Extremely low blood sugar (37)

[KerryR]

Hi, I've been T2 for almost 20 years now. For the past year I've been on insulin and currently taking 88 units each morning, along with Metformin and Glipzide. This is my normal routine and it's usually fine.

However, this morning it was NOT fine. My fasting read was about 138, a little high for my liking, but not as high as it used to be. I took my meds and insulin, had my breakfast (1 egg on whole grain toast) which is normal.

However, and this is where the unusual happened. 30 minutes later, putting my shoes on to walk out the door, I felt a little light-headed. So, just as a precaution I took a quick read....44!!!. So, I grabbed a can of full-sugar soda (not a good breakfast food but you gotta do what you gotta do). Another test showed that I'd dropped to 37. By this time I was getting large bright spots in front of my eyes.

By now I'm panicking, I'm home alone!! So, eat....whole grain bread, with honey this time. Honey on it's own. Another test, still 37 (at least it didn't drop further). Call husband, while waiting for him, eat Kashi bar, sit in front of fan and have more honey on bread (who wastes time toasting it at times like this?). Another can of soda (last one!!). Husband walks in, I'm sitting there with honey and a spoon. He gets me my glucose tabs which I down as fast as I can. All this and my level is NOT going up much (50s now). It's been about an hour by now. I now go onto peanut butter and skim milk.

It took 3 hours (and about 3 million grams of sugar!!) to get it to go to 120 and not drop. My husband goes back to work at 11 am and I go to sleep for 2 1/2 hours (in the recliner, I've never done that before). When I woke my read was only about 200.

I've had 'drops' before, but usually I can get myself back up within a few minutes with a few glucose tabs and a kashi bar. I have NO idea what happened this morning.

Also odd was the 'no warning' factor. Usually when I hit the 60s I am sweating and shaking like jello. Did this happen this morning? Heck no!!

Can anyone shed any light on this? Or offer suggestions?

[blondy2061h]

Are you taking any new medications? More activity than usual? Drink alcohol the night before? Possible pregnancy? Just throwing out anything here I can think of. How scary for you! Is it possible the meter wasn't right?

Why kind of insulin do you take?

[KerryR]

Thank you Blondy, yes, it was really scarey. I was just minutes away from calling 9-1-1. Had I been in my right mind I might have done.

No, none of the above. No new medication, no exercise, no alcohol, and if I'm pregnant they'd better start building a new breed of churches!!

And the meter is perfect. I have two, they both registered the same readings.

Absolutely nothing was different. I'm on Lantus. Of the 88 units, 27 had come out of one vial, and the other 61 had come out of a brand new one, straight from the fridge. Now this is something I don't usually do, use it cold, I normally remember to take it out several hours before, but that woudn't have made a difference.

Well, it's now 'tomorrow morning' and I have to take it again, and frankly, I'm scared. I'm going to reduce the amount as a precaution.

[Coravh]

I am so sorry that happened. It must have bee so scary for you. How long have you been on this insulin regime? Remember, that insulin requirements can change over time. All I can suggest is keep testing and be prepared to change your doses.

Does lantus come in U500? Did you check the new bottle?

Best of luck.

Cora

[blondy2061h]

I"m pretty sure Lantus only comes in U-100.