Diabetes Type 2 Support Group

Type 2 Diabetes is a condition in which the body either does not produce enough insulin or does not make efficient use of it. Insulin is a hormone needed to convert food into glucose, a sugar that the body uses for energy. Without enough insulin, glucose can accumulate in the blood, and can cause serious health problems such as heart disease and strokes and organ damage...

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Endocrine System
/ Diabetes Type 2 Support Group

I wonder...... how do they manage it.

san2sweet
san2sweet
I really do not get this. How do people manage to keep th hba1c as low as 5.5?? Is it really possible for a diabetic?
That low means it should be around 120.... and when that happens to me i get shakky and scared. Don't the pass out???
At what stage does a person pass out?
blueviolet725
blueviolet725
my husband gets shaky at 80 and passes out at about 65....but that depends on what meds he is on....when he is on only long acting insulin and metformin, he doesn't have the sudden drops he had when he was also on the short acting insulin

learning how his body reacts to stuff, and always keeping diabetic glycemic chew things with us, helped us until we got things balanced a bit more. And yes, his A1C is really a 5.5....in November, when he got Lyme and another disease and ended up in the hospital, he was 13. something....
mzizgayle
mzizgayle
San 120 is not low, in fact it is pretty much in the normal range. A low is usually anything under 70, tho every person can be more 'sensitive' to how they feel when the numbers get in various ranges.

If you are experiencing this feeling when you hit 120, maybe discuss with doctor.

I have been as low as 40 (my own stupidity lol) and I did not pass out, but I was very jittery and felt like I could eat a cow.
ter1
ter1
My doctor wants my fasting blood glucose to be between 90 and 120. He said if it gets as low as 70 then I need a medication adjustment.

I believe we are at all different levels of diabetes depending on how much insulin our pancreas is producing and how our livers work producing fat. So some people can have a 5.5 A1C, but for most of us that is an unattainable goal.
jody0385
jody0385
san, you're feeling that way because your body has become accustomed to being in the high range. Give it time and you'll find you are no longer shaky. I know it's scary but you can get thru that feeling. I used to get shaky under 150... yeah mine ran VERY high at one point in time in my life. Now I get shaky under 100 but I also know I'm just fine. When I get shaky and it's 95 I just test every 15 minutes till the feeling passes. That way I know it's not going to drop and drop and drop to a scary low number. I just call up a friend if I'm home alone and talk till the feeling passes. It usually doesn't last that long.. 30 minutes or so.. I also drink some water which helps calm me down.

Hope that helps.. You'll eventually get used to it and your body will too.. :)