Normal glucose levels not normal for Pt.

FlamingFirefox

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Anyone ever worked with someone that if their BGL is normal they feel like their glucose is low they are jittery and feel weak. they need to be at like 150 or higher to feel normal. Has anyone experienced this with a someone?
 

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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Yes... sometimes chronic diabetics can adapt to different levels, although usually it's lower, not higher.

Have them follow up with their PMD who can give them medical advice on their unique situation.
 

Akulahawk

EMT-P/ED RN
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Yep. Usually diabetics get used to having both higher and lower levels than "normal." However, since their bodies may be inefficient in using insulin (not just simply requiring additional insulin) they my feel that having a higher blood glucose level than normal helps ensure that glucose will make its way into cells better... and also by having higher blood glucose levels, there's a bit of a buffer between having a "low" glucose level and truly going symptomatically hypoglycemic. I've seen higher rather than lower levels in diabetics that don't test anywhere near as often as they should. Not using insulin properly, they're probably avoiding DKA (usually), but they may also feel like they need to eat because not enough glucose is getting into the cells...thus resulting in mild hyperglycemia as a normal state.
 

johnrsemt

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My mom's normal was 120-160, she would be shaky and forgetful at 80, and unconscious at 55-60. it took a long time to convince her doctor of that
 
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