Unusually low BS - any ideas?

[DannyB]

My BS levels have been pretty predictable now for some months. I do not take tablets or insulin - I control with diet (relatively low carb) and exercise. (I am type 2)

Normally my late afternoon levels (before my evening meal) are around 5.2/ 5.8.

However for the last week or so I have noticed that my BS level (just before my eveining meal) has been much lower: 4.1 / 4.5. Then just now I felt a little 'wishy -washy' so thought I would just check my level and it was 3.6!!!!. I have only ever seen a figure as low as that once before after I had been on the treadmill for too long.

I haven't changed my food or eating patterns nor ny exercise regime.

Any suggestions as to what might be behind this sudden change?

 

[Synonym]

Hi Danny.

I have just been trawling through your earlier posts and would suggest that you re-read your thread "Seeking calories" as it sounds as if it is a different aspect of the same problem. There are good suggestions on there. 8)

You may just need to eat a bit more. You have lost quite a bit of weight which has made your body much more efficient and now have a problem which many folk may be happy to have! 8) :? :roll: Hope you get your head round it ok.

 

[DannyB]

I might have agreed a few months back - however my weight has actually stablised (if anything I have put on a few pounds - just a nice weight now).

I have simply never heard of a type 2 encountering problems with low BS other than if caused by medication.

I certainly wouldn't normally complain about low figures but when I go below 3.8 I tend to find that I feel a little light headed.

 

[cugila]

I have simply never heard of a type 2 encountering problems with low BS other than if caused by medication.

As I have posted on this Forum many times.......anybody, even a non-Diabetic can suffer from hypoglycaemia.......it just means low blood sugar levels.

Medication can cause a hypo, so can diet and exercise......once you find which is the cause then it is usually easy to remedy. Less medication, change to your diet and possibly less exercise or more 'fuel' taken on board before doing the exercise.

Ken

 

[DannyB]

I am sure you are correct - I am just having difficulty spotting the 'trigger' at the moment.

exercise - I always exercice first thing in the morning (7am) so I know that isn't the trigger - because these hypos are late afternoon

medicine - don't take any so that isn't the problem

food - this is the only possibility although my diet has been the same for some months now. I tend not to eat anything between my midday meal and 5.30pm - perhaps I need to start snacking mid afternoon.

 

[cugila]

I think Synonym hit the nail on the head........Diet.

I know from my own experience after losing over 5 stone that my Bg levels began to drop quite drastically at times, way into hypo territory. The remedy was just to up the carb count a little at certain meals and/or the odd snack in between.

Once I achieved the right balance then I was able to do away with snack's and just now rely on my main meals, Morning, Evening with a light lunch in between.

As you say, you need to pinpoint the trigger......diet is where I would be inclined to start though.

Hope that helps.

Ken

 

[DannyB]

I know from my own experience after losing over 5 stone that my Bg levels began to drop quite drastically at times, way into hypo territory. The remedy was just to up the carb count a little at certain meals and/or the odd snack in between.

Ken

May I ask are you on medicine/insulin?

 

[cugila]

Yes, I am on Byetta and at the moment 2 Metformin, 2 Gliclazide daily.

Hoping to reduce that over the next few months. I was previously on no tablets after being on the max dose of everything for years. I came off them all by resorting to strict dietary control. Reducing carbohydrates, low GI/GL diet which meant strict portion control.

Unfortunately I had to go back on the tablets due to the anti-Cancer drugs wrecking my Bg control over the last 6 months. They are now returning to more normal levels and I can see me being back off the tabs again, Just staying on the Byetta. That is my lifeline as I cannot survive on diet alone.....an impossibility for me. I tried many years ago, mind you I didn't know then what I know now.....

Ken

 

[DannyB]

What medicine was you taking at the time you experienced the hypos you mentioned?

 

[cugila]

I was getting hypos at all sorts of times, Glic and Byetta are hypo inducing drugs. However, I got hypos when the weather was hot and I wasn't eating properly, if I was doing strenuous tasks, exercising too hard.

Even when I was on no meds years ago I could still get a hypo. All depends what I was doing and how my body was fueled.

Ken

 

[iph888]

Hi, I am type 2 & now controlling with diet & exercise but was on Metformin.

I lost about 5 stone and when my Hba1c was taken it read 4.9 which the nurse was very happy about (my first reading had been 16 odd) but when I said I was getting light headed feelings she took me off the Metformin.

I have since had another 4.9 & a 5.1 but have put some weight back on & without the Metformin & such a strict diet my light-headedness has gradually cleared up over time. As these are averages over time I know I spend quite a bit of time below these readings but by working out how my body responds to diet & exercise the test readings don't vary widely. Saying that I don't test myself regularly any more as I think in my case I would be wasting test strips as I know how my body responds to different things & would test if anything was different from normal.

I would therefore say that I would support the above posts saying this is diet related but it may be your body takes some adjusting time to your new weight/lifestyle.

I wouldn't recommend putting weight back on though as I am struggling to get the willpower back to lose it again especially as my young daugther makes it very hard to do any exercise in our flat! Hopefully the new house we are moving to will give me some space to do my weights again.

 

[roo.be]

exercise - I always exercice first thing in the morning (7am) so I know that isn't the trigger - because these hypos are late afternoon.

Dont write off the exercise as not being connected just because it is at a different time of day to the hypo.

Although I am type 1 on insulin the principle for all, non diabetic also, is the same. Exercise is not just beneficial at the time of performing it. It can have an impact upon our bodies for up to 48 hours in some cases! I run in the mornings but get the low bloods in the early evening. I don't them on days when I haven't run.

I sought advise about this when I noticed the connection and my Diabetic Nurse said this was quite normal for anyone, just that a diabetic is obviously less able to remedy the situation quickly without help. Its all to do with the liver and the natural sugars that th liver produces when we exercise and that a diabetic is less able to replenish them at the rate of a non diabetic so a low blood sugar at some time after the exercise is no surprise. When it occurs is also linked to an individuals metabolism.

The best course of action is to perhaps figure out when the low bloods occur and if there is any relativity to the exercise and then you can be prepared for it and have an extra snack or drink or something to to boost your system.

roo.be

 

[sanskaratwo]

Hi Danny,

Since you were diagnosed, some 4-5 months ago you, being a responsible person, have lost a lot of weight. You have taken your diabetes seriously and cut down dramatically on you Ca OH intake. What is happening is that your fat cells are re-awakening. They are becoming less insulin resistant, All your other cells are losing their insulin resistance and your ( previously over taxed) insulin is becoming more effective.

Keep going and you should find that your diabetes may regress, at least for a while. You will, increasingly be burning fat, to make blood glucose, instead of relying on high blood sugar levels to provide your energy. I wish you well and keep my fingers crossed for you that you become completely free of your diabetes and remain that way.