HYPOGLYCAEMIA: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

DL mag dietitian and diabetes educator, Dr Kate Marsh, explains everything you need to know about hypos, including who is at risk, the common symptoms, the best hypo treatments, steps for reducing your risk of a hypo and what to do when the fear of hypos is getting in the way of managing your diabetes well and enjoying life.

- Dr Kate Marsh

Hypos: (Where blood glucose levels drop too low) are an inevitable part of life for many people living with diabetes, particularly those taking insulin. For some, they are a minor inconvenience, easily fixed with a few jelly beans. For others, they are a major disruption to life, causing social embarrassment, affecting relationships, and preventing people from working, driving or taking part in activities they enjoy.

WHAT IS A HYPO?

Hypoglycaemia, or a hypo for short, occurs when your blood glucose level drops below 3.9mmol/L. Both insulin and some diabetes tablets (called sulphonylureas) can cause hypos.

The symptoms of a hypo vary from one person to the next but include:

• Feeling weak, shaky, dizzy and/or lightheaded

• excessive sweating

• finding it hard to concentrate

• behaviour changes such as being irritable, angry or emotional

• feeling hungry

• having a headache

What causes a hypo?