Sarah Howard
Sarah Howard (nee Tackett) has dedicated her career to supporting the T1D community ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Marketing Manager at T1D Exchange.
Sarah and her husband live in NYC with their cat Gracie. In her spare time, she enjoys doing comedy, taking dance classes, visiting art museums, and exploring different neighborhoods in NYC.
I have awareness for very low bg levels- 40-50 range.
My family members frequently detect my hypoglycemia before I do.
I don’t feel low until very low (under 50) unless it is a rapid descent and the I feel the fast drop a little.
Sometimes – only when I’m lying down reading/sleeping. 58 seems to be magic number where I get restless, heart ‘thumpy’, and feel hot. I have it set at 60 at night to try to fix before the symptoms kick in. Doesn’t happen too often luckily.
My Dexcom G6 has saved me many times from more severe episodes of hypoglycemia.
As others have said, I don’t feel it until about 50. The sensation is never the same each time. CGM has been a tremendous help. I have a dropping alarm at 85. Most times (except while driving) I watch the trend at that time. Then at 70 take action and eat somthing.
I used to have hypoglycemic unawareness but answered no because my cgm lets me know when I’m on my way down so I’m able to treat right away.
I am not aware it is low at any point. If I did not have the Dexcom I probably wouldn’t be alive. A few times my Dex com has not read correctly and my husband has to call paramedics. Before Dex Com I had paramedics at my house at least twice a month, because it would drop at night while I was asleep so my husband didn’t notice.
I had a diabetic relative and her husband awoke many times each night and just touched his wife’s arm to check for clamminess. She didn’t have a CGM. I am sure both you and your husband are very thankful for your CGM
The only time I experienced hypoglycemia unawareness was while using Humalog insulin.
So, Kathy, are you using beef pork insulin? Or?
Like Rebecca, the speed of change definitely affects my awareness of what is happening; more likely to notice what is going on if the blood sugars are going down fast. On the other hand, the almost total unawareness I had about a decade ago has largely disappeared; but my wife still detects many episodes that don’t exist — but the false positives both she and the dog register are a small price to pay for their help in other ways (this is not a trained dog, but she clearly detects deep lows, but also sometimes gets my wife unnecessarily).
Yes, over the last decade I lost awareness of lows and highs. Both my spouse and cat are often aware before the CGM extreme alarm sounds.
My awareness symptoms have changed over the last 37 years so I was very glad when my doctor suggested DexCom. It was version 3 at that point. Each version has had improved features. It really gives me and my husband peace of mind, especially overnight. I have my low alarm set to 90 so that I have time to correct before it gets too low.
I used to have hypoglycemia unawareness for many years. Over the past 10 years I seem to be becoming more aware. The only difference that I can think of is that I am retired, and seem to be more aware. When I was working, I was too busy to think about how I felt. Also, I still have unawareness when my blood sugars drop quickly.
I used to have hypoglycaemic unawareness. Once I got a CGM and could prevent most lows, my awareness returned. It got even better once I started using a hybrid closed loop. (T1D for 42 years. )
Same here. My awareness is much better with a CGM but I still have some unawareness.
I didn’t think I had hypoglycemia unawareness, until my endocrinologist suggested I test for a research study on hypoglycemia unawareness. I failed it miserably. Yep at 20, I was ready to go for a walk, no symptoms what so ever.
This is why I have LOVED having CGM alarms. Especially the predictive ones.
Have not felt lows for a long time, 20+ years, (34 years with Type 1). This year I have really been paying attention to TIR and am more obsessive about checking my CGM. Several times this year I felt lows when I was in the 50s, but other times felt nothing when my numbers were even lower. I have not been able to figure out why.
That has happened to me. I am not sure, but sometimes I think it has something to do with how fast the sugar level is declining.
I said yes sometimes, but actually the correct answer was not a choice- I had it severely, pre CGM use because I got low a lot at night, but it has resolved by avoiding or minimizing hypoglycemia since starting the Dexcom CGM in 8-2006.
I answered the question about me physically, not with my CGM. Obviously the G-6 lets me know when I’m going down. Physically, I don’t feel any symptoms until I’m in the mid 50s. Then I get a weird feeling and a bit of shakiness. I recognize it for what it is.
I did have this until the cgm. Now I have more awareness.
I used to for several years before I got the Medtronic 670G closed loop system
Depends upon which blood glucose level defines unawareness. Without the DexCom 6, I knew I was in trouble at 60 so I was aware I was low. But at 60 I think that meant I was unaware I was going below 70. G6 does tell me at 70 I am going down. So if the G6 alarms before I feel it, then yes I have hypoglycemic unawareness.
I am more aware now than I used to be before having a CGM. Before my CGM, there used to be times that I felt a little shaky and would test only to find out my sugar level was in the high 20’s or low 30’s. No wonder I was feeling a little bit off! Now my CGM notifies me when I am getting below 85 so I can usually correct that impending low blood sugar before it happens. I sometimes still get those low sugar symptoms but far less often and usually before the sugar level is way too low.
The majority of times I know I’m having trouble is when my cgm alarms me.
I was diagnosed with hypo unawareness @6 years ago. Since getting my blood sugars back into normal range, I find that I am recognizing I am low more often. I still get some surprise alarms though, so I guess I’m not completely back to normal.