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Very Low Blood Sugars, Not Increasing With Carbs

hardergamer

hardergamer

Member
Messages
23
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi, I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas what's wrong with my blood sugars, as no matter how much food carbs I eat, my sugars are staying below 2.9, but around midday they go back to normal at around 5.8-6.7 for 2-3 hours, then later on they go back down to around 2.7-2.9, and overnight 2.2 to 2.4 (LO on Libre APP).

I had a Libre 2 fitted about 30 hours ago, and I'm getting a reading ranging from LO to 2.9 most of the time apart from a spike of 4.1, I've got 2 other sugar readers which show 2.2 when my Libre is saying LO, my other 2 readers agree with the Libre, and I've been testing myself since the 20/06, and they show my sugars at 2.3 to 2.4 on waking every day, I eat porridge before bed, and have a carb snack (flapjack etc), 3–4 hours into my sleep

I have bad pancreas pain, so bad I was curled up in bed for 7 mounts, but PPI's have now stopped most of that pain for the last 8 weeks.

I have green bile/oil with my stools, and been seeing my GP weekly for tests, bloods, stool's, which are a little high, Ferritin 400, and ALT 45, and Serum alkaline aminotransferase 72, but other times the tests are in normal range, Dr haven't gotten to the bottom of my problem yet.

But here is the worrying problem, this morning my sugars were 2.2 again on waking, and after being sick, I then start eating 1,500 calories in carbs from porridge, toast,, soup, fruit and soft bake fruit biscuits, over 90 minutes, my blood only increased to 2.7, then I eat 500 cals more in carbs, and had no change, so my GP called me in and on the way to see him I fell unconscious and was found by a bus driver who called an ambulance, before the ambulance arrived, and I came back to, I took 8 Dextro tablets and with in an hour my sugars went up to 6.0.

In the hospital, I had bloods, ECG, and ultrasound, but the ultrasound failed as I was full of gas? But they could see a cyst in my liver, which I've been complaining about for over 5 years!.

But then my sugars dropped back down to 2.9, and after 6 hours I was sent to my home town's diabetic DR, who replaced my Libre 2 sensor as it failed, then sent home, this new one sends data to my GP/NHS, and has stayed below 2.9 most of the time too, but has increased to 3.4 after eating 1,000 cals in carbs tonight and taking 4 Dextro.

I was told I can't stay in hospital as all beds are full, (Torbay) so now I'm home by my self, still feeling very unwell, with very low sugars, pore vision, headache spinning, and being feeling sick, like I was this morning.

I don't know if I'm diabetic or not, and been told I need more tests, which is not helping my state of mind at all, as I have schizophrenia.

I'm really sorry for the long post, and I've missed out much info. I will link a screen shoot from the Libre app, but it missed out part when the first sensor failed.

Thank you.
 

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Hello and welcome to the forum @hardergamer . Those low blood sugar readings are scary. It is against forum rules to offer any sort of diagnosis, but members may have had similar experiences. Are they going to repeat the ultrasound ? The ultrasound should show any anomalies in your pancreas/gall bladder/liver. Your Dr will I'm sure request an ultrasound if you are not booked in already.

I have bouts of very low blood sugars, but they are sporadic. Have they even offered up an explanation at all? Oily poops ( Steatorrhea ) are associated with issues with the pancreas or/and your small intestines. Bile - the gall bladder / pancreas / liver. I am fat intolerant so I too get oily poops. I can also emphasize with you regarding your severe stomach cramps , I have peptic ulcer disease so I'm on very strong slow release PPI's. Those stomach pains are extremely painful.

Low blood sugars are not generally associated with diabetes, unless you are on insulin or blood sugar lowering medications that cause low blood sugars. Lows are, in general, caused by prolonged insulin release in someone who is not diabetic. I'm sure they will get to the bottom of what is causing those blood sugar lows , getting an ultra sound done will rule out anything obvious.

Other members may offer up their experiences from different perspectives. I hope they get to the bottom of what is causing all these medical issues for you.

Edited to add tag
 
I don't know either, but am curious to know what happens when you eat more nutritiously, eg a meal of protein (meat, fish or eggs) and green vegetables
 
Unfortunately there are a number of things that can cause hypoglycemia (let alone your other symptoms) and my understanding is that you need an endocrinologist to do the tests to identify the correct one. (Anxiety causing I know, but the sooner you have those tests the sooner they can identify the problem and treat you.)

Are you under the care of a hospital endocrinologist or dependent on your GP for now?

As a T1 diabetic I am all to familiar with the effect of hypoglycemia, but luckily I can treat them relatively easily (as I have control over the amount of insulin in my body).

Do you have anyone checking in on you at all? Given how low your bgs are going and how ill you are feeling I would consider unlocking your door and calling 999, or at least 111, for further help.

Lots of virtual hugs and I hope your doctors can sort your symptoms soon.
 
