Diabetes: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar From Insulin
Introduction Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) occurs in people with diabetes when the sugar (glucose) level in the blood drops below what the body needs to function normally. If your blood sugar drops below 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) , you may have symptoms, such as feeling tired, weak, or shaky. If your blood sugar drops very low (usually below 20 mg/dL) and you do not get help, you could become confused or drowsy or even lose consciousness and possibly die. If you are pregnant, your baby could be harmed. Low blood sugar can develop if you take too much insulin, do not eat enough food or skip meals, exercise without eating enough, or drink too much alcohol (especially on an empty stomach). You can usually treat mild-and sometimes moderate-low blood sugar by eating something that contains sugar. You should teach your friends and coworkers what to do if your blood sugar is very low. How to deal with low blood sugar emergencies Here are some ways you can manage low blood sugar. Always be prepared for the possibility of having a low blood sugar level. Keep some quick-sugar foods with you at all times. If you are at home, you will probably already have something close at hand that contains sugar, such as table sugar or fruit juice. Carry some hard candy or glucose tablets with you when you are away from home. Quick-sugar foods are foods you need to eat to raise your blood sugar. Know the symptoms of low blood sugar, such as sweating, blurred vision, and confusion. Post a list of the symptoms where you will see it often, and carry a copy in your wallet or purse. Add any symptoms you have noticed that may not be on the list. Be sure that your partner (and others) knows your early symptoms, including the signs of low blood sugar at night. Wear medical identification. Al Continue reading >>
Low Blood Sugar (hypoglycemia)
Low blood sugar, which is called hypoglycemia, means your body does not have enough sugar in the blood to fuel all of your body’s cells. Typically a low blood sugar is defined as anything below 70 mg/dL (3.8 mmol). It is also sometimes called an “insulin reaction” or “insulin shock”. When your blood sugars drops below this level, you may begin to feel a variety of symptoms. As your body runs short on fuel, you may feel shaky, nervous, anxious, or irritable. You may begin to sweat or get the chills. Your heart may race. As your brain operates on less sugar, you may feel confused or delirious or get a headache. Each person feels different low blood sugar symptoms. Some don’t feel any symptoms at all, which is called hypoglycemia unawareness. It is important to learn and recognize your own symptoms. Sometimes, you may feel like you have low blood sugar even when you don’t. This can happen when you have had a high blood sugar for a long-time, such as at diagnosis, and your body is first coming back into the normal range. Although it may feel unpleasant, these symptoms will go away in a week or two and you will feel better than you did when you had high blood sugars all of the time. You may also feel symptoms of low blood sugar when your blood sugar is dropping rapidly. Your body is sensing the rapid loss of sugar for fuel and sending you warning signals. Don’t guess whether or not you have a low blood sugar. It is important to use your blood glucose meter to check your blood sugar and confirm before treating it. Studies have shown people are not good at guessing their blood sugars (but often think that they are). According to the American Diabetes Association, if you feel symptoms of low blood sugar and are unable to test your blood sugar, err on the side of Continue reading >>
Nondiabetic Hypoglycemia
What is non-diabetic hypoglycemia? Hypoglycemia is the condition when your blood glucose (sugar) levels are too low. It happens to people with diabetes when they have a mismatch of medicine, food, and/or exercise. Non-diabetic hypoglycemia, a rare condition, is low blood glucose in people who do not have diabetes. There are two kinds of non-diabetic hypoglycemia: Reactive hypoglycemia, which happens within a few hours of eating a meal Fasting hypoglycemia, which may be related to a disease Glucose is the main source of energy for your body and brain. It comes from what we eat and drink. Insulin, a hormone, helps keep blood glucose at normal levels so your body can work properly. Insulin’s job is to help glucose enter your cells where it’s used for energy. If your glucose level is too low, you might not feel well. What causes non-diabetic hypoglycemia? The two kinds of non-diabetic hypoglycemia have