Hypoglycemia (or low blood sugar) is triggered when your blood glucose is less than 70mg/dl. For people with borderline pre-diabetes, or those without Diabetes, a glucose of 65-70 is often nothing to worry about. However, if you take glucose-lowering medications, you may have a risk for low glucose if you:
- Exercise without having a snack break prior or during the workout
- Go long periods (greater that 6 hours during the day) without eating
- Take too much insulin or glucose lowering medications
- Don't eat enough carbohydrates to satisfy body need
While it is important to check glucose regularly to prevent lows, it is also important to be aware of the symptoms that your body feels when your glucose is low. If your routine or medications are changing and glucose is quickly dropping to healthier levels, you may experience low blood sugar symptoms even when your glucose readings are great! Here are some symptoms of low glucose. You may have one or many when glucose drops.
- Tingling or numbness in the lips or tongue
- Unreasonable irritability, anger, and trouble controlling emotions
- Unconsciousness
- Stubbornness
- Sadness
- Lack of coordination
- Nightmares or crying out during sleep
- Seizures
If you feel symptoms of a low, check your glucose. If glucose is fine, recheck just to make sure. If your glucose is totally fine even after you retest, it is possible that your glucose is dropping to levels where your body is not accustomed to operating. Take a break and rest from whatever you are doing, and take a snack if the symptoms are unmanageable.
Talk to your doctor about making slower changes in medications instead of quick or drastic ones to help curb symptoms and acclimate your body more slowly, if possible.
Hypoglycemia is dangerous and can be life-threatening. It can lead to coma or death, if left untreated. Whenever possible, check your blood sugar level when you think it is low. If you're not sure, check anyway.
If you experience low blood sugars, follow the 15-15 rule: treat it with 15-30g of glucose- something sweet, low fat, and low protein. 4-8oz of juice or regular soda, 2-3 hard candies, or glucose tablets are great options to treat low blood sugars. See the "Rule of 15" article for more information.