How many lows?

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Przepiora on June 5, 2008 at 7:10pm

I've had three in the past 6 weeks since diagnosis, only one was explainable and I have taken steps so that won't happen again, I have no idea about the others. Two were in the high fifty's and one mid 60's, but the scary part was I didn't feel them until I reached that point. It used be I would feel it in the low 70's.

I hope you can work it out so you don't have to worry about the lows so much.

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Permalink Reply by Diabetic_Iz_Me on June 5, 2008 at 7:45pm

I don't go low often...I usually catch it before it drops below 60. I think I maybe go low maybe once or twice a month. I stop lows by eating reg and eating snacks in between meals. I don't know if me being type 1.5 is helping me out or not...Hope you feel better
Cherise

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Permalink Reply by Stuart on June 6, 2008 at 12:09pm

Dangerous lows, none. Potentially dangerous lows, every single one. Probably once a week on a really really really bad month. Typically far, far less. Regardless all kinds of reasons, mostly over zealous with the short acting insulin, excessive long acting on board, etc.. Am definately not a "beginner", tight-control has serious side effects ; ).

Stuart

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Permalink Reply by Scott Strumello on June 7, 2008 at 7:33pm

Dr. Philip Cryer, who studied hypoglycemia extensively and is generally considered one of the foremost authorities on this topic, wrote the following:

Hypoglycemia is a fact of life for people with type 1 diabetes. Those attempting to improve or maintain glycemic control suffer untold numbers of episodes of asymptomatic hypoglycemia; plasma glucose levels may be less than 50–60 mg/dl (2.8–3.3 mmol/l) 10% of the time. They suffer an average of two episodes of symptomatic hypoglycemia per week—thousands of such episodes over a lifetime of diabetes—and an episode of severe, at least temporarily disabling, hypoglycemia approximately once a year. An estimated 2–4% of deaths of people with type 1 diabetes have been attributed to hypoglycemia.

This may not address your question completely, but at least it puts things in perspective on just how "normal" the frequency of lows is likely to be.

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Permalink Reply by Stuart on June 7, 2008 at 7:54pm

Wow Scott, that's a @&(#@*# spooky statistic. I've adamently believed that was the case for a very very long time. That little fact gets overlooked by the "sugar faeries" and their cheerleaders but the DCCT was awfully clear on that point as well (::: (

Thank you for sharing the link to the original source too!!!!

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Permalink Reply by Kristin on June 8, 2008 at 3:44am

Thanks for sharing this Scott! It was new info for me and it speaks right to my question.

I was really starting to wonder if my A1c was "artificially" low because I am having multiple lows, but given that they are generally in the 50's or 60's, I will take them as part of good control and hope to avoid severe hypoglycemia altogether!

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Permalink Reply by Patricia on September 23, 2009 at 7:59pm

This is why we need more accurate glucose monitoring technology...both finger stick and continuous. How can we make this happen? Do we rattle the FDA? What is really scary is that most of us have lows w/o knowing it. I have been down in the 20's before...but, 40-50's is not uncommen several times per week. I do not think I have really slept a whole night for most of my adult life...for fear of lows. I just hooked up to CGMS and that is giving me some much needed info...I think it should be provided, if desired, for anyone w/ diabetes. I had to pay for it out of pocket, but it was worth it. I will probably fight w/ my insurer and try the other 2 available types.

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Permalink Reply by Doris Ann Dickerson on June 8, 2008 at 7:31am

I've fallen low 2 times a day at times to and that's not the best feeling at all! I seaize b/c my ability to tell when I'm low is long gone! Get a trip to the hospital via the ambulance a few times. Now I have Gluagon shots here to bring my bs back up. I can tell sometimes when I'm low but it has to be below 45 for me to tell at all! Good luck and always eat enough to cover them. Atleast I'd rather be a little high than low at anytime! A little that means with in 50 points of my goal it's like 120 so I can go up to 170 and still be ok I really don't want to go higher though I often do!

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Permalink Reply by westy55 on July 29, 2008 at 1:53pm

You should not be having any lows, because it will not give you the entire picture you need for your HGBA1C. It is an average, so it includes lows, which will throw it off. I suggest eating at least every two hours. I have also noticed, when I change my site, the fresh insulin is much more potent. So dont
get complacent about not checking your BS level. I test 10 times a day and more if I have to be on a regimen of steroids. Steroids are our worst enemy!!!!!
Really, checking your blood sugar often is the key, if you dont know what it is, how can you deal with it?

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Permalink Reply by Alessandra Paganin on July 29, 2008 at 2:47pm

Hi kristin! Normally i got a low a day, but not a bad one, something around 70. it's also because i don't eat much carbos so it's aasier to get lows! but as long as you feel them i don't think it's bad.
take care, Ale x

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Permalink Reply by Maureen on July 29, 2008 at 2:49pm

I used to go low quite often - twice a day wasn't unusual. Since pumping, I've tracked trends (food/exercies/boluses, TTD, basal/bolus %'s, mentrual cycle, etc.) through the day and month, and have adjusted my basal rates to three patterns I use, depending on the time of the month, and my activities. Now I have 3 or 4 lows ( around 3 mmol) per week while managing fairly tight control (A1C1's between 6 and 6.5). It took a lot of determination on my part as I can be really lazy about journalling every event, but the end result is worth it. I'm going through the same task again now that I've switched to a CGMS pump.

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Permalink Reply by Dana Clark on July 29, 2008 at 5:23pm

I had them a lot recently because of dieting. After seeing my Endo we split up my Lantus dosage to twice a day instead of taking it all at night. It definitely helped. Right now I'm not having many lows- maybe 1-2 per week?

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