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Can Hypoglycemia Cause Unconsciousness?
Question: Can an 80 blood sugar level cause you to pass out? I have hypoglycemia and sometimes when im in the low 80's i feel dizzy and off.
Brief Answer:
Yes, 80mg/dl blood sugar level can make you faint.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear,
I have gone through your question.
I can understand your concern.
Hypoglycemia, also called low blood glucose or low blood sugar, occurs when the level of glucose in your blood drops below normal.
For many people with diabetes, that means a level of 70 mg/dL or less.
Your numbers might be different, so my advice for you is to check with your treating doctor to find out what level is too low for you.
According to your symptoms, it is logic that 80 mg/dl is too low for you.
Dizzy or faint can be symptoms of hypoglycemia and Unconsciousness is a symptom of Severe hypoglycemia.
Severe hypoglycemia is when your blood glucose level becomes so low that you’re unable to treat yourself and need help from another person.This condition is dangerous and needs to be treated right away.(like an emergency)
A good blood sugar range for most people with diabetes is from about 70 to 150 before a meal and less than 200 about 2 hours after your last meal.
As endocrinologist, I want to remember that everyone is different and A good blood sugar range for someone else may not be the best for you.
So my answer is: Yes, a blood sugar of 80 may be too low for some diabetics and can cause symptoms like dizziness and faint.
In your case, my advice is: Try to maintain your blood sugar >90-100 mg/dl and speak with your health care provider about whether you should buy one glucagon kit, and how and when to use it.
Also, it is important that the people you are in frequent contact with (for example, family members, significant others, and coworkers) should be instructed on how to administer glucagon to treat your severe hypoglycemic events.(when you pass out)
Hope I have clarified your doubts.
If you have other questions, feel free to ask.
Best regards.
Yes, 80mg/dl blood sugar level can make you faint.
Detailed Answer:
Hello dear,
I have gone through your question.
I can understand your concern.
Hypoglycemia, also called low blood glucose or low blood sugar, occurs when the level of glucose in your blood drops below normal.
For many people with diabetes, that means a level of 70 mg/dL or less.
Your numbers might be different, so my advice for you is to check with your treating doctor to find out what level is too low for you.
According to your symptoms, it is logic that 80 mg/dl is too low for you.
Dizzy or faint can be symptoms of hypoglycemia and Unconsciousness is a symptom of Severe hypoglycemia.
Severe hypoglycemia is when your blood glucose level becomes so low that you’re unable to treat yourself and need help from another person.This condition is dangerous and needs to be treated right away.(like an emergency)
A good blood sugar range for most people with diabetes is from about 70 to 150 before a meal and less than 200 about 2 hours after your last meal.
As endocrinologist, I want to remember that everyone is different and A good blood sugar range for someone else may not be the best for you.
So my answer is: Yes, a blood sugar of 80 may be too low for some diabetics and can cause symptoms like dizziness and faint.
In your case, my advice is: Try to maintain your blood sugar >90-100 mg/dl and speak with your health care provider about whether you should buy one glucagon kit, and how and when to use it.
Also, it is important that the people you are in frequent contact with (for example, family members, significant others, and coworkers) should be instructed on how to administer glucagon to treat your severe hypoglycemic events.(when you pass out)
Hope I have clarified your doubts.
If you have other questions, feel free to ask.
Best regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
I am not diabetic though.
Brief Answer:
Hypoglycemia is the sugar blood level < 70 mg/dl.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again
I appologise for the late reply.
You just gave me a very very important information.
If you are not diabetic,this means that there is no reason to consider 80 mg/dl a hypoglicemic episode and (logically)your dizziness and passing out can not be attributed to this level of blood sugar.
The medical term for fainting is syncope.
Fainting is a sudden loss of consciousness, usually temporary and typically caused by a lack of oxygen in the brain. The brain oxygen deprivation has many possible causes, including hypotension (low blood pressure).
Other potential causes of fainting include dehydration, alcohol and diabetes.
Treatment of fainting depends on the causes of the condition.For this reason my advice for you is to meet physically your doctor because it is important to check the right cause and only in this way you can have the right treatement.
