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hypoglycemic seizures?

i am a 20 year old male i have had type 1 insulin dependent diabetes for almost 11 years now but recently i had a really bad hypo where an ambulance needed to attend and glucose syrup sollution was required to bring me out of it.. since the hypo i have had memory problems and incredibly sore muscles from my thighs to my stomach muscles to my arms. My girlfriend that actually called the ambulance said that i was fitting and having a sort of seizure perhaps this would explain the aching muscles? hhaving said that they have been very sore with no signs of improvement for almost 4 days now does anyone know of what this is .. is it simply tired muscles from fitting?

many thanks
Tim
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1468940 tn?1286543793
I am 61 yrs old and been a diabetic for for over 40 yrs. I only have had one seizure about 4 yrs ago--THEN 2 weeks ago while asleep I had one and in the next 1 1/2 weeks I had 4 more. I can say they are not fun. Talking irrationally is where it starts. Even though I think I am fine.  Then I hit hit the floor and start flopping around on the floor like a fish out of water. I have a bunch of cuts from hitting furniture and a sore head from hitting the floor.  After one of these I have to lay down--I am give out and the next day you do still feel bad.. Over  the years I have great sugar control  usually running around 5.7 for 3 months average. If you have good control over time it means your sugar has to get really low before you begin to feel different. These last episodes was because I went on a diet and cut out about all my carbohydrates. Stupid me kept my insulin amount about the same. Like everyone has said CHECK-(test) your sugar often. That is the key. Make sure your wife or husband knows what to do and regardless of what you say get some sugar into you. The last episode I had I was at home by myself--After a few minutes I came around and I knew what has happened but nearly to weak to eat so I drink a sugar drink. Its all I could do to clean the blood off the floor and cabinets and tile floor. After drinking the whole drink I checked my sugar after about an hour it was just up to 37. Since then I have been extra cautious. There's not a lot you can do but eat regularly--test sugar-keep people informed and be careful. Its better to have you sugar up a little than down a lot. Don't forget the more active you are the less insulin you need. None of you are alone and each problem has different answers and solutions. Just pay attention to your feelings.
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1396465 tn?1280394866
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1395518 tn?1280327803
IMHO it's not the new insulins. Humalog is actually much slower than natural insulin. It stays in our bodies for about 6.5 hours.

The problem of severe hypos comes down to mismatching insulin with need. "Of course" you say. But wait please. I've done lots of specific testing on myself and have been involved in many a discussion on insulin usage. I've even read a book or two ;-) I break teh problems down as follows.

Basal - very few have a good handle on their basal pattern. Doctors will even tell you that your body produces sugar at a steady rate, so your basal needs are the same throughout the day. Tell that to someone who's been 911'd seven times while sleeping at night, and I'll tell them to go f*ck themselves! Our basal patters can be like a virtual roller coaster. I've only been able to nail mine down with a pump. And that leads to the biggest problem we have: our helpers be it a doctor or nurse or a caregiver are trying to figure out appropriate rates for us based on a single set of numbers. Very few of them realize there are multiple insulins at work and possibly many more variables. You have to come up with a set of basal rates based on dedicated basal tests. A basal test is a set of medlium term, high frequency tests without the influence of food. once you work through these, you can then work on meal rates. If you don't get your basal rates close to perfect, you will have meal imbalances that will eventually catch you off guard.

Meals - we typically set I:C ratios. Try low-carbing sometime. I now eat 30g of carbs a day! I was eating 250+ with I:C ratios ranging from 1:10 t0 2.5:10. I was shooting 90u a day on average. I've basically cut the sugar out of my diet, but I still need insulin. I had a two-egg omelette this morning and still needed 2u. If I eat a Subway salad with ranch dressing, I need 7u. There's more going on here than f*cking carbs!

If you read Dr. Bernstein, you'll discover something called the incretin process. We don't make amylin. That was a beta cell function. It supresses gluconeogenesis or the creation of sugar from protein. 58% of protein we coinsume gets converted to carbs. It's even high when we eat a big steak, fill our gut, and secrete extra glucagon.

But they don't tell you this. "It's insignificant!" Bull f*cking sh|t!

Ya, I've been 911'd nine times in my life from severe hypos. They almost lost me once. I now run a 5.9% A1C with very few hypos, and the ones I have are minor.

It's not the insulin.
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Avatar universal
I am 21 years old and have had diabetes for nearly 20 years, and I have experienced two severe seizures (one in 1998 and one in about 2002), after both of which I suffered muscle aches, temporary memory loss, and general exhaustion.  During my seizure in 2002, I was held down by about 8 nurses, paramedics, and police officers, so there is a possibility that your pain could be the result of the seizing and being held down as well.

