Q:

Does good control of diabetes have to mean more low blood sugar reactions?

A:

No. Although recent studies have made health professionals more aware of the frequency of serious reactions from insulin, not everyone has this problem. Your healthcare professional can help you learn to prevent and properly treat hypoglycemia.

Q:

Some healthcare professionals recommend candy, cake decorator, or honey for insulin reactions. How do I know what is best?

A:

In the past, many different products have been suggested for treatment of hypoglycemia depending on availability and cost. These products all work to some extent, however, most contain mainly sucrose or table sugar. Glutose 15™, a simple monosaccharide is designed for treatment of insulin reactions and contains glucose, the kind of sugar that is most quickly absorbed by the body. Glutose 15™ is pre-measured and portable to insure proper dosing and ease of use.

Q:

Why do I have to wait 15 minutes before I take more sugar?

A:

When you feel bad it is hard to wait for symptoms to go away, but no matter what you eat, your body can only work so fast. To feel better you must first take a rapidly absorbed kind of sugar, the sugar must enter the bloodstream after the stomach and finally a signal must reach your brain that you are better. This all takes about 15 minutes.

Q:

Is it possible to take too much sugar for a reaction?

A:

Yes, and the results can be very high blood sugar levels. This usually happens when people feel ill and don't know about over-treatment. When people want to feel better fast, they may think that more sugar is better. Frequent over-treatment of low blood sugars can result in weight gain.

Q:

Is there something special about taking orange juice? I've seen it mentioned so often.

A:

Orange juice, like all fruit juices, contains a form of sugar called fructose. Fructose is converted by the liver to glucose over a period of time. This will lead to increased blood sugars but more slowly than if glucose is used initially.

Q:

How should I treat hypoglycemia if I am using the medication Precose^® (acarbose)?

A:

Precose complicates the treatment of hypoglycemia because it can inhibit the breakdown of sugar (sucrose) to glucose. Patients should be warned to use oral glucose for hypoglycemia. This means carry glucose gel or tablets instead of relying on the usual standbys such as Lifesavers^®, juice, soda, etc.