Any other diabetics experience this?

Question

So, early this morning I began having a really vivid dream about the end of the world. In my dream, I began feeling like I could do whatever I wanted and act as foolishly as I wanted because the end of the world meant I couldn't be held accountable for my actions. Then I woke up, went into the kitchen and felt EXTREMELY famished. I was speaking incoherently to my wife and kids and saying really bizarre things. I felt like I had no control over myself. I began to stuff myself with food and my wife began to panic a little about the way I was acting.

After a few minutes, I was able to regain a little composure and tested my blood sugar. After I had already eaten, my blood sugar was 72 mg/dL...

It was like I was having a bad dream because of a low blood sugar reaction....

Have other diabetics experienced this?

Answer 1

Yes.

Low blood sugar can really mess with your mind. I think what you experienced was more of a hallucination than a dream. It's a good thing you woke up and ate.

You definitely had a pretty severe insulin reaction. It's not at all unusual for a diabetic with low sugar to behave strangely.

In the future, make sure you have eaten enough prior to going to bed to avoid middle-of-the-night lows. Also, it would be a good idea for a few days to set your alarm to wake you up at 1 or 2 am for a quick blood sugar check. If you are going low around the same time every night, an adjustment in medication or diet may be needed.

EMT
type 1, use a pump

Answer 2

Hey Little Man,

Absolutely! Your blood sugar -- after stuffing your face - was 72 mg/dL. Which means it was probably several points lower as your were dreaming -- and after you stumbled into the kitchen to stuff yourself (your words).

The thing to remember is your brain always has a blood sugar 40 mg/dL lower than the rest of your body. This is referred to as "relative HYPOglycemia". When blood sugar is dropping --- our brain perceives relative HYPOglycemia as a pending famine. It is trying to awaken you to the urgent need for glucose.

Maybe your dream about the "end of the world" was triggered by the sensation of relative HYPOglycemia? MyJellyBean.com says to dream that it is the end of the world, suggests that you are under a tremendous level of stress. You may be feeling vulnerable or helpless in some situation. Dangerous HYPOglycemia -- that's pretty stressful! Maybe your helplessness was your brain trying to tell you -- EAT SOMETHING LITTLE MAN!

I have trippy dreams when my blood sugar is low. I usually wake-up because my back gets sweaty and cold. I also used to get disoriented and babble when my sugar was low **when it got that low**. The insatiable stuffing of face follows suit, too. Never worry -- these are the common threads of HYPOs. Sad, but true.

Join me on TuDiabetes.com and share your dream. I'll be a ton of other people with diabetes can sympathize (at the very least). Not to mention http://www.TuDiabetes.com is the fastest growing online community for people touched by diabetes. You should definitely check it out. I'd love to see you there!

Allison Love Beatty - Founder of "Allies Voice"
Making the World Safer for People with Diabetes
http://www.AlliesVoice.com

Answer 3

I've had some weird dreams, but have never had a hypoglycemic episode (that I know of). Your symptoms sure sound like hypoglycemia (low blood glucose). Perhaps if you had tested when you woke up???

Answer 4

Nope, but sometimes I have Vivid dreams of eating desserts, and wake up feeling full. I can still remember the taste of the desserts.

Answer 5

personally I've never had a dream while low, but I have heard of diabetics having some weird/bad dreams while they are low like you said

Answer 6

Yes I have when my bg dips super low. I believe it is quite common actually. Hope you are feeling better now. :)

Answer 7

No I shake when it drops.

Answer 8

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