![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Swinging Low
Oct. 6th, 2017 10:39 pmI have been having what feels like chronic low blood sugars for about two weeks. I haven’t changed anything in my diet, except for gradually cutting out meat, which I’ve been doing for months. I thought it could be because I’ve been under less stress lately. Both diet and stress are factors that can effect blood sugar levels. Of the two, I think it’s the reduced stress that’s causing them. But I can’t know for sure. The not knowing has been driving me crazy. If I knew for sure what’s causing them, I could better know how to fix them.
I saw my Diabetes doctor on Monday for my quarterly check-up. I brought up my low blood sugars, and she said, “Well, now I see why your A1C went from 7.2 to 6.4.” Lower blood sugars = a lower A1C. Some people with Diabetes would get excited about an A1C of 6.4, but I know it’s that low because of all the blood sugars below 80.
What does a low blood sugar feel like?
I've discussed this in a previous post, but I think it's important to note it again.
Symptoms can be different for everyone, but for me, I often feel shaky and dizzy. I also tend to get overly emotional. Sometimes lows feel like extreme hunger, and sometimes they’re accompanied by headaches.
Imagine feeling this way almost all the time. I was testing at least ten times a day, and most of the time my blood sugar was low.
Frequent low blood sugars are most concerning because they can result in desensitization. A low of 60 can start to feel normal over time, and a person who is desensitized to lows won’t start feeling symptoms until they’re dangerously low. Dangerously low blood sugars-- we’re talking numbers in the forties or lower—can lead to coma and hospitalization or death.
Thankfully, my doctor changed some settings on my pump. We changed a few basal rates (the little bit of insulin I get at certain times a day to work in the background in order to maintain blood sugar levels). We changed a few insulin to carb ratios. Insulin to carb ratios define how many carbohydrates equal 1 unit of insulin. So, if my insulin to carb ratio is 1 to 15, and I eat 30 grams of carbs, I’d take 2 units of insulin. We also upped my insulin sensitivity factor, which effects how much a unit of insulin drops my blood sugar.
The first day after making these changes, I had a few more lows. I wanted to cry in the middle of the afternoon when my blood sugar went from 68 to 58 to 69. I didn’t feel like the changes had helped, and I didn’t feel like I had control over my body.
But today, four days after making adjustments, I finally had a day without a low blood sugar. For almost the first time in weeks, I felt normal all day. Diabetes changes on a daily basis, and sometimes there’s no rhyme or reason to blood sugar levels. But when they are steadily or constantly higher than 200 or lower than 80, that’s a problem. I’m grateful to have an understanding doctor. I’m grateful that I can still feel changes in my body and blood sugar. I’m grateful for a day of feeling good with most blood sugars being where I want them to be.
As an aspect of self-care, I have started a daily gratitude list. These things will be included on today’s list.
I saw my Diabetes doctor on Monday for my quarterly check-up. I brought up my low blood sugars, and she said, “Well, now I see why your A1C went from 7.2 to 6.4.” Lower blood sugars = a lower A1C. Some people with Diabetes would get excited about an A1C of 6.4, but I know it’s that low because of all the blood sugars below 80.
What does a low blood sugar feel like?
I've discussed this in a previous post, but I think it's important to note it again.
Symptoms can be different for everyone, but for me, I often feel shaky and dizzy. I also tend to get overly emotional. Sometimes lows feel like extreme hunger, and sometimes they’re accompanied by headaches.
Imagine feeling this way almost all the time. I was testing at least ten times a day, and most of the time my blood sugar was low.
Frequent low blood sugars are most concerning because they can result in desensitization. A low of 60 can start to feel normal over time, and a person who is desensitized to lows won’t start feeling symptoms until they’re dangerously low. Dangerously low blood sugars-- we’re talking numbers in the forties or lower—can lead to coma and hospitalization or death.
Thankfully, my doctor changed some settings on my pump. We changed a few basal rates (the little bit of insulin I get at certain times a day to work in the background in order to maintain blood sugar levels). We changed a few insulin to carb ratios. Insulin to carb ratios define how many carbohydrates equal 1 unit of insulin. So, if my insulin to carb ratio is 1 to 15, and I eat 30 grams of carbs, I’d take 2 units of insulin. We also upped my insulin sensitivity factor, which effects how much a unit of insulin drops my blood sugar.
The first day after making these changes, I had a few more lows. I wanted to cry in the middle of the afternoon when my blood sugar went from 68 to 58 to 69. I didn’t feel like the changes had helped, and I didn’t feel like I had control over my body.
But today, four days after making adjustments, I finally had a day without a low blood sugar. For almost the first time in weeks, I felt normal all day. Diabetes changes on a daily basis, and sometimes there’s no rhyme or reason to blood sugar levels. But when they are steadily or constantly higher than 200 or lower than 80, that’s a problem. I’m grateful to have an understanding doctor. I’m grateful that I can still feel changes in my body and blood sugar. I’m grateful for a day of feeling good with most blood sugars being where I want them to be.
As an aspect of self-care, I have started a daily gratitude list. These things will be included on today’s list.
