Type 2 Diabetes - Blood glucose going too low

[Sarah12345]

I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes about 5 years ago. Since I was diagnosed, I have noticed that my blood glucose levels go too low, causing me to feel unwell as if I'm going into a hypo. In the mornings my blood glucose levels are often 7.8 before having breakfast and then roughly two hours after eating food, the blood glucose goes down to 4.4, which makes me feel unwell. I have noticed that I am unable to go 3 hours without having something to eat or I will start to feel ill as my blood glucose drops too low. My GP just tells me to eat more when I feel ill when I questioned him about this, however, he didn't provide any answers as to why this may be happening and he wasn't interested in finding out, as he keeps saying that it isn't possible to go too low on diet based Diabetes. However, my mum had the same problem after she was diagnosed and none of the doctors believed her then, she had to constantly carry sugar lumps around with her and eventually went into a Diabetic coma. Again, my doctor doesn't seem interested in this. I also have problems with my ears where I feel off-balance but the doctor doesn't seem to think this is related or any cause for concern. It is really worrying me as I can't seem to get any answers from any Diabetic nurse, pharmacist or doctor about why this is happening. Can anyone relate to these issues or provide any advice?

Many thanks,

Sarah.

 

[accucheck]

not to worry if your are suffering from type 2 diabetes take healthy diet and do exercise daily early in the morning it helps you to be fit and fine thnaks

 

[carty]

Are you taking any meds Sarah?
CAROL

 

[Sarah12345]

Hi, Carol, thanks for replying, no im not on any medication, just diet only, trying to loose some weight by eating healthy but my blood sugars keep going really low, especially just 2 hrs after eating an healthy meal, my dietician wants me to go 3-4hrs without snacking but only managing 2hrs, had my cerial breakfast at 9.30am went to my weight busters class, and 11.30am, i was shaking, feeling really weak, and couldent recognise what they were saying, going clammy, had to rush to my car and get something to eat quickly and half an hr after i felt bit better, thanks sarah.

 

[jesta1865]

I suspect its what you are eating and the exercise that's doing this to you. You probably know but you should still east carbs even on a diet as a diabetic. We just can't rely on our bodies to sorry us out, then the exercise on top will bring you right down, I play football twice a week (well play is a strong word ) and I can have a level of nearly 20 when I go to bed (on propose) but I know it will be down near 5 the next morning as my body adjusts for all the exercise.

I used to have no idea how to control my levels till I went on a carb counting course, it may not help you as I inject but something to think about.

Pasta and rice are fairly good for slow release.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[Sarah12345]

Hi, Jesta, thanks for your reply, I eat cerals, for breakfast, 2 brown bread ham salad sarnies for lunch, and meat,potato,veg for dinner, and have to have bananas in between as im going low between meals, even after having a banana, and rush around town i can start going weird feeling, i have virtigo symtoms as well which off balance me, whether this is throwing my blood sugars out i dont know, my doc said no, but i constantly prick my finger 3-4 times a day trying to see if my blood sugars are low or my virtigo is making me woosy, but when it reads 4 and below, and i start shaking, and clammy etc i know its my blood sugars, im feeling really tired all the time too, i carry glucos sweets, bananas, drinks around with me all the time now, keep wondering if there is another type of diabetes that causes this? as theres seem to be quite a few people on this website who are having these symtoms? thanks again,Sarah.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Over the months there have been one or two others who have also suffered from hypos on diet only and have posted onto the forum. It looks like a few people do naturally suffer hypos without medication. As usual with GPs, if it's not common they may deny the problem exists as they can't cope not having a 'solution'! I'm sure having some carb food when you fell you need it to avoid going to low is the right answer for you. BTW, there is a form of diabetes called MODY where there are very large uncontrolled sugar swings. Have a look around this forum and the web as it's possible you could fit into that variety?

 

[LittleGreyCat]

Has this been the case for all the five years you have been diagnosed?
Also, has your BG control been as good as it seems now for all the five years?

