We’ve all been within the place of getting a nasty low blood sugar, the place all you wish to do is eat every little thing in sight. There’s no reasoning with your self. It’s like a demon has hijacked your self-control!
It makes good sense–your physique simply desires to get your blood sugar again as much as a secure stage, and it’s doing its greatest to make sure that the low is corrected.
However consuming your weight in carbs is simply going to lead to excessive blood sugar, after which you’re coping with the alternative downside. What’s an individual with diabetes to do?
To begin with, repair the low. Get your blood glucose stage above 70 mg/dl (4 mmol/L).
It’s greatest to make use of a dextrose-based therapy, like glucose tablets or gel, to get the BG as much as a secure stage. Utilizing one thing excessive glycemic index is vital if you end up very low and must shortly elevate the blood glucose, particularly you probably have plenty of insulin on board.
Watch out to deal with with the correct quantity of carb, versus over-treating.
- Should you weigh lower than 60 lbs, a gram of carb will elevate your BG about 6 factors.
- Should you weigh 100-160 lbs, a gram of carb ought to elevate your BG about 4 factors.
- Should you weigh 160-220 lbs, a gram of carb may elevate you 3 factors.
And provides the carbohydrates 15-20 minutes to lift the BG. Do a follow-up fingerstick as a result of there’s a lag time with CGM sensors, and the BG you get with a fingerstick will likely be a extra correct reflection of your response to your therapy. In case you are nonetheless low, repeat the therapy.
I keep in mind a low the place I munched my means by means of the pantry, and I uncared for to rely my carbs as I used to be doing it. I had completely no thought how a lot to bolus for! Boy, did I study my lesson.
I by no means did that once more – I’ve all the time made positive to carb rely and take insulin to cowl no matter I eat that’s in extra of what I wanted to do to regulate the low blood glucose ranges. Typically expertise is the perfect instructor.
I used to be driving once I had the worst low I’ve ever had. Thank God I had glucose gel within the heart console and glucose tablets on my key chain. I used to be sucking down the gel as I used to be pulling off the highway.
Ordinarily, I’d have wished to eat (and eat and eat) after that. However I needed to sit in my automobile and look ahead to my BG to come back up, so meals wasn’t available. And have you learnt what? By the point I acquired dwelling, the need to eat had handed! I used to be very shocked, nevertheless it did. That was a great lesson for me, too.
In case your blood glucose is rising and getting increased than you’d like after you’ve handled your low, you possibly can select to train and get your self away out of your tempting kitchen.
Take just a little stroll to make use of up a few of that meals you ate for the low BG and keep away from the necessity to take corrective insulin to carry it down once more – vicious cycle, no?
One other technique to keep away from overeating after a low? Enlist the assistance of the individuals round you. Typically all of us want just a little help. Who is aware of, they could simply be prepared to take a seat with you whilst you look ahead to the low to come back up or they could go on that stroll with you.
Instructed subsequent posts: How To Deal with Low Blood Sugar At Night time and What a Low Blood Sugar Feels Like
