what the carb is of food. I eat pretty much the same things, so now I don't need to measure it all because I'm getting used to it. I just downloaded the app diabetik, where I put in food I've eaten and the carbs, and it remembers what the carbs was of a particular food. Saves so much time
 
So pleased you are OK, but concerned you still woke on a 3.1 😱 I would suggest either calling your DSN today to ask about your basal insulin or go to bed on a higher level in case your levels fall again. When I was diagnosed I used to get a few night hypos because my lantus dose was too high. In order to stay safer though the night I would eat something that would digest slowly and keep my levels up through the night - a favourite was a slive of peanut butter on seeded bread. Eventually I learned how to reduce my lantus so no longer needed the snacks.

Tonight, although I know it's a pain, set your alarm for 2 or 3am to test and see what your levels are (if you've gone to bed before then, of course! 😉)
 
p.s. Don't be concerned about the number of strips you are using - if you need to test, then test, it's far cheaper than the alternatives for the NHS if you drop too low and need help!
 
Dear Alan yes i will call the DSN thank you for your wonderful advice, you really give people like me a boost in confidence. I've been eating the burgen bread and will get some peanut butter thats a good suggestion. A silly question because i woke with 3.1 and hungry i ate 1 slice of burgen with scraping of strawberry jam and 30g of oat flakes with a splash of milk i only took 2 units of fast acting i don't carb count after i hypo it seems the last thing on my mind! Am I doing wrong? I will keep stripping (test) away lol
 
Sounds fine to me Laura 🙂 When you are having repeated lows like you just have over the past few hours it's a good idea to be cautious with your insulin for food afterwards until you get to the bottom of why you were low. A few higher than normal readings won't do any damage but will make you feel safer until you have discussed the problem with the DSN or consultant 🙂
 
Thank you Alan. I've left a voicemail for DSN and im going to set alarm to test for 3am

Yes I feel safer being a little higher going to bed.
 
I've been hypoing overnight lately too. My endocrinologist wants to see that I've upped all my doses when I see her on Aug 5th, but it's glaringly obvious that my Lantus dose needs to be lower! I've even started injecting in my legs again - urgh! - to see if that'll slow the Lantus down a bit.

I think I'll take your advice, Northener, and try a low GI bedtime snack (any excuse to eat peanut butter :D). Are oatcakes low GI too?

Good luck sorting your problem out, Laura.🙂
 
Bloden said:
I've been hypoing overnight lately too. My endocrinologist wants to see that I've upped all my doses when I see her on Aug 5th, but it's glaringly obvious that my Lantus dose needs to be lower! I've even started injecting in my legs again - urgh! - to see if that'll slow the Lantus down a bit.

I think I'll take your advice, Northener, and try a low GI bedtime snack (any excuse to eat peanut butter :D). Are oatcakes low GI too?

Good luck sorting your problem out, Laura.🙂
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Overnight hypos must be sorted out in my opinion - you have to be able to feel safe at night, and usually at that time the only insulin that is active is the basal, so it makes sense to look at the dosage level of that. I can't think of any reason you would increase it! 😱

Most oatcakes are fairly low GI I think, the point about having the peanut butter is that it adds fat which then slows the digestion further 🙂
 
Ooooh. Thanks for that. 🙂

How does your enormous, info-packed brain fit into your normal-size skull?!😛🙄
 
Glad to see you're Ok Laura, I read your post this morning and was worried about you. I can vouch for oat biscuits and peanut butter as a good bedtime snack!
 
KookyCat said:
Glad to see you're Ok Laura, I read your post this morning and was worried about you. I can vouch for oat biscuits and peanut butter as a good bedtime snack!
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Fab! Supermarket here I come.😛
 
Thanks Bloden we will both be on the peanut butter tonight lol. I can cope with what life has thrown at me, but i do get anxious going to bed on the low side that doesn't help then the anxiety.
 
Hey kookycat im doing good now, have a spurt of energy so going to catch up on some much needed chores! This includes supermarket shop for peanut butter . Hope you are well.
 
Laura davies said:
Hey kookycat im doing good now, have a spurt of energy so going to catch up on some much needed chores! This includes supermarket shop for peanut butter ����. Hope you are well.
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Excellent, I'm a night time hypo gal myself so I feel your pain! Cashew nut butter is another favourite supper snack, yummy and good for you too :D
 
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