A lot of diet controlled diabetics would kill to get a BG reading below 4.

Also, you say 4 and below - how far below?

As I understand it a reading of 4 may not equate to a hypo in non-diabetics but the recognised bottom level is 4.

My first thought on reading your post was that you were suffering 'false hypos' - your body giving hypo symptoms at normal BG levels because it had been conditioned over the years to a much higher BG level.
However I suspect this should fix itself if you have been going low for 5 years.

What are your highest BG readings now?
Have you made any major physical changes in the last 5 years such as a significant increase in fitness and/or decrease in weight?
Do you still record high BG readings which are in the diabetic range?
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html

Just wondering if your pancreas has been revitalised or your insulin resistance has been reduced and you are now relatively 'normal' with regards to BG control.
In which case you may just be suffering from feeling 'faint from lack of food' after an exercise class, which can also happen to non-diabetics.

An interesting issue.
If diabetes is the inability to remove high glucose levels from the blood stream into the tissues, due to low insulin levels or high insulin resistance levels, then you can be diabetic but still have hypos.
The hypos are due to your body not releasing stored energy quickly enough when demand is high such as during and immediately after strenuous exercise.
Looking at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_sugar_regulation your blood glucose is increased after eating or by the action of glucagon on your liver.
The table there is very interesting - it suggests that your thyroid produces hormones which can suppress insulin production and also increase the conversion of fats, oils and glycogen to glucose.
So I suppose that if your thyroid is a bit under-active then it may take you a while to release energy stores back into the bloodstream.
I think that this is also an issue for many non-diabetics.
I know my wife has to snack during long walks to avoid feeling very tired which I assume is due to slow release of stored energy from her tissues.

As suggested, you probably need to eat something extra before, perhaps during, and after your exercise class.
In fact, follow the kind of strategy T1s do when exercising.

Hope this helps.

LGC

 

[Etty]

Hi Sarah--It's not surprising your blood sugars surge and drop so much when you are eating carbs all day long. Cereal for breakfast, two slices bread for lunch, potatoes for supper, and bananas etc in between. It may not be the level of 4 that is the problem as this is a normal bg level in non-diabetics, but the quick drop from high to low after a meal. Too vigorous exercise probably doesn't help.
The best way to use your metre is to test before a meal, and two hours after. Then you can experiment with foods and see which ones disturb your bg level the most. Generally, the high starch foods you are eating, even if they are low GI, will cause these swings in bg.
The best way to smooth out your bg roller coaster ride, is to lower the starchy carbs in your diet as well as the sugars. I don't know if Daisy has sent the introductory info, but she will I guess. In the meantime have a look at this way of eating a low carb diet which is similar to the way many of us here have adopted.
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

 

[Sarah12345]

Hi everyone, thankyou for your support, my bs levels have been around the 5 mark going up to 8 when iv eaten something then bang 2 hrs later they really start dropping to 4.4 and even down to 3.8 by this time i cant focus on what people are saying to me, usually h,anging on to a shopping trolley rnd a supermarket, i dont do any exercise, really love to but iv got arthritis from my neck down, and now virtigo, with sinus problems, it dosnt seem to matter what i eat, if i go for 2-3hrs or more without food, just lately just 2hrs im starting to feel really weak, and shaky etc, over the last 5yrs i have told my doc this but he always comes back that iv got excelent bg controls but when im constantly everyday feeling week and i prick my finger 3-5 times a day to prove it to my self that its not in my head! my mum had this too, she went reely low into a coma and i had to fetch the nurse round, and she carried sugar cubes with her, im trying to loose a bit of weight but if i start cutting my food down it gets worse, my daughter can go all day without eating, id be on the floor if i did that! when i sak my doc, nurse, pharmasists, dietician why this is happening they look gone out on me..thinking im a hypocondriact! yes iv got a load of friends that got diabetes and their bs are over 10-30 mark, mines only been 13 when doc diagnosed me, since then iv kept really gud check 3-5 times a day to see what foods take it up or down, usually its around 6-7 but when it starts very quickly dropping to 5 and below i know iv got to reach for something to eat and it usually takes a good half hr before i feel more stronger to carry on shopping ect, docs and nurses etc blame my age im 50yrs old feeling like 105! really need to get this sorted as i need to work, but have not got the strength of an snail, just want to sleep, when my energys are low, i have my bloods done at the hospital every 3-4 mnths, due for some mre soon now, thanks everyone, for your advice,as i dont get any from my doc etc, i feel on my own with this. sarah.

