Thursday, April 30, 2015

How Low Can You Go?

Many people have asked me, “What does it feel like when you blood sugar goes low?”

Here’s a simple long winded explanation for anyone that has asked (or would like to ask but have been afraid to).

For several years, I’ve not slept well (eff you menopause!).  I often wake up in the middle of the night and my brain starts on the “what can I think about to keep you awake even longer” track.  I try to keep a note pad and pen next to my bed to write down things I want to remember.

A couple of weeks ago, I woke up and was thinking about how to start this blog.  What would be good topics? How would I introduce myself?  I came up with a topic and realized I didn’t have my note pad next to me.  I hopped out of bed and went to the dining room to write down my thoughts. 

As I was writing, I realized I was sweating. Dripping in sweat. The thought crossed my mind (very briefly) that I should probably check my blood sugar. Then my brain said, “But wait! You have to write this idea down first!!”  Take a look at my notes.  Not very pretty are they? It looks like I was drunk.  I sort of felt like I was drunk as the words kept repeating themselves over and over in my hypo brain.  Once I hit the bottom of the page, I realized I was having a problem that needed attention.  Right. Now. 
 
Hmmm. A bit repetitive no? How about some spell check?
When I finally got my meter out and checked, of course I was low.  Funny but I don’t remember taking a picture of it!  I would have had to go back to my bedroom to get my phone to do this.  Not only that, but also took a picture of what I was using to fix my low.  What the hell?  With no memory of it, I’m assuming I was still thinking about this blog and wanted some ‘proof’ for a write up.
 
Yes those are my purple pajamas at the bottom of the photo. Cute, right?
 
I had some of the gel on my face when I woke up the next morning.
 
By the time I got back to the bedroom to try to get back to sleep, my pajamas were soaked. I felt like I had taken a shower in them. Of course I had to dig out new ones plus new underwear (TMI?) because they were soaked too.  More time for sleeping wasted.  The sheets were also wet so when I got tucked back into bed I was freezing.

I’ll recap for those who have asked about lows:
  • I was sweating like I had run a marathon.
  • I felt like I was drunk with thoughts running through my head that I couldn’t even write down.
  • I don’t remember taking pictures. Sort of like a blackout.
  • I had to change my pajamas and underwear as they were wringing wet.
  • I was freezing once I got back into bed because I was lying on wet sheets.

Sound like fun?  I’ll thank my lucky stars that I was safe at home where I could take care of myself and could have asked Angry for help if I needed it.




 
 

3 comments:

  1. You know that you are truly a blogger (or even just part of diabetes social media) when you never let a photo opportunity slip by. No BG is too low and no pump disaster is too bloody to grab your phone to capture the moment.

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  2. Ah yes Laddie!! That phone is always handy for photos. :-)

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  3. Oh, geez -- those late-at-night Lows!! Know them well, and this fellow Notepad-Beside-The-Bed believer has had that same experience for the most part. And it's amazing how the brain just doesn't connect the dots to make us actually move to treat, even though we KNOW we're low. And as we sit and contemplate why our writing looks like drunken scribble, or we can't focus on a thought or even see clearly, all we are doing is plummeting lower. Great stuff. I've had my share of paramedic-summoning hypos in the past where we didn't go with glucagon, and that 36 was once my threshold where I would either be passed out or not. Scary, of course, but so weird looking back now. Anyhow, thanks for sharing this Liz!

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