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Hypoglycemia - Symptom

Alternative Names

Insulin shock; Low blood sugar

Symptoms:

Symptoms you may have when your blood sugar gets too low include:

  • Double vision or blurry vision
  • Fast or pounding heartbeat
  • Feeling cranky or acting aggressive
  • Feeling nervous
  • Headache
  • Hunger
  • Shaking or trembling
  • Sleeping trouble
  • Sweating
  • Tingling or numbness of the skin
  • Tiredness or weakness
  • Unclear thinking

Sometimes your blood sugar may be too low, even if you do not have symptoms. If your blood sugar gets too low, you may:

Signs and tests:

Home monitoring of blood sugar will show readings lower than 70 mg/dL.

Serum glucose test will be low.

  • Reviewed last on: 6/28/2011
  • Ari S. Eckman, MD, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Trinitas Regional Medical Center, Elizabeth, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes--2011. Diabetes Care. 2011;34 Supl 1:S11-S61.

Cryer PE. Glucose homeostasis and hypoglycemia. In: Kronenberg HM, Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR. Kronenberg: Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 33.

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