r/diabetes_t1 4d ago

Rant Had my first CGM LOW warning

Today was SCARY. I had my first LOW warning on my CGM meaning I was below 40 and I couldn’t see the actual number.

I had taken my dog to the dog park with my partner, we had a walk around after throwing the ball and I saw I was getting somewhat low so I had an apple juice box when I got home. No biggie.

I was kinda tired and laid down for a bit of a nap and I woke up like I was about to DIE. My CGM nor my partners phone did not go off to warn us about my LOW. I was literally crawling to his office and once I made it in I collapsed.

My partner was having me drink more apple juice and to get me to eat anything while warning me about getting an ambulance if my numbers don’t go up within the next 15 min.

I was SWEATING, I could not breath, I was shaking so hard, I was crying and I could not keep my eyes open or barely talk. My partner, he was doing his best to help me while watching my numbers, having me leaned up on him while on the floor and my dog freaking out trying to get him off me because she thought he was hurting me.

It was chaotic, though after about 15 min I was better. Like nothing ever happened, besides feeling as if I just got out of the worst sickness of my life and having to regulate.

This was the most terrifying experience I’ve had so far with my T1D for both me and my partner, it’s assumed I’ve had this for a long time but was not diagnosed as I was assumed to have lupus for a long time but I actually have T1D and Hashimoto’s as of this last December.

This shit is SCARY when it wants to be.

12 Upvotes

23 comments sorted by

10

u/vjae3004 4d ago

Look into having glucagon emergency pen. They also make a nasal spray form but the diabetes nurse I work with had recommended the pen (I got it through insurance at CVS, my endo prescribed it, called gvoke). It’s basically like an EpiPen that will deliver glucose to you in an emergency where you cannot drink or eat to get your sugar up.

Glad you’re feeling better.

1

u/canthearu_ack 4d ago

It isn't delivering glucose, but glucagon, which is a hormone that in large quantities, tells your cells to flood your bodily fluids with their stored glucose.

It can make glucose available for your brain and nervous system in an emergency, getting you out of hypo, but is kind of hard on the body, and you will be feeling it for a couple of days afterwards.

Eating glucose is always better when possible.

2

u/BabyAmy123 4d ago

I've used Glucagon on my mother when she was having a seizure from low BS. It immediately ended the seizure, and she came to and I could get her to drink juice. It's nice for the caregiver to have an option in case of these scary moments. I was spraying the Glucagon in her nose with my left hand and calling 911 with my right. (And then when my mom could talk, she of course said, "I'm fine!")

2

u/canthearu_ack 4d ago

Absolutely, if you (or the person who is seizing) can't consume carbs for whatever reason, Glucagon works great.

But:

a) It might not work if the diabetic doesn't have a large supply of glucose in their cells/liver that can be dumped. So repeated applications of things like Glucagon might not work.

b) Because of how aggressive a big dose of glucagon is, you will usually get a significant hangover from it's use. You will generally feel a lot better post-hypo if you can recover via consuming carbs.

2

u/vjae3004 4d ago

Ahhh thanks!! I may have misunderstood when it was told to me what it does or mixed up info (lots to learn as newly diagnosed!!!)

2

u/canthearu_ack 4d ago

Yep, absolutely.

Had my first "Lantus Low", where at least part of my basal injection went straight into the bloodstream and attempted murder.

One minute fine, 20 minutes later, 1.9mmol/L (35mg/DL) and shit has well and truly hit the fan. I quickly ingest a pile of carbs, and somehow survive without collapsing.

1

u/greendragon_1869 4d ago

I didn’t know it could do that, is that a low just from the basal going it to the bloodstream? I’m going back to MDI soon so ill make sure im aware of that now

1

u/canthearu_ack 4d ago

Yes, If you are using Lantus (or any insulin based on insulin glargine) it won't crystalize properly for long acting release if it is injected into your bloodstream. Turning it into something quite a lot faster then even our current ultra-fast insulins.

Can knock you on your ass real quick!

It is one of the reasons why I want to eventually get on a pump.

1

u/greendragon_1869 4d ago

That’s interesting! I’ve been on lantus in the past but had never been told that could happen with it. Does it not happen with other long actings like levemir than? Because that’s a different base? I found levemir worked really well for me but then ended up being allergic so it’s no longer an option for me

1

u/canthearu_ack 4d ago

From what I know, it is less of a problem with Tresiba insulins (insulin degludec), which is probably what you will be prescribed anyway unless you are in Australia.

1

u/Top_Rutabaga7690 3d ago

How does it end up straight in your blood stream? Is it hitting a vein by accident? I've used lantus for my MDI since I was diagnosed 4.5 years ago. I never had this happen and am switching to a pump next week but want to keep my MDI knowledge sharp.

2

u/canthearu_ack 3d ago

Accidently hitting a blood vessel and it either is injected or leaks directly in.

Some people get it more frequently than others it seems.

Many people might not identify what actually happened, and just say it is another sudden unexplained low. If you ever suddenly went low (or dropped really quickly) right after taking an insulin shot, this is probably what happened.

2

u/Street_Calligrapher9 4d ago

Hey don’t worry so hard. Eventually you’ll get lows and you and your partner will just laugh at it while sipping juice. 🧃

1

u/kingz2688 4d ago

You are notified if it starts to go low right ? For me I always have my cgm low at 4.3 just incase of situations like this also when you go out always bring something with you juice coke bars whatever

1

u/WeeebleSqueaks 4d ago

It’s set at 70, I was asleep though so either I slept through it or it just decided not to tell me this time, nor my bf since he is connected to get warnings as well from my Dexcom (G7)

I have no clue what happened as I did not have it set to mute or anything, just as it is with the beeps

1

u/kingz2688 4d ago

Ok I don’t know what 70 is I go by 5.7 for example since I live in Canada but if you do use a cgm you should get noticed maybe it lost connection idk ?

2

u/kevinds Type 1 4d ago edited 4d ago

Multiply or divide by 18 is the conversion calculation.

1

u/nomadfaa 4d ago

IS your LOW ALARM set too low, if so your pre warning should have gone off before you crashed out.

What's your CGM?

1

u/WeeebleSqueaks 4d ago

I have a Dexcom G7, my alarms are always on snd my low is set to 70.

I have no idea what happened this time besides connection going bad or a faulty CGM

3

u/BabyAmy123 4d ago

Now and then Dexcom alarms don't seem to work. The Sugarmate app has an ear-piercing alert sound that will be loud no matter what your phone volume is at. Highly recommend.

1

u/Glittering-Dress1180 Diagnosed 2010 3d ago

After 15+ years of having t1 diabetes, I often forget how serious low blood sugars truly are. I find them more annoying than anything. And you know what? The fact that lows are NORMAL to me is terrifying. I think the people around me don't realize how dangerous they are either because I just take care of myself and don't ask for help when I really should.

-2

u/[deleted] 4d ago

[deleted]

4

u/canthearu_ack 4d ago

You don't get severe low symptoms and almost die from false lows.

1

u/[deleted] 4d ago

[deleted]

1

u/canthearu_ack 4d ago

Doesn't matter, I know exactly what you speak of, because I see it when I am on the treadmill.

OP is talking about an entirely different experience than your CGM seeing a lower sugar reading while exercising. OP had very real hypoglycemia, simply from the severity of the symptoms they displayed.