Who gets pseudohypoglycemia?

[FruitLion]

Today I experienced shakiness and nausea, along with some vague body symptoms, which signified low blood sugar, something I've experienced before. However my blood sugar readings were at 4.4 - 5.0 mmol, lower than my fasting but still normal.

I admittedly had more sugary foods today due to a birthday celebration. I still can't get an official diagnosis of diabetes yet - the docs love blaming anxiety despite contrary evidence - but things like this certainly make it more likely. Still, I wonder if it's possible to get a pseudohypoglycemia episode as a non diabetic, or if this is a sign I'm a type 1 after all?

 

[TriciaWs]

When I started to get my blood sugars down I had several episodes of what felt like a hypo but testing showed it was not, I'd just fallen into the normal range and my body wasn't used to that. I learnt to always test first rather than assuming I needed to eat.

 

[EllieM]

I've just read some of your previous threads, and I would say that you're not going to get to the bottom of this till you see an endocrinologist. GPs are generally clueless about hypoglycemia (whether reactive or otherwise) and an endocrinologist will be able to order the tests to determine what is causing your abnormal glucose levels.

Personally I doubt you're T1, prediabetic heading to T2 would be more likely, but my knowledge of non injected insulin forms of hypoglycemia is very limited, and you need an endocrinologist to order the right tests and understand the results.

Maybe others could comment on the best way to get that referral (or how costly a request for a private referral would be?) , @Lamont D , @Brunneria ....

False hypos are pretty common among T2s who have got used to high levels and then go low carb to reduce their levels, but I'd be surprised that you are getting them if you are still getting true hypos. (Or has low carb stopped those?)

Other things you could try
1) invest in a freestyle libre to see what your 24 hour levels look like. (Proviso, this machine isn't always accurate, particularly for the first 24 hours, you may need to do a few checks against a meter.)
2) Continue with the low carb, which should help both T2 and/or reactive hypoglycemia, should that be what you have. Keep recording and testing.

Good luck.

 

[Robbity]

Years ago before I was diabetic I had a couple of migraine induced hypos: cold, shaky, feeling a bit unwell, and an insatiable desire for sugar - I'd sit and eat the contents of my sugar bowl. I had been told that I should eat regularly and in retrospect they may have occurred when I hadn't eaten very much all day, the worst certainly happened just as I got home from work. But once I had suitable migraine medication they never happened again, and I never actually knew what these episodes were until much later. My normal way of eating at the time was standard moderate carbs and normal full fat dairy etc.

Like @TricaWs, soon after being diagnosed with T2, I had a few very mild false hypos at night mainly with just (and certainly very mild compared to previous experiences!) urges for sugar which were fixed with a teaspoon of jam - again my body knew what to do. It's not all that uncommon for T2s to experience these when their bodies haven't quite got used to their usual higher glucose levels coming down, e.g. via low carbing.

 

[FruitLion]

I've just read some of your previous threads, and I would say that you're not going to get to the bottom of this till you see an endocrinologist. GPs are generally clueless about hypoglycemia (whether reactive or otherwise) and an endocrinologist will be able to order the tests to determine what is causing your abnormal glucose levels.

Personally I doubt you're T1, prediabetic heading to T2 would be more likely, but my knowledge of non injected insulin forms of hypoglycemia is very limited, and you need an endocrinologist to order the right tests and understand the results.

Maybe others could comment on the best way to get that referral (or how costly a request for a private referral would be?) , @Lamont D , @Brunneria ....

False hypos are pretty common among T2s who have got used to high levels and then go low carb to reduce their levels, but I'd be surprised that you are getting them if you are still getting true hypos. (Or has low carb stopped those?)

Other things you could try
1) invest in a freestyle libre to see what your 24 hour levels look like. (Proviso, this machine isn't always accurate, particularly for the first 24 hours, you may need to do a few checks against a meter.)
2) Continue with the low carb, which should help both T2 and/or reactive hypoglycemia, should that be what you have. Keep recording and testing.

Good luck.

Unfortunately I just can't convince my GP to refer me to the specialist. They can't catch the low sugar in the act, nor do they see how high my sugar goes after a meal. Sometimes my sugar returns to normal after 2 hours only to climb again at 3-4 hours, other times my sugar remains super high considering the 3-4 hours past the meal at 7-10 mmol.

It's all left me so confused, but with no private local endocrinology doctors and no definitive answers, all I can do is share what I have as it comes. I haven't gone low carb because I also suffer from asthma. Things like sweets help relieve it, and again my doctor loves the anxiety diagnosis so much they won't help otherwise. It's either suffer from my asthma or suffer diabetes symptoms, I can't get a middle ground.