Hello @hardergamer. I'm a frequent lurker but have never posted before.

I'm hoping you won't read this because you've long since taken EllieM's advice and got yourself back to hospital and suitable treatment.

I don't have direct experience of your situation but have spent a couple of decades operating on half a pancreas as a result of Whipple surgery for a rare cancer.

Somebody with full-blown type 3C could probably provide better advice but here is what I would do immediately in your situation:

Make sure you have a supply of glucose/dextro tablets to keep your blood sugar up. It sounds like you're not managing to digest starch at the moment and if your pancreas is having a bit of a crisis you may also be short on glucagon which means you liver isn't going to release the glucose it would normally.

Little and often is probably the key. Other sorts of sugar will probably work because they don't depend on your pancreas but glucose is bound to help.

I wouldn't bother about any other food in the next few hours but if you do keep the amounts very small.

If at all possible find a friend or relative who can accompany you, preferably somebody who is a bit pushy (tall man in a dark suit who sounds like a litigation lawyer would be ideal), and get immediately to A&E.

Under no circumstances leave the hospital until your low blood sugar is completely under control. It sounds like you've been quite badly treated and unfortunately you need someone to be quite firm sometimes.

Sorry to be so terse and really hoping you're OK.
 
I have suffered with a form of hypoglycaemia for many years now. And, I would insist you by any means find help soonest if you do keep reading under 4mmols on your monitor/ CGM.
The symptoms I recognise.
The lack of understanding from ignorant doctors I recognise.
You need, as has been said, a specialist endocrinologist, to get those necessary diagnostic tests, to get your BG levels into normal levels.
Being in hypoglycaemia is not recommended for your health, and trying to get those blood glucose levels by having an abundance of carbs and sugars, is also bad.
But you must do as your experience tells you to do until you gain that knowledge of why it is happening.
Keep battling with your healthcare providers. It is worth it.
That is what got me my diagnosis and the control of my conditions.
Best wishes
 
I'm blown away with so many replies, thank you all.

I was not to well yesterday as my sugars never went above 2.7, so was finding it hard to do anything, and the GP's couldn't see me, my diabetic nurse did not get back to me, and on waking this morning my sugars was again 2.3, so I kept eating a mix of fast and slow carbs, Ie: fruit porridge etc and after 2 hours my sugars went down to 1.3!
Which is a first.

So I called my GP who called an ambulance, while waiting I eat some Cola Tops sweets, and with in 14 minutes my sugars went up to 10.6, so the GP cancelled the ambulance, and instead I went to the Dr surgery, where my sugars dropped to 5.8, then 20 minutes later around 4.0, but eating more Cola Tops or Dextro's didn't bring them back up.

Both the GP and diabetic nurse said they have never seen this before, ever!

And called the endocrinologist team in Torbay for help, but I can't remember all what was said, but I've been referred to them now, and they took more bloods, to send to the endocrinologist team too I think, but, the endocrinologist rang me not to long ago, and said that theirs a 19-week waiting list as they don't have the staff right now, and they told me Exeter has the same problem, but they did tell me if my sugars drop below 2.0 again call an ambulance.

I even asked them should I go to a different hospital like Derriford hospital, as the waiting in Torbay is so long, but was told it's the same in all three major hospitals in Devon.

To answer some questions, yes I have bad Steatorrhea, and I'm pooing green/black looking oil, bile, even without any stool coming out, but all my blood tests show that I don't have Steatorrhea, but my stools do, I don't know what that means?

When I'm eating carbs my blood sugars drop really fast, but tonight I eat 2 jacket potatoes with cheese and have stable sugars for 4 hours now at 5.6, 2 hours later 5.5, then 2 more hours (just now) 4.1, so eating foods with a mix of protein carbs and fats seems to help, and I'm going to eat more things like this for now on, as I should add I've been living on only pistachio, cashews nuts fruit for 3-4 mounts, but in the last 8 weeks or so started being able to eat toast soup and porridge also, as all other foods were causing so much deliberating pain in my stomach, that I wanted to die, and the Dr have done little apart from keep testing my blood stools urine etc.

I just add I've just got today's blood test results back, and all is normal apart from alanine aminotoransferase levels is at 43, so down from 72 last time.
 
Did the blood test involve an hba1c reading?
An insulin reading.
A c-peptide reading?
GAD result.?

For some reason to whatever is happening it seems, you are over producing insulin. That is why the staff were surprised, because, your natural body reaction is to provide glucose through glucogenisis.
But is the insulin too much?
I have the same problem. But I can control it because of the food restrictions I have.
The answer you got to phone an ambulance is crucial.
Because of the low hypoglycaemia it could cause serious issues to your health.
I have fell asleep unaware of what low BG levels was causing.
Use this advice, to get on record your episodes of hypoglycaemia.
Then the doctors and staff have to do something.
Keep battling.
 
