Hypoglycemia: What It Is & What It Is Not
In the past 12 years a lot of new facts have come to light concerning diabetes & diabetic symptoms. People often say, "I am the opposite of a diabetic, I have low blod sugars so I am hypoglycemic!" WRONG. . .! They are diabetic! Hypoglycemia is a condition that is associated with diabetes. It is often the first sign that you are diabetic or at least the first observable sign that has made you aware thats oemthing is wrong.
Hypoglycemia Defined & Explained
Hypoglycemia is defined as a plasma blood glucose level of less than 70 mg/dL for diabetics. When symptoms of hypoglycemia occur together with a documented blood glucose under 45 mg/dl, and the symptoms promptly resolve with the administration of glucose, the diagnosis of hypoglycemia can be made with some certainty. Hypoglycemia is only significant when it is associated with symptoms.
Fasting or Low Blood Sugar Hypoglycemia
This type occurs when you have not eaten for many hours, such as overnight. It is frequently associated with having too much insulin in the blood, some medications, alcohol use, hereditary problems with the metabolizing of carbohydrates, and other health conditions.
Hypoglycemia, also called low blood sugar, occurs when your blood glucose or blood sugar level drops too low to provide enough energy for your body's activities. In adults or children older than 10 years, hypoglycemia is uncommon except as a side effect of diabetes treatment, but it can result from other medications or diseases, hormone or enzyme deficiencies, or tumors.
Glucose, one form of sugar, is a fuel for your body. Carbohydrates are the main dietary source of glucose. grains, rice, potatoes, bread, tortillas, cereal, milk, fruit, and sweets are all carbohydrate-rich foods.
After a meal, glucose molecules are absorbed into your bloodstream and carried to the cells, where they are used for energy. Insulin, a hormone produced by your pancreas, helps glucose enter cells. If you take in more glucose than your body needs at the time, your body stores the extra glucose in your liver and muscles in a form called glycogen. Your body can use the stored glucose whenever it is needed for energy between meals. Extra glucose can also be converted to fat and stored in fat cells.
When blood glucose begins to fall, glucagon, another hormone produced by the pancreas, signals the liver to break down glycogen and release glucose, causing blood glucose levels to rise toward a normal level. If you have diabetes, this glucagon response to hypoglycemia may be impaired, making it harder for your glucose levels to return to the normal range.
Symptoms
Who is at Risk for Hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia can occur if you take insulin. Although severe hypoglycemia is rare, it is more common in people with type 1 diabetes. Studies show that people with type 1 diabetes average about one severe hypoglycemic event a year. People with type 2 diabetes generally experience severe hypoglycemia much less often, even when taking insulin.
Symptoms of Hypoglycemia:
Dizziness or Shakiness
Rapid heartbeat
Sweats
Irritablility or nervousness
Ravonous Hunger
Blurred or framed vision
Weakness OR exhaustion
Headache
Metallic taste in mouth
Causations of Hypoglycemia
Too little food intake, too much insulin or too much oral diabetes medications or extra physical activity.
If your blood glucose gets too low, you need to ask yourself the following questions:
Did I skip a meal or snack?
Did I do extra exercise?
Did I take too much insulin or too much oral diabetes medication?
What Do I Do?
Test your blood glucose level immediately. If you have any symptoms of low blood glucose sit down. If you cannot test immediately, eat or drink a fast-acting carbohydrate snack. These include:
½ glass of orange, grapefruit, apple or grape juice
½ can of a regular soft drink not a diet drink as you NEED the sugar!
3-4 glucose tablets
3-5 hard candies you can eat quickly, such as peppermints.
3 tablespoons of honey
1 tablespoon of sugar under your tongue
After doing one the above wait 15 minutes & then test your blood glucose again. If your glucose level is still low, repeat eating or drinking another fast-acting snack. If your symptoms do not cease withjin 30 minutes, call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest medical clinic for assistance.
Untreated hypoglycemia is dangerous! It can cause you to become unconscious. It is an excellent idea to wear a medical ID on your person or carry a card in your wallet that explains that you have diabetes and what help you might need in an emergency. Many people who take insulin like to keep a glucagon emergency kit handy. An injection of glucagon will raise your blood glucose quickly. Be sure that those around you know how to use sucha a kit if you have one.
Non-Daibetic Hypoglycemia
Two types of hypoglycemia can occur in people who do not have diabetes: Reactive or postprandial & fasting or postabsorptive. Reactive hypoglycemia is not usually related to any underlying disease while fasting hypoglycemia often is related to a medical problem of some kind.
Reactive Hypoglycemia
In reactive hypoglycemia, symptoms appear within 4 hours after you eat a meal.
Fasting Hypoglycemia
Fasting hypoglycemia is diagnosed from a blood sample that shows a blood glucose level of less than 50 mg/dL after an overnight fast, between meals, or after exercise.
Hypoglycemia Management
If you have been having problems managing your blood glucose levels,then you probably feel symptoms of hypoglycemia at higher blood glucose levels. You may have your own set of symptoms & you will in time, learn to detect & identify them. Some people may not feel or at least notice any signs of low blood glucose levels prior to having a problem. This is why frequent blood glucose checks are so important.
Sources:
http://www.kwwd.com/kwwd/ph/si_home_v1.jspx
http://www.hypoglycemia.org
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/hypoglycemia/index.htm#nodiabetes
http://www.dietitian.com/hypoglyc.html
http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic384.htm
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Comments: 16
You are a life-saver !
Cheerz!
try.to.feed.me.sugar.when.I'm.about.to.pass.out.when
all.I.need.is.protein.
Surely other people face these issues with their family members. Doc, do you have more suggestions?