Hypoglycemia unawareness frequency
Common Questions and Answers about Hypoglycemia unawareness frequency
hypoglycemia
Also, I want to let you know that hypoglycemic unawareness is caused by having frequent lows. Once the frequency of those lows is reduced the awareness returns. But all of this depends on your son's willingness to put in the effort to manage his diabetes. Hopefully he will become more willing soon; he's got to be tired of all the consequences of not doing so.
she did mention one thing that concerns me, and hopefully is a warning to those not sure. If you experience hypoglycemia unawareness, she said you could lose your drivers license. While I had always been aware of this condition, and hopefully watchful, this did shake me up a bit.
Question I forgot to ask endo, and will definitely follow up on...at what point with levels are you supposed to "feel" symptoms? 70's? 60's?...
When you notice unawareness of hypoglycemia happening, you need to raise your glucose levels enough to avoid ANY hypo episodes for a short period of time so that the body can re-program what the normal levels are. That period of time varies from study to study, but one study I read about suggested that the awareness symptoms could return in just 2 weeks without hypos.
3.
The article about the study on hypoglycemic unawareness was published in my hometown newspaper in 2001. I remember it so clearly because I was one of those diabetics with a real problem wtih hypoglycemic unawareness. I followed the suggestions and truly my warning symptoms are great now. I still of course have occasional lows -- I think that any type 1 diabetic under tight control risks occasional lows.
Hello. Wow, do you have a lot on your plate. I'm not a medical professional, just a parent of a kid with diabetes. From your description of your father, it sounds like he's progressed from a functioning adult to someone completely dependent on others to simply remain alive. He almost assuredly has severe hypoglycemic unawareness, you don't say whether he's been diagnosed with that or not.
t exactly sounding like hypoglycemia, but it could be (low blood sugar) and a simple meter test will tell you. Or else he is drinking when you are at work and using diabetes as an excuse.
My symptoms included a faster heart rate, confusion, foggy thinking, impaired judgement, and many others. From personal research I correlated my symptoms with hypoglycemia. At times, it was difficult to even walk in the university halls without feeling extremely faint. Social interactions were difficult as well as I felt irritable and highly anxious.
And also that ADA recommends that to also prevent low blood sugars, which i have had some severe ones myself lately and the last one i was brought to the local emergency room, and the ADA has in studies found that those who attempt to keep normal blood sugars have three times as many low blood sugars than a diabetic on a slightly looser regimen. Also having frequent lows can bring on hypoglycemia unawareness, where the diabetic has no physical warnings of an impending low.
This is called "hypo unawareness". When you have frequent lows you begin to lose the ability to detect symptoms. This awareness will come back when you are able to reduce your frequency of hypos. 2-3 (36-54) is quite low and this can be dangerous if you are unaware. You say "on the off chance I've tested". If you are using insulin you need to be testing on a regular basis so you can dose properly. Are you using an insulin:carb ratio to determine your mealtime dose?
Your child probably does not have that problem. Hypo unawareness prevents the brain from telling the liver to dump its emergency stores of sugars -- this is why it is so dangerous.
Studies have shown that you can keep your child's warning symptoms working properly and you can actually RECOVER warning symptoms if you do several things. Some of this is addressed in the first excellent response.
First, if he has several lows in a short periiod of time and seems to be dropping lower before noticing or behaving oddly, then you should do as your doctor just arranged for -- raise those glucose levels for a period of 2 weeks, according to the study on hypoglycemia unawareness. The study indicated that this is the length of time needed for the body to return to normal with normal warnings if a pattern of lows has caused the symptoms to dissapear.
My diabetic sister has come to live with me because of her hypo unawareness. I am noticing that sometimes onset of symptoms can start at 87, but sometimes lower.
What causes this variation?
I' am not a diabetic; I' am a hypoglycemic and everyday I experience fasting hypoglycemia upon waking. My morning blood glucose is between 25-30mg/dL and I always feel like crap, I only experience reactive adrenergic symptoms like, moderate hypertension, sweating, arrhythmia, headache, lightheadedness, shaking and nausea during the episode.
From one who has had two low blood sugar car accidents and no longer drive what happened to your husband sounds just like a low blood sugar reaction to driving. It always pays to check your blood sugar before driving, especially where it seems your husband has hypoglycemia unawareness, or doesn't feel when his blood sugar goes low.
The only thing that ever has clued my son into feeling high is having his eyes feeling very tired, so when he feels this way, he tests and there are many times he was not high, just very tired. I can only imagine how frightening hypoglycemia unawareness is, as well as hypoglycemia in general.
Do you think that after many years of having diabetes, your hypoglycemia unawarenss has happened? (Sorry if I did not interpret you correctly)
We have had a change in docs in the past year, as well.
Chills can be due to low blood sugar or hypoglycemia or due to low vitamin B12. It can also be malaria which is often difficult to catch by diagnostic tests. UTI is another common cause, and can present without fever and increase frequency. Pneumonia and ear infections are probably ruled out as you have no related symptoms that you report. General weakness as in anemia can be another cause. A comprehensive investigation is required keeping all these points in mind.
Hi, eddie. I'm not a medical professional, just the parent of a kid with diabetes. Has he ever considered changing his insulin regimen? NPH and regular Humilin are older therapies. Something like Lantus or Levemir as the long acting and something like Novolog or another fast acting insulin are much more common these days. They give more consistent coverage with fewer spikes. Does he have hypoglycemia unawareness? If he's getting down to 19, it sounds like he may.
If you have diabetes, this medication may mask the fast/pounding heartbeat you would usually feel when your blood sugar level falls too low (hypoglycemia). Other symptoms of a low blood sugar level such as dizziness or sweating are unaffected by this drug.
This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness until you are sure you can perform such activities safely. Limit alcoholic beverages.
I tell you this from personal experience and from lots of reading about hypoglycemia and research being done on this subject. The last time I got low while out, I bought a candy bar and ate it, forgetting to follow my own advice, and I was surprised at how long it took to 'kick in'. Juice is much better, and Gatorade even quicker than juice. If he is this low, the Gatorade is the best solution if he can drink it.
dry and thin skin; unexplained hair loss; heart palpitations; dyspepsia; constipation; hypoglycemia (low blood sugar); food allergies, high frequency of the flu or infections, lightheadedness upon standing, diabetes, unwanted facial or body hair, sexual dysfunction, weakness, nausea, paleness, altered consciousness, seizures, and on and on.
Simple to diagnose (go to an endocrinologist) and simple to treat IF you go to a doctor with experience with these issues.
Dosage details (amount, frequency, time taken) and 1/2 time elimination (usually prolonged in the elderly) may explain somewhat the timing.
Other factors could have to do with Hypoxia, the recent TIA, sleep apnea, nutritional/vitamin/mineral deficiencies (some could be attributed to low stomach acid caused by
Zantac), hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism etc..
Recommended
