ASK GINGER -- How can I prevent really bad low blood sugars better?

Ginger,

I read in your blog once that you've never had a low blood sugar that was so bad you couldn't take care of it yourself. I have them pretty often, and like, I know how it feels to be low but I just never catch it quick enough and then my friends or my mom have to take care of me. But I know it scares them and I don't know how to keep it from getting so bad.

Annie

Hey Annie,

This is really important, because when we aren't able to take care of our own low blood sugars, we can get into car accidents (when you start driving), or have a really bad episode during a soccer game or in the middle of a test at school. It can be really dangerous, and probably often involves a call to 911 so an EMT can help you.

Before I go any further about my method of preventing this, there is also something called "Hypoglycemic Unawareness" which means you are no longer very sensitive to the symptoms of hypoglycemia. So that may be part of the problem, but if you think you do feel those symptoms when they start to creep up, the rest of the problem is about how quickly you respond to a potential low blood sugar.

For me, usually the first symptoms I notice are fatigue, light-headedness and hunger. Sometimes I get very shaky but not usually until it's dipped down below 55. I also get very hot when my blood sugar drops.

The first thing I do, though, whether I feel like my blood sugar might be low or maybe even high, is stop what I'm doing and test my blood sugar. I don't mess around. I don't wait. I don't tell myself I'm being overcautious, because what annoys me the most about diabetes is hypoglycemia! A really bad low can put a big halt in my day because as a trainer and yoga instructor, I'm active often throughout the day, and I need my energy! A really bad low blood sugar drains my energy for at least an hour afterwards.

I've asked training clients to give me a moment to test my blood sugar when I thought it was low during work. I've walked out of a yoga class for five minutes to test and drink a juice box. I'll make my friends sit and wait for me while I check if we're out for a walk and I can feel my head getting woozy.

I don't mess around!

My biggest advice to you would be to CHECK, CHECK, CHECK! Even when you feel the slightest little symptom, check your blood sugar--more often than not, you're probably going to be right--and it's a lot easier to take two minutes to check our blood sugar than to have a major hypoglycemic episode and spend the rest of the day recovering.

Ginger