Knowing what to do for an insulin overdose can help a person suffering with diabetes. Typical symptoms for an insulin overdose include cold sweats, trembling hands, anxiety and confusion. Such symptoms often result from low blood sugar levels in the blood or hypoglycemia.
First Aid for Insulin Overdose
To help someone or yourself for an insulin overdose, follow the steps below:
- Test your own blood sugar levels if you can
- Drink half a cup of fruit juice or sweetened soda
- Eat if you have skipped a meal
- Carbohydrates can raise the blood sugar levels
- Rest for a while
- Recheck the blood sugar levels after about 15-20 minutes
- Continue snacking in case of low blood sugar levels
- Retest once again till the blood sugar level gets normalized
- Get medical help if blood sugar levels have been low for nearly two hours
Insulin overdose can occur under many circumstances such as these – injecting the wrong amount, injecting from the wrong vial, failing to eat during appropriate hours thereby conflicting with the insulin shots taken during the day that can in turn cause the blood sugar levels to fall dangerously.