Lamont D said:
Did the blood test involve an hba1c reading?
An insulin reading.
A c-peptide reading?
GAD result.?

For some reason to whatever is happening it seems, you are over producing insulin. That is why the staff were surprised, because, your natural body reaction is to provide glucose through glucogenisis.
But is the insulin too much?
I have the same problem. But I can control it because of the food restrictions I have.
The answer you got to phone an ambulance is crucial.
Because of the low hypoglycaemia it could cause serious issues to your health.
I have fell asleep unaware of what low BG levels was causing.
Use this advice, to get on record your episodes of hypoglycaemia.
Then the doctors and staff have to do something.
Keep battling.
Click to expand...
I can't see them, do they have different names? What do they come under? as I've got groups: renal function. amylase. liver function. TSH. urea. abdomen. glycated haemoglobin. PCR. TSD. AST. R95. ferritin. glutamyl tran's. full blood count. B12. folate. c-reactive protein. mico culture. and a load of virus tests.
 
No, I can't find any like them, but I find it strange and worrying that they did not test for them, I just check the other tests which they send by PDF.
 
hardergamer said:
I can't see them, do they have different names? What do they come under? as I've got groups: renal function. amylase. liver function. TSH. urea. abdomen. glycated haemoglobin. PCR. TSD. AST. R95. ferritin. glutamyl tran's. full blood count. B12. folate. c-reactive protein. mico culture. and a load of virus tests.
Click to expand...
Glycated haemoglobin is your hba1c, this tells you something about your average blood glucose during the past 2-3 months.

A C-peptide test would make sense to see if you're producing too much insulin. Has testing for an insulinoma been mentioned? Your hypoglycaemia sounds very wild, I hope you'll find out what's going on soon!
 
Antje77 said:
Glycated haemoglobin is your hba1c, this tells you something about your average blood glucose during the past 2-3 months.

A C-peptide test would make sense to see if you're producing too much insulin. Has testing for an insulinoma been mentioned? Your hypoglycaemia sounds very wild, I hope you'll find out what's going on soon!
Click to expand...
My Glycated haemoglobin is: A1c 38 mmol/mol, today, and 2-3 weeks ago 33, and 4 weeks before that 38 again. So normal?
 
Antje77 said:
Glycated haemoglobin is your hba1c, this tells you something about your average blood glucose during the past 2-3 months.

A C-peptide test would make sense to see if you're producing too much insulin. Has testing for an insulinoma been mentioned? Your hypoglycaemia sounds very wild, I hope you'll find out what's going on soon!
Click to expand...
And I can't find a C-peptide test. And thank you for explaining this, I'm dyslexic, so find it very hard reading things like this.
 
hardergamer said:
My Glycated haemoglobin is: A1c 38 mmol/mol, today, and 2-3 weeks ago 33, and 4 weeks before that 38 again. So normal?
Click to expand...
Completely normal, but odd that the numbers changed this quickly.
This hba1c (glycated haemoglobin) doesn't add up with all your lows either, an hba1c of 38 usually corresponds with an average blood glucose of around 6.3.

It's bedtime here so sorry if you mentioned it, did you confirm those lows with a fingerprick?
 
Antje77 said:
Completely normal, but odd that the numbers changed this quickly.
This hba1c (glycated haemoglobin) doesn't add up with all your lows either, an hba1c of 38 usually corresponds with an average blood glucose of around 6.3.

It's bedtime here so sorry if you mentioned it, did you confirm those lows with a fingerprick?
Click to expand...
Yes, 6 testers in total, as I've had 3 libre-2 sensors in my arms, reading both with FreeStyle 2 meter, plus the APP and I've now got 3 finger prick type meters, I’ve just used an Accu-chek and a Sinocare, both are saying 2.7 right now, and my third libre 2 sensor has just failed, that 3, each in under 24 hours, so I called FreeStyle and they are sending some out, and have asked for my to send the bad ones back to them for testing.

And my hba1c numbers is confusing the Dr's too, but I've been reading this and find 2.6.2 interesting, "
Medication Exposure / Insulinoma (pancreatic beta cell tumor):
Medication such as insulin or sulphonylurea’s (e.g. Glicalzide), or a
beta cell tumor in the pancreas causes additional insulin to be
present. This can result in low blood glucose levels at any time."

And I will ask tomorrow IF I have been tested for (pancreatic beta cell tumor) and what other tests can or will they do on my pancreas, as I really need to them to get on with it, as it took 12 weeks just to get an ultrasound, and that was a failure last time, as I had "gas" last time they said.

https://doclibrary-rcht.cornwall.nh...ticHypoglycaemiaInAdultsClinicalGuideline.pdf
 
I hope you get the answers and promises of tests.
let us know how you get on.
I was thinking of insulinoma or perhaps another pancreatic condition.
Best wishes.
 
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