I would definitely consult your endocrinologist, review your readings to see what may have caused the severe low; also take note of the location(s) and severity of the pain you are experiencing.  
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Avatar universal
I've had a few severe low blood sugar episodes myself, but never a seizure. Most of these lows have occurred during the night, sleeping as well. I've noticed that if I wait at least 2 hours after my dinner or last meal before sleeping helps dramatically. I also make sure my blood sugars are at least over 120, preferably between 120-180. If you take Lantus it might help to take your shot in the mornings instead of at night too. Many posts here are very accurate & should also be help you out. Good luck to you & best of luck in the future.
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Avatar universal
Type 1 effects my emotions? hahahaahah, thats f*cking funny; what effects my emotions is f*cking having to deal with type 1; not the disease itself. (I know thats what you really meant).  Why the f*ck would I "talk" to someone about that?

As for the second part of your comment; you are telling me a bunch of ******** that I already know.
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Avatar universal
You sound very angry. Type 1 affects our emotions as well as our body in a lot of ways and you might want to talk to someone about how you feel.

As for lows during the night, they have a lot more danger of a life-threatening situation than an occasional high. (It is persistent highs that cause complications such as kidney failure). I would suggest if someone has lows at night a lot that they see if their basal dose needs reduction, not try and control it with fast-acting bolus insulin.
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Avatar universal
I'd rather experience a few lows throughout my life than have to end up getting f*cking dialisis or going blind; so **** running your blood sugar high just to be "safe from hypglycemic seizures".  You have to run your blood sugar normal; which means putting as much effort into keeping your blood from getting low as from keeping it from getting high.  The problem is the fact that it isn't at all that f*cking easy to do.  That the kind of insulin that type 1 diabetics our now practically forced to use is very unnatural in its effects on the human body, and particularily in the speed at which it lowers blood sugar levels, definitely doesn't help.
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Avatar universal
It sounds like what happened to you was very scary. I'm a type 1, but have never had that experience. I try and never take fast acting insulin when I am getting ready to go to bed. If I have a severe high I might do a correction, but a very conservative one. I'd rather be a little high than risk going low during sleep. I also set a timer after I inject my bolus so I don't get distracted and forget to eat. Again, sorry this happened.
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Avatar universal
It might also have something to do with the fact that humalog is unf*cking natural.  It is unhealthy/unnatural for your blood sugar to lower as quickly and entirely as humalog insulin causes it to.  Your body absorbs humalog in about 30-45 minutes whereas the natural absorption of insulin produced by the pancreas is more like over a period of 2-3 hours, if I am right (I might not be).  But of course they no longer allow for diabetics to use natural pig or cow insulin; it's all insulin "analogs" now made with zinc and a bunch of other **** that I am sure is not overly "good" for the human body.
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Avatar universal
Before you wake up (if you do wake up, as you already know the last time it happened to me I started seizing instead), you have this terrible kind of dream like experience, it's like there is something unbearable happening to you and it keeps repeating and you can't do anything to stop it.  That is as best as I can describe it.  Unf*ucking believably horrible feeling.  Its like being in hell for however long you experience it.  Add a seizure on to the end of it and now I am too scared to go sleep, hence the reason I am typing this right now at 5 in the morning instead of being in bed asleep.
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Avatar universal
I am 18 and have had dia-*******-betes since I was 10.  I just had my very first "seizing" episode yesterday.  I took some humalog before I went to bed because my blood was high and I guess I was planning to eat something (I took more insulin than just the amount to lower my high).  I guess I forgot to eat and my brother saw me seizing and got my parents and they got me some orange juice and ****.  ******* worst experience I have ever had; just thinking about it gives me the chills.  Normally I wake up if my blood gets low while sleeping (I know, not something I should rely on at all), but this time I guess it was so low that I didn't wake and started seizing instead.  I can remember most of what happened, however.  I have had a slight headache since yesterday, but besides that nothing noticable.  Having low blood sugar while your are sleeping is one of the most terrifying/creepy feelings anyone will ever get; and you don't understand how creepy it is unless you have experienced it.
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Avatar universal
Hello Tim and all others who have posted

