Let’s talk hypos. How do they impact your life?
Hypoglycaemia (also known as hypos or lows) is a condition that occurs when your blood glucose level (BGL) has dropped too low, below 4mmol/L. Hypos are a part of life for many people living with diabetes who use insulin.
In Australia, about 400,000 people use insulin to help manage their diabetes.
According to research a person with type 1 diabetes averages 138 hypos per year. Of course, you may have more, or maybe less than this – everyone’s experience is different.
Living with diabetes can be challenging. Call our Helpline on 1800 177 055 if you need help or want to talk.
Time adds up
It can people an average of about 15 minutes to recover from a hypo. However, it may take some people more or less time than this.
Costs add up
Jelly beans, juice, glucose tabs or a soft drink – which fast-acting carbohydrate do you turn to when you have a hypo?
If you drink a juice box every hypo, in one year you will have spent about $207!
See for yourself with #HyposAddUp
Have you ever wondered how many hypos you’ve had? Our new #HyposAddUp calculator can add them up for you!
Share the infographic on social media to raise awareness of hypos. It’s also a great conversation starter next time you want to talk about hypos with your healthcare professional.
Disclaimer The content of the #HyposAddUp calculator is intended for information and awareness raising purposes only. It is not to be viewed as a health appraisal or advice from Diabetes Australia.
Join the conversation – #HyposAddUp
Tell us about your experiences with hypos. Do hypos interrupt your daily life? We’d love to hear your story on our social media pages.
For the chance to win one of five $100 gift vouchers, tell us how your hypos add up. Use the hashtag #hyposaddup and post on your socials. Terms and conditions apply.
Previous campaigns
Cardiovascular and Endurance training is key for improving daily activity without feeling excessive fatigue. helps prevent chronic disease and improves overall quality of life.
Cardiovascular and Endurance Training can be done in a lot of different ways. Whether that means intentionally parking farther away to walk more, going for a weekly jog or doing circuit training, it’s important to find what works for you, and is enjoyable for you. Consider
- Frequency. Aim for 1-3 times a week.
- Intensity. Moderate intensity is usually recommended - enough to increase heart and respiratory rate, but does not cause exhaustion or breathlessness
- Time. 150 minutes a week is suggested! Work up to it slowly if need be.
- Type. Use large muscle groups and be continuous in nature),
- Enjoyment! Have fun!
And as always, keep an eye on trends to see how each activity affects your blood sugar. Spending some time tracking bg levels can help you avoid those lows that can sometimes derail your best efforts.
Find more tips for exercise and t1d on the Beyond Barriers Workout page on our website - link in profile. Thanks to bpt_personal_training for the collab!
I may have been mid-hypo during this photo - you know that blank stare you get, and that "yeah, I'm fine" smile you give when someone asks if you're ok... 😅
I'm fortunate enough to be hypo aware at this point in time - my usual symptoms of a low are usually shaking fingers and the feeling of passing out 😟
However, I wouldn't have a clue with high sugars, as my body feels the same at 20mmol as it does at 6mmol. At first, I thought this was relatively common until I joined the DOC and realised that a lot of y'all sometimes feel terrible with high BGLs!
Any who...a hammock happened to be within close distance for my shakey legs to walk to. I popped some jelly beans and while I was staring blankly at my sister, she happened to snap this shot😅 #kodakmoment
Before this moment, I was walking along the beach thinking about Dr Frederick Banting and Charles Best on their breakthrough in treating diabetes. This week marked the 100th anniversary of this medical triumph. To think I wouldn't have made it past 19 gave me goosebumps. We are incredibly fortunate 💙
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#hypoglycemia #hyposhappen #type1diabetes #insulindependent #diabetic #diabetes #typeonestrong #t1dlookslikeme #type1life #t1dlife #beyondtype1daily #diabetesawareness
Would you know what to do if someone you cared about was suffering from a diabetes emergency?
At Accuro, we take safety seriously and ensure that all of our wonderful support workers are First Aid trained.
It's just one of our commitments to you so you can live your life, your way.
#hyposhappen
#independantliving
#healthyathome
#stjohnambulance
NATIONAL DIABETES WEEK 2021
Injecting in public
Buying needles
Swapping sharps containers
Finger prick tests in public
Appearing drunk, aggressive, uncoordinated, slow and spaced out
Diabetes has an image problem.
Please don’t judge us.
#nationaldiabetesweek #stigma #blame #shame #judgement #t1dlookslikeme #hyposhappen #thisisourlife #support #awareness #connection #ndw2021
People experience diabetes stigma when they are blamed for having diabetes, while managing diabetes such as injecting insulin in public and when experiencing the affects and complications of diabetes like low blood sugar (Hypos).
This National Diabetes Week, let’s have the conversation about the real impact diabetes stigma can have on a person’s mental and emotional well-being.
#ndw2021 #headsupdiabetes #beatthestigma #mentalhealth #diabetesawareness #diabetes1 #diabetes2 #emotionalwellbeing #hyposhappen
National Diabetes Week 2021 runs from 11 – 17 July.
