If you have insulin treated diabetes, we should talk about hypoglycemia.
Hypoglycemia is when your blood sugar falls too low. Some of the most common
signs -- and usually the first symptoms of hypoglycemia -- are shaking, racing heart,
sweating, anxiety and hunger. To understand why these symptoms occur, we
have to talk about your liver. There are two ways your body gets the sugar it
needs for energy. One, you eat foods that contain carbohydrate. Two, your liver makes
sugar. When your blood sugar falls too low, your body releases hormones like
glucagon and epinephrine, which is also known as adrenaline. Glucagon and
epinephrine tell your liver to release the sugar it has stored and to start
making new sugar. You also release epinephrine or adrenaline during
stressful or scary situations, so that's why some of the early symptoms of
hypoglycemia -- like sweats, a racing heart and anxiety -- are similar to how you would
feel if you are being chased by a bear. The second type of symptoms happen when
your blood sugar falls low enough that your brain is no longer getting enough
sugar for fuel. These later symptoms might include difficulty concentrating,
confusion, weakness, vision changes and difficulty speaking.
What causes hypoglycemia? You can think about your blood sugar as a scale. On one
side, you have carbohydrate bringing your blood sugar up, and on the other side you
have things like insulin, exercise or alcohol bringing your blood sugar down.
If the scale is tipped too much in one direction, your sugar will be too high.
And if it is tipped too much in the opposite direction,
your sugar will be too low. So how can you avoid hypoglycemia? Well,
you need to balance the scale. For example, you need to match the amount
of insulin you are taking with the amount of carbohydrate you are eating. Or, if you
are exercising, you either need to eat more carbohydrate or take less insulin.
What should you do if you have symptoms of hypoglycemia? Test your blood sugar
to see if it is low. If it is low, consume a source of fast-acting sugar, like sugar,
juice, regular pop or dextrose tablets. Most people need around 15 grams of
glucose to treat mild or moderate hypoglycemia. In about 15 minutes, check
to make sure your blood sugar has gone back up. If it hasn't, then take another
15 grams of glucose. If you are not planning to eat within the next hour,
have a starchy snack like three plain cookies, crackers and cheese or an apple
granola bar. Hypoglycemia is likely to happen sometimes when you have
insulin-treated diabetes. Try to plan ahead to prevent it. And just in case, carry a
fast-acting sugar with you to treat it if it does happen.
Always take the symptoms of hypoglycemia seriously. If your blood sugar gets very
low, it can cause you to pass out or have a seizure, and it can even be fatal.
If you have more than two or three low blood sugars in a week, if you have a low
sugar that needs the help of someone else, or if you stop feeling the symptoms
of low blood sugar, talk to your diabetes team. They'll help
you with your diabetes management so that you can continue to do the things you enjoy.