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Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in April of 1980. I recognize the incredible mental struggle of living with diabetes. I hope to share my struggles, my successes, and everything in between.

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

Never Go To The Grocery Store When Hungry, and Never Go To McDonald's When Low

Tested 42, grabbed a handful of glucose tablets, but with 3+ units still on board I headed to a nearby McDonald's. I really should have stopped driving, but I didn't feel that I had enough stuff in the car to pull me through the low with all that insulin still working.

I think I just asked for like 3 of everything on the menu...

Seriously though, I had one cinnamon roll and 4.5 hash browns. Doesn't really sound all that bad, I guess... at least until you get your senses back and realize that you just consumed over 1000 calories in a single sitting...

Good thing I played basketball last night! Which I'm also sure is why I had experienced this low today.

Does anyone else feel really wiped out and tired for a good spot of time after a low like that?

6 Comments:

Blogger Violet said...

Hee hee, I saw myself in this story for sure. One of the worst lows I’ve had (so far) was on a business trip in January, when I was sitting in a committee meeting and found myself at 37. This was at a convention where I had to walk endless distances to get anywhere, which is probably why I went so low. I fled the meeting and started scarfing Starbursts. That got me up, eventually, to something resembling a safe level. But I was ravenous, depleted, and completely unable to return to this convention that my company had paid hundreds of dollars to send me to. I wound up finding a breakfast buffet at a nearby hotel and eating, oh my God, I have no idea how much eggs and cheese. And bacon. Told myself that at least I was avoiding carbs...Even after this feast (or perhaps because of it) I couldn’t pull myself together all day long. I don’t know if I’ve ever been more exhausted, except possibly right before I was started on insulin & was wandering the world with BGs near 400 all the time.

9:46 AM  
Blogger AbbotOfUnreason said...

Yeah - I count it as an official sick day when I've been particularly low, high, or roller coaster-esque. I forego exercise, lay around, and check my BG and ketones. Probably doesn't help me get over it, but I'm still being a big baby about all this.

And overeating - yeah, when really low, I feel so desperate for food and have to put all edibles in someone else's hands and tell them not to let me eat. That's not really fair to ask of others, but I can't control myself.

Cinnamon roll?! You eat cinnamon rolls? I am being too strict with myself, obviously.

1:33 PM  
Blogger Scott K. Johnson said...

You are definately being too strict on yourself.

A diabetic should eat a healthy diet for the same reason a non-diabetic should. Good health.

For weight issues, it all boils down to calories. If you keep your calorie intake the same as your calorie output, you will maintain your weight. I don't care if it's all coming from snicker bars!

You can also keep your blood sugars under control by just knowing how many carbs are in said snicker bar, and taking the correct amount of insulin.

If you eat nothing but snicker bars, but still maintain your weight and blood sugar levels, that would be Ok - until you die from malnutrition or something else, completely snicker related. Make sense?

There is no real "diabetic" reason you should limit yourself or restrict certain things from your diet. A cinnamon roll may not be the healthiest choice on the menu, but it won't cause any problems with your diabetes.

Thanks for the comments you two - you're both always good for a chuckle (whether that's intended or not, I'm not always sure :-) ).

8:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ah, The overeating low binge...gotta love those, I think I overcorrect a low because the feeling just never goes away and I feel like I need to grab everything and anything in site..My heart races so bad when I am having a low blood sugar and the more It race the worse I get. My lows are rare though where I actually get to that point though.

7:02 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The lows have been hitting me more that spring has sprung, and my activity levels have picked up. I take Lantus and get subjected to lows in the 50-60 range, depending on my days previous activity. It is a bear, and it takes awhile until you feel with it. I try real hard not to over indulge, since my lows are typically early in the morning I grab one of those small containers of OJ (about 25grams), and that will usually bring me up enough to get me going without over doing it.

8:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I do the same thing. If I get really low in the night I'll go to the kitchen and scarf 2-3 huge bowls of cereal with a TON and I mean a TON of table sugar sprinkled on top. Then drink all the sugary milk..... hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... Then I wake up 400 and feel like shite.

12:29 PM  

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