Dizzy Spells

[Tony evans]

I have type 2 and I recently have been getting a lot of dizzy spells especially when bending over, could this be tied in to diabetes

 

[Bluetit1802]

There are many reasons for dizziness, especially when bending over.. Have you seen a doctor about it? That is your best bet.

 

[EllieM]

What medication are you on?

Honestly, though, there are lots of things which could cause dizzy spells, some serious, some not. You should really see a doctor....

 

[Tony evans]

yes I've seen a doctor, he is treating it as vertigo at the moment, but I heard it could be diabetes related

 

[Rachox]

Hi Tony and welcome to the Forum. I notice this is your first post here, so I’ll tag in @daisy1 for her useful welcome info post. You have had a diagnosis of vertigo but have you checked your blood sugars when you feel dizzy, just to be sure you aren’t high or low?

 

[Tony evans]

I cant test my blood sugars I don't have a tester Diabetes nurse said they advise not to use them because taking metformin gives irregular results

 

[xfieldok]

Absolute rubbish. You need a meter @Rachox can give you information. Most of us self fund. Welcome to the forum Tony.

 

[Rachox]

I cant test my blood sugars I don't have a tester Diabetes nurse said they advise not to use them because taking metformin gives irregular results

What an odd thing to say “Metformin gives irregular results” never heard that before! All I can say is I test regularly and record my results in the MySugr app which gives an estimated HbA1c which has been reliably close to my HbA1cs from the blood tests at the Drs.

In case you decide to get a meter here’s the info @xfieldok refers to:

Taken from a post by @Bluetit1802 as she wrote it so nicely:

The most popular meters for self funding T2's are the Codefree and the Tee2 because the strips are much cheaper than other meters, and you need a lot of strips. You can't buy them in pharmacies.

Try here for the Codefree meter

http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/
Showing as out of stock at the moment but also available from Amazon, link below.

and here for the extra strips

http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/sd-codefree-test-strips-to-be-used-only-with-the-sd-monitor/

There are discount codes if you buy in bulk.

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833

The Tee2 is here and the meter is free.

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product-category/shop/tee2/

Amazon link to Code Free:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Codefree-G...F8&qid=1530477077&sr=8-2&keywords=sd+codefree


Don’t forget to check the box that you have diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for either meter

 

[Tony evans]

thank you Rachox, I will look into one

 

[Bluetit1802]

I cant te ood sugars I don't have a tester Diabetes nurse said they advise not to use them because taking metformin gives irregular results

I am afraid when I read that I almost choked on my coffee.
We hear all kinds of excuses on this forum given out by nurses for not testing. They range from "it will hurt your fingers" to "you won't understand the results" with many others in between. They are just excuses, not reasons. The real reason is financial, and I am not being cynical saying that.

Without a meter you are working blind. Waiting months for your next HbA1c test is far too long to discover if what you are doing as regards diet is actually working, or if you are getting things wrong. A meter can tell you at a glance, every meal time. If you buy one we can help you use it to your best advantage.

 

[briped]

I have type 2 and I recently have been getting a lot of dizzy spells especially when bending over, could this be tied in to diabetes

It could, but isn't necessarily. Once I asked my endo about my dizzy spells, but he felt sure they were due to my neuropathy and didn't look further into it. I'm not so sure they are, and anyway, once we've been diagnosed we tend to put everything down to diabetes. I have a close T1 friend who felt very poorly for months. She saw her GP, who put it down to her diabetes, but later on it turned out it had nothing to with that, and that she had to go through an op for her possibly life threatening condition. That GP happens to be my dad's GP too, but I've lost a lot of confidence in her.

My advice to you is to get a few blood tests done to rule out vitamin and mineral deficiency for starters.

And welcome to the forum

 

[Canvaspic]

I have type 2 and I recently have been getting a lot of dizzy spells especially when bending over, could this be tied in to diabetes

Low blood Pressure, can also cause dizzy spells. If you can get hold of a blood pressure monitor, especially when you notice the dizzy spells, you could rule that out. The trouble with doing it in the doctors office, is white coat syndrome.
Just a thought.

 

[lindisfel]

Could be positional hypotension, particularly if you are getting on in years or taking certain bp meds. D.

 

[daisy1]

@Tony evans

Hello Tony and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it interesting and useful. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will help.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

• Reduce your carbohydrate intake
• Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

• structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
• self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.

• Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
  
  
• Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
  

 

[blanc71]

I never ever had dizzy spells pre diagnoses.
Since losing 6 stone I get it all the time,if I stand up or bend over.Not on metformin anymore but it could be the body settling down.Can't put up with anymore medaling doctors at the moment.