Diabetic Shock: Know what it is
and HOW to Treat it.
Diabetic Shock is another term for Hypoglycemia or Low Blood sugar. In my own life,this has been the most common issue I have faced, sometimes more severe than others. Some of the characteristics of Diabetic Shock when I have experienced it are as follows, and this is by no means an exhaustive list. Excessive sweating
Slurred or incoherent speech
Shaking or trembling
Light headedness or fainting
Confusion
Clouded thinking
Oops.....Did I really say/do that ?
One of the key things here that the people that love and care about you (friends and family) need to remember is to not to take anything you may say or do personally. I know I have done some pretty strange things and then never remember doing them! In order to get your glucose up, 15 grams of glucose is typically administered orally in the form of glucose tablets, or gel if the patient is awake and can respond. 1 tablespoon of honey, a favorite of my mother's, can also be given. You need to wait approximately 15-20 minutes before testing to see if the blood sugar has come up. If it has not, then treat again. The most effective for conscious patients is the glucose choice. This is readily available at your local pharmacy. It provides the closest match to what your own body produces and is quickly absorbed.
Very Dangerous territory :
Now when you are unconscious, you really have an issue. In my own situation, I was conscious enough to respond to someone giving me something to drink. However, I have had occasions when I was asleep and my partner could not wake me. Here come the "Good Guys", the local EMS team. They administered an IV and as soon as they had injected me with the intravenous glucose, I became coherent within 5 minutes often less. The good news is that I'm now awake, the bad news is my blood sugar soars to 240mg-300mg. I then have to take corrective steps to lower it. Nothing like a roller coaster ride with your blood sugars. Finally, the hardest thing about dealing with Diabetic Shock is the feeling afterward. On more than one occasion, I felt like a train hit me. I was tired, cranky, cold and agitated. Ironically, all of this was after the effects of the low blood sugar were long gone.
Other Complication pages of Interest
Microalbumnuria
Diabetes and Depression
Diabetes and Hypertension
Diabetic eye problems
Diabetic Impotence
Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Diabetic Nephropathy
Diabetic Gastroparesis
Return from Diabetic Shock
to Your-Healthy-DIabetic-Life
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