my daughter is 9 and has been Type 1 for 2 years...she has had 4 seizures during that time and what alarms me is the suddenness of their onset..the most recent one happened on the motorway and i had to pull on to hard shoulder and phone an ambulance. She has no memory of these episodes which is probably lucky and they are alarming for me. She tends to be very tired for a couple of days after and her blood sugars can be low for a day or two despite reduced insulin, extra food etc. The children we are friendly with who also have diabetes do not experience this and the diabetic team don't know whu it happens to come and not opthers. Nor can they tell me why it hits so fast with no warning. Good luck to anyone dealing with diabetes or caring for a child with diabetes. Marianne
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Avatar universal
Hi Tim,
I am also an insulin dependant diabetic.  I have had many many hypo's with a range of side effects.  I always lose time.  I never have any memory of that time.  It is usually one of my kids that finds me and gives me the glycogen shot or calls the ambulance.  When I have hypo's I lose all body fluid, it is like someone has dumped a truck load of water over me.  Glycogen is stored in the muscle cells of your body and if you have been fitting your body may have released the glycogen which then turns into lactic acid which may cause the soreness.  I am usually pretty whacked out after a hypo for at least 2 days, but on really bad times when I have been hospitalised I have been sore for up to 10 days.  Your body goes through some pretty heavy trauma.  The best and hardest thing to do is to balance your BSL.  I am not a doctor just a long time diabetic always looking for answers and trying to understand what is happening with my body.

Good Luck
Tracie
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Avatar universal
Hi there..my 16 year old son is diabetic and last August went through is first seizure around 3:00 a.m.  He had taken lantus before going to bed but forgot to eat a snack.  About 3-4 weeks ago, he had another seizure around 6:30 a.m.  I was driving him to the ER and he was asking me what grade he was in...what day it was...I had just bought him a new car about 2 weeks prior and he did not remember this at all..the ER nurse asked him what year it was and he said 2005...he asked the same questions over and over and over.  It took several hours for this to clear up and for him to become less confused.  Very, very scary for a mother!! He of course has no memory of the seizures at all.  Please, please be careful and eat a snack before going to bed!!!

Take care of yourself.
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Avatar universal
Hello,
I am a volunteer here.

Sorry you have not received any comments on your comment.  I understand that you commented because you had similiar physical symptoms (possible hypoglycemia, achey muscles), however, you might want to re-posted this as a NEW Question, so you can get some input.

A volunteer will answer your question to the best of his/her ability based on their own experience and knowledge and you could receive helpful folllow up comments.

The not eating part is not a good thing and although I am not equipped to answer anything about eating disorders, I do know that they wreak havoc on your body and can cause complications.

symptoms of diabetes can include:
weight loss
extreme thirst
frequent urination
fatigue

I also know that sometimes people with hypoglycemia never develop diabetes and others end up developing it.  

PLEASE seek medical advice and possible a therapist to talk about the eating or lack of eating.  I am not judging you, but I think you should find a therapist or social worker who specializes in eating disorders.  Then you will have someone to talk to who is highly skilled and can help.  There is nothing wrong with seeking help.  We all need someone to talk to:)

I cannot say whether or not your loss of consciousness was hypoglycemia, but, if I were you, I would definitely seek medical adive - make a doctor's appointment.  Explain your symptoms and about the incident where you lost consciousness.

Take care of yourself:)
SS

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Avatar universal
Hello. I don't know much about this topic and was wondering if anyone could enlighten me...

I recently have lost nearly 2 stone. I am 5ft 6 and weigh 7 stone and now i am classed as underwieght. I think i may have developed an eating disorder. I was at work when i went very faint. I lost conciousness and when i woke my arms had locked and i could not speak. i note that the gentleman who had a Hypoglycemic fit also had very achey muscles as did I. I need to know what to do as i cannot tell anyone that i haven't been eating. I also mainly wanted to know if it was a Hypoglycemic fit, but i started eating properly again, could i stop it happening in the future? Or will i be prone to them. I don't understand and don't have anyone to speak to about it. thanks
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Avatar universal
hi i just wanted to say helloi realy my daughter is 23 months old and altho she is not diabetic she does have glycagen storage disease (simmalar but not the same she is usualy between 1.4 and 3.6) i was advised cornstarch before bed for her it helped for a while aswell maybee you should see your diabetic nurse or endochrine about this my daughter has a gastostremy now (tube in the stomache to feed her at night) but the cornstarc was fantastic i mean ime no doctor but it must be worth asking also there is something called polycal aswell this is a powdered carbohydrate this stuff is fantastic so might be worth a go aswell thanks anyway good luck
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Avatar universal
Hello,

I need to comment in regards to one of the comments above.

The original poster, cbr125, NEVER mentioned ANYTHING about alcohol, so I am unsure why this was brought up.  Alcohol was not involved in his question about his severe hypoglycemic episode / seizure and I would like to enlighten the person who mentioned alcohol that not all people drink or have a partying lifestyle.  It is nice of you to make the originla poster aware that alcohol can increase the chance of lows / severe lows, but the poster never mentioned that he had been drinking while this occured and might take offense.
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Avatar universal
Hello,

I need to comment in regards to one of the comments above.

