T1 Diabetic - First ever low bloods fit

[blackscooby]

Been diabetic 31 years. I'm now 50.. shocking I know. I never think of myself as 50.

Anyway, been a type 1 diabetic 31 years and Friday night was my first ever "beyond a" hypo episode.
I'm no saint, have had hypos where my bloods have dropped through the floor, but Friday night was exceptional.

I'm on a Libre Sensor, and I've got records of what my bloods were
23:11 5.6mmol
00:04 5.1mmol

I must have thought they were a bit low to check them at midnight.

It was hot on Friday night, I was in the spare room as my better half (Mrs BS) said we'd keep cooler separately.. which was fair enough.

Anyway, Mrs BS came into me at some point before 1am, as I was breathing, no snorting weirdly.
I was flat on my back, 90 degrees to the pillows, staring into space having a "diabetic induced fit".
Mrs BS wasn't aware this was a thing, and to be honest 31 years into being a T1 diabetic neither was I. Every day is a school day.

She thought the worst and everything was going through her head as she dialled 999.

Just before the saviours with blue lights on arrived, I grabbed her arm and said "I'm OK, get me orange juice"... apparently

Dextrose tablets were on the bedside cupboard (rather than in their usual place) so I must have been aware my bloods were going down.

Anyway I manual blood check had my bloods at 1mmol !! Holy st.
The ambo crew were ace as was my Mrs to be fair. The crew wouldn't leave before my bloods got to 5mmol which took a while to say the least.

The suspicion is that my bloods dropped like a stone as trying to keep cool uses blood sugars for which I didn't have enough to cope, hence the radical drop. Again every day is a school day (part 2)

31 years and I've had nothing at all like this...

The episode has affected Mrs BS more than it has affected me as I have no recollection. All she has in her head is myself fitting uncontrollably on the bed whilst speaking to the dispatch crew not knowing what was wrong with me, fearing the worst.

I'm normally fit and healthy.. OK not super fit physically, but walk a few miles every day with the dog etc, and keep my HbA1C's in good check.

Bit of a reality check really to keep a good balance on life and look after those around me rather than pour my life into work as it as at the moment.

Thanks for reading my long winded story, but thankfully I'm still here to type it.

Edited by blackscooby on Wednesday 17th August 15:24

[PositronicRay]

I've had a couple not dissimilar to an epileptic fit.

Leaves you feeling st for a few hrs.
Incidentally I use glycogel, I find it more effective.

[PositronicRay]

PositronicRay said:

I've had a couple not dissimilar to an epileptic fit.

Leaves you feeling st for a few hrs.
Incidentally I use glycogel, I find it more effective.

ETA

Its a bd condition, just when you think you're in control it throws you a curved ball. 40 yrs in and still learning, it'd be nice to relax sometimes.
And I meant Glucogel, just bit messy when the top pops off and it squishes out into your pockets.

Edited by PositronicRay on Thursday 18th August 08:03

[blackscooby]

PositronicRay said:

PositronicRay said:

I've had a couple not dissimilar to an epileptic fit.

Leaves you feeling st for a few hrs.
Incidentally I use glycogel, I find it more effective.

ETA

Its a bd condition, just when you think you're in control it throws you a curved ball. 40 yrs in and still learning, it'd be nice to relax sometimes.
And I meant Glucogel, just bit messy when the top pops off and it squishes out into your pockets.

Edited by PositronicRay on Thursday 18th August 08:03

Thanks - I'll get some gel ones, at least Mrs BS can squirt that in my mouth if I'm none serviceable

[Badda]

Seizures are horrible for those that witness them, really scary.
Do you have glucagon at home? If not, may be worth keeping an injector somewhere for future incidents (crossed fingers never).

[PositronicRay]

blackscooby said:

PositronicRay said:

PositronicRay said:

I've had a couple not dissimilar to an epileptic fit.

Leaves you feeling st for a few hrs.
Incidentally I use glycogel, I find it more effective.

ETA

Its a bd condition, just when you think you're in control it throws you a curved ball. 40 yrs in and still learning, it'd be nice to relax sometimes.
And I meant Glucogel, just bit messy when the top pops off and it squishes out into your pockets.

Edited by PositronicRay on Thursday 18th August 08:03

Thanks - I'll get some gel ones, at least Mrs BS can squirt that in my mouth if I'm none serviceable

Don't squirt it, smear it around the gums and inside of the cheeks if unconscious. I keep some in each car, grab bag and bedside table, along with fruit pastilles.

[mike9009]

Scary as hell.

I have been T1 for just over 40 years too. Again I am no angel.

I had a few early morning fits in 2007. Unfortunately I fell out of bed and smashed my head against a radiator the first time. So, blood from head injury and mouth from bitten tongue. My wife was amazing. I was eventually diagnosed as epileptic (and banned from driving for 18 months) but I am sure it was a hypo. Once the ambulance crews arrived my blood sugars were normal (7.0) so hypos were dismissed. But, I believe the body can spike the blood sugar from reserves in the liver??

I was playing with my long term insulin trying to reduce HBA1C but without realising the impact through the night. Libre really is a godsend for spotting things when not testing/ sleeping.....

I hope everything turns out well. T1D can be a challenge....