We have been so fortunate over the last few months that Sarah has been extremely healthy. Since her diagnosis in March she hasn't even had an illness that affected her bloodsugar, so we haven't even experienced a "sick day". But today was weird. She got up and wasn't hungry (weird for her), so she decided to get in the shower. She was in there maybe 5 minutes when I heard her cry, so I rushed in and she's just laying on the floor in the shower looking insanely pale. I turned off the water, grabbed her test kit and tested her. She was 92! So what the heck?
She had to be practically carried out of the shower. I laid her on the bed and asked her if she could eat something. She sucked down some chicken soup and a few saltines, and now she's bouncing around the house as usual.
Has anyone else had this experience and does it sound like it could be D related in any way? It was only slightly past her usual breakfast time, so it doesn't seem like she should have been so hungry she passed out.
A ‘sick day’ causes high sugars, not lows. Other than not being hungry when she woke up, was anything else about her behaviour unusual when she awoke? I think the only way it could have been D-related is if she was low when she woke up - did you check her number before she got in the shower? If she was already low when she got in the shower, that could explain the ‘passing out’ and her body releasing glucose on its own, thus the 92. But those situations are very rare and don’t happen that fast.
This does seem a bit wierd since the level was normal when checked. I agree with the sugar being low when waking up. My experience has been hunger when low. Since everybody has different sensations for there own conditions, I would find it hard to think the body would raise the level that much from a low that could cause that much fatigue. Maybe so though. There maybe other conditions to look for regarding health issues. It maybe just be as plain as fatigue from no energy.
Thanks all. She seems fine now. She didn't fall, says she just couldn't stand up any longer. This has happened twice before, but both times were in the months leading up to her diagnosis. I didn't check her before her shower because she's amazingly consistent in the morning, nearly always running in the low 100's. Hopefully this type of thing doesn't continue, but if it does we will take her in to the doctor and have them take a closer look at her.
Unless you're not hungry and took your normal insulin. So, for example, if she has her normal insulin dose in her system and then becomes nauseous, it's important to watch for lows.
In this case, assuming the meter is working, I'd imagine it was just a virus. Kids seem to bounce back oddly quickly when they're sick!
I get low symptoms when I drop quickly, even if I'm not actually "low" yet... But as she was 92 and she's normally low 100s in the morning, that doesn't seem extremely likely.
Hungry or not, the lack of food plus hot water may have made her feel weak. I have a Dexcom and keep it right by the shower both because the hot water sometimes makes my BG drop and because the hot water sometimes makes me feel weak and "low" even when I'm not low. Maybe it could have been that?
Also, I'd keep an eye on her to see if she could be "coming down" with something. Even though she's feeling better now, it seems possible that the fatigue in the hot shower could have been related to starting to get sick. (When I got chicken pox, my first signs were not wanting any breakfast then getting in the shower and suddenly feeling WRETCHED until I got back out into the cool air.)
I kind of agree with everything else that has been said. It doesn't sound like it was a low, although thats not to mean it isn't D-Related. Maybe it was just a reaction to an empty stomach.
Sounds very scary nevertheless. I hope everything gets sorted out.
It kind of seems like she blacked out. I have blacked out in the shower/after getting out of the shower a few times. Blacking out has also happened to me after a sudden drop in blood sugar levels, which also might have been a cause. Also, I find that my blood sugars typically drop while in the shower, bath, sauna, or hot tub from the hot water. Good luck!
Hayley, I think you're right about the blackout. I probably should have checked her blood pressure instead of just checking her blood sugar. When I was a kid I frequently had blackouts because my blood pressure has always been low. I doubt it had anything to do with bloodsugar as she was 92, which is only slightly lower than usual - but makes sense because she slept in a couple of hours later than usual because it was the weekend and she'd had a lot of activity the day before.
Elizabeth - I refuse to allow her to get sick, as we're heading out on a 10 day vacation on Friday. No, absolutely no sickies - I FORBID it! :-)
Thanks all - I feel better now. I always watch her closely anyway, so will just continue and deal if it happens again. You guys are the best, and really contribute to my continued sanity! :-)
LOL. Forbidding sickness. You know that is like inviting it, right? :-p But a 10-day vacay sounds awesome, so I hope that it is sickness free!
I think just a good ol blackout (BP related vs. BG). If I'm hot, I'm more prone to them because I have low BP and would also be more prone to them when I was getting sick. (Like when I passed out during a choir concert in high school and then was diagnosed with bronchitis the next day.) 2 of my sisters have various heart issues that while not life threatening also make them more prone to pass out. So if she continues to have dizzy spells or black outs, I'd take her in to get checked out.
LOL. Forbidding sickness. You know that is like inviting it, right? :-p But a 10-day vacay sounds awesome, so I hope that it is sickness free!
[/quote]
Lol, I know you're right. Actually, except for the diabetes and related symptoms, Sarah's by FAR been my most healthy child. Everyone else always ends up with nasty colds at least once or twice a year, and Sarah will sniffle for about an hour and she's done. She felt great the rest of the day yesterday, so I don't think she has anything - Disneyland, here we come!!!!
It does sound like BP rather than BS to me also. I have low BP and sometimes I get confused by which is affecting me. Taking BS was okay I would say the hot shower with no food probably dropped her BP.