Hypoglycemia and What it Means to Have It

Hypoglycemia, typically refers to an abnormally low level of blood glucose. A person is said to be hypoglycaemic when his/her level of blood sugar is below 70 mg/dl. It is, however, important to speak to the health care provider about your particular blood glucose target and what level will mark you as being hypoglycaemi; this is because each person is different and will therefore, have different measurements for glucose and other body components.

Hypoglycemia may also be referred to as insulin shock or insulin reaction.
The symptoms of hypoglycemia can pose as important clues to whether you have it or not. Each person reacts differently to hypoglycemia and therefore, it is important to learn all your signs as well as symptoms when the blood glucose levels drop.

The only way that you can be sure to know whether you have hypoglycemia or not is to check the blood glucose levels. If you have symptoms of low blood sugar, you must get in touch with your doctor at the earliest because if it advances, it has the potential to cause coma, injuries, accidents and even death.

Signs of hypoglycemia

Some of the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia include the following:
•    Nervousness or anxiety
•    Shakiness
•    Impatience or irritability
•    Chills, clamminess and sweating
•    Dizziness or light-headedness
•    Fast or rapid heartbeat
•    Nausea and hunger
•    Blurred/impaired vision
•    Headaches
•    Tingling/numbness in the tongue or lips
•    Anger, sadness or stubbornness
•    Seizures
•    Unconsciousness
•    Nightmares or crying out at the time of sleep

It is possible for some people to not realise that they have hypoglycemia because it may not necessarily cause any symptoms. When a person does not realise that he/she may have hypoglycemia, the situation is referred to as hypoglycemia unawareness. Such people are also likely to wake up in the middle of the night because of the condition. Hypoglycemia unawareness most commonly occurs in those people who:

•    Frequently have low blood glucose.
•    Control their diabetes too strictly.
•    Have had diabetes for some time now.

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