{"id":22356,"date":"2011-11-23T12:09:49","date_gmt":"2011-11-23T17:09:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=22356"},"modified":"2015-12-27T15:41:51","modified_gmt":"2015-12-27T20:41:51","slug":"dangerously-low","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=22356","title":{"rendered":"Dangerously Low"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since getting an insulin pump a few months ago, I’ve been very proud of my blood sugar control. \u00a0My A1c is down<\/a> (I’m actually going to get my quarterly blood work done tomorrow) and I’ve had very few highs and very few lows (about one low a month compared to a few a week before pumping). The lows I’ve been having on the pump really aren’t that low, usually in the low 60’s or high 50’s.
All this was true until yesterday when I had a low that totally knocked me out.\u00a0 Take that literally.<\/p>\n

This low came with no warning signs and I didn\u2019t make any big mistakes that could have led to it, at least none I can recall. I ran 11 miles in the morning, took the kids to school and got ready to go to a 10:00 a.m. doctor\u2019s appointment. \u00a0I had to go see a surgeon about some serious pain I\u2019ve been having in my lower stomach muscles since the race when I broke my 10K record<\/a>.\u00a0 Since I didn’t have a chance to eat before leaving for my appointment I grabbed an apple and bloused for 25grams of carb (the correct amount according to Nutrition Data<\/a>).<\/p>\n

I was a little nervous on the way to the clinic. I was scared the surgeon would tell me I needed surgery (they often do) of some kind that would put me out of commission for at least 4-6 weeks and make me miss my upcoming marathon (Jan. 12th<\/sup>).\u00a0 But after a short examination the surgeon told me my problem is only a pulled muscle.\u00a0 He ordered 10 days of rest, meaning no running. I was very relieved that all I have is a pulled muscle, but not at all happy about the idea of not running for 10 days.\u00a0 As I walked home (a 20 minute walk), I talked to my coach and told him the good news. He told me that I should definitely rest, but rather than not running at all for 10 days, I should run an hour every other day at a really easy pace.<\/p>\n

I was in a good mood and enjoying the walk, but as I got closer to home I started feeling a little woozy. Although I had my glucose meter with me I didn\u2019t stop to check my blood sugar until I was home.\u00a0 \u00a0It was 47 and I could feel it was dropping fast. \u00a0\u00a0It was like going from a little woozy feeling that could be anything to feeling like I was about to completely collapse.\u00a0 I grabbed a banana from the counter.\u00a0 Then I positioned myself in front of the open refrigerator, holding the door for balance and grabbed a tangerine. I also had a spoonful of peanut butter, not really carby, and probably a stupid thing to eat since it’s full of fat which slows the glucose absorption, \u00a0but I was a little out of control. I ate a few more things but I can\u2019t really recall what they were.<\/p>\n

By the time my binge was done I was dripping in sweat.\u00a0\u00a0 Soaked. I felt terrible. This hypoglycemia was worse than others.\u00a0 It felt completely violent, as if something was attacking me.\u00a0 I was so weak, dizzy, and completely depleted.<\/p>\n

I sat down in front of my computer and tried to work.\u00a0 I was getting ready to publish Catherine Price’s essay<\/a>, but I kept falling asleep. \u00a0My eyes just closed.\u00a0 I fell forward and hit my head on the computer screen.\u00a0 I guess I passed out for a few minutes.\u00a0 When I woke up there was strange text in the middle of Catherine’s essay, as if one of the cats had been standing on the keyboard.\u00a0 But it was me, not a cat. \u00a0At some point I got myself to the couch and checked my blood sugar to make sure it wasn\u2019t low again (it was 136).\u00a0 Without taking off my shoes I lay down there and fell asleep for a few minutes. \u00a0\u00a0I had to get up to pick up the kids from school.\u00a0 As I walked to get them, I still felt dizzy and shaky.\u00a0 I got through the rest of the day, feeling weak but normal-ish, and I was very happy when I finally got into bed and the day was actually over.\u00a0 I really couldn’t keep my eyes open.\u00a0 I was already under the covers when Jess started bothering me about my blood sugar.\u00a0 “It’s 85,” I mumbled in my sleep.<\/p>\n

“You’re not going to sleep at 85,” Jess said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The next thing I knew Jess was standing over me with two packages of halva (ground sesame and sugar).\u00a0 Each one has 14 grams of carb.\u00a0 “Vanilla or walnut?”\u00a0<\/p>\n

“No,” I said.\u00a0 “I just brushed my teeth.”<\/p>\n

“You have to eat something.\u00a0 Tell me what you want.”<\/p>\n

“A slice of bread.”<\/p>\n

“I’ll have one with you,” Jess said. \u00a0She came back with two slices of buttered whole grain bread.\u00a0<\/p>\n

We had a quick picnic in bed.\u00a0\u00a0 Then I reached for my pump.\u00a0 “I need to bolus for this,” I said.<\/p>\n

“Don’t you dare bolus,” Jess said.<\/p>\n

“I’m going to be pissed at you if I wake up high,” I said.\u00a0 “But at least I’ll wake up.”\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":129,"featured_media":53098,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1501],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nDangerously Low Blood Sugar<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The lows I've been having on the pump really aren't that low, usually in the low 60's or high 50's. All this was true until yesterday when I had a low that totally knocked me out. 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