Hypoglycemia:

Otherwise Known As Low Blood Sugar
Watch The Numbers For Good Diabetic Health

Hypoglycemia is one term people with diabetes, especially the type 1 diabetic, needs to understand for their own future diabetic health. Many diabetics may have had problems with this symptom before diagnosis and they did not understand what, why or where these unusual symptoms were coming from.

What Is It

The most common reasons for its happening include:

• eating too little food or skipping a meal
• taking more medication than prescribed or necessary
• doing an over abundance of exercise or activities not common to your normal daily routine

The normal target range suggested by most medical professionals is between 80-120 on your glucose monitor. Many type 1's and occasionally type 2's can get recurring lows, even down as low as the 40's or 50's. This situation can be even more dangerous than the diabetes itself.

Warning Signs

• the feeling of shakiness all over, especially the hands
• feeling lightheaded and dizzy
• mental confusion
• extreme lows will eventually lead to you "passing out"
• you feel extreme hunger pangs often accompanied by headaches
• blurred vision
• cold sweats

Many people who go through a recurring hypoglycemic state frequently, their body tends to adjust to the condition and they no longer notice these warning signs. Often falling unconscious is their first sign of a low sugar condition.

Treatment Plans

Severe low blood sugars (or hypoglycemia unawareness) patients must get in the habit of carrying a glycagon emergency kit with them at all times. This kit holds a preparation, when administered, is a lifesaving medication for a patient which is probably too incoherent or unable to communicate their situation.For this reason it is important, especially the type 1 diabetic, to wear a medical ID alert tag stating you are a type 1 diabetic. In case of a medical emergency, all medical personnel will know immediately what your situation is and what the necessary treatment is.

Type 2 diabetics though often can get quick relief from a food product high in sugars or carbohydrates. Treating a low blood sugar for a type 2 diabetic therefore is effectively managed just by having a quick snack.

Always be sure your primary care provider is aware of the frequency of your low blood sugars. If it happens frequently, medication changes, dosage changes, dietary changes, frequency or levels of physical exercise or even just a routine of keeping your sugar levels in a slightly higher range can reduce or even eliminate many patients anxiety and troubles with low blood sugars.

Keep a good open line of communication on-going between you and your diabetes team to help eliminate many of the concerns of hypoglycemia.

Return to "Symptoms of Diabetes" from "Hypoglycemia"