Low Blood Sugar: A Personal Look at Hypo Symptoms

Ever felt shaky, dizzy or confused for no apparent reason? If you have diabetes, these can be signs of hypoglycaemia, usually defined as a blood glucose level below 4 mmol/L. It can be pretty scary, both for the person experiencing it and for those around them. But understanding hypoglycaemia’s symptoms is crucial.

For those of us living with diabetes, dealing with low blood sugar episodes, often referred to as “diabetic hypoglycaemia” or just plain “hypos”, is an all-too-familiar struggle.

Contents

• The Hypo Struggle Is Real
• Finding the Bright Side of Low Blood Sugar
• Hypo Experiences
• Managing the Irritability
• Hunger Pangs
• Variety of Symptoms
• What to Do During a Hypo
• Increased Hypo Awareness

The Hypo Struggle Is Real

You know that feeling when your blood sugar drops quickly and your body reacts? It is incredibly unnerving, even for people who have lived with diabetes for years and are used to monitoring their levels. Hypoglycaemia can cause symptoms ranging from mildly uncomfortable to seriously alarming.

Sometimes it can just creep up slowly. Your glucose drops steadily. The first hint might be an inability to concentrate or focus, like your brain is wrapped in a thick fog. Then the telltale shakes and sweats kick in as your body signals that it needs more fuel. It is an unpleasant experience.

But hypos can also happen suddenly, with blood sugar falling before you realise what is happening. One minute you are going about your day, the next you are dizzy, disoriented and feeling dreadful. That is when things get really scary, when easy tasks become impossible and people start questioning if you have had one too many.

There is nothing pleasant about being caught in a severe hypo haze, unable to string a sentence together or keep your legs under you. It is frightening for you and everyone around you who has no idea what is going on. It is understandable that people dread letting their levels drop too low.

Finding the Bright Side of Low Blood Sugar

Still, as much as hypos disrupt our lives in the moment, they also give us something valuable: data about our unique diabetes management needs. The different symptoms people experience actually provide useful insights.

Do hypos make you hungry, irritable and pale? Now you know to watch for those signs and treat them early. Do you tend to get sweaty, shaky and confused when your levels fall? Make a note of it so you can take action quickly.

Every reaction is a clue that teaches us how our individual bodies respond to falling blood sugar. That is useful knowledge for better controlling the ups and downs.

The tricky part is separating hypo patterns from the other factors that can affect blood glucose, including stress, illness and activity levels. Keeping a record of episodes can help you and your diabetes care team identify patterns and decide whether your treatment plan needs adjusting.

Hypo Experiences

The following experiences are summarised from personal accounts shared by members of the Diabetes UK community. You can read the original accounts on the Diabetes UK website.

When experiencing a hypo, the feelings can include weakness, shakiness and nervousness. It can be impossible to concentrate, like being on the brink of fainting or having a panic attack, curling up trying not to cry. Family members may say their loved one seems “out of it”.

A continuous glucose monitor or flash monitor can help some people track their levels and may provide alerts when glucose is falling. Discuss this with your diabetes care team. If symptoms begin, check your blood glucose if you can and follow your agreed hypo treatment plan.

Managing the Irritability

Some people are still able to feel their hypo symptoms clearly. They may get clammy skin, a growling stomach and shakiness, signalling that it is time to treat the hypo. Partners may notice frustration about levels dropping or a search for food when CGM alarms go off, even when the outward symptoms are less obvious than they feel.

Different people do react differently.

Hunger Pangs

For others, intense hunger kicks in first during a hypo. They start feeling really hungry and irritable. If it is not treated right away, confusion, sweating and paleness around the lips and mouth can develop. Families may know it is coming when their loved one raids the food cupboards, which is often the first sign.

Some people describe a CGM as a simpler, quicker way to stay on top of their readings.

Variety of Symptoms

Some experience quite an array of hypo signs. If blood sugar drops steadily, there may be light-headedness with food cravings. But if it drops quickly, confusion, dizziness, sweating, weak legs and even strange ear sensations can occur. Vision can blur or seem slow too.

Others have been told they look pale when levels are low. If their blood sugar is very low, they may be unable to put sentences together properly and could be mistaken for being drunk. Do not judge someone who may be showing signs of a hypo.

What to Do During a Hypo

If you have diabetes and develop hypo symptoms, check your blood glucose if you can. A reading below 4 mmol/L needs prompt treatment. Have something that raises blood sugar quickly, such as a small glass of fruit juice or a sugary non-diet drink, five glucose or dextrose tablets, four large jelly babies or two tubes of glucose gel. Check again after 10 to 15 minutes and repeat the treatment if your level is still below 4 mmol/L. Once your symptoms have improved and your level is above 4 mmol/L, have a longer-acting carbohydrate or your next meal if it is due. Follow the individual advice given by your diabetes care team.

If someone is unconscious, do not give them food or drink. Put them in the recovery position, give glucagon if it is available and you know how to use it, and call 999 if glucagon is unavailable or they do not recover within 10 minutes. Anyone having frequent, severe or night-time hypos, or losing awareness of their warning signs, should speak to their diabetes care team.

Increased Hypo Awareness

From dizziness and sweating to hunger and confusion, hypoglycaemia symptoms can vary considerably. Being aware of your personal signs is important so that you can treat a hypo quickly. Reading personal experiences can also help raise awareness of the different ways a hypo may appear.

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