This year, the spotlight is on diabetes stigma and mental health.
People experience diabetes stigma when they are blamed for having diabetes, while managing diabetes such as injecting insulin in public and when they experience the affects and complications of diabetes such as low blood sugar.
This National Diabetes Week, let’s have a conversation about the real impact diabetes stigma can have on a person’s mental and emotional wellbeing.
Help raise awareness about the campaign by spreading the word:
#NDW2021 #headsupdiabetes #simplynutrition #dieitian #diabetes #diabeteseducation #HyposHappen #diabetesaustralia
National Diabetes Week runs from 11th July - 17th July and this year will focus on the mental and emotional health of people living with diabetes.
Stigma affects all aspects of life for people with diabetes, including their mental health and wellbeing.
This week, we will look at some facts about diabetes, discuss how you can get some support and brush up on some lifesaving tips should you need to assist someone suffering from a hypoglycaemic event
#NDW2021
#headsupdiabetes
#stigma
#hyposhappen
Good thanks.
🎢 📈📉🍭📈💉📉🙄
#howsyoursunday #ihatejellybeans #diafuckingbetes #type1 #hyposhappen #t1diabetesawareness #invisibledisability #iamgreaterthanmyhighsandlows #insulinjunkie4life
Me being frustrated. How many other people with diabetes get denied by insurance to have your Dexcom orders filled early? It’s literally not my fault that the Dexcom sensors only last for three days. But BCBSOFKS would rather you not have a sensor, go to the hospital with a sever low, almost die, and pay for that....rather than filling the order early. Why can’t we actually get medical insurance companies to help patients rather than hinder?
Maybe this only happens to me? Lmk! #dexcom #bcbsofkansas #changeinsurance #t1d #t1dfrustration #diabetesfrustrations #change #hypoglycemia #hyposhappen #cgm #cgmproducts #bcbsks
“Now take a photo of you, me and the skittles” #hyposhappen 🌈
Hypos happen. And they’re not always like this. Most of the time I am completely unaware, until my CGM alerts me or my boyfriend/number 1 support man does. Always helping me through lows like this roadside hypo, late night hypos, scary hypos and cranky ones too.. (sorry 😅)
Appreciating all the support, and things you do for me. Like making me this hypo kit with all my favourite things. You’re truly one of a kind. ✨
#notsponsoredbyskittles #skittlestotherescue #bestboyfieever #type1diabetes
Orange you glad to see me 🍊trying to breathe through my anxiety and diabetic irritation haha...got to practice
The Lowdown might be done and dusted for another year but @drews.daily.dose sent us a great video about the reality of living with hypos and we just had to share it.
Hypos happen Drew, thanks for talking about them. #HyposHappen
Georgie from @bodyposibetes has a wonderful message for the community regarding hypos 💙
"Hypos happen. Hypos cannot be prevented. Hypos suck. There is nothing more annoying than a doctor asking me “Do you have hypos?” Of course I have hypos, do you breathe?
They’re inconvenient. They always seem to happen when I’m in the middle of something, or just drifting off to sleep.
They make me look drunk and shaky, and they’re embarrassing! I’ve hypoed on stage, in meetings, on dates, in front of my students, and in interviews. I’ve dropped objects, said countless weird things, and had a hypo argument with a bouncer who wouldn’t let me back in because he thought I was drunk. Having to ask “Could I have a few minutes?” can make me feel so vulnerable and small.
They’re tiring. Dealing with multiple hypos overnight is not a recipe for a productive or fulfilling day. Often I walk through a day after a hypo filled night like a zombie, going through the motions until I can go back home and nap.
They’re scary. I don’t feel my hypos until they get very low, and when they go below 1.5 I feel like I’m about to die. My head spins, my body feels numb, and I can’t control my shaking or sweating. I hate it.
#HyposHappen , so please don’t beat yourself up about them! You are your own pancreas every single day, so there are always going to be sneaky hypos. Join in Diabetes Australia ‘s campaign this week and share your hypo story. They’re normal, they’re not an indication of “bad control”, and they’re not your fault. They happen. 💙"
Have you ever been mistaken for being drunk when you are just having a hypo?
We know this has happened to lots of people with diabetes.
If this has happened to you, what was your experience?
Share and help us raise awareness around hypos. We want to kick away the stigma.
You can also share your story about having a hypo with the #HyposHappen hashtag. You’ll help us spread the word and will go into the draw to win a $250 Visa gift card.
This week diabetes_australia launched this year’s Lowdown campaign #HyposHappen. Spreading the word on all things diabetes and hypos. This is Augie, mid hypo, by our pool, limp and lethargic. Our new puppy was fretting worried about what was happening, a feeling we are familiar with. I remember vividly her first hypo, we had returned from Adelaide to our regional home, it happened so fast. I put her into the bath before bed walked away for a few minutes to get her pjs ready, by the time I returned she was limp and hanging over the bath. I screamed out to my husband who helped drag her out. We treated and sat, and waited. The recovery took a while and we were petrified. We have adjusted to the symptoms and treatments over time but they are still just as scary. #hyposhappen #type1diabetes #t1dlookslikeme #t1dawareness
The Lowdown #HyposHappen 6pm QLD time/ 7pm AEST Panel Discussion tonight on diabetes_australia FB page.
