Re: Very Scary Bad Low

So these past few weeks I've been working my butt off.  I've been going into work around 9am and working til about 9pm.  Then about 2 weeks ago my husband, who is also a type 1 diabetic, was in a car accident.  His front tire blew out while he was driving.  Thankfully he wasn't hurt but now after I get out of work I go to pick him up from work so that he doesn't have to take the bus home.  So needless to say I've been very tired and worn out.  And this past Tuesday was a really really bad day.  I got to work very early, around 8am, was super busy all day and then didn't leave until around 9:30 or 10pm.  This day I didn't have to pick up my husband because he wasn't working so I just got to go home but even as I was driving I was completely exhausted and tired.  Thankfully the drive was only 15 min because I really don't think I would've made it otherwise because I was so tired.  When I got home I found my husband passed out on the couch, at first I thought he was just sleeping but then when I tried to wake him up he wouldn't wake up.  I immediately checked his sugar, it was 42.  So I ran to the kitchen and grabbed some juice but he was in really bad shape.  I've been with my husband for over 10 years now and I've dealt with him like this before and most of the times I can pick him up and at least open his mouth and pour the juice down but not this time.  His eyes were rolling into the back of his head, his body was jerking all over the place.  After a few minutes of trying the juice I remembered that we had some of the glucose gel so I went and grabbed that and when his mouth was open I squeezed it in.  I kept doing that until I could at least get him some what aware enough to drink the juice.  He was really upset about the whole situation.  He said the last thing he remembered was being up around 6pm and cleaning up after our pug, Apollo.  That was 4 hours ago!!!!  That just really freaked me out.  He said that while he was on the couch there were a few times where he felt himself going in and out of it and he was trying to come out of it so that he could get up and get himself something to eat or drink but that he just couldn't come out of it.  Has this ever happened to anyone else?  I'm freaked out because I know how dangerous this is and that I could've come home and instead of him being passed out he could've been in a coma or even dead.  He does take care of himself and check his sugar but it seems like his lows have been getting alot worse lately.     

Wow, that is scary.

A couple things to consider are a CGM or a diabetes alert dog. I had a CGM for a couple years, and it really helped with low blood sugars. I can no longer wear a CGM due to skin allergies, so now something I'm considering for the future is an alert dog. I have a friend with an alert dog, and I spent some time with her over the summer last year. Her dog alerted me to lows on 2 separate occasions - ones I didn't even know I was having. The next time I met up with her a couple months later, her dog alerted me to a high BG.

Most insurance companies will help pay for a CGM if you have a Letter of Medical Necessity from your doctor (easy to get). Supplies are also FSA eligible. Any vaccinations, food, and supplies for an alert dog are also FSA eligible as well.

Those are just a couple options to think about. There are things he can do to try to help him with this lows. Good luck to both of you. He's lucky to have you around.

Unfortunatly, been there, done that. My wife, has also saved the day on several occasions. Ussually, I am aware enough to raid the honey jar. The CGM has been a great addition to my managment, along with the pump. An alert dog sounds like a fantastic idea if one is a dog lover. Regretablly, we will be having to put our family dog down in the very near future, and ounce the greiving process settles, I may look for such a pet.

I cannot relate to how a Type 1 diabetic ends up in such distress with a low, since the symptoms I have are, and have remaind very noticable. Your episode Mary, would freak anyone out. The best remedy I can suggest, is to accept hat happened, and together, as a couple,strive to prevent situations such as that from occuring. Easier said then done. All we can do is try every day, and do the very best we can.

In times of stress it's easy to miss a low.  Also if you have lows and highs pretty frequently your body won't release adrenalin, so you don't get the normal hypo symptoms (it's called hypoglycemic unawareness).  

Does your husband use a pump?  After I'd had D about 25 years I developed hypo unawareness, which has thankfully disappeared since I got a pump and have more normal blood sugars.  

A CGM is a good idea, as well as testing more often until blood sugars are normalized.  Especially make sure your husband tests every time before driving a car.  

