This is important for critical tasks such as driving. The only CGM that can alert up to an hour before a high or low so that people with diabetes can get ahead of their lows. The American Diabetes Association Page. Accessed 1SEP 2 The system is intended to complement, not replace, information obtained from standard blood glucose monitoring devices.

All therapy adjustments should be based on measurements obtained from standard blood glucose monitoring devices. All therapy adjustments should be based on measurements obtained using a home blood glucose meter and not on values provided by the system.

The system is intended to complement, not replace, information obtained from standard blood glucose monitoring devices, and is not recommended for people who are unwilling or unable to perform a minimum of two meter blood glucose tests per day, or for people who are unable or unwilling to maintain contact with their healthcare professional.

The system requires a functioning mobile electronic device with correct settings. If the mobile device is not set up or used correctly, you may not receive sensor glucose information or alerts.

Feeling shaky Being nervous or anxious Sweating, chills and clamminess Irritability or impatience Confusion Fast heartbeat.

Tingling or numbness in the lips, tongue, or cheeks Headaches Coordination problems, clumsiness Nightmares or crying out during sleep Seizures.

Español Other Languages. Low Blood Sugar Hypoglycemia. Español Spanish Print. Minus Related Pages. Have low blood sugar without symptoms? You may need to check your blood sugar more often. Causes of Low Blood Sugar There are many reasons why you may have low blood sugar, including: Taking too much insulin.

Not eating enough carbs for how much insulin you take. Timing of when you take your insulin. The amount and timing of physical activity.

Drinking alcohol. How much fat, protein, and fiber are in your meal. Hot and humid weather. Unexpected changes in your schedule. Spending time at a high altitude. Going through puberty. Symptoms of Low Blood Sugar How you react to low blood sugar may not be the same as how someone else with low blood sugar reacts.

Common symptoms may include: Fast heartbeat Shaking Sweating Nervousness or anxiety Irritability or confusion Dizziness Hunger. Hypoglycemia Unawareness. This is more likely to happen if you: Have had diabetes for more than years.

Frequently have low blood sugar. Take certain medicines, such as beta blockers for high blood pressure. Types of Low Blood Sugar Nighttime low blood sugar While low blood sugar can happen at any time during the day, some people may experience low blood sugar while they sleep.

Reasons this may happen include: Having an active day. Being physically active close to bedtime. Taking too much insulin. Drinking alcohol at night. Severe low blood sugar As your low blood sugar gets worse, you may experience more serious symptoms, including: Feeling weak.

Having difficulty walking or seeing clearly. Acting strange or feeling confused. Having seizures. Manage Blood Sugar Monitoring Your Blood Sugar How To Treat Low Blood Sugar. Last Reviewed: December 30, Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A close friend or relative should be trained to recognize severe low blood glucose and treat it quickly. Dealing with a loved one who is pale, sweaty, acting bizarrely, or passed out and convulsing can be scary. A dose of glucagon stops these symptoms quickly if they are caused by hypoglycemia.

Glucagon is a hormone that raises blood glucose levels. Glucagon is available in emergency kits as an injection or a nasal spray , which can be bought with a prescription in a pharmacy. Directions are included in each kit; a roommate, partner, parent, or friend should learn how to give glucagon before an emergency occurs.

It is important that your glucagon kit is easy to locate, is not expired, and that the friend or relative is able to stay calm. You should refill the kit when the expiration date approaches, although using an expired kit is unlikely to cause harm.

This releases the powder into the person's nostril without requiring them to inhale or do anything else. If you have to give another person glucagon, turn them onto their side afterwards. This prevents choking if they vomit, which sometimes happens. Low blood glucose symptoms should resolve within 10 to 15 minutes after a dose of glucagon, although nausea and vomiting may follow 60 to 90 minutes later.

As soon as the person is awake and able to swallow, offer a fast-acting carbohydrate such as glucose tablets or juice. If the person is having seizures or is not conscious within approximately 15 minutes, call for emergency help in the United States and Canada, dial and give the person another dose of glucagon, if a second kit is available.

FOLLOW-UP CARE. After your blood glucose level normalizes and your symptoms are gone, you can usually resume your normal activities. If you required glucagon, you should call your health care provider right away. They can help you to determine how and why you developed severely low blood glucose and can suggest adjustments to prevent future reactions.

In the first 48 to 72 hours after a low blood glucose episode, you may have difficulty recognizing the symptoms of low blood glucose. In addition, your body's ability to counteract low blood glucose levels is decreased.

Check your blood glucose level before you eat, exercise, or drive to avoid another low blood glucose episode. WHEN TO SEEK HELP.

A family member or friend should take you to the hospital or call for emergency assistance immediately if you:. Once in a hospital or ambulance, you will be given treatment intravenously by IV to raise your blood glucose level immediately.

If you require emergency care, you may be observed in the emergency department for a few hours before being released. In this situation, you will need someone else to drive you home. Your health care provider is the best source of information for questions and concerns related to your medical problem.