 

[daisy1]

Hi Sarah and welcome to the forum

Although you are not newly diagnosed, I am posting you the information for new members that Etty mentioned and I hope you will find it useful.


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 30,000 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

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes ... rains.html

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

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.

 

[lmck]

hi i know how you feel your symptoms are the exact same as mine only i am on metformin 4 a day and my doctor doesnt give me answers either they just say that i wont take a hypo but i have. I have been a type 2 for about 6 years now and my readings used to be great at 6-8 but the doctor upped my medication and now my readings are going to 4 and 3 and i feel ill. I work in a primary school with children so i am scared incase i take a hypo in front of them but nobody will give me any answers either.

 

[Andy12345]

i go to 3.2 nearly everyday now if not then i consider 3.4 quite high lol i am on metformin t2 and am not supposed to get hypos i get no symptons though i only know if i test, no idea if this is dangerous but i figure 3 months ago i was 25 so this must be better than that huh i eat 20-40g carbs a day and put it down to that, im going to just go with it until my a1c in july and see what they say, but its easier for me as i dont feel ill
good luck in your quest for answers
Andy

 

[IanD]

I suggest the best solution is to increase the fat & protein in your diet - a few d-spoons of ground almonds with your cereal - or, better, instead of it should be much better for you. Or have bacon & egg.

The problem is that cereals & carbs in general are digested quickly, so you get a rapid spike in BG, then the crash your are experiencing. I have taken hourly readings with different foods & found it that my nut porridge is much more sustaining than cereal.

Snacks on nuts or cheese are good, & rather than an energy drink, try stirring ground almonds into your coffee or low cal drinking choc. I sometimes take a premix of the low cal choc & gr almonds (& coconut flour) so I can just add hot water when offered tea or coffee.

 

[michael 63]

Hi Sarah yr not having a lot of joy from doctors
First yr having hypo symptoms carry sugar drink with u
I have to I also carry tube of sectors works quickly
Each hospital has diabetes nurses u can talk to or help lines
Giving u answers to deal with yr worries
Best of luck sarah

 

[Lamont D]

Hi Sarah, I have had type 2 since 08, Recently in the past 6 months I have been having regular lows, especially before teatime (4-5pm).
Have been to doctors, and have been taken off metformin as I was having a hypo at the surgery. I was only on 1 tablet a day.
I go again to get my bloods again in 2 weeks. I believe that I have had my sugar levels under control for the past 3-4 years.
Since diagnosis I have only had one hyper once.
I have changed my diet in the past 2 months to a low carb and high protein diet eating small regular meals (every 2 hours). I avoid bread and potatoes as much as possible. I have started eating oat based breakfast instead of wheat cereals. I Eat rice instead of bread and potatoes, and have a salad every other day. I'm not great on greens etc. I have a bowl of vegetable soup for lunch nearly every day. I also have an aversion to dairy products, I can't eat butter, cheese etc. though a nice fruit yoghurt is often my treat.
If i'm out I carry glucose sweets in my pocket.

Since I stopped eating the high carbs and eating regular every two hours like an apple, my lows have decreased and am feeling healthier and better and the symptoms have decreased.

Try and read up on the low carb diets.

All my information packs suggest that you have a high carb diet and the eat well plate is recommended.

If your symptoms are recurring hypos, and you are on a diet treatment then this information, is as in my case wrong.

I hope that my experience and suggestions help you.

 

[DickyL]

I have exactly the same problem as you Sarah and I will be telling the Doctor when I see him in a couple of weeks time and see what he says