Do you also experience sudden low blood sugar? Let's talk about hypoglycemia!

Do you sometimes feel tired, shaky, sweaty, and dizzy all at once? You may also feel a little anxious and hungry. These are often the main symptoms of low blood sugar, or what we medically call hypoglycemia. This is more common in people with diabetes, but it can also happen to people without diabetes. Let's talk about this in simple terms today.

What is hypoglycemia?

Simply put, hypoglycemia is when your blood sugar, or glucose, levels drop below the required level. This glucose is the main fuel that provides energy to our bodies, like gasoline for a car.

This condition often occurs in people with diabetes with changes in medication, diet, or exercise. But it can also occur in people without diabetes. It can occur in two main ways:

• Reactive hypoglycemia: This happens a few hours after you eat a meal.
• Fasting hypoglycemia: This happens when you haven't eaten for a while. It can also be associated with certain medications or other medical conditions.

The difference between hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia

Although these two words sound alike, their meanings are completely different.

To what extent is sugar reduced?

Blood sugar levels are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Normally, a healthy person's sugar levels are within a certain range. However, if your blood sugar level drops below 70 mg/dL, it is considered hypoglycemia.

If this drops below 54 mg/dL, it is severe hypoglycemia . At this point, you may faint. You may need someone else to give you something like glucagon as an emergency treatment.

Why does my blood sugar drop like this?

When we eat, especially when we eat foods that contain carbohydrates like bread and rice, it turns into glucose in our body and is added to the blood. There is someone who helps the cells in the body use this glucose as energy. That is a hormone called insulin . Insulin is what takes the glucose in the blood and delivers it to the cells.

When blood sugar levels start to drop, such as between meals, another hormone is released. It is called glucagon . It converts the glucose stored in our liver and muscles (called glycogen) back into glucose and releases it into the blood. This is how we keep our blood sugar levels stable even when we are not eating.

Imagine, if something goes wrong in this process, your blood sugar level can drop suddenly. That's what hypoglycemia is.

Reasons why people without diabetes have low blood sugar

Although this condition is usually associated with diabetes, it can also occur in people without diabetes. There are several reasons for this.

• Certain medications: Some medications, such as quinine, used for malaria, can cause low blood sugar. This can also happen if you accidentally take someone else's diabetes medication.
• Some medical conditions: Conditions such as severe liver disease (severe hepatitis, cirrhosis), kidney failure, severe infections, and heart disease can affect blood sugar levels.
• Malnutrition: Conditions such as anorexia can cause the body's glycogen stores to deplete and blood sugar to drop.
• Excessive alcohol consumption: When you drink too much alcohol without eating, the liver is unable to make glucose from glycogen. This causes blood sugar levels to drop.
• Some cancers: Some cancers of the pancreas cause the body to produce too much insulin, which causes blood sugar to move into cells too quickly, causing blood sugar levels to drop.
• Hormonal problems: Some diseases of the adrenal glands and pituitary glands can affect hormones such as insulin and glucagon.

Reasons why people with diabetes have low blood sugar

If you have diabetes, your body has trouble making or using insulin. This is treated with insulin injections or other medications. However, if you take too much of your medication , skip a meal, or exercise more than usual, your blood sugar levels can drop too low.

What are the symptoms of this?

When blood sugar levels drop, each person may experience different symptoms. These symptoms also vary depending on the extent to which the blood sugar level drops.

If your blood sugar drops during the night (nocturnal hypoglycemia) , you may experience symptoms such as screaming in your sleep, having bad dreams, and waking up drenched in sweat.

Hypoglycemia Unawareness

This is a bit of a dangerous situation. For some people, especially those who have had diabetes for more than 5-10 years, when their blood sugar levels drop frequently, their bodies become accustomed to it. Then, their bodies stop giving warning signs like shaking and hunger when their blood sugar levels drop. This puts them at greater risk of developing a serious condition because they don't realize that their blood sugar is low.

Therefore, it is very important for people with diabetes to regularly check their blood sugar levels. For this, there are now devices such as glucometers that take a drop of blood from a finger and test it, as well as `Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM)` that is implanted under the skin and continuously monitors sugar levels.

What to do if your blood sugar suddenly drops?

As soon as you start to feel symptoms of low blood sugar, you need to act quickly.

1. First, have something sweet: Eat or drink something that will quickly raise your blood sugar. 15-20 grams of carbohydrates is enough for this.

• 3-4 glucose tablets
• Half a glass of sweetened drink (like cola, not diet)
• Half a glass of fruit juice
• A tablespoon of sugar or honey
• Some sweet treats like jelly beans and toffee

2. Wait 15 minutes: After eating something sweet, wait patiently for 15 minutes.

3. Check your blood sugar again: If you can, check your blood sugar again. If it's still below 70 mg/dL, or if you're still having trouble, repeat step 1 one more time.

4. If the situation does not improve: If your situation does not improve despite these measures, or if you develop serious symptoms (such as confusion), immediately call 1990 for an ambulance or go to the nearest hospital Emergency Department (ETU).

If someone faints (Severe Hypoglycemia)

If someone faints due to a severe drop in blood sugar levels, it is a medical emergency.

• Never try to give food or drink to an unconscious person. It can cause choking.
• If you are being treated for diabetes, your doctor may have given you a glucagon injection kit . Teach your family and friends how to use it in an emergency.
• If you see someone unconscious, call an ambulance immediately. They need medical attention.

How can this situation be prevented?

There are several things you can do to manage and prevent hypoglycemia.

• Don't skip meals: Eat three main meals a day and snacks in between.
• Be careful about exercise: Exercise half an hour or an hour after eating. Check your blood sugar levels before and after exercise.
• Take your medication exactly as prescribed: Take the medication your doctor prescribes, in the correct dosage, at the correct time. Double-check the dosage.
• Limit alcohol: If you drink alcohol, limit it. Avoid drinking alcohol on an empty stomach.
• Always be prepared: When you go out, carry something sweet (glucose tablets, toffee) in your bag.
• Inform others: Let your family, friends, and coworkers know that you have diabetes. They can help you in an emergency.
• See a doctor: If you frequently experience symptoms of low blood sugar, whether you have diabetes or not, be sure to see your doctor to find the cause and get proper treatment and advice.