If you have diabetes, it is important for both you and those you spend time with to recognize the symptoms of low blood sugar, medically known as hypoglycemia. Knowing the symptoms of low blood sugar levels lets you or someone around you administer treatment quickly before you experience potentially life-threatening complications. It’s also important to learn your personal signs, as people often experience slightly different symptoms or combinations of them.
Physical Symptoms
If your blood glucose levels fall below normal, you’re likely to become shaky and unsteady. Dizziness is also common. These are by far the most common indicators of low blood sugar levels. You may also experience a tingling sensation in your lips or tongue, develop a headache, or experience chills. Your skin is likely to feel cold and clammy and your heart rate may increase and become quite rapid. Those with diabetes also report feeling very hungry but nauseous during blood sugar dips and may experience blurry vision.
Emotional Symptoms
The mood is often affected by low levels of glucose in the blood. You may find yourself becoming irritable, easily angered, or confused when your blood sugar levels go below normal. Stubbornness is also common. A sense of extreme nervousness or anxiety may overtake you and leave you feeling quite uneasy. It is common to feel very sleepy when hypoglycemic, and those that are sleeping when their blood sugar drops are much more likely to cry out during their sleep and experience nightmares.
Life-Threatening Symptoms
If your drop in blood sugar is severe, you may lose consciousness or experience seizures. If you do not receive immediate treatment, severely low blood sugars can lead to coma or death. It is possible for your blood sugar to hit dangerously low levels without warning, so make sure friends, family and coworkers know what to do if you lose consciousness.
Symptom Treatment
Unfortunately, you may experience the same symptoms when your blood sugar is high as you do when it is low, making it difficult to know which issue you are experiencing. If you experience any of the above symptoms, consume 15 to 20 grams of simple carbohydrates or ingest a glucose tablet. Immediately check your blood sugar with your glucose meter to see if you are high or low. If you are low, wait 15 minutes and check your sugar again to ensure that the carbohydrates you ingested are raising your glucose level. Continue eating carbs and checking your sugar level until your level starts to rise and nears normal. If your blood sugar tests high, seek treatment from a physician immediately.
Symptom Causes
It is important to know when you are at an increased risk of low blood sugar so you can avoid driving and other dangerous tasks at these moments. Your level is likely to drop if you have skipped a meal or snack or if you alter your schedule or dosage of insulin and other diabetes medications. Be careful when doing so and give yourself adequate time to adjust to medication changes. Drinking alcohol without eating can cause low sugar, as can combining alcohol with other medications. If you’ve done any of these things, be extra aware of your blood glucose levels and the signs that could indicate a drop in your sugar level.
Those with diabetes can minimize their risk of low blood sugar episodes by closely monitoring their blood sugar as they are learning more about managing their disease. Always keep glucose tablets or other sources of sugar handy if you’ve had episodes of low blood sugar in the past and follow all of your doctor’s directions. Don’t hesitate to ask questions when you have them as this will help you learn. With a little practice and patience, you’ll know just how to manage your sugar levels in no time.
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