different causes. Researchers are still studying the causes of reactive hypoglycemia. They know, however, that it comes from having too much insulin in the blood, leading to low blood glucose levels. Types of nondiabetic hypoglycemia Reactive hypoglycemia Having pre-diabetes or being at risk for diabetes, which can lead to trouble making the right amount of insulin Stomach surgery, which can make food pass too quickly into your small intestine Rare enzyme deficiencies that make it hard for your body to break down food Fasting hypoglycemia Medicines, such as salicylates (such as aspirin), sulfa drugs (an antibiotic), pentamidine (to treat a serious kind of pneumonia), quinine (to treat malaria) Alcohol, especially with binge drinking Serious illnesses, such as those affecting the liver, heart, or kidneys Low levels of certain hormones, such as cortisol, growth hormone, glu Continue reading >>
6 Ways To Prevent Low Blood Sugar At Night
Nighttime dips in blood sugar levels are common among people with diabetes. Authors of a study published in June 2013 in Quality of Life Research noted that people with diabetes — type 1 or type 2 — experience low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) during sleep more frequently than many doctors realize. Nighttime hypoglycemia can be caused by a number of different factors, from exercising too close to bedtime to drinking alcohol in the evening. If untreated, low overnight blood sugar levels can lead to headaches and loss of sleep — and in extreme cases, seizures or even death. The good news is that preventing low blood sugar while you sleep can be achieved with a few simple steps: 1. Check Your Blood Sugar Before Bed “For everybody with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, it’s absolutely critical that they check their blood sugar before going to bed to make sure they’re not going to have an episode of low blood sugar during the night,” says Helena W. Rodbard, MD, medical director of Endocrine and Metabolic Consultants, a private practice in Rockville, Maryland, and past president of the American College of Endocrinology. If your blood sugar levels are low at bedtime, eat a healthy snack before going to sleep. The size of the snack should be in proportion to the dip in blood sugar. For instance, a small drop in blood sugar requires only a small snack. If you use an insulin pump, consider temporarily reducing the active dose of insulin. 2. Know the Signs of Low Overnight Blood Sugar Symptoms of hypoglycemia usually develop when blood sugar levels drop below 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl). They include shakiness, sweating, confusion, erratic behavior, headache, and lightheadedness. With nighttime hypoglycemia, you may wake up with these symptoms or with a higher blood su Continue reading >>
Low Blood Sugar (hypoglycaemia)
A low blood sugar, also called hypoglycaemia or a "hypo", is where the level of sugar (glucose) in your blood drops too low. It mainly affects people with diabetes, especially if you take insulin. A low blood sugar can be dangerous if it's not treated promptly, but you can usually treat it easily yourself. Symptoms of low blood sugar A low blood sugar causes different symptoms for everybody. You'll learn how it makes you feel if you keep getting it, although your symptoms may change over time. Early signs of a low blood sugar include: feeling hungry sweating tingling lips feeling shaky or trembling feeling tired becoming easily irritated, tearful, stroppy or moody turning pale If not treated, you may then get other symptoms, such as: weakness blurred vision difficulty concentrating unusual behaviour, slurred speech or clumsiness (like being drunk) feeling sleepy seizures (fits) collapsing or passing out Hypos can also occur while sleeping, which may wake you up during the night or cause headaches, tiredness or damp sheets (from sweat) in the morning. If you have a device to check your blood sugar level, a reading of less than 4mmol/L is too low and should be treated. Treatment for low blood sugar Treating a low blood sugar yourself Follow these steps if your blood sugar is less than 4mmol/L or you have hypo symptoms: Have a sugary drink or snack – try something like a small glass of non-diet fizzy drink or fruit juice, a small handful of sweets, or four or five dextrose tablets. Test your blood sugar after 10-15 minutes – if it's 4mmol or above and you feel better, move on to step 3. If it's still below 4mmol, treat again with a sugary drink or snack and take another reading in 10-15 minutes. Eat your main meal (containing carbohydrate) if you're about to have it or Continue reading >>
Can You Have Hypoglycemia Without Diabetes?
