Re: hypo danger

[Guest guest]

Jerome Cordero asked:

<< Will a diabetic person experience hypoglycemia even if the person is not

taking any drugs or insulin? I'm not taking any drugs and/or insulin, i'm

trying to lower my blood sugar thru diet, just wondering if i'm still prone

to hypoglycemia. >>

Hello, Jerome. Generally the only diabetics who experience severe

hypoglycemia are those on insulin and those on sulfonylureas such as

Glucotrol, Glyburide, Diabeta, etc. That is because of excess insulin. With

injected insulin, it is possible to miscalculate and inject too much; with

the sulfonylureas, they push the pancreas to crank out excess insulin. So in

one case it is injected insulin and in the other it is naturally produced

insulin - but too much of either can place a person in jeopardy. For the

rest of us, severe hypoglycemia arises in only some circumstances. One

example would be a diabetic drinking a lot of alcohol on an empty stomach.

What happens is that our pancreas and our liver are the yin and yang of

glucose control. When our readings climb (if we still have a functioning

pancreas, that is), the pancreas beta cells kick in and churn out insulin to

pull the numbers down. When our readings drop too low, our liver jumps in

with glucagon, which converts to glucose and pulls our numbers back up.

Another situation where a type 2 who is not using insulin or sulfonylureas

could get in trouble is if that person's liver is damaged (such as by taking

meds such as Glucophage). Generally the liver has a reserve of glucagon, but

if we use insulin and we mistime/miscalculate our dosages, it is possible

that the liver could be temporarily " empty " of glucagon. Then if a second

hypo kicks in, there's nothing left to bail us out.

So ... the short answer is that for most of us diabetics, most of the time,

hypos are not serious. I have had only a few major hypos, that were caused

by exhaustion, not eating for 24 hours, excess liquor intake, etc. One night

I woke up in a daze and could only think, " Must ... kitchen ... " I staggered

down this L-shaped hall, listing to the left the whole way, which was really

funny later, because there was nothing on the left side, but the entire

right side was covered with photos and prints, so I could have made a real

mess. A diabetic friend reports knocking her breakfast cereal all over the

kitchen while trying to get some food in her during hypos. If we have hypos

or think we are in danger of having them, we should keep glucose tablets

with us at all times ... bedside, car, office, etc. And we should alert

those around us about what to do if we start " acting funny. " Some people

having hypos can get quite belligerent!

Susie