Severe Hypoglycemia

Severe Hypoglycemia is dangerous and needs to be treated by medical personnel immediately. This happens when there is very little glucose or sugar in the blood stream. Some symptoms of severe attack are unconsciousness and seizure that may lead to coma. It is therefore important to treat low blood sugar at its early stage to avoid reaching life altering and threatening severity.

Hypoglycemia happens in three stages, mild, moderate and severe. But a severe attack can happen any time, often rendering the patient unconscious or debilitated in such a way that they cannot get help themselves. A type 1 diabetic patient or insulin dependent type 2 diabetic is more prone to incidents of severe hypoglecemia. This is because their pancreas is no longer able to produce the hormone and the patient is regularly injecting a specific dosage, whether or not the body needs more or less insulin.

You can avoid attacks by maintaining a healthy and controlled lifestyle and diet. As a patient, you need to remember that you need to balance your blood glucose and the insulin that you are injecting daily. Your body has lost its capabilities of balancing them for you automatically. So you need to be careful of your activities and your food intake. If you happen to suddenly love biking, then you must know that you need to eat a lot more to compensate for the increase activity.

Hypoglycemic conditions happen when there is more blood glucose reducing insulin hormone in the body and not enough sugar to break down. When this happens, your blood sugar is taken to a severely low level often resulting in dangerous health conditions. It can happen quickly and without warning, so you need to know what steps to make in order to bring back your level of glucose to normal range.

You must be careful and attentive to your body signals. If you happen to feel any of the symptoms of Hypoglycemia, you should treat it immediately by eating or drinking something to raise the level of your blood sugar. After taking some food, you must check your blood sugar to see if it’s in the normal range, if not, try eating another portion. Do not skip meals, vary your activities without consulting your physician and do not take your medication at varying time and dosage.

If you have a severe hypoglycemia attack and you have prescription Glucagon, then it must be injected right away. It’s a substance that makes the liver produce glucose in the bloodstream, thus elevating your blood sugar level to a normal and safe range. If you don’t have the medication, or no one else knows how to administer the drug, you must be taken to the nearest hospital emergency room. Severe Hypoglycemia can have a lot of complications, so it’s best to treat them sooner than suffering the harsh consequences later.

You should always wear or carry an ID or medical bracelet at all times, to inform others that you are an insulin dependent diabetic patient. This can save your life when a sudden severe attack happens where no one knows you or no other family members are present to administer your prescription.

Quick Tip #1

Educate family, friends and co-workers about your diabetes and hypoglycemia along with the administration of any drugs needed to prevent a worsening episode.

Quick Tip #2

Preparedness is your first line of defense agsint severe hypoglycemia. Monitor and adjust your diet to your upcoming activity levels.

Emergency Foods:

Cup of Fat Free Milk

Tablespoon of honey or corn syrup

Fruit juice or Regular soda

2 tablespoons of jam and raisins,

7 small gumdrops

8 Lifesavers