Too low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia, is a side effect of diabetes that needs rapid cure. Do you have diabetes? Moreover, have you started to notice low blood sugar symptoms? If answers to both of these questions were yes, then don’t delay any longer to search for the solutions.
Any delay with hypoglycemia can escalate quickly and become life-threatening. If it is left untreated completely or delayed for too long, it can result in coma or seizures, permanent damage of your nervous system or death.
Here are 7 steps you need to follow if you have started to recognize signs of hypoglycemia:
Recognize your symptoms.
Different people might have different variety of hypoglycemia symptoms. Although, anyone taking medications for diabetes or insulin shots should know what are theirs. These symptoms can be:
Make yourself safe.
As soon as you notice any of these symptoms either on yourself or on any of your family members, there are immediate safety precautions you will need to take. Right away sit down (if you are driving a car, pull over). Too low blood sugar can make you lose consciousness – you would want to make sure, if that happens, that you don’t hurt yourself or others around you.
Test your blood glucose levels.
This step can be taken into an action if your symptoms are still mild. You are not sure if it is a start of hypoglycemic seizure or is it some other sickness. Check your blood glucose level to be sure. Any reading below or equal to 70 mg/dL needs a quick action. If the symptoms, you’re having, are already too severe, move on to step 4 immediately.
Have some carbs immediately.
While having an hypoglycemic attack you need to bring your blood sugar levels up quickly. Simple sugars are carbs that act fast and it will help you normalize your blood sugar quickly. Also, if you are taking an diabetes or insulin medication, you should always carry a little bit of fast-acting sugary food with you. Anything containing 15-20 grams of sugar is good. Here are some examples of such foods:
1 tablespoon of honey/corn syrup
4 to 5 salted crackers
1 cup of milk
5 to 6 hard candy
half a cup of fruit juice/regular soda
2 tablespoon of raisins
1 serving of glucose gel
4 teaspoons of sugar
3 to 4 glucose tablets
Wait, then verify.
Don’t eat too much, cause it can result in having your blood sugar levels too high. Take a bit, then wait around 15 minutes and check your blood sugar level with a glucometer. If it is still below 70mg/dL, eat another 15 to 20 grams of sugars and repeat the process. Do that until your blood sugar levels are within normal range. Once the right blood sugar level is accomplished, eat a snack that contains more nutritious carbohydrates — or better yet a normal meal (if you can).
Look for medical help, if your body doesn’t respond
You may be experiencing signs of severe hypoglycemia if you are having seizures, you passed out, or the fast-acting carbohydrates meds do not work on you. In that case, it is imperative to seek medical help immediately. If you have someone with you who knows how to give emergency glucagon injection, then they should do so even before calling the ambulance. After such injection, you should eat some food within 15 minutes.
Start thinking of long-term planning
Always ask advice from your doctor, how to fit your diabetes management plan to your lifestyle better. If you had experiences of one or more severe hypoglycemic seizures, it will be a good time to re-visit your doctor and discuss your long-term planning. Probably even change the plan that you have been using so far. Ask for a glucagon injection prescription as well, so you have it with you and someone close to you can give it to you in case of severe hypoglycemic attack.
Hypoglycemia can be best controlled by knowing what to do and always being prepared. It should be a vital part of your diabetes management plan, even if you haven’t experienced a severe symptoms yet.
Being prepared and knowing what to do about hypoglycemia is an important part of a good diabetes management plan.
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