One of “those” lows

Editor's note: This post was written in the early hours of the morning last night after experiencing an unfavorable low blood sugar.

I just had one of “those” lows. You know the type I’m guessing.

One of those lows that wakes you out of your deep sleep with the demanding wail of your Dexcom (CGM – continuous glucose meter).

It violently alarms on the bed between you and your husband.

Wake!

Awake now!!

When you look at the screen, you are too low for it to register.

It reads LOW.

You request for your husband to turn on the light so you can do a test.

52.

This low feels a lot worse than that though.

You know the ones that you wonder how you will survive the next minute because you feel so bad.

Your whole body is shrieking out in discomfort.

Give me sugar!

And it lets you know loud and clear it is not happy with you in its current state.

I am still recovering as I type this post.

Do you ever notice with lows like this that your mouth tastes funny? Do you get that taste in your mouth too? This must be the scent dogs can pick up.

As I lie here recovering, I had a flashback. I remember throughout high school the binge I would have when I was low. I’d get myself to the kitchen then park at the kitchen table with a glass of OJ, a bag of cold chocolate chips (must be stored in fridge for full chocolate sensation & maximum deliciousness – ever tried it?? Soooooo yummy and good) and a box of Golden Grahams.

Something about this taste in my mouth that only comes about with bad lows caused me to vividly remember the enjoyment I would feel as I munched on that chocolate and cereal. If it wasn’t for the food allergies I have (recognized since that time) I would be driving to the store tomorrow to buy some. I miss Golden Grahams!! I wonder if I’d still like them as much.

I am in the danger zone of a rebound now. Three times since I’ve started typing, my CGM has already alarmed me —

You’re rebounding.

You’re rebounding!

You know this kind of low. Where the standard 4oz. of juice just does not feel adequate to treat.

Foolishly I called out to my husband in the kitchen for more than the usual 4 oz. when I saw that I had .32 insulin units on board on my pump.

I told him to bring me 6 oz.

Usually having 4 oz of juice delivered to me in the bedroom prevents the low binge fests…

This low called for more.

I hobbled to the kitchen with all the might in my body after being given the juice.

Chocolate chips.

There were only a few left in the bag so I grabbed some dark chocolate too.

Dagoba dark chocolate drops. A handful. Hmmm.

And the box of gluten free animal crackers.

I headed back to the bedroom and ate in bed which created a mess and a bed full of crumbs.

I made myself stop eating before I was truly ready for fear of the evil rebound.

Will I get too high? I hope not.

Right now after bolusing 2 whole units in the time I’ve typed this I’m at 132 – diagonal arrow up.

Side note: Can we say pathetic? I had to bolus 2 units for my low… Yes, I did used to do this all the time when I was younger but that is why I am usually safe now when my husband brings me the juice. If I go to the kitchen, I usually get into something else — some other treat…

I started writing this post to hear about your experience. I truly want to know how many of you experience those lows that feel like this (really, really extreme) and how often your lows feel like this. Do you feel this every time?

I do not get these really terrible feeling lows very often. Maybe once a year. I think when I was younger, I experienced them more often.

Note: I did wake up in the 200’s and I had to bolus a few more times. Oh well. We all need the opportunity once in a while to treat these miserable feeling lows with tasty treats. I can hear the health advocates disliking this post right now. I am not advocating over-treating low blood sugars with too many carbs as something that is healthy to do regularly or at all. I am just sharing my experience with you as I am human and do not always make the smartest choices — especially amidst a low.

What do you usually use to treat your lows? Do you ever grab every yummy treat in sight and eat until you feel better??

I think my iPhone was feeling the low too! This was post-food intake waiting for rebound.

Other posts you may enjoy:

31: that’s not my age (you can probably guess what this one is about…)

45… is that bad? (an endearing post written by my favorite type 3)

Blessings, light and love,

Cynthia

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