@A DiabetesTeam Member we all react differently to abnormal/not typical "for us" blood sugars.

The few times I have been quite low (during the day when I was awake) was a total surprise to me when I saw the meter and in those few cases resulted in testing a different finger on my other hand just to make sure it was correct.

(I think all three were pre-meal tests - I wasn't testing because I "felt low" or anything)

I have been in the higher 3's (3.7/3.8) a few times and had zero indication - nothing felt different at all.

I have had at least 3 overnight lows all captured by a Libre/CGM where I got down as low as 2.8 - these instances I actually woke up with each of them, drenched in sweat (a common sign of an overnight low).

More often I can tell when I'm high - if my blood sugar gets higher then about 8.5 then my vision blurs every single time and a stick test then tells me what I already know simply because of the vision issues.

A few in the group report feeling weird even down in the low 5's - perhaps their system is not used to being "that low for them". I suspect that our system gets used to operating within whatever range is (typical) for us and if we wander outside of that, higher or lower, even if our level is (medically safe), we will or may have some kind of reaction to that.

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A Diabete...

@A DiabetesTeam Member Graham is right about the 4.0. Normal non diabetic values are between 4.0 to 6.0. I was known for Hypos for over 30 yrs prior to becoming diabetic, and I was told not to drive if I was below 4.0. A few times while at work I would have to go to ER if my work collegues could not bring my sugar levels up. Once my sugar dropped to 2.7 while working, so they brought me juice and added 4 packs of suggar to it, I required 3 juices with same amount of sugar every 15 minutes to just bring it up to 4. Once at 4.1 they gave me toast with jam and sugar went up to 4.5, so 1 1/2 hour after all these intervention my sugar was now high enough and stable enough to drive home, my boss told me to go directly home, I was not diabetic at the time, but had Adrenal gland issues at the time. At age 23 I had a cardiac arrest which requied resuscitation, during resuscitation they checked the sugar level and I was at 1.7 (so below 2 your brain dies and your body shuts down). They pushed Dextrose in me during resuscitation and it took just a little below the 4 min mark where permanent brain damages can occur), they removed my car license for 1 yr at the time as I also had seizures before the cardiac arrest, so they had to rule out the cause of seizure and once 1 yr free of seizures then my car license was reinstituted. Thank goodness during this time I did not have a car, so did not disrupt my traveling to work.

So yes below 2 is deadly (happened to me), below 4 you get brain fog and cannot think properly. The Libre CGM labels anything below 3.9 as a hypo (which I know as I get hypos overnight at times). So you cannot drive below 4.0, but if you just had a hypo you cannot drive for 40 minutes after the episode has resolved. At least this is what I was told over 30 yrs ago and is still what was being told to our patients (I was a nurse and now retired since 2020), so I have seen what hypos do to others also and not just for myself. Also some long term diabetics lose the ability to sense a hypo coming on (they lose the hypoglycemia awareness over time), so very important if on diabetic medications check your sugar level before driving, especially if your last meal was a while back. When I was a new diabetic after going to gym I would go hypo a lot while driving, so I started bringing juice with me, checked sugar level before driving to make it home safe, exercise can drop sugar levels quickly for some people.

Hope this helps. I share because I care. Never give up, take it 1 day at a time or 1 hr at a time on those bad days.

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A Diabete...

@A DiabetesTeam Member where in Canada can't your drive if you are under 5?

This the "guidance" (not a law) from Diabetes Canada

"Do not start driving if your blood glucose level is less than 4 mmol/L. If your blood glucose is less than 4 mmol/L, do not start driving until you have ingested 15 grams of carbohydrate, you have retested and your blood glucose is at least 5 mmol/L. It is suggested to wait for 40 minutes as it takes time for judgment and reflexes to the brain to recover fully from hypoglycemia."

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A Diabete...

I have always checked my fasting numbers since being diagnosed. I read about the importance of it very early on. Since joining this site it just makes it more enjoyable for me....Thanks Henry.🙂

I always enjoy my morning check in with the Team :)
I alwaus keep a log of all of my numbers and am accountable to myself and my doctor. I tis important but it also lets me see how I am doing.