Embarrassing Situations
I was at work. A low crept up on me without my knowing what was going on. All of a sudden I couldn't type, couldn't think or hear, I was seeing stars and I knew that I would pass out but for some reason, I just kept trying to work.
I have heard about people having hypoglycemic episodes and not being able to treat themselves, but it never happened to me before this. It seemed like all I could concentrate on was that I wanted to finish what I was doing. I finally got it out of my mouth that I was diabetic and didn't feel well.
The lady I was working with didn't know what I was talking about. Somehow I made it into my co-worker's office. She helped me and finished working with the client. My co-worker was very understanding and kind but she did say that it looked like I was drunk when I came in her office. I can't imagine what the other lady thought or felt.
Now I am feeling bad about it. I don't quite know what to think.I had tested earlier, I was sitting right next to my bag of diabetic supplies and food and had glucose tabs in my desk.
I feel awful bad about this. I never had hypoglycemia in public before and not been able to deal with it effectively. I maybe feel embarrassed and vulnerable?
I know this must have happened to others as well. What was your experience and how did you deal with it? How did you feel afteward?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by lotsofshots on -
Yes, thank goodness for my co-worker.
I have never had a low that scary before. It was like my body was totally disconnected from my brain. I couldn't function and I felt like I couldn't do anything about it. It was kind of funny because I think I mumbled to the client I was trying to work with something like, "I have diabetes, I need to eat something sweet." and she just looked at me like I was crazy and said, "Can't you eat whole grains?" She was clueless about what I meant.
I am so glad that I made it over to my co-worker's office without going down. She got me my meter and my glucose tabs. She looked scared. The lady missed all that and just looked irritated with both of us. I guess that was what upset me the most.
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Permalink Reply by Type1Gal on -
is there a reason you're not on a pump or using a CGM. what was your blood sugar when you tested? had you just bolused and didn't eat enough. Lows happen for a reason...what happened?
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Permalink Reply by lotsofshots on
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I am on MDI only. I might have to go on a pump, but right now it is kind out of my price range for me. Usually I eat the same thing at the same time every day during the work week, and I never have any problems at all. Recently I have decided that I want to lose some weight, so I have been lowering my carbs and taking less insulin. Still, this was a surprise and my blood glucose was 45 when I took it. I had been feeling kind of ill all week too, having some stomach problems. Maybe my food wasn't digesting right or I was just stressed about not feeling that well. I didn't feel that great when I went to work in the morning either.
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Permalink Reply by Tim on -
It's not denial, it's the adrenaline rush, part of the body's natural response to a hypo. The adrenaline keeps pushing you to not stop, to keep moving - which can be a bad thing if you need to stop to treat the hypo!
I don't always get the adrenaline shakes like I did when I was hypo when I was a kid but I think the adrenaline is still there.
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Permalink Reply by lotsofshots on
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Yes, that it a good point, all I could remember thinking back was that I was very irritated. I just was mad at my hands for not moving and I was dead set on finishing what I was doing. I had no though other than that until I started seeing stars! Then I panicked and remembered that I had diabetes. Like total disconnect.
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Permalink Reply by Maggi on
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you didnt do anything wrong and hypo unawareness is something that many struggle w/. I understand why you feel embrassed but it can happen to anybody and it sounds as if you manage your diabetes very well.
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Permalink Reply by barbraann on -
Has happened to me more times than I care to admit. I've passed out cold and fell into a grocery store freezer - twice, gotten lost driving home from an appointment and driven a half hour out of my way before realizing it, during a pedicure, at parties, came to in bed with EMS and firemen standing at the bottom of my bed and actually some situations much worse. I've sat and argued with my husband that I was FINE only to have him force me to test... and sure enough - 28! Trust me, It's always embarrassing even when it's around family and friends. I think it's the not remembering what I said or did that makes me so uncomfortable and embarrassed. But I always try and explain to people afterwards and laugh it off and tell myself, now they know what to watch for and will be ready to help if it ever happens again. My pedicurist is always watching me closely now and asks if I'm OK if she senses I'm acting funny. It's weird how, even though she didn't know me very well, she could tell something was wrong but I couldn't.
Humor always seems to help me.
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Permalink Reply by Brian (bsc) on -
You actually fell into the grocery freezer twice?
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Permalink Reply by smokinbeaver on -
I think because when theres a low coming people do open the fridge or freezer and stick their heads in it. To confused to figure out what is happening and they pass out. If I see someone standing in front of a freezer with the door open in a store, I always stop and talk to them to see if they could be a diabetic with a low coming on. Well experienced being the wife of a diabetic.
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Permalink Reply by acidrock23 on -
It's because you are looking at the stuff and trying to decide what would be good to eat and get stuck in a "loop" of "hmm, how many carbs is that, I ate that once, what happened, where the hell was that...[duck to avoid space aliens...]oh yeah, that was pretty good, oh, I ate that other thing once too..." and will spend 20 minutes while continuing to crash deciding between two things instead of just eating one!
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Permalink Reply by smokinbeaver on
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LOL acid...
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Permalink Reply by lotsofshots on
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Aww, it sounds like you have been through some really rough situations. You sound like a very strong and brave person. I did talk to my co-worker for a long time. I am so lucky she is such an angel, and I did write an email to the lady. I hope she understands.
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