Friday
Dec112009
Whaddaya Do?
Friday, December 11, 2009 at 2:36PM
So, I was shopping in Wal-Mart during my lunch break, and thinking that since I had been high all morning (upper 100's to low 200's, which didn't seem to be budging), I thought I'd just get something to snack on for lunch when I left.
Well, I was looking through the purses trying to find a bigger one to carry all of my d-supplies, when suddenly everything went black. I couldn't see the racks... the floor... nothing. I stood very still and things came back, but left just as I went to move again. I checked my CGM (which was in my purse). I didn't know it had vibrated to let me know I was dropping. I went from being 156 to 72 within 30 minutes. It then alerted me that I was dropping faster. So, off to the pharmacy to get some glucose tabs. I had completely forgotten in my panic that I had starbursts in my pocketbook for times like this. Things were still going in and out, but I was making it there. It seemed that as long as I looked straight ahead or in one direction only, I was okay. But if I moved my eyes or blinked in the slightest bit, everything was gone again. This is starting to be my only symptom of a low. I don't get the tingly lips or shaky hands anymore. I get the panic feeling and sporadic blackness.
On my way to the checkout after grabbing a big bottle of glucose tabs, I was trying to open them to eat a few. I didn't care if security cameras caught me. At the rate I was going, I was going to be passed out in a few minutes anyway. The stupid little plastic/paper protective seal was stuck... very well. I could not get it to budge. I pulled and pulled, nothin... Whaddaya do when the seal won't come off?
Grab something else. I quickly grabbed a bag of Raisinets. I absolutely love these and have had to
learn to stay away from them, but they were there, I was low... so I got them. Bad thing is, it was the King size bag. I didn't even think to look at the carbs to make sure it wasn't over my 30 gram max. I just figured I'd eat half the bag and save the rest for later. Yeah, right... That bag was GONE in no time. Ugh, I hate when I do that. I go into panic mode and don't think like a "good" diabetic should and get something reasonable, I go for the bad stuff. The stuff that you know after you eat it, you'll come up and hit the roof.
I am okay now. After waiting about 15 minutes, I checked my bg with my PDM and sure enough, I was only back to 70. I don't know how low I really was. It seems as though I have leveled off at 138 now, thanks to the handy reverse correction I took for that 56g of carb bag of goodness.
Am I the only one that does this? Do you still panic? How did you learn to get past it?
Well, I was looking through the purses trying to find a bigger one to carry all of my d-supplies, when suddenly everything went black. I couldn't see the racks... the floor... nothing. I stood very still and things came back, but left just as I went to move again. I checked my CGM (which was in my purse). I didn't know it had vibrated to let me know I was dropping. I went from being 156 to 72 within 30 minutes. It then alerted me that I was dropping faster. So, off to the pharmacy to get some glucose tabs. I had completely forgotten in my panic that I had starbursts in my pocketbook for times like this. Things were still going in and out, but I was making it there. It seemed that as long as I looked straight ahead or in one direction only, I was okay. But if I moved my eyes or blinked in the slightest bit, everything was gone again. This is starting to be my only symptom of a low. I don't get the tingly lips or shaky hands anymore. I get the panic feeling and sporadic blackness.
On my way to the checkout after grabbing a big bottle of glucose tabs, I was trying to open them to eat a few. I didn't care if security cameras caught me. At the rate I was going, I was going to be passed out in a few minutes anyway. The stupid little plastic/paper protective seal was stuck... very well. I could not get it to budge. I pulled and pulled, nothin... Whaddaya do when the seal won't come off?
Grab something else. I quickly grabbed a bag of Raisinets. I absolutely love these and have had to
learn to stay away from them, but they were there, I was low... so I got them. Bad thing is, it was the King size bag. I didn't even think to look at the carbs to make sure it wasn't over my 30 gram max. I just figured I'd eat half the bag and save the rest for later. Yeah, right... That bag was GONE in no time. Ugh, I hate when I do that. I go into panic mode and don't think like a "good" diabetic should and get something reasonable, I go for the bad stuff. The stuff that you know after you eat it, you'll come up and hit the roof.I am okay now. After waiting about 15 minutes, I checked my bg with my PDM and sure enough, I was only back to 70. I don't know how low I really was. It seems as though I have leveled off at 138 now, thanks to the handy reverse correction I took for that 56g of carb bag of goodness.
Am I the only one that does this? Do you still panic? How did you learn to get past it?
in Diabetes
Diabetes
Reader Comments (6)
SO SCARY! I have had crazy lows in walmart. Maybe it's the low prices that does it.
Okay that was a stupid joke but if you are laughing AT me, that is better then nothing.
Take care my friend,
Wow...glad you're ok!
Been there. I've had it happen as I was walking into the store, and I've found myself wandering around the store in a daze trying to find the candy aisle. Made it to pharamacy to find a line for drop offs and pickup, and wasn't about to stand there waiting while my sugar dropped lower. So, grabbed a jar of glucose tabs, pierced the top with my car keys, and started munching on them. The pharmacist happened to look my way and frown, and by then I was in a good enough state of mind to hold the jar up for see and asked if she would have rather I passed out in front of her and complicated her day. I paid for the full jar. At other times, I've eaten a bag of candy or drank a juice completely and then just taken the empty bag/bottle to the register to pay for it. Also not looked at kindly, but I could care less.
happens all the time.... I always grab the bad stuff, hardly ever the good stuff. DH makes packages of whole grains with beans in them for me to eat, but I still go for the bad stuff. always.
Thanks for sharing Sarah. My 9 yo daughter is Type 1 and she'll also do that. She comes into the kitchen, opens the fridge and just starts eating whatever she can get her hands on. She's not old enough yet to realize that it's way too much, and like you we bolus for the surplus carbs.
This often causes her bg to shoot up too high afterwards which is frustrating for us as T1 parents, but we don't know what it feels like to experience such a low...
Good to hear that you're OK.
Mike
Still learning, and I've been type one since 2001. Personally I'd rather over treat and live, then not get the carbs fast enough and have another seizure or die. maybe that makes me a rotten D person, but oh well. This disease is nasty.