What do i do when i have low blood sugar

Q: What causes blood sugar to drop suddenly?

Your blood sugar can drop quickly if you dont eat enough food or you skip meals. It can also happen if you take too much medicine (insulin or pills), exercise more than usual, or take certain medicines that lower blood sugar. Do not drink alcohol if you have problems noticing the early signs of low blood sugar.

You are at risk of having a low blood sugar reaction if you:

Table of Contents Show

Quick Carbohydrate Guide for Treating Low Blood Sugars
Candies and Other Sweets
Recommended reading
Related clinics
How can I quickly raise my low blood sugar?
How do you feel when your sugar is low?
What causes blood sugar to drop suddenly?
What do you do if you have low sugar?

Skip or delay a meal or snack
Take too much insulin or eat too few carbohydrates
Exercise
Drink alcohol, especially without eating carbohydrates

Check your blood sugar if you have any of these symptoms:

Weakness and/or fatigue
Headache
Sweating
Anxiety
Dizziness
Shaking
Increased heartbeat

If your blood sugar is less than 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl):

Eat 15 to 30 grams of carbohydrate (sample foods listed below)
Wait 15 minutes and then recheck your blood sugar
If your blood sugar is still less than 100 mg/dl, take another 15 grams of carbohydrate and retest your blood sugar in another 15 minutes. Repeat if necessary.

Important: If you have frequent low blood sugars speak to your doctor. You may need changes in your medication and/or meal plan.

Quick Carbohydrate Guide for Treating Low Blood Sugars

If your blood sugar is less than 70 mg/dl, you need 15 to 30 grams of a quickly absorbed carbohydrate, like the ones listed below. Each of the following servings provides 15 grams of carbohydrate.

Candies and Other Sweets

5 small gum drops
12 gummy bears
6 large jelly beans
5 Life Savers
15 Skittles
1 Tablespoon honey, jam or jelly
1 Tablespoon sugar in water
4 Starburst

Beverages

1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup orange or grapefruit juice
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup regular soda (not diet)
1/3 cup grape juice
1/3 cup cranberry juice
1/3 cup prune juice
1 cup fat free milk

Fruits

1/2 banana
1 small apple
1 small orange
1/2 cup applesauce
2 tablespoons of raisins
15 grapes

Other

3 to 4 glucose tablets
1 tube glucose gel

Note: The foods listed above are easily absorbed and will raise blood sugar levels quickly. Foods that contain protein or fat – such as chocolate, candy bars, ice cream, cookies, crackers and bread – don't raise blood sugar quickly enough.

UCSF Health medical specialists have reviewed this information. It is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or other health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your provider.

Recommended reading

Carbohydrates

Foods containing carbohydrates become glucose or blood sugar when digested, and controlling blood sugar is important if you have diabetes. Learn more now.

Carbohydrates and Diabetes

Carb counting is a useful tool for people who have diabetes. Balancing carbohydrates and insulin helps keep your blood sugars in a healthy range. Learn more.

Counting Carbohydrates

Are you counting your carbohydrate intake? Use this list of foods, each of which has been measured to about 15 carbs, to help in your efforts.

Diabetes Clinic at Mount Zion

1600 Divisadero St., Room A530
San Francisco, CA 94115

(415) 885-3868

M-F, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Diabetes Clinic at Parnassus

400 Parnassus Ave., Suite A-550
San Francisco, CA 94143

(415) 353-2350

M-F, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Diabetes Teaching Center

400 Parnassus Ave., Suite A-550
San Francisco, CA 94143

(415) 353-2266

M-F, hours vary

How can I quickly raise my low blood sugar?

Your doctor may tell you to have really sugary foods or drinks (like regular soda, orange juice, or cake frosting) or might give you glucose tablets or gel to take — all of these can help to raise your blood sugar level fast, which is what you need to do when it's low. Wait about 10 minutes to let the sugar work.

How do you feel when your sugar is low?

Signs and symptoms of hypoglycaemia can include:.

feeling hungry..

sweating..

dizziness..

tiredness (fatigue).

blurred vision..

trembling or shakiness..

going pale..

fast pulse or palpitations..

What causes blood sugar to drop suddenly?

Your blood sugar can drop quickly if you don't eat enough food or you skip meals. It can also happen if you take too much medicine (insulin or pills), exercise more than usual, or take certain medicines that lower blood sugar. Do not drink alcohol if you have problems noticing the early signs of low blood sugar.

What do you do if you have low sugar?

This can lead to blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, confused thinking, slurred speech, numbness, and drowsiness. If blood glucose stays low for too long, starving the brain of glucose, it may lead to seizures, coma, and very rarely death.

low blood sugar