What to do when your sugar gets too low?

Question

I have type 2 diabetes, and yesterday my sugar level was at 82 I was very shaky and I am suppose to take another dose of my metaformin 500mgs at each meal. I did not know weather to take it which would have been at dinner time. What am I suppose to do take it or not?

Answer 1

82 isn't really all that low, but in the beginning, when people are just getting under control, they feel more shakey than the numbers really indicate, since their body is accustomed to high numbers for a long time.
I take a different medine (avandia) which is only once a day, and not at meals, so I can't advise you- but I want to reassure you the shakey feeling does go away with time- I know what a lousey feeling it is. Good luck!

Answer 2

When your sugar is low...eat something. A glass of orange juice is best, followed by bread or fruit. Candy can serve as an emergency measure...but only buys you a few minutes. Starchy foods--like apples, bananas, potatoes, breads, and cereals--will give you a longer supply of sugar as your body breaks the starch into sugar slowly, but it takes too long in an emergency. You could drink juice or milk, follow with starch.
Do not take oral hypoglycemics, such as Metformin, when you will not be able to eat for a while. Follow the doctor's orders as best as you can, but exercise judgement--if your sugar is low, and you can't eat for awhile...do you really want to lower your sugar artificially? Ditto for insulin.
If your sugar is low, you can still take your medication if you are about to eat a full meal. But its better to eat a little then take Metformin, then finish your meal.
By the way...you should read Metformin's side effects and discuss them with your doctor. Have you been wondering about that embarrassing gas problem?

Answer 3

Drink 4 oz of orange juice and wait 15 miniutes. Check you glucose again, and it should be around 15 higher.
If you are insulin dependent, keep some glucose tablets handy.
82 is not really that bad. I got down to 63 once, (got stuck in traffic and didn't have any thing sweet in the car.) By the time I got off the interstate and to a convience store, I had the shakes really bad, a terrible headache, difficulty thinking clearly, and appeared drunk to most people. I dimly remembered something about sweet tart candies being good for low sugar, and grabbed some, payed and started munching on them. As my head cleared i realized that the place sold orange juice, which would have been better. I felt really bad for the rest of the day.

Answer 4

metformin works over time, taking it at dinner time would help you to use the sugars provided by your dinner. When you feel shaky associated with blood sugar, and frankly 82 isn't all that low, I would suggest you eat a high protien snack. A hard boiled egg, or a couple of crackers with peanut butter, but don't skip your meds.

Answer 5

First eat something such as lifesavers, sugar cubes, or drink some orange juice or soda to get your sugar up. After that, follow up with protein which keep your sugar stable over a period of time- try crackers and cheese or peanut butter. Make sure to remember to recheck your sugar after a bit to make sure you didn't rebound too far the other way and have high sugar as a result!

Answer 6

If your blood sugar drops too low, you should drink orange juice--it will add sugar more quickly. But carry a snack sized pack of raisins with you in case you have problems and you aren't anywhere you can get orange juice. Contact your doctor about what he or she recommends regarding your next dose of medicine. It may depend on how long before you are supposed to take it that your blood sugar dropped. They may also recommend that you check your blood sugar immediately before you take your medicine to decide whether to take it.

Answer 7

With type two diabetes you should have a supply of glucose tablets. They can be obtain at any pharmacy or store. My blood sugar sometime goes to 42. I monitor my blood sugar 4 times a day.

Answer 8

eat a combination of protein and carbs. PROTEIN.
This happpened to me one day I dropped to 70 and I thought if I ate carbs it would raise my blood sugar but it would just go right back down after 2 hours.

Luckily my daughter called and advised me to eat Protein. That will stabalize your blood sugar.

Here are two books that I highly recommend:
1. The power of Protein
2. Atkins

Answer 9

Try having Lucozade, as it digests really fast therefore making sure your sugar level is brought up quicker

Answer 10

you should have taken the pill beacause my uncle and i both have diabetes. but he's the one who has type 2 he told me when he is around those numbers he takes the pill but stays cautious of what he will be doing for the rest of the day.