Freya tries very hard to make living with type 1 diabetes look easy. She doesn’t like to make a fuss or be seen to be difficult. Unfortunately diabetes doesn’t play nice. One of the scariest and most dangerous immediate things that can happen is a severe hypo (low blood glucose level). Hypos can happen at unexpected times. They can also come at the most frustrating times. Over the years, Freya has had to sit out of the state bouldering (climbing) champs for nearly an hour to wait for her levels to come up to a safe levels, meaning she missed out on the gold medal. She has gone on stage to dance when her levels have been dropping rapidly, whilst trying to swallow as many lollies as possible – so as to not let down her dance troupe in their performance… and she has sat quietly in all manner of locations around the world (when we used to be able to travel) to wait for her levels return to a safe number.
Tonight Freya will be part of a panel for Diabetes Australia discussing the lowdown on hypos. The event will be streamed live to the Diabetes Australia Facebook page and you can ask questions in real-time.
#type1diabetes #swimmer #dancer #type1 #diabetes #solopump #pump #cgm #dexcom #curediabetes #cure #accucheksolo #accuchek #climb #climber #fit #inspire #inclusion #invisibleillness #hypo #hypoglycemia
diabetes_australia wanted to know how hypos make diabetics feel...
Mine make me feel desperate for food, to feel better, to be over with it. They can happen so fast and they just happen no matter how well I maintain my diabetes. So #hyposhappen
We received this message from Leah, Scarlett’s Mum.
“When I’m hypo I feel weak and shaky. I find it hard to control my breathing and can’t talkmuch. #hyposhappen “
Thank you for sharing your story, Scarlett and being brave and open with the community.
Hypos happen. Hypos cannot be prevented. Hypos suck. There is nothing more annoying than a doctor asking me “Do you have hypos?” Of course I have hypos, do you breathe?
They’re inconvenient. They always seem to happen when I’m in the middle of something, or just drifting off to sleep.
They make me look drunk and shaky, and they’re embarrassing! I’ve hypoed on stage, in meetings, on dates, in front of my students, and in interviews. I’ve dropped objects, said countless weird things, and had a hypo argument with a bouncer who wouldn’t let me back in because he thought I was drunk. Having to ask “Could I have a few minutes?” can make me feel so vulnerable and small.
They’re tiring. Dealing with multiple hypos overnight is not a recipe for a productive or fulfilling day. Often I walk through a day after a hypo filled night like a zombie, going through the motions until I can go back home and nap.
They’re scary. I don’t feel my hypos until they get very low, and when they go below 1.5 I feel like I’m about to die. My head spins, my body feels numb, and I can’t control my shaking or sweating. I hate it.
#HyposHappen , so please don’t beat yourself up about them! You are your own pancreas every single day, so there are always going to be sneaky hypos. Join in diabetes_australia ‘s campaign this week and share your hypo story. They’re normal, they’re not an indication of “bad control”, and they’re not your fault. They happen. 💙
#thelowdown #t1d #typeonediabetes #type1diabetes #t2d #type2diabetes #typetwodiabetes #diabetes #livingwithdiabetes #lowbloodsugar #hypos #hypoglycemia #diabetes #insulin
I was actually kicked out of a popular and quite huge venue on my sisters 21st birthday because they assumed I was drunk and I had ‘glassy eyes’ so I must have taken some other substance and be drunk and I was ‘kicked out’ .. I was literally walked out infront of HUNDREDS of people like I was a criminal but little did they know we were all rushing to the bar to get me a soft drink because I was having a hypo. How embarrassing and unfair treatment. That all came out AFTER they had removed me from the premises and I tried explaining, they didn’t believe me so then I had to put up a fight and argue my point about my health and my diabetes. I was getting all different cards that would have something health/diabetes related like my NDSS card and I went onto my emails to find an email from my endocrinologist to ‘prove’ I wasn’t drunk and this was just an unfortunate time to have a hypo. That’s so unfair and was handled very unprofessionally but I guess that’s a lack of awareness and a huge lack of understanding. If I was misbehaving then absolutely but having done nothing wrong but simply look a bit out of it but not actually asking just assuming & then going to the extreme, then that’s not okay and it needs to change. I’m not sure how because when someone thinks your drunk then they are also going to think you are making up excuses but having type 1 diabetes and having a low blood sugar while I’m out at a pub or restaurant does NOT mean I am drunk and it sucks to feel otherwise. Sometimes I wish I could turn around and just ‘I wish I was but NO’ 🤣
Maybe someone needs to make an ID card that has something like
‘I’m not drunk, just ask - I may just be having a low blood sugar’ or something like that?! Little steps in the right direction is better then none! #hyposhappen and there’s nothing I can do about it but please just ask and be ready to help if they need you!
Do you have a hypo story where someone’s thought you were drunk?
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