Do you know if you are having a “hypo” Do your family and friends know what is happening if you start to sound vague and confused So what is it Hypo is the abbreviated word given for hypoglycemia and it means your blood glucose has dropped to a low level.

As you know, with diabetes type 1 or type 2, you are constantly dealing with high blood sugar levels. In order to bring your levels to within a normal range, your health care provider may have prescribed insulin,or insulin-stimulating pills. But drugs and treatments are not always perfect, so if you:

• take too much of the medication
• eat too little
• exercise too hard and too long, or even start to exercise when your levels are just a little low
• drink alcohol and don’t add appropriate snacks
• are in a hot environment, eg. bath or sauna

your blood glucose can drop to a level, usually between 50-75 mg/dl (2.8-4 mmol/l) where symptoms of hypoglycemia develop.

Symptoms that develop when the level falls rapidly:

the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated to produce adrenalin, causing

• sweating
• whiteness, or skin pallor
• tremor
• rapid heartbeat, or tachycardia
• palpitations, or the feeling your heart is beating far too fast
• nervousness
• hunger sensation

Symptoms that develop when the level falls slowly:

there is a depression of the central nervous system, resulting in:

• a headache
• lightheadedness
• confusion
• emotional changes
• memory lapses
• numbness of the tongue and lips
• slurred speech
• drowsiness
• staggering gait
• convulsions
• coma

The combination of symptoms varies considerably in different people and in the same people at different times. You may lose your ability to think clearly when you become hypoglycemic and people may assume you are drunk.

What should you do:

• if you take insulin or a sulphonylurea medication, wear a bracelet or carry some form of identification with you that shows you have diabetes
• be familiar with the warning signs, share the information around with your family, friends and work colleagues. Make sure they know how to treat you: sugar cubes, glucose tablets, jelly beans, sugary soft drink, orange juice, anything that contains about 15 grams of sugar. You may need to add a slower-acting carbohydrate food (a sandwich or a piece of fruit),10-15 minutes later to keep your blood sugar level up
• don’t wait for your level to drop below 75 mg/dl (4 mmol/l) … treat yourself for hypoglycemia immediately.

Your symptoms should warn your that your blood sugar level is low. If you have type 2 diabetes and take insulin injections or take insulin-stimulating pills, always carry candy or glucose tablets with you for prompt relief.

• Sea Vegetables and Diabetes! Huh?
• Natural Cure For Diabetes - 8 Natural Treatments to Prevent Elevation of Symptoms
• Diabetic Retinopathy
• Four Tips For Early Detection of Diabetes
• The Problem of Diabetes in Nigeria
• What Are Normal Blood Sugar Levels? - Some Answers

No Comments »

No comments yet.

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL

Leave a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.