Hypoglycemia is defined as the deficiency of glucose in the blood stream and is characterized as a level that falls below seventy. If left untreated, it can result in loss of consciousness, seizures, coma, and sadly, death. I have been fortunate enough to catch most of my lows in the upper sixties, however, there has been the occasional dip to somewhere in the vicinity of sixty-two.
I was perusing the online diabetes blogs and came across one written by a mother of a diabetic. She was feeling frustrated by her son's short temper during his lows. I know it must be very difficult for non-diabetics to understand where these intense mood swings stem from and why their loved ones act out in the ways that they do. In turn, I will try my best to explain what it feels like to me when I drop into a hypoglycemic state.
Remember how my nurse told me that I would be met with that feeling of "shit"? She was right. Once my glucose level begins its descent, I am met with a sudden wave of symptoms. I'm sitting, when all of a sudden, my body temperature rises and sweat forms on my brow. My hands begin to tremble and I begin to lose focus of everything around me. It seems impossible to regain my concentration, no matter how hard I try. My brain begins to slam against my skull and all I can think about is the intense hunger pains that seemingly appear out of the blue. I resume a standing position and I encounter heart palpitations that just for a minute, make me think my heart might jump out of my chest. I go straight for my monitor and attempt to test my blood sugar with the clumsiest hand movements imaginable (please note: I realize that this step probably qualifies me as one of the worst diabetics ever. I should go straight for a glass of milk, but I choose to make sure what I am feeling is truly hypoglycemia and not just a side effect of the adjustment period). I try to steady myself while I feel the anxiety forming inside of me. After I confirm my suspicions, I immediately grab a drink or snack containing fifteen grams of carbohydrates-- just enough sugar to pull me back to safety.
You may be wondering how these symptoms contribute to a short fuse. The intense, overwhelming feeling consumes all of my thoughts and makes me irrationally irritated with people who come into my path. That girl who just cut me off... I'm laying on the horn before I can even process the situation. The person who is asking me questions while I am trying to focus... I can't even form a thought-- it doesn't matter how many times you repeat yourself. The think-before-you-speak filter... yeah, I've lost that too. The worst part? I know when I am being irrational, but I can't pull myself out of the funk until sugar is in my system.
Remember how my nurse told me that I would be met with that feeling of "shit"? She was right. Once my glucose level begins its descent, I am met with a sudden wave of symptoms. I'm sitting, when all of a sudden, my body temperature rises and sweat forms on my brow. My hands begin to tremble and I begin to lose focus of everything around me. It seems impossible to regain my concentration, no matter how hard I try. My brain begins to slam against my skull and all I can think about is the intense hunger pains that seemingly appear out of the blue. I resume a standing position and I encounter heart palpitations that just for a minute, make me think my heart might jump out of my chest. I go straight for my monitor and attempt to test my blood sugar with the clumsiest hand movements imaginable (please note: I realize that this step probably qualifies me as one of the worst diabetics ever. I should go straight for a glass of milk, but I choose to make sure what I am feeling is truly hypoglycemia and not just a side effect of the adjustment period). I try to steady myself while I feel the anxiety forming inside of me. After I confirm my suspicions, I immediately grab a drink or snack containing fifteen grams of carbohydrates-- just enough sugar to pull me back to safety.
You may be wondering how these symptoms contribute to a short fuse. The intense, overwhelming feeling consumes all of my thoughts and makes me irrationally irritated with people who come into my path. That girl who just cut me off... I'm laying on the horn before I can even process the situation. The person who is asking me questions while I am trying to focus... I can't even form a thought-- it doesn't matter how many times you repeat yourself. The think-before-you-speak filter... yeah, I've lost that too. The worst part? I know when I am being irrational, but I can't pull myself out of the funk until sugar is in my system.
Even though the symptoms that come along with hypoglycemia are rough, I feel very fortunate that my body recognizes when something is wrong. Some people who have suffered from diabetes for years have lived with low numbers for so long that they are in danger of falling into a coma before having the opportunity to rectify the situation.
One of my biggest fears is that my sugars will drop while I am sleeping and that I will fall into a coma before I wake up. Confession: I eat a small helping of almonds (or another source of protein) every night to ease my mind before I climb into bed. This probably isn't necessary since I experience the dawn phenomenon, but I feel like it is better to err on the side of safety.
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