A low blood sugar episode is frightening enough for most people to wonder if they can have hypoglycemia without diabetes. The short answer to that question is “yes”. Low blood sugar episodes can happen to anyone. But certain types of low blood sugar episodes may indicate that you do have diabetes or another significant medical condition. Hypoglycemia Symptoms Hypoglycemia is a condition where blood sugar levelsdrop below normal. During the day, a healthy person’s blood sugar fluctuates slightly depending on when their last period of exercise or last meal was. When your blood sugar dips slightly you may feel hungry, grouchy, nauseous, or even nervous. Hypoglycemia is a more severe drop in blood pressure. Medically, hypoglycemia is defined as a drop in blood sugar below 70. When your blood sugar levels drop this far, you may feel shaky, sweaty or unsteady on your feet. Your vision may blur and your heart may race. If your blood sugar dips low enough, you may pass out or have a seizure — even if you have low blood sugar without diabetes. Hypoglycemia without Diabetes Low blood sugar dips — even those low enough to be defined as hypoglycemia — can happen to normal healthy people who do not have diabetes. These low dips in blood sugar are called reactive hypoglycemia. The symptoms are the same, but the cause is more easily identifiable and in reaction to a state of being. Meal skipping is a common cause for hypoglycemia without diabetes. As your body burns its sugar reserves, they continue to get lower if you don’t refuel with a meal or a snack. Go without eating for long enough, and your blood sugar will get low enough to cause a hypoglycemic episode. Vigorous exercise — especially on an empty stomach — is another way to burn through your blood sugar reser Continue reading >>
The Dangers Of Skipping Meals When You Have Diabetes
It's tempting -- and even sounds logical -- to skip meals: You're busy, you're not hungry, you're trying to lose weight, or your blood sugar is too high. Skipping meals, however, may actually increase your blood sugar and cause you to gain weight. Here are seven rewards of eating regularly scheduled meals when you live with diabetes. Reward 1: Improve fasting blood glucose numbers. During sleep, when you're not eating, the liver sends more glucose into the blood to fuel the body. For many people during the early years of having type 2 diabetes, the liver doesn't realize there is already more than enough glucose present. "Your morning (fasting) blood sugars have much more to do with your liver and hormonal functions than what you ate for dinner last night," says Kathaleen Briggs Early, Ph.D., RD, CDE, assistant professor of biochemistry and nutrition at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in Yakima, Washington Get more information about why your morning blood sugar is high and tips to help control fasting blood sugar. Real-life example: Until recently, if Cheryl Simpson's blood glucose meter flashed a high reading before breakfast, she might delay eating until midafternoon in an attempt to lower that number. Now Cheryl, PWD type 2, won't leave home without eating breakfast. Her blood glucose numbers have improved. "Plus, eating breakfast makes it a whole lot easier to make good food choices later on," she says. Tip: Pack a grab-and-go breakfast with these 13 quick-fix ideas! Reward 2: Stay off the blood sugar roller coaster. Irregular eating can have you "bouncing back and forth between normal blood sugars and high blood sugars," Early says. A meager meal can give you a meager rise in blood sugar. If you take one or more blood glucose-lowering medications tha Continue reading >>
How To Treat Low Blood Sugar: 7 Tricks Every Diabetic Should Know
What causes hypoglycemia? iStock/Erna Vader Taking certain diabetes medications, skipping meals, not consuming enough carbs, and even too much exercise can throw your blood sugar off balance and cause low blood sugar. Insomnia and excessive alcohol consumption have also been linked to low glucose levels. When blood sugar dips to a level that's too low to sustain normal functioning—in most people, that's below 70 mg/dl—it results in a hypo attack with varying symptoms depending on its severity. People who have recurring bouts of low blood sugar may have no warning signs at all, explains Michael Bergman, MD, endocrinologist and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center. This is known as hypoglycemic unawareness; the longer you’ve had diabetes, the more common it is. On the milder end