Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. If you think you have low blood sugar, be sure to check it. The Rule. If any of the following happens, your friend, relative, or helper should call You pass out and no glucagon is available. You need a second dose of glucagon. You had glucagon but are still confused. Or call anytime you are concerned about your severely low blood sugar.
Learn More. It may help you figure out when you're having a low blood sugar level more quickly the next time. The warning signs of hypoglycemia are the body's natural response to low blood sugar levels.
When blood sugar levels fall too low, the body releases the hormone adrenaline, which helps get stored glucose into the bloodstream quickly. This can make someone:. If the hypoglycemia isn't treated, more serious symptoms may happen, such as drowsiness, confusion, seizures, and loss of consciousness. The only way to know for sure if you're having a low blood sugar level is to test. Blood sugar levels can be tested with a blood glucose meter.
This computerized device measures and displays the amount of glucose in a blood sample. But if you can't quickly check your blood sugar level, it's important to treat yourself for hypoglycemia immediately to prevent symptoms from getting worse. Sometimes a person with diabetes may have symptoms of low blood sugar levels, but blood sugar levels are not actually low. This is a called a false reaction. The hormone adrenaline mentioned above is not just released when blood sugar drops too low — it's also released when blood sugar levels fall quickly when they're too high.
If you're having a false reaction, you might actually have blood sugar levels in a healthy range but feel as if you have low blood sugar. Testing blood sugar levels before treating yourself for hypoglycemia can help you figure out if you're having a false reaction. Some people with diabetes don't actually notice the typical signs of low blood sugar levels. For them it's even more important to check blood glucose levels often and take extra precautions to prevent low blood sugar see our prevention tips below.
If you're having trouble feeling the symptoms of low blood sugar, let your diabetes health care team know. Your diabetes health care team will give you guidelines for treating low blood sugar levels, depending on your symptoms. If you can, try to test your blood sugar levels to make sure that your symptoms are because of hypoglycemia. If you can't test blood sugar immediately, don't delay in treating your symptoms — you can always check your blood sugar after you've taken steps to get your blood sugar back up into the normal range.
When blood sugar levels are low, the goal is to get them back up quickly. To do that, you should take in sugar or sugary foods, which raise the blood sugar level quickly. Your health care team might suggest that you:.
Sometimes, blood sugar levels can get so low that you may not be awake enough to eat or drink something to get them back up. When this happens, you may need a glucagon shot. Glucagon pronounced: GLOO-kuh-gon is a hormone that helps raise blood sugar levels quickly. Your parents, teachers, and coaches should all know how to give glucagon shots in case of a low blood sugar emergency or at least know to call The people you are in frequent contact with for example, friends, family members and coworkers should be instructed on how to give you glucagon to treat severe hypoglycemia.
If you have needed glucagon, let your doctor know so you can discuss ways to prevent severe hypoglycemia in the future. Find products for dealing with low blood glucose. If someone is unconscious and glucagon is not available or someone does not know how to use it, call immediately.
Do NOT:. Low blood sugar is common for people with type 1 diabetes and can occur in people with type 2 diabetes taking insulin or certain medications. If you add in lows without symptoms and the ones that happen overnight, the number would likely be higher.
Too much insulin is a definite cause of low blood sugar. Insulin pumps may also reduce the risk for low blood sugar. Accidentally injecting the wrong insulin type, too much insulin, or injecting directly into the muscle instead of just under the skin , can cause low blood sugar. What you eat can cause low blood sugar, including:. Exercise has many benefits. The tricky thing for people with type 1 diabetes is that it can lower blood sugar in both the short and long-term.
Nearly half of children in a type 1 diabetes study who exercised an hour during the day experienced a low blood sugar reaction overnight. The intensity, duration and timing of exercise can all affect the risk for going low. Many people with diabetes, particularly those who use insulin, should have a medical ID with them at all times. In the event of a severe hypoglycemic episode, a car accident or other emergency, the medical ID can provide critical information about the person's health status, such as the fact that they have diabetes, whether or not they use insulin, whether they have any allergies, etc.
Emergency medical personnel are trained to look for a medical ID when they are caring for someone who can't speak for themselves. Medical IDs are usually worn as a bracelet or a necklace. Traditional IDs are etched with basic, key health information about the person, and some IDs now include compact USB drives that can carry a person's full medical record for use in an emergency.
As unpleasant as they may be, the symptoms of low blood sugar are useful. These symptoms tell you that you your blood sugar is low and you need to take action to bring it back into a safe range. But, many people have blood sugar readings below this level and feel no symptoms. This is called hypoglycemia unawareness. Hypoglycemia unawareness puts the person at increased risk for severe low blood sugar reactions when they need someone to help them recover.
People with hypoglycemia unawareness are also less likely to be awakened from sleep when hypoglycemia occurs at night. People with hypoglycemia unawareness need to take extra care to check blood sugar frequently. This is especially important prior to and during critical tasks such as driving. A continuous glucose monitor CGM can sound an alarm when blood sugar levels are low or start to fall. This can be a big help for people with hypoglycemia unawareness.
Hypoglycemia unawareness occurs more frequently in those who:. If you think you have hypoglycemia unawareness, speak with your health care provider. This helps your body re-learn how to react to low blood sugar levels. This may mean increasing your target blood sugar level a new target that needs to be worked out with your diabetes care team. It may even result in a higher A1C level, but regaining the ability to feel symptoms of lows is worth the temporary rise in blood sugar levels.
This can happen when your blood sugar levels are very high and start to go down quickly.
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