Hypo & Hyper Breathing Difficulties

robert72

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,878
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I don't handle carbs well, so have been very low carb for about 2.5 years now and find it quite sustainable. Do you get dawn phenomenon (rise during the night) or maybe a rise when you wake up? I get the waking rise and have to bolus for it when I wake up, otherwise my basal needs are pretty much flat for the rest of the day. Not really sure why you're spiking after 4 hours unless you basal is a bit low at that time of day.
 

RAH79

Active Member
Messages
38
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hello All

It's been a while since I posted but I thought I would update you as some of the things I've discovered about T1 diabetes is scaring the hell out of me and considering all the worrying and complicated symptoms I was (and still am) experiencing I thought I would let you know in case you experience something similar.

As you know from earlier posts, I have been experiencing shortness of breath which has developed into loss of voice, cough and stomach complaints. I have spent over £600 in private referrals to see an ENT and a Gastroenterologist, by Diabetic consultant refused to help me as he felt the SOB was not diabetic related so was going to refer me to a chest specialist as he thought it was Asthma. I paid privately as NHS waiting is too long and I risk losing my job as I have been on long term sick.

I have discovered that the erractic BG and dawn phenomenon is due to delayed stomach emptying caused as a result of diabetic neuropathy and damage to the vagus nerve. Something I only recently discovered is that the vagus nerve controls automatic responses such as breathing, using your voice, heart rate and stomach as the brains sends signals through the vagus nerve to make muscles contract. When it is damaged, it struggles to send this message hence all the SOB, loss of voice in addition to stomach cramps, bloating, feeling sick etc.

My BGs are doing weird things too. One to two hours after an evening meal I hypo, then 4 to 6 hours later my BG sky rockets. Last night it was as low as 3.6mmol an hour after a meal and then it went all the way up to 24.6mmol. It's so difficult to control...I've been given a freestyle libre to use and it's my new best friend I absolutely love it and it's helped to give me the answers after all this horrible time. I am also going on a pump later this month so I'm hoping this will help get better control of BG (fingers crossed).

So if anyone finds this post and is going through similar symptoms as this then my advice is to ask your GP (if not luck with Consultant) for a referral to a Gasteroenterologist and maybe a neurologist. Don't let your Diabetic Consultant fob you off! Keep onto them and if needed make a complaint. I've had to loan money for the private referrals but if I hadn't done this I would've continued to struggle and it could've caused further complications due to the fluctuating sugar levels. This condition is difficult enough to manage, it's twice the battle when you have an unsupportive and clueless Consultant!
 
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azure

Expert
Messages
9,780
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Thank you for the update @RAH79

I'm sorry that it's taken you so long to get answers.

I hope the pump helps you. I'd hope it would as its easier to do extended boluses and the like.

Wishing you all the best - and thank you for thinking of other people who might find themselves in a similar situation.
 

paulpapa

Well-Known Member
Messages
96
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I don't handle carbs well, so have been very low carb for about 2.5 years now and find it quite sustainable. Do you get dawn phenomenon (rise during the night) or maybe a rise when you wake up? I get the waking rise and have to bolus for it when I wake up, otherwise my basal needs are pretty much flat for the rest of the day. Not really sure why you're spiking after 4 hours unless you basal is a bit low at that time of day.

Yes! Waking rise. It's as if the moment I wake up and get out of bed my BG shoots up. I always thought I had dawn phenomenon, which I do to a degree, but it's the waking rise that does me in. I just find it hard to know what to inject as my BG is great when I get up and then its shot up by 2-3 mmols by the time I'm at work.