of the low blood sugar spectrum, you may feel hungry, nauseated, jittery, nervous, and have cold and clammy-feeling skin. Many people also describe the feeling that their heart is racing or pounding. Low blood sugar can happen at night, too, causing nightmares and night sweats. Moderate low blood sugar can cause behavioral changes, making you fearful, confused, or angry. It can also trigger blurry vision, slurred speech, and problems with balance and walking. A layperson may even mistake you for being drunk. If left untreated, severe low blood sugar can cause loss of consciousness, seizures, irreversible brain or heart damage, coma, or even death. Here are first aid tips to handle a diabetic emergency. iStock/Geber86 It goes like this: If your blood sugar reading is low (below 70 mg/dl), eat or drink something equal to 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrate (4 ounces of juice). Even if you feel okay, don't wait for the symptoms of hypoglycemia to kick in. Rest for 15 mi Continue reading >>
How To Treat A Low Blood Glucose
A blood glucose of less than 70 mg/dl in general is considered a low blood glucose. Because you may feel some of the symptoms of low blood glucose when your glucose is normal, be sure, if possible, to check your blood glucose when you think it is low. The symptoms of a low blood glucose are: Sweaty and shaky Weak Headache Confused Irritable Hungry Pale Rapid heart rate Uncoordinated If your blood glucose is low, follow the steps below to treat: Follow the 15-15 rule: Eat or drink something from the list below equal to 15 grams of carbohydrate (carb). Rest for 15 minutes, then re-check your blood glucose. If it is still low, (below 70), repeat step 1 above. If your next meal is more than an hour away, you will need to eat one carbohydrate choice as a snack to keep your blood glucose from going low again. If you can't figure out why you have low blood glucose, call your healthcare provider, as your medicine may need to be adjusted. Always carry something with you to treat an insulin reaction. Use food from the list below. Foods equal to One Carbohydrate Choice (15 grams of carb): 3 Glucose tablets or 4 Dextrose tablets 4 ounces of fruit juice 5-6 ounces (about 1/2 can) of regular soda such as Coke or Pepsi 7-8 gummy or regular Life Savers 1 Tbsp. of sugar or jelly Call your doctor Call your doctor or healthcare provider if you have a low blood glucose reaction and do not know what caused it. If you pass out If you have type 1 diabetes and you do not take care of low blood glucose, you may pass out. If you do, a drug called glucagon should be injected into your skin, like you do with insulin. This can be done by a family member or friend who has been taught how to do it. Since glucagon may cause you to vomit, you should be placed on your side when the injection is given. I Continue reading >>
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Hypoglycemia - Much More Than Just Low Blood Sugar
If you are experiencing an afternoon energy crisis – it could be low blood sugar, also medical termed hypoglycemia. Our team of experts dive deeper to discuss the causes and how to fix your low blood sugar to keep you energized all day long! If you are experiencing an afternoon energy crisis – it could be low blood sugar. You know how it goes—it's sometime between 2pm and 3pm, and you start to lose focus on what you are doing, and a nap begins to sound more and more appealing. A little brain fog sets in. May you start staring at the computer screen while your brain is zoning out. Yep—that a clear sign of a slightly lower-than-normal blood sugar. You're not alone, many Americans without diabetes experience "lows" sometime in the afternoon a couple hours after lunch. Mood swings are another sign that your blood sugar might be too low. Most people begin looking for an afternoon pick-me-up of coffee or some cookies, or a dose of nicotine. The medical term for low blood sugar is hypoglycemia. But hypoglycemia that happens because of insulin resistance, or pre-diabetes – is called reactive hypoglycemia. Reactive hypoglycemia is reported most frequently by women aged 25-35 years [Garza]. But men certainly experience this phenomenon as well. What Causes Hypoglycemia? Usually, low blood sugar can occur following a larger dose of simple carbohydrates and sugar. Reactive hypoglycemia is essentially the crash following dessert you feel at night. It can also happen after a ‘bender' night of drinking too much alcohol. If you begin to feel shaky and/or begin sweating, feel week, tired or dizzy the next morning, it's a good indicator that you are experiencing low blood sugar, or reactive hypoglycemia, caused by the interference of alcohol with your body's natural ability to Continue reading >>
