Wow -what's happening?

[Northerner]

I'm having a hypo, that's what! Most unexpected! It's as though my lantus has gone straight into my bloodstream. I had my evening meal nearly 5 hours ago, tested around an hour ago and level was 5.4. I injected the lantus then ate a slice of seeded bread and peanut butter to see me through the night. Just sat at the computer and started getting ALL the symptoms -eyesight, shaky, sweating - so tested and I'm 3.1. Must be the lantus as my novorapid must be well finished by now!

I've stuffed my face with jelly babies but still feel pretty woozy!

 

[Hazel]

please stay online so that I know you are OK.

the lowest Im ever went awas 2.7 and felt like mince, so I know how you are feeling.

please stay on line - even send me a PM

stay well
Hazel

 

[Einstein]

Hi Northerner,

You in training for your big night out??

You've not left your Lantus anywhere that heat could have affected it have you?

I still find it strange how the body can just throw a spanner in the works for no reason when you haven't done anything wrong or different.

I use Novarapid and Levemir, the pens are identical only the cartridges are either green or orange - now at 07.00 in the morning, no specs on and a tad wobbly - I picked up the Novarapid and rather than three units for my porridge (yes that again!) I dialed up 34 units and injected, then picked up the Levemir pen and thought 'oh bugger, now I'm in the brown stuff' sure enough I think it was a whole loaf of toast later and a packet of test strips I managed to get myself off the floor.

My partners kids still laugh at the idea I toasted and ate a whole loaf, the dogs weren't to impressed they didn't see a crust! After that we always keep the fridge and cupboards better stocked!

Oh, it took a long time before I wanted to see another slice of toast

Hope you're feeling ok soon and things return to normal.

 

[Northerner]

please stay online so that I know you are OK.

the lowest Im ever went awas 2.7 and felt like mince, so I know how you are feeling.

please stay on line - even send me a PM

stay well
Hazel

Thanks Hazel - I'm ok, just tested again and I'm 4.7. I think I'll stay up a little longer to make sure I don't dip again when the jelly babies wear off! That peanut butter ought to be working by now - 90 minutes since I ate it!

Thanks for your concern, and sorry if I alarmed you.

 

[Northerner]

Hi Northerner,

You in training for your big night out??

You've not left your Lantus anywhere that heat could have affected it have you?

I still find it strange how the body can just throw a spanner in the works for no reason when you haven't done anything wrong or different.

I use Novarapid and Levemir, the pens are identical only the cartridges are either green or orange - now at 07.00 in the morning, no specs on and a tad wobbly - I picked up the Novarapid and rather than three units for my porridge (yes that again!) I dialed up 34 units and injected, then picked up the Levemir pen and thought 'oh bugger, now I'm in the brown stuff' sure enough I think it was a whole loaf of toast later and a packet of test strips I managed to get myself off the floor.

My partners kids still laugh at the idea I toasted and ate a whole loaf, the dogs weren't to impressed they didn't see a crust! After that we always keep the fridge and cupboards better stocked!

Oh, it took a long time before I wanted to see another slice of toast

Hope you're feeling ok soon and things return to normal.

Thanks - my first thought was 'have I injected the wrong stuff?' but I have completely different pens and I know I've used the right one. I've had this once before when I woke with a hypo about 2 hours after injecting - but this was more like half and hour, very strange! Think I might go and watch some telly for a bit...

 

[Hazel]

Thanks for the update

Because I live alone, I worry about hypos, although with BG readings as high as mine have been, there is little chance.

Although, since starting insulin jabs just over 2 weeks ago, my readings have come down from the 20s, to an average 11/12, not great, but a huge improvement.

Glad you are feeling better

goodnight
Hazel

 

[Caroline]

Hope you are over your hypo now and had a good night. You're not going down with something are you? Hope not.

 

[Northerner]

Hope you are over your hypo now and had a good night. You're not going down with something are you? Hope not.

Thanks. I had a very restless night, and this morning I feel like I've been trampled all over by a herd of tiny sugar voles in hobnail boots. I think they may also have had a kicking contest in my head My level was 5.9 on waking, normally around 4.5.

It was very strange, and something I've not experienced before. I mean, I've had lots of hypos, but they normally come on fairly slowly and there's an obvious reason for it, like not adjusting the insulin quite right for activity levels, or maybe injecting a bit too much for the food I've eaten. But this one came on so fast and there was no real explanation for it - my novorapid had been all used up and I'd eaten a snack about half an hour previously.

The only explanation could be that it was the lantus. Perhaps, when I was injecting, I hit an anomaly in the space-time continuum, causing the space occupied by the lantus to accelerate through 24 hours in 30 minutes of our time. I bet there were tachyons involved too...

 

[Einstein]

And in English please Northerner?

Could you draw a picture of these 'tiny sugar voles' modelling their hobnail boots and a picture of the damage inflicted on you would be fun, hmmm educational to see too!

Good to know you're still with us and your way with words hasn't been impaired.

 

[tracey w]

Hi Northerner,

You in training for your big night out??

You've not left your Lantus anywhere that heat could have affected it have you?

I still find it strange how the body can just throw a spanner in the works for no reason when you haven't done anything wrong or different.

I use Novarapid and Levemir, the pens are identical only the cartridges are either green or orange - now at 07.00 in the morning, no specs on and a tad wobbly - I picked up the Novarapid and rather than three units for my porridge (yes that again!) I dialed up 34 units and injected, then picked up the Levemir pen and thought 'oh bugger, now I'm in the brown stuff' sure enough I think it was a whole loaf of toast later and a packet of test strips I managed to get myself off the floor.

