Fluctuating blood sugar with SHAKY & COLD FEELING

[Diawin]

I am 38 years old male. My father is a diabetic for more than 40 years now. For about 15 years I had issues with excessive thirst, frequent urination and fatigue but was not diabetic (or not diagnosed ?). During the past 10 years, occassionally I used to get minor tremors (shakes) when hungry and the doctor said it is a precursor to diabetes (hypoglycemia). My fasting sugar always was within the normal range. I had cholesterol for the last 8 years. All these years I had sedentary lifestyle without exercise. I am 175 cm tall weighing 85 Kg. 6 months back my post prandial glucose level was found to be high (2 hours after meal- highest recoreded was 12) but fasting sugar was still normal around 6. Now I am taking Metforming 500mg tab (once daily) and have started taking Voglibose 0.2mg (once daily). I am facing the following difficulties now:

1) After meal I get very tired and drowsy with increase in blood sugar but since I am taking medicine hyperglycemia is more or less under control (less than 8) . But in 4 hours the level falls back to less than 5 (lowest recorded was 3.8) during which I get very shaky and body feels very cold, especially the extremities. These symptoms last for hours. Also there is intermittent heat and sweating. These episodes of drowsiness and shakyness cycles (repeats) throughout the day between each meal

2) Lack of concentration, always tired feeling, lowering confidence level, skin infections

3) Numbness -lack of control of hands, minor blurring of vision etc.

I know many diabetic patients with very high sugar levels around me but none of them have problems that I face. Even though high their sugar levels are stable and hence manageable. Mine is always fluctuating between 8 and 4 in every 4 hours and am finding difficult to cope with, especially the hypo episodes. I am trying all ways to minimise this fluctuation by taking more number of smaller meals (7.30am, 10.30am, 1.00pm, 5.00pm & 9.30pm).

Is anyone experiencing a similar challenge. Please share your thoughts about how you manage the same.

Thanks
Diawin

 

[angieG]

What are you eating for your meals?
I find if I eat stuff like porridge, some breads and carby stuff then my levels shoot up fairly quick and then come down even quicker!! This makes me feel shaky and cold as they come down and I eventually end up lower than where I started.
If I eat less carbs and the right combinations of foods (ie carbs and fat together) then the up and down is less pronounced thus preventing these feelings.
Hope this makes some sort of sense!!
Regards
Angie

(I'm type 2 just on 2 Metformin a day)

 

[Diawin]

Thanks AngieG. Yes what you said is right. I used to have heavier meals with more of carby stuff (rice/rice flour/wheat flour/chicken or fish and a small portion of cooked vegetable for lunch and dinner) which I am trying to reduce and slowly balance with less carby ones. I have also started exercising now.

Could you please tell me if you are free from shakes & cold feeling when you take less carby food.
When you follow such diet what is your glucose reading (fasting and 2 hours after meal). Yesterday I had the following readings:

***Reading Fasting sugar - 5.2 (at 7:00 am)
Had break fast at 8:00 am - took voglibose 0.2mg tablet
Had minor meal at 10:30 am
***Reading Post Prandial - 5.5 (at 12:45 pm - 2 hours 15 minutes from minor meal)
Had lunch at 1:00 pm + 250 mg metformin (I took only half tablet fearing hypoglycemia)
***Reading Random - 5.2 (at 4:15 pm - 3 hours 15 minutes after lunch)
Had minor meal at 4:30 pm
5:30-6:30 exercise at gym (till I exercised I was shaky and cold throughout. Exercise gives me a feeling of wellness)
***Reading Post Prandial -5.2 (at 7:00 pm - 2 hours 30 minutes after minor meal)
Had tea and a small white bun at 7:00 pm
Had dinner at 9:00 pm (No medicine at night)


***and Today morning FBS at 7:00 am was 5.3
***Had break fast at 8:15 am and checked random at 8:45 am before leaving for office and the reading was 7.3

Please advice your thoughts

Thanks
Diawin (Winning over Diabetes)

 

[angieG]

Hi,
You look to be doing a great job at regulating your levels.
If I manage to keep mine running like that I don't get shaky and cold. My pre meal levels are usually like yours when I'm being good. (Bit more variable over Xmas season!)
Keep up the good work, you are going the right way about it.
Regards
Angie

 

[Diawin]

Thanks angieG

I would like to share something strange in my reading today.

My before lunch reading at 12:30 pm (2 hours after minor meal) was 5.2

Finished lunch by 12:45 and had 250 mg Metformin. Took a random reading at 1:45 which was
only 6.8. Then unintentionally played with my younger son for 15 minutes and took the reading again at 2:15 pm when it had fallen back to 5.2 which is a big swing (6.8 to 5.2). I don't know if this is encouraging or some thing to be careful about.

Regards
Diawin

 

[Daibell]

Swings like this are quite common and most of us can't find a logical reason; the body's metabolism is very complex. All the levels you mention are very reasonable so I wouldn't worry and it is encouraging. I would start to take note when readings go above around 8.

 

[angieG]

Thanks angieG

I would like to share something strange in my reading today.

My before lunch reading at 12:30 pm (2 hours after minor meal) was 5.2

Finished lunch by 12:45 and had 250 mg Metformin. Took a random reading at 1:45 which was
only 6.8. Then unintentionally played with my younger son for 15 minutes and took the reading again at 2:15 pm when it had fallen back to 5.2 which is a big swing (6.8 to 5.2). I don't know if this is encouraging or some thing to be careful about.

Regards
Diawin

Diawin,
What did you do with your son for 15 minutes? Exercise or physical activity will reduce levels sometimes quite dramatically. Try painting a ceiling or digging the garden!!
Just bear in mind if you do anything strenuous to remember the snacks.
Even doing the same things and eating the same foods can give differing readings from day to day so there are always new challenges!!
Regards
Angie

 

[raffajaffa]

Swings like this are quite common and most of us can't find a logical reason; the body's metabolism is very complex. All the levels you mention are very reasonable so I wouldn't worry and it is encouraging. I would start to take note when readings go above around 8.?????????????

I am a type two diabetic who has been on insulin for just over two months after having my condition managed by a Doctor to a status of HbA1c above 10 for approx 1 year and well over 9 for the previous 18 months.
I have maintained records of what I eat for all the last three years and almost daily fasting results along with post prandials.
Recently I changed doctors and they put me on insulin almost straight away and I have since progressed from 10 units to 34.
I still get variations from 6 to 10 each morning and it makes no difference what I eat or how many tablets I take.metformin,glic,januvia,simvastatins as they cease to work in me after almost 10 years of taking them.
Neither does excercise or limited alcohol intake. It is the same with post prandials range 10-18.
The problem with tingling lips seems to be caused when large glucose dips occur within your body.The same symptoms appear in numerous other complains from ME to drug abuse and alcoholism to name but a few.Its also the same as just before a hypo.and the feeling cold is yet another symptom...Even doctors misread this.?
The answer probably lies with the conditions within the liver, Think about it.
People are not machine.
Any suggestions as to where I should post the poem? lol.