I could feel it coming on as I approached the front of my house, failing to steer the car closer to the kerb as I usually do to reverse onto the driveway.
‘I’m going low again,’ I thought to myself as I pulled myself out of the car and locked it behind me. I’d already pre-emptively treated with two glucose tabs around an hour ago, but I knew that my blood sugars weren’t quite able to hold on.
I knew that the sensible thing to do would be to open my bag and pop another two glucose tablets into my mouth. But I wasn’t thinking clearly. I guess it didn’t help my case that I was already feeling a little depleted after an extremely busy day at work and in need of some fuel.
I got dressed as quickly as I could and prepared my usual milky afternoon coffee. I gulped it down, rather than savouring it, almost as though I was using it to quench a thirst that I didn’t know was there. I opened up the cupboard and grabbed an Arnott’s Royal from the biscuit container. I pulled my pump out of my pocket, registering the low blood sugar and entered the carbs that I’d eaten so far.
But it still wasn’t enough.
I opened the cupboard once again, this time eyeing an already opened packet of Honey Soy Chicken crisps. Normally, crisps aren’t something that I indulge in. After years of eating them after school, I miraculously managed to evolve this habit into an afternoon coffee. Which is excellent, considering how terrible they were on evening blood sugars.
But today I opened them, with the intent of just eating a few. Just enough for a taste, without the need for a bolus. But the more I ate, the harder it was to stop. I must have had a few decent handfuls, at the very least. All the while, blissfully unaware of the realisation that I’d need to bolus.
Safe to say, my poorly timed boluses weren’t able to catch up to my rising blood sugar for quite some time. I probably spent a decent few hours attempting to repair the damage I’d done.
Most days, I can fix hypo with nothing more than a few tabs of glucose.
But on those days where hypos and exhaustion collide, I’m compelled to raid everything but the kitchen sink.
Hi Frank, This story is very recognizable. Yesterday morning I also had a hypo in the supermarket. I start by drinking a small package of apple juice, then I take dried fruit. When I arrived home, my blood sugar levels were still falling (I have a FreeStyleLibre sometimes). And then it happens. I grab LU Tuc (Do you know them?) and my favorite Dutch pepsels (pretzels). Especially those with peanut butter. They all go up if I’m not careful. And after that I have enormous regrets! And here too I always think “who will ever understand this?” Thank you for your story! With regards, Marijke from Amsterdam
Over the last few years I’ve become a walnut addict, after realising that the carb’ content of cashews (that I thought were “free”) were raising my BGLs. I now have at least 30 grams per day without the need for a bolus. After having what I consider enough juice to cover a hypo’, I happily continue munching on walnuts with a couple of low-fat cheese slices and this quickly satisfies the hypo’ hunger without suffering any consequences. Food for thought – nuts, eh?!
there is not enough peanut butter int his world to put to rest even one hypo.
Hypo Hunger – Diabetes Today
[…] I could feel it coming on as I approached the front of my house, failing to steer the car closer to the kerb as I usually do to reverse onto the driveway. ‘I’m going low again,’ I thought to myself as I pulled myself out of the car and locked it behind me. I’d already … [Read more…] […]