Is this blood sugar normal?

[SherbertBonBons]

I spent a while in hospital due to complications from an eating disorder (thankfully I’m all better now!). I had my blood sugar checked everyday and it was 2-something at one point (2.8 or 9 I think) and 3.3 the other times it was checked. The nurses were really nice but said it was an extremely low blood sugar and seemed really concerned- as soon as it got to 3.2 or 3.3 they would start saying it was really low and serious and that I had to have glucose in some form.

is this really that low? I read a post on here saying similar blood sugar levels are not actually serious or crazily low. Why did the nurses get really panicked about it if it’s not that low? I know it’s lower than what it should have been, but I was under the impression it was crazily low from the way they reacted to it.

im not doubting how unwell I was and I know how serious eating disorders are and I’m not saying the nurses and doctors were wrong, I was just curious about if it’s actually that low really or if it wasn’t as big a deal as they implied

thanks for advice. I’m not diabetic also x

I would say that is really low. Below 3.9 is considered hyperglycaemic for someone with diabetes and needs to be treated straight away.

YNBU, this is your health and of course, you’ve every right to have questions. I would think you’re best to take advice of the doctors but if you are still unsure seek a 2nd or 3rd opinion to put your mind at ease. You could also do some online research I’m sure there is an official diabetes website you can access.

I’m sorry to hear about your eating disorder and I really hope you are getting all of the support you need ❤️

L x

That's low, and would definitely need treating.

Yes, that's very low.

That is very low, I had very low blood sugar like that just after.Christmas and it brought on an attack of vertigo, I was treated for it. I hadn’t eaten properly for a week, it was because I had found out two of my old school friends had died and I was so upset I just couldn’t eat.

Yep, this.

Hyperglycaemic means high blood sugar - hypo is low.

It's a hypo and it is definitely low. It can be caused by malnutrition or if you're not eating. Or obviously, the way your body is regulating to release insulin.

It can make you feel really awful so they'd have wanted to get it to a normal reading (hence the suggestion of glucose).

"four is floor" is what I was taught so definitely concerning.

Protocol for me (one of the national first aid orgs with outsourced Ambo work) was to give glucose gel and test after five, repeat until improved. You'd then give something carb to sustain.

Too low can lead to a coma so important to address before it slips lower.

That being said, you treat the patient and not the machine. Ask for a test each time you go. It might be that this is your normal reading. It needs watching for sure OP.

Hypoglycemic not hyper.

OP yes that is low, for a non diabetic it should be 4 - 7.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/low-blood-sugar-hypoglycaemia/

Thank you for the answers and help.

glad to say I’m doing a lot better now and eating normally again 😊

Just out of curiosity, why did I feel fine with it? I’ve heard people talk about feeling bad with low blood sugar but even when mine was low 3s and in the 2s I still felt absolutely fine other than a little tired. Does that mean it wasn’t that low for me? I’m not diabetic so blood sugar is something I’m completely clueless about!

If yours was consistently low you won’t have felt it until it was extra dangerously low, hence why even in the 2s and 3s you felt okay.

I’m diabetic and during pregnancy I was obsessive about keeping my BM down to the point I didn’t feel a hypo coming till it was at 1.5-2 and I was almost passing out.

I would definitely see your GP about this OP ♥️

What @ElfridaEtAl said. You may have been having low blood sugars for a while due to your eating disorder, and my have developed what we Diabetics call, Hypo unawareness. I'm Type 1, have had it since I was 3, and at those levels, I can feel myself having Hypo symptoms. When I was pregnant, I kept my levels so low, I wasn't feeling them till I was getting under 2.5. Best to treat it with Gluco/Sugar as a quick fix, but then definitely Carb up to keep your blood sugar levels......well....level.

Best advice OP: listen to the trained medical professionals, not the random posts on Mumsnet.

Oops, sorry, yep - i misread hyper as hypo.
Ironically just before realising i was having a hypo 🤦‍♀️ (I'm diabetic)

Seconding the advice that you really need to see a medical professional.

No, it's really low for everybody.

It's also something that kills Diabetics - they don't realise they're that low and either make errors of judgement whilst doing things such as crossing the road/driving or go to sleep and don't ever wake up again.

A continuous monitor would be shrieking at that point. The reason for inventing continuous monitors? Diabetics can't always tell or are unable to process that they're having a hypo and therefore don't take steps to avoid death.