Diabetic urges people to check drink sugar levels
A DIABETIC man from Loughborough has told the Echo he wants to warn those suffering with the illness about a fizzy drink after he collapsed in his home.
Sean Fitzpatrick, of Windsor Road, fell to the floor in his home on Saturday, April 15 after he says he mistakenly purchased a low sugar Lucozade drink.
Mr Fitzpatrick, a type I diabetic, told the Echo he was shopping in a convenience store close to his home when he started to experience a moderate hypo attack - which occurs when a diabetic’s blood sugar levels are too low to provide enough energy for the body’s activities.
He said: “It was around 2pm and I knew I needed sugar. I was trembling and my eyes started to blur so I grabbed a Lucozade because it said ‘original’ on it.
“I went back home on my mobility scooter, drank it and sat down. I waited 10 minutes like I normally do, but when I got back up I fell to the floor.
“Luckily I had some sugar tablets on me and I pressed my emergency pendant to let my sister know.”
Mr Fitzpatrick explained to the Echo he usually buys Lucozade Energy Original when he feels his blood sugar dropping as the sugar in the drink, 4.5g per 100ml, brings his levels back up
However, Mr Fitzpatrick had bought a bottle of Lucozade Zero Original - a low calorie drink with 0g of sugar per 100ml.
He said: “At first glance it says original and the zero bit you don’t notice.
“It’s hard to notice anyway let alone if you’re confused and dazed and need to grab a bottle like a lot of type I diabetics do. I just thought they had just changed the packaging.”
Mr Fitzpatrick explained that moderate hypo attacks can develop into severe attacks that can result in sufferers falling unconscious or having a seizure.
He said: “Luckily I was a home when all this happened, if I was in town it could have been a lot worse.
“I just want to make sure peo- ple are aware of it and they don’t grab the wrong bottle if they need energy.”
A Lucozade Ribena Suntory spokesperson said: “Lucozade Energy is not a prescribed product for medical use and we do not offer medical advice, but we recognise our responsibility to ensure that consumers are able to find the information they need about the nutritional content of our drinks.
“We work hard to clearly differentiate Lucozade Energy from other brands such as Lucozade Zero and to provide factual, relevant and understandable nutritional information on all of our labelling.
“We strongly recommend that consumers, particularly people with diabetes, check our labels carefully so that they can make informed choices.
“If people have questions about the use of Lucozade Energy for health-related purposes, we recommend consulting a health professional or contacting Diabetes UK 0345 123 2399 info@diabetes.org.uk for further guidance.”