Hypo Unawareness?

Question

So I've read about diabetics and hypo unawareness. Does every diabetic go through this where they can't feel the symptoms of a low blood sugar? I know it's a good idea to test often so you can catch a low before it gets bad, but I've usually been going on how I feel.

Answer 1

It is definitely caused by frequent lows. You get used to them.

You can bring back the awareness by running a little higher for awhile. A pump is a great way to do this, as Anita said.

Answer 2

Yes. If a diabetic takes insulin, eventually they will have at least one hypoglycemic episode of "hypo unawareness". The odds of getting through life without one is astronomical! Type I diabetics (they make no insulin) are more prone to hypo unawareness than Type II diabetics (they make some insulin, but not enough, or may be insulin-resistant).

I had been going on "how I feel" for years when I was younger...and always got "early warning" hypoglycemic symptoms.
I kept my blood sugar average about 140 (which is way too high), so whenever it dropped to 100-110, I would have hypoglycermic symptoms and treat it before it got lower. (That's why I have never passed out from a low blood sugar). .

Then I stopped working full time and was able to better control my diet/exercise, so my blood sugar average went down to about 115.
Suddenly, I couldn't "feel" low blood sugars coming on anymore.
It was frightening to test and find out my blood sugar was 34! (Generally, blood sugar in a non-diabetic person is approx. 80-120.)

I know many doctors feel that very tight control (some want diabetics to keep a target 80 or 90 blood sugar!) is good (and it is for avoiding complications), I keep it higher, though, because I want to feel when my blood sugar is dropping. The "early warning system" of hypoglycermic symptoms is a biological "tool" that I use to prevent hypo unawareness. I would rather keep my blood sugar a few points higher to avoid severe hypoglycemia resulting in brain cell damage or death....and assume the risk of possibly having a complication years down the road. That's my choice, but you'll never hear a doctor recommend it.

Answer 3

I don't think every diabetic necessarily goes through this. I had hypo unawareness before going on the pump. What caused it for me was that I was having low blood sugars all of the time. Finally my body just got used to my blood sugar being low and I wouldn't feel any symptoms. I was walking around holding conversations and such and I was barely reading 40 on the meter. After I went on the pump, we kept my blood sugars a little higher and treated for anything under 100. Gradually the symptoms have come back to me.

Answer 4

I always used to start by getting pins n needles in my tounge, then a couple of years ago, my hypo warnings stopped altogether, my blood sugar would just drop and before I knew it i'd be coming round and not remembering a thing.

I had my insulin changed and now notice the warnings again.

I had a German shepherd dog who used to know if I was hypo during the night and would stick his head under the covers to wake me up,

Answer 5

no, only brittle diabetics who do little to control their blood sugars experience this to any degree.