Diabetes Forum UK

In my opinion all GP's, endocrinologists, and anyone else involved in the care of diabetes should be SHOT - with a little rapid insulin, that is. That way they would know what a hypo really feels like, not just symptoms on a page. Let them know how unpleasant the whole hypo business is. Perhaps this would stop them from thinking those of us who strive for good control are trying to go hypo to keep a good A1c, even when we show them numbers that say otherwise.

Let them get really low. Make them experience the mood swings, the shaking, sweating, and all the other lovely (not) things that go with the low. Let's see how dumb they feel when we lowly lay people have to tell them about the one thing they NEVER tell us about - the dreaded hypo hangover! Let them know that the work note should say "In case of low blood sugar, patient must go home." We need to sleep that hypo hangover off, not feel rotten and exhausted the rest of the day! 

I can't say I've ever seen any publication that even mentions the hangover. Has anyone else? Perhaps it's just another of those mysterious things that one can only learn from experience or from the experience of a fellow diabetic. 

Comments (4)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

...
written by Trinkwasser 2, June 18, 2010

This can also occur with reactive hypos, where the BG doesn't go down to genuine passing out hypo levels but the speed of the drop sets off a neuroendocrine dump (cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine etc.) which affects the autonomic nervous system. This can take some hours to wear off so I would expect the result of a Real Hypo to be even more extreme.

A Type 2 response can also be a "liver dump" where glucagon triggers the liver to overproduce glucose and the BG then shoots up again all on its own. Some Type 1s also appear to do this but others don't.

The problem is that many doctors would then become paranoid about their patients hypoing to the extent they would tell you to put your A1c up to 11 "just in case" rather than encourage proper control.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

...
written by Joanna , June 18, 2010

Yes Eggie as a type 1 I do experience those awful " hangovers"
I rarely drink and have never had a hangover but who needs to get drunk with the hangover from high or low blood glucose right?! And people get drunk for fun ? Go figure that one out. I have tried to explain a low to people such as if you miss a meal and your tummy starts to feel weird or you get a headache that is some of the symptoms of begin low. BUT.....
they just don't get it.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

...
written by Kristen, June 20, 2010

Thats why I was so sad to leave my pediatric endo. But I know at 25 it isn't really appropriate any more to see a pedi doctor. But my pedi endo and pedi cde are diabetics on pumps. They personaly know how it feels. My new endo is not diabetic. She's a great doctor and knows her stuff, but she doesnt know the personal "how it feels". It would be great if all medical professionals personally could relate to what we are going through. And not just with lows, but how sick we feel with high's and ketone, or the pain with dka. Until they go thru it they just dont know. And then some sit there and say we have a low tolerance scale.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

A great idea!!
written by Richard Vaughn, June 29, 2010

I agree Marie! It should be a requirement in med school for all would-be doctors prior to their graduations.

• 
• +0
• 
•