Low blood sugar, often referred to as low blood glucose or hypoglycemia, occurs when your blood sugar falls below a certain level. When this happens, your body may not function properly and you may not feel well.

Risk Factors For Low Blood Sugar

Risk factors for low blood sugar include:

• Too much insulin 

• Too little food

• An increase in activity

• Consumption of alcohol

Signs and Symptoms of Low Blood Sugar

The body tries to protect itself by putting out warning signals when blood sugar levels fall too low. The symptoms you might have include:

• Feeling "shaky" (I call it having a weak spell)

• Having a rapid heartbeat

• Sweating

• Feeling crabby or confused

• Blurred vision

• Headache

• Numbness or tingling in the mouth or lips

• Looking pale

• Sudden hunger

If your low blood sugar is not treated, you may even pass out.

Preventing Low Blood Sugar

The best way to avoid low blood sugar is to:

• Take your medication at the proper times and dose properly

• Eat at regularly scheduled times, except if you are on an intensified treatment regimen (ICT, CSII)

• Eat a sugar-containing food (such as sweet crackers) just before exercising if you have reactions after exercising

• Always have glucose available for emergency cases

• Inform your partner, parents, relatives, friends,... about the handling of your glucagon kit and where you keep it

If you feel you're having reactions often, contact your doctor. Your medication may need to be adjusted. Always carry some form of identification stating that you have diabetes. This way, if you have a serious low blood sugar reaction and are unable to treat yourself, the proper medical treatment can be started more quickly.

Treating Low Blood Sugar 

If your blood sugar level is below 70 mg/dL, you should have some extra sugar. If you think your blood sugar might be too low, you should eat something that contains sugar right away. If you're in doubt, it's safer to eat the extra food than risk having a serious reaction.

Some sugar-containing foods that act quickly are:

• ½ cup of fruit juice

• ½ cup of soda pop containing sugar

• 6 or 7 hard candies (not sugar free)

• 1 small box of raisins

• 1 tablespoon of honey

• candy bar (1/2 of a Snickers bar works best for me)

If you don't feel better after 15 minutes, test your blood sugar. If it is  less than 70mg/dL, eat some more sugar-containing food. If you still don't feel better, you should contact your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room. You should always carry at least one of these foods with you in case you have a reaction.