Fighting the Unseen: Life With Diabetes

I've been reading a discussion (Living Alone w D + Low bgs) and am getting conflicting results. (on www.TuDiabetes.com)

There are many T1Ds out there who believe that having a low blood sugar, including a seizure, while sleeping is not life threatening. That you cannot die from this.

I strongly disagree, as do many other doctors and specialists in the field.

While it's not something that I worry about every single day, it is still something that is kept in the back of my mind. The lowest I've SEEN for my BG is 19. I know (and it's been documented) that at 10, we would go into a coma. Comas are life threatening.

I know that our bodies tend to take care of themselves, but the whole point is that insulin is manufactured. It is created by man and it takes no regard for what the human body is actually doing because it not bulit to react to our bodies. The insulin is pretty robotic. (please tell me if I'm wrong as I enjoy learning new factual details)

So, I'm wondering if maybe I've gotten wrong information?

I know that I actually DO owe my life to my family members, as I've actually been in insulin shock comas. So, what I'm not understanding is how so many people can believe that it's not life threatening to have extremely low blood sugars whlie sleeping?

I'm also concerned that many T1Ds are so blase about seizuring while asleep. I do not want to give the wrong impression to newly diagnosed T1Ds, letting them believe that if they leave their lows untreated, they will be fine.

Does anyone else have thoughts on this?

Thanks,

Marps

I COULDNT AGREE MORE. IF IT IS A ONCE IN A WHILE THING AND I MEAN LIKE NO MORE THAN SAY BELOW 65 FOR NOT MORE THAN ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK THEN YOU MIGHT RECOVER FROM IT OK. THE PROBLEM IS THAT ONCE YOU USE YOUR RESERVES THAT ARE STORED IN YOUR LIVER YOU NEED TO BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL AS IT CAN TAKE A LONG TIME FOR THIS TO BE REPLACED.

I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IT AS I HAVE ADDISONS DISEASE AND THE ADREANIALS WONT SEND A MESSAGE TO THE LIVER AND TELL IT TO SEND HELP. THAT IS WHY I NOW WEAR A CGMS WHICH DOES HELP BUT IS NOT FOOL PROOF.

I TOO HAVE BEEN HSPITALIZED SVERAL TIMES FROM SEVER LOWS. THE TIME I WAS TAKEN BY FLIGHT FOR LIFE THEY JUST SHOOK THERE HEADS AND SAID HE SHOULD BE DEAD.

TO ME DKA IS A LOT LESS LIFE THREATENING AS IT USUALLY TAKES SEVERAL DAYS OF VERY HIGH BG TO GET TO THAT LEVEL WHERE AS HYOGLYCIMIA HAPPEN MUCH MORE RAPIDLY AND AS YOU SAID IS UNFORGIVING . IT DOESNT CARE HOW OLD OR HOW MUCH YOU ATE FOR DINNER WHEN YOU GO LOW AND YOU STILL HAVE INSULIN ONBOARD IT IS GOING TO HURT YOU. WHEN I WAS ON MDI AND I COULDNT REMEMBER IF  I TOOK MY LANTUS OR NOT I WOULD NEVER RETAKE IT UNLESS I WAS CERTAIN THAT I HAD MESSED UP.

I've done that before too.  If I forgot to take my basal (Levemir) I would not take it again- just incase.  Because, like you said, insulin shock is instant while Dka is over the course of a few days.  I can stop Dka in the morning, if I forgot to basal, but I can't stop the effects of an Overdose while I'm sleeping.

my lowest was 19 when i woke up,i freaked out.lows & highs are both as serious.one time i was out of it & was going to take my 30units of humalin,being out of it i grabbed the humalog & took 30.the next few hours were rough