When to worry about nausea with hypoglycaemia

Low blood glucose can affect the body's stress response and brain function. Nausea may occur with sweating, shaking, hunger, fast heartbeat, dizziness, irritability, blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, or weakness. Nausea can have many causes, so if you can check your glucose safely, use that information together with your symptoms and treatment plan.

If you are awake and able to swallow, follow your personal hypoglycaemia plan and take a quick source of glucose, then recheck as advised by your clinician. Once symptoms improve, eat a snack or meal that helps prevent another drop if your plan recommends it. Do not drive, exercise, or stay alone while symptoms continue. Keep your treatment accessible and tell someone nearby what is happening.

Call emergency services if the person is confused, has a seizure, collapses, cannot swallow safely, is difficult to wake, or does not improve after the agreed treatment. Never put food or drink in the mouth of an unconscious or drowsy person. Arrange prompt medical review for repeated episodes, unexplained nausea with low readings, symptoms after a medicine change, or episodes that occur without diabetes treatment.

Ask what reading or symptoms should trigger treatment, how to adjust medicines around meals or exercise, when to carry emergency glucose, and how to investigate repeated low-glucose episodes.