Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is a dangerous condition that occurs when blood glucose levels fall below 70 mg/dL. This is most common in people with diabetes and can lead to serious consequences, including losing consciousness.
Symptoms of a Blood Sugar Drop:
1. Feeling hungry
2. Excessive sweating
3. Anxiety
4. Shaking or tremors
5. Rapid heartbeat
6 .Weakness or fatigue
7. Blurred vision
Causes
Hypoglycemia can be caused by taking too much insulin or certain diabetes medications. It’s important to talk to your doctor or pharmacist to understand if your medication has the potential to cause low blood sugar.
What You Should Do
Consume 15 grams of fast-digesting sugar (glucose). Do not eat nuts (slow to digest) or fruit (fiber slows absorption). This is not the time to be “healthy”—you need sugar fast. After consuming the sugar, monitor your symptoms for 15 minutes.
Contact someone nearby in case of an emergency. Severe hypoglycemia can cause you to lose consciousness and become unable to help yourself, which can be life-threatening.
After 15 minutes, recheck your blood sugar. If it is still below 70 mg/dL, repeat step 1. Continue this process until your blood sugar is above 70 mg/dL and your symptoms improve.
Eat a small meal to prevent your blood sugar from dropping again. If you’re close to a main mealtime, you can eat your main meal instead.
If you have tried to eat several times and your blood sugar is still below 70 mg/dL, call for emergency help or have someone take you to the nearest hospital immediately. Do not drive yourself, as your ability to operate a vehicle will be impaired. In the worst-case scenario, you could lose consciousness while driving and cause a serious accident.
How to Prevent It
To help prevent hypoglycemia, consider using a sugar substitute with a low glycemic index, such as Palatyne®. Because Palatyne® doesn’t cause a rapid spike or crash in blood sugar levels, it is a safe option for people with diabetes.
Understanding how to manage and prevent a blood sugar drop is crucial. It’s a serious condition that requires caution and preparation. This information is a valuable tool to help you be ready to handle it if it ever happens to you.