This article will be updated as needed on our website www. Related topics for patients, as well as selected articles written for health care professionals, are also available. Some of the most relevant are listed below.

Patient level information — UpToDate offers two types of patient education materials. The Basics — The Basics patient education pieces answer the four or five key questions a patient might have about a given condition.

These articles are best for patients who want a general overview and who prefer short, easy-to-read materials. Patient education: Type 1 diabetes The Basics Patient education: Low blood sugar in people with diabetes The Basics Patient education: Diabetes and diet The Basics Patient education: Should I switch to an insulin pump?

The Basics. Beyond the Basics — Beyond the Basics patient education pieces are longer, more sophisticated, and more detailed. These articles are best for patients who want in-depth information and are comfortable with some medical jargon. Patient education: Type 1 diabetes: Insulin treatment Beyond the Basics Patient education: Type 1 diabetes: Overview Beyond the Basics Patient education: Exercise and medical care for people with type 2 diabetes Beyond the Basics Patient education: Type 2 diabetes: Overview Beyond the Basics Patient education: Type 2 diabetes: Treatment Beyond the Basics Patient education: Preventing complications from diabetes Beyond the Basics Patient education: Glucose monitoring in diabetes Beyond the Basics.

Professional level information — Professional level articles are designed to keep doctors and other health professionals up-to-date on the latest medical findings.

These articles are thorough, long, and complex, and they contain multiple references to the research on which they are based. Professional level articles are best for people who are comfortable with a lot of medical terminology and who want to read the same materials their doctors are reading.

Hypoglycemia in adults without diabetes mellitus: Determining the etiology Diagnostic dilemmas in hypoglycemia: Illustrative cases Factitious hypoglycemia Management of blood glucose in adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus Insulin therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus Insulin-induced hypoglycemia test protocol Insulinoma Hypoglycemia in adults with diabetes mellitus Hypoglycemia in adults without diabetes mellitus: Clinical manifestations, causes, and diagnosis Physiologic response to hypoglycemia in healthy individuals and patients with diabetes mellitus Evaluation of postprandial symptoms of hypoglycemia in adults without diabetes.

Why UpToDate? Product Editorial Subscription Options Subscribe Sign in. Learn how UpToDate can help you. Is it a problem with brain adaptation to hypoglycemia, or is it only a problem with people who have severe glucagon deficiency?

Other groups are doing research on the long-term effects of recurrent hypoglycemia on the function of other organs. I just finished a study where we gave people naloxone during an episode of exercise to determine if they recognize their hypoglycemia the next day, but the study was just completed, so we do not have results yet.

We welcome comments; all comments must follow our comment policy. Blog posts written by individuals from outside the government may be owned by the writer and graphics may be owned by their creator. In such cases, it is necessary to contact the writer, artist, or publisher to obtain permission for reuse.

Q: What is hypoglycemia? Q: What is hypoglycemia unawareness, and how common is it? What is your experience managing hypoglycemia unawareness? Tell us in the comments below. Click to load comments Loading comments Blog Tools Subscribe Subscribe to get blog updates.

Print Facebook X Email More Options WhatsApp LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Copy Link. Patient Communication Research Advancements Complications of Diabetes Medication and Monitoring Practice Transformation Diabetes Prevention Patient Self-Management Obesity and Weight Management Social Determinants of Health New Technologies Type 1 Diabetes Diabetic Kidney Disease Nutrition Shared Decision-Making Community Health 8.

July 1. June 2. May 1. April 1. But A1Cs this low are also associated with a three-fold increase in the risk of hypoglycemia, which is not awesome and can lead to all sorts of morbidity and mortality of its own. So how do we reconcile this, and balance the goal of euglycemia the technical term for having a normal about of glucose in the blood with the added goal of improving or maintaining our hyposensitivity and avoiding severe hypoglycemia?

The overwhelming consensus is that the best way to do this is to take advantage of continuous glucose monitoring CGM technology. Intuitively, it makes sense that if we can see that we are headed for a low, we can treat it earlier or avoid it altogether, helping our nerves learn a new normal and eventually reset their symptom threshold.

This is even more significant and valuable during sleep, when our responses are blunted anyway and we need all the hypo identifying help we can get! The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists AACE , the American College of Endocrinology and the American Diabetes Association have all released recent position statements recommending CGM use in patients with T1D who have hypoglycemia unawareness, or severe or frequent hypoglycemic episodes.

This piece is an abridged version of an extensive and awesome overview of what hypoglycemia is, how it occurs, what hypo unawareness is and what we can do to fix it.

Check out the full version here. Search Beyond Type 1. BEYOND TYPE 1. Search for: Close search. Close Menu BEYOND TYPE 1. Board of Directors. The Team.

Leadership Council. Join Us. Type 1 Info. Type 2 Info. Diabetes Management.