Diabetic Recipes
alexwindsormusic
I woke up at six this morning to sweaty sheets, shaking and that feeling in my stomach. I checked my blood sugar: 48. I attempted to swing my legs out of bed, but couldn't find the strength. So I grabbed the emergency kit under my bed and downed the glucose tabs. I think I ended up eating eight or nine of them. I wasn't really counting. I was telling myself, "Eat the sugar. Don't pass out." Not at all concerned about the blood sugar after treating the low.
After the glucose tabs, I slowly made it down the stairs grabbing onto the walls and praying that I wouldn't fall. I grabbed the peanut butter and crackers. I was still shaking and not even sure how I was standing. The thought still raced through my head, "Don't pass out." I realize 48 could be a lot worse, but for me night lows are the worst. It's the panic of waking up alone realizing that you are dropping (and dropping fast). It's the fear of past seizures weighing down on you, the constant knowledge that no one is there to give the glucagon, the out of body experience as if you're watching your life slowly fade.
Occasionally, I have these kinds of lows during the day. Just a few months ago, I had a low like this while I was running errands. All of a sudden, I was shaking horribly. I could barely move. I drove to a fast food place and ordered a soda in the drive thru. The only thing I had in my car was peanut butter crackers, which I ate in a matter of seconds. I kept telling myself those lines over and over again. Mind over matter. I wasn't going to let myself pass out. Luckily, I didn't. But I felt like I was fighting for my life, insisting that I would win this round.
I often feel like every low is another round in an endless boxing match. It's hit or miss. The low can win, leaving you in a world of black or in seizures. Or I can win, demanding my body persist. I have no idea if my method of treating severe lows works, if my mind really can overpower my body. Most of the time, I'm getting some sort of glucose as I'm repeating the mantra. Sometimes that glucose is a lot slower than the drop of my blood sugar though. I choose to think that forcing myself to not pass out is working. Considering that I haven't blacked out from a low in years, I think the evidence is stacked in my favor. I suppose that only time will tell though.
Oh, Lindsey! I'm so sorry! It's so scary for sure. I got a 48 this morning and I've been pasted all afternoon. Now I'm 335! I can't figure out what is going on!!
Let's keep on keeping on! You are smart to have your glucose under the bed....I think I'll do that too!
Mousie
Wow! I was afraid I was the only one who had these problems. I have been having the same thing happen to me, but I never thought of putting things under my bed or even in the same room. It is a weird feeling. I was having a lot of problems like this for a while. I was trying to cut back on my eating. I am 330 lbs. and was trying to reduce, but when I do I get that weird feeling like I'm going to pass out my sugar has been down to 45 and I could hardly move. I told my Dr. I think I was on too much meds. He say as long as I keep my sugar down it was ok. not to cut back. Now either I'm nuts or something ain't right in this picture. At my Dr's everytime I go anymore there is a new person there. They can't seem to keep a good Dr there. WHY? Who knows. I would just like to feel ok and lose some weight too. Is that asking too much? One of the New Dr. gave me a new med one time and I gained like 50+lbs. in know time flate!! and when I said something it was like as long as your sugar is under control you will be ok!! Bull!!!
I used to have lots of night lows. I think I would try to compensate for my typical morning highs by injecting a few more units than needed. I learned the hard way that wasn't the way to do it. I have been on the pump since last July and I can count on one hand the amount of lows I have had (day or night). I keep a bottle of glucose tabs and a tube of glucogan in my night stand. If it gets too bad, I try and wake my husband to assist but I find when it is bad enough to involve him, I seem to weak to stir him. Like Lindsey said, it is an out of body experience. There were times when I thought I was calling for help loudy but I was barely audible. Lows are the worse. I usually compare the after feelings to that of a bad hangover. The effects of a low can stay with you for hours.
I keep a tube of glucose and a can of regular soda in my nightstand for lows during the night. Fortunately, my husband can "sense" when I'm getting low and can usually bring me back up. However, there have been times when he is awoken by me convulsing in bed - very scary for him. That is usually a 911 call, because I'm too far gone to cooperate with him and eat or drink anything. I have been diabetic for 31 years and have now developed chronic kidney disease. My son and sister are also diabetic. No matter how you look at it, diabetes sucks!
mousie-definitely keep it under your bed! it's so much easier than trying to get to the fridge or cabinet.
yellow-you're not alone in this! never think you are! losing weight definitely helps diabetes, but dieting can be the hardest thing with this disease. don't give up!!!
chrisbent- afer lows are definitely like hangovers. it throws your whole body off balance.
kadaker- lucky you to have a husband who "senses" these things! you're right that diabetes does suck. i'll be the first to say that. but i'll also be the first to say that i wouldn't be who i am without it.