 

[MarkMunday]

Somebody posted here about Idiopathic Postprandial Syndrome a few days ago. Follow the link to read about it. Hypo symptoms after meals but normal blood glucose. Could this be the problem?

 

[EllieM]

because I also suffer from asthma.

Are you on steroids for this?

 

[FruitLion]

Are you on steroids for this?

I used to be on a steroid inhaler, Flixotide, a few months ago, but my GP took me off of them because he was worried he couldn't properly monitor if it worked for me while coronavirus runs rampant. Now. I'm only on Ventolin, and he's aware that some foods relieve my symptoms.

 

[EllieM]

Now. I'm only on Ventolin, and he's aware that some foods relieve my symptoms.

My (adult) son suffers from asthma quite badly and was helped enormously when his GP finally referred him to a specialist who put him onto the correct preventative regime. (Once settled on this regime he was able to be signed off by the specialist.) Getting the right treatment for asthma makes a massive difference to quality of life , IMO. But of course, the covid situation complicates everything....

Don't remember anyone complaining about the effect of inhaled steroids on blood sugars, orally taken pills are notorious for inducing/exacerbating high blood sugars.

 

[DCUKMod]

Where are you based, @FruitLion ? I'd be very surprised if none of the local Endo folks didn't do private work. Have you looked up your local BUPA, Nuffield or Spire hospitals. They usually have a list of their Consultants, and you can search by specialism.

 

[woollygal]

I’ve been diagnosedtype 2 for two years (pretty much to the day on sat and date next Tuesday) I still get false hypos. I’m still in the 4s but I get freezing cold, if it’s hot outside I’ll get shivery and skin will feel very peculiar. I feel very brain foggy etc. Y body just doesn’t like the 4s. Doesn’t matter how much I try to make it it just doesn’t. So I just have something that makes me feel more comfortable.
Or I’ll suddenly get murderously angry or very emotional. Once I’m in the 5 again I’m pretty much fine

 

[FruitLion]

Where are you based, @FruitLion ? I'd be very surprised if none of the local Endo folks didn't do private work. Have you looked up your local BUPA, Nuffield or Spire hospitals. They usually have a list of their Consultants, and you can search by specialism.

Down in the south west UK (very far south west!) Unfortunately, I can't afford to go down the private route, nor can I acquire insurance due to being unable to work/afford it long enough.

 

[Lamont D]

Down in the south west UK (very far south west!) Unfortunately, I can't afford to go down the private route, nor can I acquire insurance due to being unable to work/afford it long enough.

This is where a food diary is so valuable.
If you show your GP what happens when you eat by recording blood glucose levels, portion size, symptoms and so on. Also your fasting levels. He will interpret the information and then if you can convince him to get a referral to a specialist endocrinologist.

Keep safe

 

[FruitLion]

This is where a food diary is so valuable.
If you show your GP what happens when you eat by recording blood glucose levels, portion size, symptoms and so on. Also your fasting levels. He will interpret the information and then if you can convince him to get a referral to a specialist endocrinologist.

Keep safe

I'm hoping a GP change happening soon wi help.

Tonight I experienced a drop in blood sugar to 3.5 about an hour and a half after a meal. An hour later it rocketed up to 10! Frankly I'm terrified of what could be happening in my body.

 

[chrisy62]

I'm hoping a GP change happening soon wi help.

Tonight I experienced a drop in blood sugar to 3.5 about an hour and a half after a meal. An hour later it rocketed up to 10! Frankly I'm terrified of what could be happening in my body.

This happened to me back in 2000, kept going to the Dr telling him how I felt said it was in my mind, I went to see another Dr in the practice sent for a test it came back ok, this happened for a few years then in 2003 I went for a test and bam, reading came back at 35 mmol, rushed to hospital only for it to go higher 45 mmol, Consultant couldn’t believe it was so high and I was feeling fine, said the only thing he can think was my body was used to such high numbers. It came down pretty fast with the right medication, but it still plays up. If I were you and your not satisfied change your GP and take a record of your food intake and readings through the day to him/her and hopefully you might get a referral. I’m Asthmatic also was sent to see a specialist for it and they sent me to their diabetic team within the hospital who checked me out and found I was what is called LADA diabetic no T2 as I was being treated for. So always ask lots of questions and write down what you want to say before seeing anyone.
Good Luck