Hypos [was Re: Digest Number 186]

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>rosich10002@... wrote:

> > I think I'd rather correct a high than a low if it is going to mean

> > losing sleep for several days in a row. Those mid-sleep lows are

> exhausting!

Highs are easier to correct (as a T1 or T2 on insulin) because you have

more latitude, more time and more mental awareness than with a serious low.

For me, the most exhausting hypos to recover from are the very rapid drops

with quite a bit of insulin still left in the system. For me, those used to

be the middle-of-the-night ones until I switched from Regular/Ultralente

to Humalog/Lantus.

metaylorokc@... wrote:

>ive been so far avoiding those and terrified Ill have one, althogh I woke

>up at 530 this am with a bs of 65 (thank goodness I got up early) Im so

>tired of fighting off the lows!

It does get exhausting, both physically and emotionally. I have been

capable of testing myself as low as 32 but I, mostly, gave that up long

ago. I trust my symptoms and " treat a hypo now, test/research later " for

many years. Learn about the activity curve of your insulin as well as the

effects of (different) food, activity, etc.

>I dont ever get the shakes so im terrified I wont wake up,

That is certainly possible. I was on a Regular/Ultralente insulin regimen

for nearly 20 years and had frequent/lots of middle-of-the-night hypos

(2:00-4:00 am). I took pride in the fact that I always woke up (lucky me)

with the symptoms (covered with a film of sweat everywhere plus cold/clammy

-- and I rarely sweat under " normal " conditions) and was able to treat

them. In more recent years, my husband (different husband) would be aware

of my symptoms almost as soon as I was (from a deep sleep) and could help.

Than, one night in November 2001, he woke up (sensing the symptoms) and I

didn't. The short story is that if he hadn't used the glucagon kit that was

on my bedstand (after trying a couple other things that didn't work), I

wouldn't have seen morning. He administered the glucagon kit THEN called

9-1-1 and the EMT's were entering the bedroom as I was coming to. (But they

wouldn't have administered a glucagon kit until AFTER they took a BG test,

due to liability and lack of knowledge reasons, and that might've been too

late for me.) Soon after that I switched to Humalog/Lantus and now have

infrequent middle-of-the-night hypos.

Know the activity curve of your insulin and, similarly, the effects of

food/activity/etc. on your system . . . and always keep glucose tabs, candy

bar (or whatever you use) and a glucagon kit on your bedstand. When

traveling, I always have a glucagon kit in my purse or carry-on and hubby

always knows where it is. (Note: if you need to use the glucagon kit, you

will not be able to administer it yourself so it relies on another person.)

>and I agree with you I definatly think its easier to fight off a high than

>a low! And from what I was told today less life threatening. I was really

>warned about the hypos today, that a person can die within an hour!

High BG can kill you (especially if you get to DKA stage), but MUCH more

slowly (and with more warning) than low bg which has the potential to kill

you quickly (depending upon the activity stage of the insulin and how high

the excess in your system).

Sandy

T1 -1979