Low fasting blood sugar

[MikeTurin]

Hello,
I've just received the exam results tied to my latest (but first, after two years) blood donation.
The first thing that is strange is that the fasting BG level is 69 mg/dl = 3.85 mmol/l ad was marked as out of range.
The strange thing is that is outside on the LOW range.
I've eaten normally for supper (salad with cheese, chicken with eggplant and tomato, an apple and some nuts).
By the way also triglycerides were a bit on the low range.

Any idea on why I've god low BG if I'm only taking metformin and no other medicaments that could lower the BG level?


By the way on these days I got some strange virus, not a flu but fever and dizziness, and my BG levels read with the strips rised sharply.

 

[Oldvatr]

Hello,
I've just received the exam results tied to my latest (but first, after two years) blood donation.
The first thing that is strange is that the fasting BG level is 69 mg/dl = 3.85 mmol/l ad was marked as out of range.
The strange thing is that is outside on the LOW range.
I've eaten normally for supper (salad with cheese, chicken with eggplant and tomato, an apple and some nuts).
By the way also triglycerides were a bit on the low range.

Any idea on why I've god low BG if I'm only taking metformin and no other medicaments that could lower the BG level?


By the way on these days I got some strange virus, not a flu but fever and dizziness, and my BG levels read with the strips rised sharply.

If your meal plan above is indicative then it would seem that you are Low Carbing. Other clue is dropping Trigs to low value. The fuzzy brain syndrome is common among people entering a ketosis state on a diet, and is often referred to as Carb Flu. It lasts while your body adapts itself to the Fat Burning mode of the diet. It goes when you become Fat Adapted. The bgl rise you note could be due to illness, but could be just Liver Dump to compensate for dropping bgl. Do you have Ketostix for checking for infections?

Whilst it is rare that Metformin alone can lead to hypo's it is not unheard of. Met with an LC diet can bring bgl into the low values, and by doing so can also trigger False Hypo's. Both these topics are often discussed in the Forum, and pop up regularly.

Your fasting result is indeed a low one. Are you taking any (non med) supplements? Green Tea? Cinnamon?

I cannot give medical advice, but maybe sugggest you look at the Reactive Hypoglycemia thread on the Forum. Also check how bgl reacts to a meal at 30 min, 2hr and 4hr to see if there is any sudden unexpected drop.

 

[Lamont D]

Hello,
I've just received the exam results tied to my latest (but first, after two years) blood donation.
The first thing that is strange is that the fasting BG level is 69 mg/dl = 3.85 mmol/l ad was marked as out of range.
The strange thing is that is outside on the LOW range.
I've eaten normally for supper (salad with cheese, chicken with eggplant and tomato, an apple and some nuts).
By the way also triglycerides were a bit on the low range.

Any idea on why I've god low BG if I'm only taking metformin and no other medicaments that could lower the BG level?


By the way on these days I got some strange virus, not a flu but fever and dizziness, and my BG levels read with the strips rised sharply.

Hi Mike,
I can't diagnose you but I do think you need to explore the possibility that something else is going on here!
I don't believe it is reactive hypoglycaemia because once under control we have normal blood glucose levels. But it could be something happening with your pancreas.
It may be some form of hypoglycaemia or as you say a virus or infection.
The only way you will find out is convincing your doctor that you need tests.

Best wishes, let us know how you get on.

 

[MikeTurin]

Thanks for the answers. First of all, for the flu my GP sais isn't the first case she have seen last week fever, vertigo, itchiness and all, so I suppose there's a summer flu spreading an I won a lottery ticket for sick days.
My diet is reduced carbs (normally under 50%) so I don't think that I was in ketosis.
Anyway the strange thing was that that day the measure made with meter and strip was in normal range (90 mg/dl or 5 in new units). The main differene was that the strip measure was at 8 AM and the donation was at 10:30 AM, after some activity and of course was made by the lab at the blood bank.
Anyway I'm going tp have a talk with my GP to at least a request for fasting BG and HBa1c if there is something strange

 

[Lamont D]

Thanks for the answers. First of all, for the flu my GP sais isn't the first case she have seen last week fever, vertigo, itchiness and all, so I suppose there's a summer flu spreading an I won a lottery ticket for sick days.
My diet is reduced carbs (normally under 50%) so I don't think that I was in ketosis.
Anyway the strange thing was that that day the measure made with meter and strip was in normal range (90 mg/dl or 5 in new units). The main differene was that the strip measure was at 8 AM and the donation was at 10:30 AM, after some activity and of course was made by the lab at the blood bank.
Anyway I'm going tp have a talk with my GP to at least a request for fasting BG and HBa1c if there is something strange

I would agree with your assessment.
If you have a food diary, show your GP, what is happening.

Best wishes