Have you ever felt lightheaded or shaky for no reason? As someone with diabetes, I experience this a lot because of low blood sugar or hypoglycemia. Most people don’t realize keeping your blood sugar at a good level is like a daily struggle for diabetics. I always say it feels like fighting a war every day just to feel normal.
If you eat too little or take too much insulin, your blood sugar can drop dangerously low, causing unpleasant symptoms. But even on an average day, having type one diabetes means dealing with ups and downs that can be mentally and physically draining.
In this, I want to give you an idea of what it really feels like to have low blood sugar so you better understand what your diabetic friends and family go through.
The Physical And Emotional Effects of A Hypoglycemic Episode
Low blood sugar episodes can really drain you physically and emotionally. When my levels drop too low, my heart starts racing and pounding in my chest. I break out in a cold sweat and get all shaky and dizzy. I can’t think straight at all. Even simple tasks seem complicated when the confusion sets in.
Managing diabetes doesn’t have to be hard if you know what you’re doing. But honestly, I really struggle with it sometimes. How am I supposed to know how much insulin to take when I’m out eating with friends? Restaurants never give the exact carb and fat details of their food, so you’re pretty much just guessing. You either guess right and take the right amount of insulin or you guess wrong. There’s no in-between, it’s one or the other.
It can be so stressful trying to figure it out, especially when you’re supposed to be relaxing with friends. Sometimes, I tell myself, “I wish there was a better way to handle situations like that when you’re eating somewhere other than home.”
When it comes to recovering from an episode, it involves taking it easy and self-care. I have to be gentle with myself, just sit or walk slowly instead of rushing. Eating or drinking something with sugar helps get my levels back to normal, but the emotional impact lingers. Feelings of being overwhelmed or like a burden on others weigh heavy.
Low blood sugar is often called a “low,” but the crash is anything but. The physical and mental drain leaves you vulnerable. All you can do is build yourself back up with nourishment, patience, and compassion.
There Are “Two Types” of Hypoglycemia
There are two main ways I deal with low blood sugar as a diabetic. One is when I accidentally take too much insulin after eating, which causes my blood sugar to drop too low. The other is when I exercise or do something physical since the activity can make my blood sugar go low afterward. A lot of folks don’t realize there are two different ways it can happen.
Low Blood Sugar After Insulin Overdose
Sometimes, my blood sugar can drop really fast, within an hour or less, if I take too much insulin. It’s hard to know how foods will affect my levels. One time, I ate cake at a café, but I didn’t know how much sugar it had. Figuring this out feels like a guessing game. When my blood sugar gets too low, I’ll start feeling empty even though I just ate. Then I get really hungry and feel weak.
Most of the time, when your sugar is low, you feel empty inside and like your soul isn’t there. Your whole body shakes, and all you want to do is close your eyes and sleep (which is dangerous) or eat something. Well, not just “something” – you feel like a wolf and want to eat anything, like salami with fruit or gummies with pasta.
Over the years of dealing with my diabetes, I’ve noticed that if I take too much insulin, I’ll also get a really bad headache. It’s also hard to stay awake because your eyes just start closing on their own.
Low Blood Sugar After Physical Activity
When you exercise too much, walk a lot in the hot summer, or do any demanding physical activity, your blood sugar may drop as well. My doctor always says I should eat something before working out, but even if I do that, my blood sugar can still drop, especially when I am in a hot country. When that happens, the low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, feels really different than when you take too much insulin.
I start shaking and feeling very nervous and out of it. My brain struggles just to function. A few times, when I sat down to eat something sweet afterward, I felt totally empty-headed, as if I wasn’t even really there physically. Everything seems very loud. Have you ever gone without sleep for 24 hours or more? It’s that feeling when you feel like you are out of yourself, you are somewhere else mentally. I’ve had to look at my hands or move my feet to remind myself that I am actually here and alive. It’s a very weird and scary feeling when that happens.
Getting hypoglycemia after exercise is no joke. It makes you feel like an absolute starving wolf. Your body uses up all your energy, and your blood sugar drops like a rock. All of a sudden, your stomach is growling, and it feels like it’s pulsating just like a heart. You get so hungry that you’d eat anything and everything just to survive. Sometimes, you also start sweating incredibly. If this happens at night in bed, chances are your bed will be super wet.
Why Diabetes Will Never Be My Friend
As someone who loves to travel, I can tell you that diabetes has definitely been my biggest worry. I’ve been to over 40 countries solo, and it’s never the dangerous animals, sketchy people, or lost luggage that keeps me up at night – it’s diabetes.
You’re constantly thinking, “Do I have enough insulin? Did I pack some sugar just in case?” What if I get lost somewhere without my medication or treatment? And the scary part is, you really can’t survive without one or the other.
But it’s not just about having the right supplies. Sometimes, diabetes stops you from enjoying new foods or drinks or joining in activities because of your blood sugar levels.
That’s the saddest part about living with diabetes – it feels like a constant battle and guessing game. Every meal, every hour, you’re wondering how many carbs to eat or how much insulin to take. With diabetes, you never really know what’s going to happen.
Be Gentle With Your Loved Ones
If you’ve got a friend or family member with diabetes, don’t be too hard on them. Having low or high blood sugar isn’t as simple as taking something and feeling better right away. Sometimes, it can really affect their mood, and it may take all day before they feel normal again.
Give them a break and understand they need your help, even if they look healthy on the outside. Having diabetes isn’t always obvious; in fact, they call it the “silent killer.” So they’re still dealing with it internally, even when they seem fine. Diabetes itself is incredibly difficult yet very subtle, so be gentle with anyone who has diabetes.