Diabetes Safety First! Recognizing And Preventing Low Blood Sugar
Blood glucose (sugar) goes up and down in a small range throughout the day. In people with diabetes, the range can be much wider. It is important to understand the fine balance between treating the high sugars and avoiding the low sugars. If you have diabetes and take certain diabetes drugs or insulin, you may experience low blood sugar (hypoglycemia [hy-po-gly-SEE-me-uh]) from time to time. Hypoglycemia is a blood sugar of less than 70 mg/dL. However, some people have symptoms of low blood sugar even at higher blood sugar levels. This can happen when blood sugar is dropping too quickly or if the person has had very high blood sugars for a long time. Severe hypoglycemia means the person needs someone to treat them, which is a very serious condition! Even mild hypoglycemia symptoms are hard on your body and on your emotions. By learning more about the signs and causes of low blood sugar, you can take steps to keep it from happening again. Frequent low blood sugars are serious because the body becomes less able to show the warning signals of a low blood sugar. The blood sugar can then fall to dangerously low levels. What causes low blood sugar and what are the symptoms? Low blood sugar is usually caused by eating less or later than usual, changing your physical activity or taking a diabetes medicine that is not right for your needs. Even mistakes in dosing can lead to hypoglycemia. For example, you could mistake one insulin for another or forget that you had already taken your diabetes pills! A recent large study showed that the most common causes of hypoglycemia were smaller than usual food intake, delay in eating, or skipping a meal. Common symptoms of low blood sugar are: Feeling dizzy, shaky, or lightheaded Feeling nervous or anxious Having a fast heart beat Sweating Continue reading >>
Diabetes-related High And Low Blood Sugar Levels
Topic Overview When you have diabetes, you may have high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) or low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia) from time to time. A cold, the flu, or other sudden illness can cause high blood sugar levels. You will learn to recognize the symptoms and distinguish between high and low blood sugar levels. Insulin and some types of diabetes medicines can cause low blood sugar levels. Learn how to recognize and manage high and low blood sugar levels to help you avoid levels that can lead to medical emergencies, such as diabetic ketoacidosis or dehydration from high blood sugar levels or loss of consciousness from severe low blood sugar levels. Most high or low blood sugar problems can be managed at home by following your doctor's instructions. You can help avoid blood sugar problems by following your doctor's instructions on the use of insulin or diabetes medicines, diet, and exercise. Home blood sugar testing will help you determine whether your blood sugar is within your target range. If you have had very low blood sugar, you may be tempted to let your sugar level run high so that you do not have another low blood sugar problem. But it is most important that you keep your blood sugar in your target range. You can do this by following your treatment plan and checking your blood sugar regularly. Children who have diabetes need their parents' help to keep their blood sugar levels in a target range and to exercise safely. Be sure that children learn the symptoms of both high and low blood sugar so they can tell others when they need help. There are many support groups and diabetes education centers to help parents and children understand about blood sugar, exercise, diet, and medicines. Teens especially may have a hard time keeping their blood sugar level Continue reading >>
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Low Blood Glucose (hypoglycemia)
