How low is too low?
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jw17695
Posts: 438 Member
Are their damaging side effects for low blood sugar? I'm not taking about passing out low but right now my blood sugar is 52. Other than a weak feeling, I don't have any other side effects. I wear a pump and CGM so I can watch it closely, but what I really wanted to know is, is there any damaging side effects to my body like there is with high blood sugar levels?
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I’ve asked my endo about the same thing. He said he’s got some patients that suffer from dementia and thinks it’s from lots of low blood sugars during their lives.
I just participated in a study recently. They were testing to see if diabetics that pass out because of low blood sugar are affected by it. They seem to think a severe lack of sugar does damage the brain and can affect ones mental capacity.0 -
Well I guess I'm in trouble then. During both of my pregnancies and I had the paramedics save me many times.0
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Chronically low blood sugars can eventually lower your hypoglycemia threshold, making it difficult to feel the lows until you're near unconscious. So that's something to keep in mind too.0
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I see a 50 every few days... treat and move on
The danger of being low is really just from your brain not having enough glucose to function and the immediate problems of that, not long-term cumulative damage like highs do.
There's some evidence that repeated bad lows (as in: enough to cause a seizure) have some minor lasting effects in children whose brains are still developing, but even that's come under question lately. Last I knew.0 -
I suffered a diabetic coma from a low blood sugar and it put me into a five month coma where I stopped breathing and suffered a traumatic brain injury. I had to relearn EVERYTHING. How to cook, clean, eat and everything else. The only way I can tell when I go low is because I start sweating now. I had my tubes tied after this happened and haven't been on the pump since. It has been 8 years now and I am about to be on the pump again at this time. Good luck with this.......0
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I've been told that low blood sugar can alter/damage brain cells. I don't know how true this is.
The other issue with lows, as was previously mentioned, is that you will stop feeling them until it is too late. You will go from feeling fine to passing out.0 -
Great question! I've been a T1 for almost 40 years now. I've had my fair share of lows. I've had a few hypoglycemic seizures. However, since using my Dexcom my lows haven't been as bad. As an RN, I can't think of any long term effects that could be caused by frequent tolerable lows. Please let me know if you or anybody else finds out more information...time to go search my nursing journals!0
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I just suffered a chronic low this week where my husband had to call the paramedics out. I was at 32 and the only thing I recall is wanting to be left alone and just go to sleep. That was only the second time in 23 years. My best friend has at least one low like this every week for months and I believe it did cause some brain damage. I don't know if it was permanent or not, she passed away in April last year but I knew her since the 5th grade and she had surely changed quite a bit in the months before she died.
I usually feel my lows coming on, but the more tightly controlled I keep my BS's, the less I feel a low coming on until it is getting scary low. I believe there is danger in both extremes. So much is still unknown.0
