Low blood sugar levels can cause a diabetic to feel bad, fast. Many patients can tell if their blood sugar is too low by how they are feeling, while others may delay taking action when they just don’t recognize the warning signs.

For those who are determined to remain active and in control of top of their health, monitoring blood glucose daily using diabetic testing supplies and a daily journal or log to record the key factors affecting the way they feel, recognizing unstable blood glucose levels enables a quick response and correction.

Many diabetics learn not to skip breakfast and so avoid mid-morning hypoglycemia For others a bedtime snack may be what is needed to avoid a pattern of waking up with low blood sugar levels and starting the day feeling unwell..

Testing for Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia)

Low blood glucose levels occur when there is insufficient glucose or blood sugar in the bloodstream. In general, a low blood sugar reading is at 70 mg/dL and below

One important time for a diabetic to test and record his or her blood sugar level is first thing in the morning, immediately upon waking. This is called a fasting blood sugar, and it is the best indicator of diabetes control because the body has not received any food in a number of hours. This is also the time that low blood sugar readings are most common.

Other causes of a drop in glucose levels include taking too much diabetes medication, irregular or delayed meal times, overdoing the usual exercise routine and taking medicine for another health problem.

When patients with diabetes experience the symptoms of low blood sugar, they must test the level of blood glucose straight away, take the recommended action steps to raise the level of glucose then test again after 15 minutes, repeating the action steps to make sure the level has returned to within the normal range and has stabilized.

How Does Low Blood Sugar Feel?

Different levels of low blood sugar can produce symptoms which vary by individual. In some cases, if the blood sugar is only slightly lower than the desired range, a diabetic might feel hungry, nauseated, weak, irritable or nervous. Some diabetics complain of feeling clammy or will break out in a cold sweat as their blood sugar levels start to drop. As the glucose level in the bloodstream continues to drop, the diabetic may feel more obviously unwell, experiencing any number of abnormal reactions, becoming nervous and shaky, developing a headache or experiencing blurry vision. This is when intervention becomes truly necessary because blood sugar that gets too low can become a medical emergency. At critically low levels of blood sugar, people with diabetes may have seizures, lose consciousness or slip into a coma

The Action Plan for Low Blood Sugar Levels is Straight Forward!

The simplest, swiftest and most effective treatment for low blood sugar is to eat something that has sugar in it or food such as simple carbs which the body converts to sugar quickly. Some examples of foods that make the blood sugar rise quickly are orange juice, apple juice, graham crackers, and the candy bar. After the initial rush of quick sugar though, patients need to eat a solid meal from the diabetic diet plan to help their blood sugar stabilize to within their normal range. A meal that includes complex carbohydrates, such as whole wheat bread, and protein such as luncheon meat, is necessary to close the circle and solve the problem. Simply eating candy could cause a spike in the blood sugar concentration temporarily, followed by a rapid return to a very unwell state.

Diabetic supplies readily accessible should include glucose tablets, some candy, juice or soda for rapid treatment of low blood glucose or Hypoglycemia. A Kit beside the bed that also has a snack included is a wise precaution because low blood sugar side-effects can make a trip into the kitchen unnecessarily difficult..

One of the most significant benefits of a regular, self-monitoring, diabetic testing routine is the record that allows the clinician to establish the likely cause of both consistently low and high blood sugar levels. Adjusting the patient’s diabetic treatment plan, the medication, diet (including portion control and how often to eat) and exercise routines may be necessary to accommodate each diabetic’s low blood sugar pattern. It certainly is an everyday care plan with the reward of a healthier lifestyle.