What is hypoglycemia? Hypoglycemia, also called low blood glucose or low blood sugar, occurs when the level of glucose in your blood drops below normal. For many people with diabetes, that means a level of 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or less. Your numbers might be different, so check with your health care provider to find out what level is too low for you. What are the symptoms of hypoglycemia? Symptoms of hypoglycemia tend to come on quickly and can vary from person to person. You may have one or more mild-to-moderate symptoms listed in the table below. Sometimes people don’t feel any symptoms. Severe hypoglycemia is when your blood glucose level becomes so low that you’re unable to treat yourself and need help from another person. Severe hypoglycemia is dangerous and needs to be treated right away. This condition is more common in people with type 1 diabetes. Hypoglycemia Symptoms Mild-to-Moderate Severe Shaky or jittery Sweaty Hungry Headachy Blurred vision Sleepy or tired Dizzy or lightheaded Confused or disoriented Pale Uncoordinated Irritable or nervous Argumentative or combative Changed behavior or personality Trouble concentrating Weak Fast or irregular heart beat Unable to eat or drink Seizures or convulsions (jerky movements) Unconsciousness Some symptoms of hypoglycemia during sleep are crying out or having nightmares sweating enough to make your pajamas or sheets damp feeling tired, irritable, or confused after waking up What causes hypoglycemia in diabetes? Hypoglycemia can be a side effect of insulin or other types of diabetes medicines that help your body make more insulin. Two types of diabetes pills can cause hypoglycemia: sulfonylureas and meglitinides . Ask your health care team if your diabetes medicine can cause hypoglycemia. Although ot Continue reading >>
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Hypoglycemia And Low Blood Sugar | Symptoms And Causes
What are the symptoms of hypoglycemia? While each child may experience symptoms of hypoglycemia differently, the most common include: shakiness dizziness sweating hunger headache irritability pale skin color sudden moodiness or behavior changes, such as crying for no apparent reason clumsy or jerky movements difficulty paying attention or confusion What causes hypoglycemia? The vast majority of episodes of hypoglycemia in children and adolescents occur when a child with diabetes takes too much insulin, eats too little, or exercises strenuously or for a prolonged period of time. For young children who do not have diabetes, hypoglycemia may be caused by: Single episodes: Stomach flu, or another illness that may cause them to not eat enough fasting for a prolonged period of time prolonged strenuous exercise and lack of food Recurrent episodes: accelerated starvation, also known as “ketotic hypoglycemia,” a tendency for children without diabetes, or any other known cause of hypoglycemia, to experience repeated hypoglycemic episodes. medications your child may be taking a congenital (present at birth) error in metabolism or unusual disorder such as hypopituitarism or hyperinsulinism. Continue reading >>
Diabetic Hypoglycemia
What is it? Diabetic hypoglycemia (hi-po-gli-SE-me-uh) happens when the sugar (glucose) in your blood drops too low. This means there is not enough sugar in your blood to give your muscles and brain cells the energy they need to work. This may cause you to faint. When diabetic hypoglycemia happens, you will need treatment right away. After treatment, your blood sugar should rise to a normal level and you should feel better. Causes: Drinking alcohol. Exercising more than usual, without eating extra food. Having a high fever or an infection (in-FEK-shun). Missing a meal or eating a meal later than usual. Taking certain medicines and taking too much insulin (IN-su-lin) or oral (pills taken by mouth) medicine. Pregnancy puts you at higher risk for diabetic hypoglycemia. Signs and Symptoms: If your blood sugar is just a little low, you may have a headache, feel hungry or nervous, have trouble thinking, feel moody or weak, or sweat. If your blood sugar is moderately low, you may sweat a lot, feel very weak, or feel your heart pounding. You may also forget things, see double, be confused, or have trouble walking. Other signs are feeling numb and tingly around your mouth or your fingers. If your blood sugar is dangerously low, you may have convulsions (seizures) or pass out (faint). What can be done for diabetic hypoglycemia? Do the following if you think you have low blood sugar: If you have any symptoms of low blood sugar, check your blood sugar. If your blood sugar is 70 milligrams/deciliter (mg/dl) or below, eat or drink a source of sugar. Talk to your caregiver about low blood sugar and how it should be treated. Following are some sources of sugar that you can drink or eat to treat low blood sugar: Drink four ounces (one-half cup) of fruit juice, eat five to six pieces of Continue reading >>
