Gonna Go Low, Low, Low

Low blood sugar ("hypoglycemia") is when your glucose level is under 70 mg/dL.  This can happen for different reasons:  taking too much insulin, exercising or not eating.  Symptoms include: sweating, shaking, fast heart beat, hunger, confusion and feeling nervous or jittery.  Here is a chart which shows the categories of hypoglycemia:

Category	Blood Sugar Level
Normal	80 - 120 mg/dL
Border Line Hypoglycemia	70 mg/dL
Fasting Hypoglycemia	50 mg/dL
Insulin Shock	Less than 50 mg/dL

To treat hypoglycemia (and bring your blood sugar up to at least 70 mg/dL,) you need to consume a sugar that is easily absorbed so that it works in your body quickly.  Some ideas are: juice, non-diet pop, life savers or glucose tablets or gel.  I usually drink 8 oz. of orange juice, suck down a Capri Sun or eat 4 glucose tablets.  After 10 minutes you should check your blood sugar again and if it is still not above 70 mg/dL then you would treat again.  If it doesn't come back up after 3 treatments, it is probably time to take a trip to the ER.

Insulin shock occurs when your blood sugar level falls quickly and leads to unconsciousness.  It is the severest form of hypoglycemia and it is considered a diabetes emergency because if left untreated it can be fatal.

Like all diabetics I have experienced hypoglycemia at some point.  It is not a pleasant feeling.  I have had times where I get confused and can't think straight.  I remember a time right after I had started taking insulin that I woke up in the night and knew my blood sugar was low.  I knew that I needed to get a glass of orange juice.  But, I could not make myself go downstairs and get that stupid juice!  I woke my Mom up and told her I need o.j. and she and I went to the kitchen together.  If you are ever around me and notice that all of a sudden I get quiet, can't seem to focus or remember what our conversation is about, or if I tell you, "I can't remember what I was saying," my sugar is probably low.  Just ask me, "Are you low?  Do you need some juice?"  I won't mind you asking.

About 17% of T1 diabetics suffer from hypoglycemic unawareness (which simply means you do not feel any symptoms when your sugar gets low.)  I happen to fall into that 17% the majority of the time.

Now that you are educated on hypoglycemia (low blood sugar,) you can understand the name I chose for this blog.

"A Visit From the Sweat Fairy" is a diabetes term of endearment.  As I said earlier, a symptom of hypoglycemia (a "hypo") is sweating.  So a visit from the sweat fairy simply means that your blood sugar is low enough for you to feel sweaty.  When you get a visit from the sweat fairy during the night (a "nypo"), you wake up with your shirt and sheets soaking wet, and usually freezing cold.  Sounds pleasant, right?