Hope this information is helpful.
If you have other doubts,feel free to ask.
Best regards.
Hypoglycemia is the sugar blood level < 70 mg/dl.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again
I appologise for the late reply.
You just gave me a very very important information.
If you are not diabetic,this means that there is no reason to consider 80 mg/dl a hypoglicemic episode and (logically)your dizziness and passing out can not be attributed to this level of blood sugar.
The medical term for fainting is syncope.
Fainting is a sudden loss of consciousness, usually temporary and typically caused by a lack of oxygen in the brain. The brain oxygen deprivation has many possible causes, including hypotension (low blood pressure).
Other potential causes of fainting include dehydration, alcohol and diabetes.
Treatment of fainting depends on the causes of the condition.For this reason my advice for you is to meet physically your doctor because it is important to check the right cause and only in this way you can have the right treatement.
Hope this information is helpful.
If you have other doubts,feel free to ask.
Best regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Thank you. So yes i have reactive hypoglycemia but i dont have diabetes. I am not on any medication. So my question was can i faint at a blood sugar of 80 even though i feel faint and dizzy and i do get low blood sugar its just i get symptoms in the 80's. :( im just very nervous about this . So not being diabetic and just have the non diabetic hypoglycemia can i pass out at 80? Or is it more below 70? Even though i feel symptoms?
Brief Answer:
No,i don't think you can pass out at 80 mg/dl.
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Reactive hypoglycemia is the general term for having a hypo after eating, which is when blood glucose levels become dangerously low following a meal.
The drops in blood sugar are usually recurrent and occur within four hours after eating.
Reactive hypoglycemia is more common in overweight individuals or those who have had gastric bypass surgery.
This excess insulin production and secretion continues after the glucose derived from the meal has been digested, causing the amount of glucose in the bloodstream to fall to a lower-than-normal level.
My advice for you is to check your blood sugar in the moment of symptoms to see if you have low blood sugar at this time.
Anyway,don't worry.
No medical treatment is usually required for reactive hypoglycemia.
My advices for you are:
-Reduce carbohydrate intake and/or eat frequent small meals - the first step of treatment is to split your daily diet into several small meals and snacks, no more than 3 hours apart., which are less carb-heavy.
-Eat a well-balanced diet, including meat, poultry, fish, nonmeat sources of protein, dairy products and fibre-rich foods such as whole grains, fruit and vegetables.
-Avoid or limit sugary foods and drinks, especially soft drinks rich in glucose or sucrose.
-Exercise regularly - physical activity increases sugar uptake which, in turn, decreases excessive insulin release.
-Eat food when drinking alcohol and avoid using sugary soft drinks as mixers.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for using HCM.
Wish you all the best.
No,i don't think you can pass out at 80 mg/dl.
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Reactive hypoglycemia is the general term for having a hypo after eating, which is when blood glucose levels become dangerously low following a meal.
The drops in blood sugar are usually recurrent and occur within four hours after eating.
Reactive hypoglycemia is more common in overweight individuals or those who have had gastric bypass surgery.
This excess insulin production and secretion continues after the glucose derived from the meal has been digested, causing the amount of glucose in the bloodstream to fall to a lower-than-normal level.
My advice for you is to check your blood sugar in the moment of symptoms to see if you have low blood sugar at this time.
Anyway,don't worry.
No medical treatment is usually required for reactive hypoglycemia.
My advices for you are:
-Reduce carbohydrate intake and/or eat frequent small meals - the first step of treatment is to split your daily diet into several small meals and snacks, no more than 3 hours apart., which are less carb-heavy.
-Eat a well-balanced diet, including meat, poultry, fish, nonmeat sources of protein, dairy products and fibre-rich foods such as whole grains, fruit and vegetables.
-Avoid or limit sugary foods and drinks, especially soft drinks rich in glucose or sucrose.
-Exercise regularly - physical activity increases sugar uptake which, in turn, decreases excessive insulin release.
-Eat food when drinking alcohol and avoid using sugary soft drinks as mixers.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for using HCM.
Wish you all the best.
Note: For further follow-up, discuss your blood glucose reports with our diabetologist. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
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