The original poster, cbr125, NEVER mentioned ANYTHING about alcohol, so I am unsure why this was brought up.  Alcohol was not involved in his question about his severe hypoglycemic episode / seizure and I would like to enlighten the person who mentioned alcohol that not all people drink or have a partying lifestyle.  It is nice of you to make the original poster aware that alcohol can increase the chance of lows / severe lows, but the poster never mentioned that he had been drinking while this occured and might take offense.
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Avatar universal
Hello Everyone,

Hypos are VERY scary! I've been type one diabetic now for 9 years and i am 26 years old. I had never suffered such a significant low until this past year on Christmas Eve we had company over...I started feeling a little weird and went over to the kitchen to check my sugar which had dropped to 1.4! I thought oh no...I didnt want to make a big deal in front of the guests so i just walked to the cabinet to get some sugar when i fell....and that was my first episode of being unconscious. After that, i did experience some short term memory loss and i felt VERY weak for a few days...I know this is not in our control but i would suggest also to monitor your sugar level before you go to bed each night. My husband and I hadnt been married very long when this happened and it really scared him, but now he keeps glucagon on him at all times!!!
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Avatar universal
Hi Tim,
I just want to tell you that you are not alone. Seizures are very scary part of delaing with too much insulin in the body. I was diagnosed at 14 and starting having seizures at the age of 20 also. My first seizure I woke up in bed not realizing I had walked to the bathroom fallen hit my chin on the sink and bit through my tongue and lip. Low blood sugar reactions can be extremely dangerous, if you had been driving a car the risks are very high! Please consult your doctor immediately. A seizure puts your body through quite an ordeal so muscle aches may last a while but again your doctor is the one who should be answering these questions. To put your mind at ease I am now 43 and have not had a seizure since my twenties. It is not something you that you cannot control but it does take a lot of work. Monitoring your blood sugar and understanding your body and how your body reacts to differnet foods is key. A nutritionist may be helpful as well. Please let me know how you are doing.
All the best
Carolyn
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Avatar universal
Hi Tim,

Bad luck dude but I would expect may more if I was you unless you be careful with your alcohol intake and make sure your have an evening meal that will guard against the dreaded night time hypo.

I myself have had about ten and been taken to hospital (and even to jail once) a number of times because of them. Your splitting headache will last a day but diasppear the next day, Your body soreness and muscle pain will last for a few day. I also have the unfortunate reaction of biting the tip of my tongue off which makes it hard to talk for the next few days.

Make sure you keep glucagon handy and make sure your girlfriend knows how to do it. Like I said they mostly happen at night when your body is to drunk or tierd to wake itself or even recognise the symptoms.  I have had two whilst I was awake and oone when I was driving a car. I alsoi remeber waking up during one when I was about 16. (This was the first one I ever had).

The more controlled you keep your sugars throughout the course of the day the easier it will be to recognise the symptoms of going low which have faded for me over time. I have even tested my BSL feeling fine and discovered it was 1.0

The long term repercussions of fits are dangerous. I have dislocated both my shoulders having fits as well as biting the end of my tongur off. You will also suffer long term memory loss because you are essentially starving your brain of fuel.

I always test my sugar before going to bed.

Make sure you
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Avatar universal
Hello cbr125,

First I want to tell you how sorry I am to hear about your severe hypoglycemic episode.  I am a volunteer here, not a medical professional, so you should ALWAYS follow up with your Endocrinologist when you have concerns and questions.

My son who is 11 was diagnosed at age 3.  My sister is also living with type 1 and was diagnosed at age 24.  (She is now 33)  Although my sister has needed 911 on several occasions due to lows and not being able to walk or help herself, she has not had a seizure and neither has my son.  (knock on wood)  

It would make sense that you would have memory problems about the period during which you were having the severe low, but I am unsure about continued memory problems.  Having sore muscles would make sense, as well, but I cannot say for sure if this is entirely due to the seizure / severe low and how long the soreness would persist.  

I feel strongly that if you have not already done so, you should call your endocrinologist and ask about the memory problems and the muscle soreness.

I am sorry if I cannot give you an adequate answer, but my answers / advice are based on personal experience and as far as your situation, I do not have personal experience to offer.  If my son was in your situation, I would make an appt. with his endo and if I was not satisfied, I would get a 2nd opinion.

Please, I encourage you to call your Endocrinologist and make an appointment.  

Take care,
SS
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