When talking with his diabetes educator about night time lows, Pat says, “one night I woke up with a 30 mg/dl.”
Diabetes educator: “What were your symptoms?”
Pat: “I was dreaming of Snickers.”
The Snickers alarm went off in Pat’s brain. Could it be that when sensing hypoglycemia during sleep, the brain is so smart that it wakes us up with a dream about our favorite candy bar? Have you ever had a dream about eating food when you are low?
What Pat’s unconscious didn’t realize is that, because of the high fat content in a Snickers bar, it is not a quick fix. Fixing a low of 30 mg/dl is best treated with a quick-acting source of glucose such as gel or tablets. Glucagon handy on the night table is a must, just in case you need it. Leave the Snickers bars at Walgreen’s where they live, on the counter next to the cash register.