Small tubes of cake frosting are good to treat bad lows.  They're cheap and you can squeeze frosting in the side of his cheek, even if he's unresponsive and unable to swallow.  

I was diagnosed  Jan 17 2012 with type one. since then if my sugar drops its always in the 40s. the lowers my sugar has ever dropped was 49.

Amy,

Like others in this thread have said I think a continuous glucose monitor or a diabetes alert dog may be a great option for your husband but, of course your insurance would have to cover the device and you obviously have to want another dog because you already have one.

You should definitely look into those options and in the mean time I would talk to the doctor and your CDE to find out how you guys can help prevent such extreme lows.

I can totally relate to this part "he could get up and get himself something to eat or drink but that he just couldn't come out of it".  I once had  bad episode at work a long time ago.  I sat there knowing I had better do something or else it was going o get bad and just couldn't get myself to move.  Next thing I knew the paramedics were taking me to the hospital in an ambulance.  That is kindof a weird part of it.  You know what you should do but for some reason just don't.

If it a one time deal, then maybe you don't need to do anything.  Maybe he just needs to test a little more often and of course consult with his endocrinologist.  he may need a dosage change.

If this is happening alot, then perhaps a CGM or dog would help.

Unfortunately, this is kindof part of the deal.  I would wonder if there is anyone on here who has been a diabetic for 10 + years that has not had this happen?

If you think he's not taking good enough care of himself, then maybe if it does happen again you should call 911?  That could encourage him to do better (if that is the problem).  Going to the hospital in an ambulance and dealing with all that could be a wake up call. 

I don't want to insinuate that that's the case. 

I wish you and your husband the very best with this.

>>> you obviously have to want another dog because you already have one.

I looked into the dog thing once and my recollection is that you can't get a diabetes assitance dog if you have other dog(s) in the house.  It has to be the only dog.  That's what got me off the idea.  I already have 2 dogs that I dearly love.

One idea to discuss with the endo is a prescription for a Glucagen Hypokit injectable.  I have one, with instructions that my wife is to stick me with it only if I am unresponsive because of a low.  I am not a doctor, but my understanding is it raises glucose level in event of a severe low.  May or may not be appropriate, but it might be worth discussing.  

i am 16 and probably when i waas 11 i had a BS of 17 and i just remember sliding down my door telling my mom to get me juice but i physically couldnt get up. it was scary and now sometimes after working out or playin basketball i will get in the 50s but it just hits all the sudden

Is it even possible to be that low. I would've started crying asking if I was going to die.

My lowest was 23, during my first few months on insulin.  It turned out that I was in my diabetes honeymoon but didn't know it yet.

When my glucose is low, I sometimes get irrationally focused on whatever I'm doing.  Even though in the back of my mind I can feel my sugar dropping, I *have* to have finish my current activity.  Of course it just gets lower in the mean time.

One time I couldn't quite think of what to do, so I called my wife (girlfriend at that time) and told her I was sitting on the floor, and asked her what to do.  Very emphatically she said, "Eat something!"  So I did, and felt better once I was back in a normal range.

My wife has had T1D since she was 16, and has had an insulin pump for about 15 years now.  Despite having great control during the day, she occasionally suffers from extreme lows (25-45) overnight.  She has tried to remedy this with her doctor by adjusting the pump settings, but sometimes, it just happens due to breaking routine and/or accidentally over-dosing (e.g., if we go out to dinner one night and the carb counting is more difficult, eating later than usual, etc.).  

I would agree that having a Glucagon Kit readily available is always a good idea (can be purchased at any pharmacy).   I have only had to use one on her in extreme circumstances; for instance, if I can't get her to eat/drink anything, and she has been hypoglycemic for an extended period of time.  Personally, I feel that giving her soft fruit snacks works even better than juice at times, as it is often difficult to sit someone with extremely low blood sugar upright to sip something.

  Totally. When I was still in the "honeymoon" phase my parents tried to test me at 3:00 a.m. I was 57. I had like a lot of glucose tabs. at that  point  would'nt  you consider  glucagon shots? please reply.    -ununderstandable