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Diabetes treatment - hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is sometimes called insulin reaction. It is when your blood glucose is too low. Even though you may do all you can to
manage your diabetes, hypoglycemia can happen, and it can and must be treated before it gets worse.
If you remember to check your blood glucose when your doctor tells you to, your chances of experiencing hypoglycemia are much lower. Also, a low blood glucose result will tell you that you need to treat it.
If you feel the symptoms of hypoglycemia you should check your blood glucose. If the reading tells you that your blood glucose is low, you should treat it immediately.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) says that if you feel a hypoglycemic reaction but cannot check your blood glucose it is better to treat the reaction than to wait till you can check.
How do I treat hypoglycemia?
You need to raise your blood glucose. The fastest way to do this is to eat some form of sugar. The ADA advises:
- Take 3 glucose tablets (easily bought)
- 1/2 a cup of fruit juice
- 5 to 6 pieces of hard candy (UK 'sweets')
You should ask your dietitian or health care professional for more advice on what you could eat to treat hypoglycemia.
Make sure you always carry at least one type of sugar with you so that you are prepared.
Check blood glucose, treat It and wait 20 minutes
After you have checked your blood glucose and treated the hypoglycemia wait between 15 to 20 minutes and check your blood glucose again. If your blood glucose is still low repeat the whole process - eat some glucose, wait about 15-20 minutes and check your blood glucose again.
Remember to stick to your eating times - your regular meals and snacks are vital for keeping your blood glucose levels as stable as possible. Hypoglycemia can affect all the organs in your body, especially your brain.
Take hypoglycemia seriously
Hypoglycemia, if not treated quickly gets worse rapidly and the patient will soon pass out.
A patient who passes out because of hypoglycemia will need immediate treatment - probably a glucagon injection, or an emergency visit to a hospital.
What does glucagon do?
Glucagon is injected, just like insulin is. However, glucagon raises blood glucose.
You should ask your doctor to make sure you have some.
Hypoglycemia unawareness
It is possible, and not very unusual, for a person to pass out and never have noticed they had been suffering from hypoglycemia. This is known as hypoglycemia unawareness. The patient's blood glucose drops and he/she is not aware of it.
Hypoglycemia unawareness is more common among patients who have lived with diabetes for a long time, those with nerve damage (neuropathy), patients on medication for hypertension (high blood pressure) and those on tight glucose control.
Hypoglycemia symptoms
- Tingling sensation around the mouth
- Lightheadedness, dizziness
- Sweats
- Trembling, shakiness
- Headache
- Pallid skin (you go pale)
- Irritability, moodiness, you might become tearful
- Seizure (you have a fit, spasm)
- Absent mindedness
- Confusion
- Clumsiness
- Strong desire to eat
TCOYD: Hypoglycemia
Author: uctelevision - University of California Television (UCTV)
Source: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lITXyp2udv0
This diabetes information section was written by Christian Nordqvist and may not be re-produced in any way without the permission of Medical News Today.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Wikipedia, NHS Direct, University of California (San Diego).
Disclaimer: This guide is provided for general information purposes only. The materials contained within this guide do not constitute medical or pharmaceutical advice, which should be sought from qualified medical and pharmaceutical advisers. Full disclaimer.
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