SC - hypoglycaemia

[Donna Ford]

Elysant at aol.com wrote:
> 
> -Poster: Elysant at AOL.com>
> 
> > << A prolonged
> >  hypoglycemic episode can cause heart and  organic brain damage.
> >   >>
> 
> > A prolonged hypoglycemic epiosde can cause death.

Evfemia here.  The below comment from Elysant exactly states my
knowledge and experience of hypoglycemia.  I was speaking of primary
hypoglycemia, not at all related to diabetes or insulin shock, when I
stated that I did not know of any serious side effects of hypoglycemia.  

To my knowledge a person with primary hypoglycemia, (not brought on by
diabetes or insulin shock) will be able to stabilize their blood sugar
on their own eventually.  Obviously reactions such as sweating, shaking,
slurred speech, confusion, etc can occur before the body is able to
stabilize itself.  But a primary hypoglycemic's body should be able to
stabilize it's own blood sugar without SERIOUS side effects from my
experience and research, whereas someone who is diabetic can have a low
blood sugar episode brought on by an overdose of insulin, for example,
and can most certainly die or have other serious complications because a
diabetic, or someone with hyperglycemia, cannot stabilize their blood
sugar on their own.  That's why they take insulin.  However an overdose
can cause the blood sugar to drop dangerously with no way to stop it
without the introduction of more sugar into that hyperglycemic
person's body.  There may also be medications that could stop this.  I
don't know as I am hypoglycemic not hyperglycemic.  Diabetes is not my
field of expertise since I don't have it.



Evfemia at mail.com
Barony of Iron Mountain
> 
> Both of these statements are true, BUT but almost all people who suffer from
> hypoglycemia learn to recognise their own signs and symptoms of when the
> sugar drops and it becomes so uncomfortable it becomes the number one
> priority in their lives to rectify the situation.
> 
> I get it myself, and know when my vision starts going, I get shaky, get a
> gnawing uncomfortable sensation in my stomach, and/or a blinding headache,
> and get grouchy - and I haven't eaten in over 4 hours that I need to stop and
> eat something NOW.  Usually it takes about 20 minutes to start forgetting the
> symptoms again.
> 
> If you can recognise the symptoms and take action, the problem can be
> resolved quickly and easily.
> 
> I tend to take more smaller more frequent meals, and when travelling or
> eventing, usually take along a snack - usually cheese and wholewheat crackers
> - in case I get busy or it creeps up on me.  A trick I learned years ago when
> presented with a "hypoglycemic diet" by my doctor. :-)
> 
> Just as with a diabetic, if a hypoglycemic ingests "empty" carbohydrate
> calories they are just going to quickly skyrocket their bloodsugar and then
> it will plummet  to potentially even a lower BS.  Adding a protein as was
> mentioned prevents this as it evens out the absorbtion and lasts longer in
> the system.
> 
> Other choices to eat as a hypoglycemic snack would be something like peanut
> butter on celery, or a glass of skim milk and a light sandwich on whole wheat.
> 
> One last point.  Usually, in my experience, it has been a diabetic on insulin
> or an oral  hypoglycemic who has not taken sufficient food against that
> medication and the medication is still working to lower what ever sugar is
> there that causes the coma and potential death situations.  Usually, from
> what I have seen and experienced, this does not happen with people who suffer
> from hypoglycemic episodes who are not diabetics.
> 
> Elysant
> also mundanely an RN
> 
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- -- 
evfemia
Barony of Iron Mountain, Meridies