My partners kids still laugh at the idea I toasted and ate a whole loaf, the dogs weren't to impressed they didn't see a crust! After that we always keep the fridge and cupboards better stocked!

Oh, it took a long time before I wanted to see another slice of toast

Hope you're feeling ok soon and things return to normal.

thats a very scary thing that you did! I bet you wont be doing that again. I only take basal at night so keep that pen by my bed, if i didint im sure i would get mixed up easily! I have two luxura pens but made sure they were different colours, (even though the pharmacist wasnt too happy as she had the champagne colour and I had that already, she had to order the other colour in, tuff).

 

[tracey w]

I'm having a hypo, that's what! Most unexpected! It's as though my lantus has gone straight into my bloodstream. I had my evening meal nearly 5 hours ago, tested around an hour ago and level was 5.4. I injected the lantus then ate a slice of seeded bread and peanut butter to see me through the night. Just sat at the computer and started getting ALL the symptoms -eyesight, shaky, sweating - so tested and I'm 3.1. Must be the lantus as my novorapid must be well finished by now!

I've stuffed my face with jelly babies but still feel pretty woozy!

Hope you are feeling better this morning! I was 1.9 once and felt fine......until i saw the number on my machine, then yowser it all kicked in!

 

[Northerner]

Hope you are feeling better this morning! I was 1.9 once and felt fine......until i saw the number on my machine, then yowser it all kicked in!

My lowest was 1.7, plus I've had a 1.9. Funnily enough, the hypo last night felt a lot lower than the 3.1 it was measured at - usually anything above 3 I hardly notice and was worrying that I was losing my hypo awareness - but obviously not!

 

[tracey w]

My lowest was 1.7, plus I've had a 1.9. Funnily enough, the hypo last night felt a lot lower than the 3.1 it was measured at - usually anything above 3 I hardly notice and was worrying that I was losing my hypo awareness - but obviously not!

I know its all so strange?

 

[kojack]

Hi Alan

Pleased you sorted it out. Trying to explain a hypo to a non diabetic is impossible.
I think I would be doing more frequent monitoring for a few days.
Mine was regularly dropping around 3 late morning so I now have a couple of digestive biccies at about 10:30. My gliclazide was reduced to 40mg after my last clinic visit.

I tend to worry about overnight hypos and still like to have a bs of between 6.5 and 9 before I slumber. May be daft, but we all have our own ideas.

 

[Copepod]

It is possible to explain the feeling of hypoglycaemia to people who don't have diabetes, but compete in endurance events eg marathons, adventure races - in marathon circles, the feeling is known as "hitting the wall" or just "the wall" - and is relieved by taking on glucose and often water as well, often as a combined electolyte drink.

 

[Northerner]

It is possible to explain the feeling of hypoglycaemia to people who don't have diabetes, but compete in endurance events eg marathons, adventure races - in marathon circles, the feeling is known as "hitting the wall" or just "the wall" - and is relieved by taking on glucose and often water as well, often as a combined electolyte drink.

I'm not sure about that Copepod. As someone who has had both hypos and hit several walls, I'd say that the sensations are entirely different. For me, hitting the wall is a feeling of complete and utter physical exhaustion, but with mental faculties fully intact - indeed, it is the mental control that gets you through that wall. Hypos (for me!), on the other hand are more to do with loss of co-ordination, but not strength, and the onset of losing control mentally and that feels inescapable i.e. not something you can just 'think' your way past with sufficient determination. Agree that the treatment is similar, although it is possible to get through the wall without sugary drinks - the wall is when the body transitions from using carbs and glycogen as its main source of energy to using fat and protein - effectively, ketosis. The better trained you are, the easier this transition is, or the later its onset, which is why top runners don't really suffer from it.

A hypo feels most like my first experience with cannabis, many, many years ago (when it was ...erm...legal! ). Or maybe like sometimes when those 10 shots of vodka suddenly hit home when you step out of the warm pub on a cold evening.

 

[kojack]

It is possible to explain the feeling of hypoglycaemia to people who don't have diabetes, but compete in endurance events eg marathons, adventure races - in marathon circles, the feeling is known as "hitting the wall" or just "the wall" - and is relieved by taking on glucose and often water as well, often as a combined electolyte drink.

As an ex 400m (440yd) runner, the 'white out' as we called it, wasn't the same as the feelings I get when I am approaching a hypo.
The method of recovery, however, was the same.

 

[Steff]

how are u feeling 2day northener

 

[Copepod]

Hitting wall / White Out

The feelings might not be identical, but it's a starting point for explaining hypoglycaemia to runners. I suspect that during a 400m / 440 yard race the "white out" feeling is actually a change from anaerobic to aerobic exercise. I know that I suffered periods of hypoglycaemia (often accompanied by mild hypothermia) as a very skinny teenager, long before diabetes. In particular, the recovery sensation is very similar.

 

[Northerner]

Hi Alan

Pleased you sorted it out. Trying to explain a hypo to a non diabetic is impossible.
I think I would be doing more frequent monitoring for a few days.
Mine was regularly dropping around 3 late morning so I now have a couple of digestive biccies at about 10:30. My gliclazide was reduced to 40mg after my last clinic visit.

I tend to worry about overnight hypos and still like to have a bs of between 6.5 and 9 before I slumber. May be daft, but we all have our own ideas.

Thanks John. The thing that bothered me most was that it shouldn't have happened. Like you, I always have something to eat if my level is below around 7 at night. If I hadn't had that peanut butter sarnie last night goodness knows what I would have fallen to, I was dropping so fast!

Things seem to be ok so far today, touch wood.