Hypoglycemia is a state of low blood sugar…it’s always best to do a fingerstick to find out your actual blood sugar, but signs of hypoglycemia include:
- lack of coordination
- wild mood swings uncharacteristic of the individual
- memory loss
- salivation
- grind your teeth and
- seizures
Many type 2 diabetics experience hypoglycemia from time to time because their medications increase insulin production, whether or not their body needs it.
Although hypoglycemia is unlikely to cause death, it is still quite dangerous. The risk of accidents increases exponentially when diabetics have low blood sugar levels and then drive or operate equipment.
Here are ten tips to help you know you have hypoglycemia:
one. Almost all incidents of hypoglycemia cause the diabetic to feel hungry, but not all cases of hunger are caused by hypoglycemia. The feeling of hunger occurs when cells are deprived of glucose. This can occur when there is not enough sugar in the circulation, ie as a result of hypoglycemia. It can also occur when there is not enough insulin in the circulation to get glucose into the cells, resulting in hyperglycemia.
two. Anytime his pulse rate is 1/3 faster than normal and he hasn’t exercised in the last 2-3 hours, it’s safe to assume he’s experiencing hypoglycemia. Most people find it easiest to feel the pulse at the carotid artery on the side of the neck. Of course, you need to know your normal resting pulse to know what a fast pulse is for you.
3. Blurred vision, or double vision, often indicates hypoglycemia. However, blurred vision with dry skin, breath that smells like nail polish remover, and dark urine indicate extremely high blood sugar levels and dehydration.
4. In men who normally experience morning erections, the absence of an erection indicates hypoglycemia during the night. Blood sugar levels drop too low overnight, but then rise just before the person wakes up.
5. Another common symptom of hypoglycemia is nystagmus. If you are the person caring for someone with diabetes, ask them to look from side to side while keeping their head still. If the eyes seem to “jump” from one place to another, hypoglycemia may be present. If you are diabetic, stare at the second hand of a clock or watch. If the second hand appears to “jump” from one position to another, you may be experiencing hypoglycemia.
6. Interestingly, a high-fat meal can cause low blood sugar… this is because it takes longer for the stomach to empty the food into the intestines.
7. Excessive use of aspirin can also trigger hypoglycemia. Taking too much liver paralyzes the mechanism by which the liver releases glucose.
8. Having a cocktail or drink before a meal can significantly lower blood sugar levels. Sometimes drinking too much with a meal also prevents the normal release of sugars from the liver.
9. A sudden change from cold weather to hot weather often precipitates hypoglycemia.
10 Deaths caused by hypoglycemia itself are very, very rare. This is because cells have several fail-safe mechanisms that allow them to survive low blood sugar levels, and because permanent cell damage requires altering not only blood sugar levels, but also of potassium, magnesium and protein levels. Insulin is not an effective method of suicide.
The remedy for low blood sugar, as you probably guessed, is sugar. However, most diabetics need very little sugar to bring their blood sugar levels back to normal. As little as 15 grams, about 1/2 ounce, of sugar is enough to bring most diabetics back to normal blood sugar levels. Even when a type 2 diabetic wants to eat everything in the fridge…and usually does…just a small amount of sugar equivalent to half a sugary soda, a small piece of fruit, or preferably a tube of glucose, is enough to prevent blood sugar problems.