Blood glucose and medication

Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I was diagnosed with type 2 six years ago and started on Metformin. When my fasting glucose shot up to 400 mg/dl in 2011 (I live in Spain, that is how it is measured - divide by 18 for mmol/l (400/18= 22.22 mmol/l). This was put down to dietary transgression, it most definitely wasn't. - Spanish Doctors don't listen any better than English ones. Medication was then changed to Metformin with Sitagliptin. Towards the end of 2013, I became very ill and was diagnosed with Lactic acidosis, the Metfornin/Sitagliptin was stopped and I started on Sitagliptin 50 mg twice daily and Gliclazide 30 mg at lunchtime. The illness lasted for almost 3 months and I lost 15 kg in weight. Since then, my blood glucose has been very well controlled, with my morning fasting level between 80 and 100 mg/dl (4.4 to 5.6 mmol/l). My last three HbA1c readings were between 5.2 and 5.6 mmol/l.

Last night, before supper, I started to feel really odd. I tested my blood glucose, this was 66 mg/dl (3.6 mmol/l). Supper was Spanish dish, made with chickpeas in chicken broth with a small slice of wholegrain bread. Total CHO intake for the day was about 85 grams. I wasn't feeling any better an hour later and my blood glucose had dropped slightly to 65 mg/dl (3.6 mmol/l). I took a teaspoon of honey and went to bed. This morning my fasting glucose is 88 mg/dl (4.9 mmol/l) and I felt fine.

I drink 3 to 4 litres of water per day, no alcohol and watch my carbs carefully. My diet is mostly Mediterranean - fish, fruit, veg, chicken, rabbit, some red meat and offal. I can't exercise much due to physical ailments, although I was very fit when I was in the Army and since, until 1999 when I developed a varicose ulcer on my right ankle that effectively stopped everything. I wondered if anyone could shed some light on what happened yesterday?
 

Liso66

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Diabetes - Boredom - Lima Beans - Brussell Spouts - Dogs stuffed in shoulder-bags (Dogs are not an accessory) Shopping. (Yeah, I know. Broken female gene)
It is just a guess, but I believe you had a hypo. They are more common with T2's taking medications. I also eat low carb, and when I was on Metformin, I would get hypos/lows in the middle of the night. That is when my doctor started cutting me back on the dosages, and ultimately, I was taken off the MEDs all together.
 
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Reactions: 2 people
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
It is just a guess, but I believe you had a hypo. They are more common with T2's taking medications. I also eat low carb, and when I was on Metformin, I would get hypos/lows in the middle of the night. That is when my doctor started cutting me back on the dosages, and ultimately, I was taken off the MEDs all together.
That was my thought, but 3.6 mmol/l isn't really that low - it is at the lower edge of normal. I was a Registered Nurse and I know the signs of a hypo - dizziness, sweats, palpitations, pallor etc. and I didn't have any of those - I just felt odd.
 

Liso66

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Diabetes - Boredom - Lima Beans - Brussell Spouts - Dogs stuffed in shoulder-bags (Dogs are not an accessory) Shopping. (Yeah, I know. Broken female gene)
That was my thought, but 3.6 mmol/l isn't really that low - it is at the lower edge of normal. I was a Registered Nurse and I know the signs of a hypo - dizziness, sweats, palpitations, pallor etc. and I didn't have any of those - I just felt odd.

I read a few post a while back, that due to their glucose numbers being so high, when the numbers dropped dramatically, they felt really odd. Although it was within the parameters of normal, the drop was so significant that it caused an uneasy/unwell feeling.
 
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
My glucose is usually in the range 4.5 -5.5. There was only one instance of it going really high and that was 4 years ago, and when I was on different medication.
 

Liso66

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Diabetes - Boredom - Lima Beans - Brussell Spouts - Dogs stuffed in shoulder-bags (Dogs are not an accessory) Shopping. (Yeah, I know. Broken female gene)
My glucose is usually in the range 4.5 -5.5. There was only one instance of it going really high and that was 4 years ago, and when I was on different medication.

I'm at a loss then. ;) Sorry I wasn't more help. Maybe your body doesn't like being on the low end of normal? I range between 4.6 and 5.5 and if I go under 4 (which is very rare) I feel sluggish. The fact I am no longer on any medication helped to eliminate hypos
 
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks for your help. It has only happened the once, so I will just monitor things. I'm glad to be off Metformin - it nearly killed me.
 

Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,793
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
I think you had what is called a 'false' hypo.
Your body is responding to the drop in blood glucose levels.
Monitor it carefully, if you go below 3.5 then that's a hypo and take the necessary action.
Speak to a GP.
It will probably be the glicizide that's doing it.
 

Suercc

Well-Known Member
Messages
91
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Reactive hypoglycaemia, you feel awful as your body has got used to being high
 

Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,793
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Reactive hypoglycaemia, you feel awful as your body has got used to being high
I don't believe so, having had one episode it is more likely to be the meds.
RH if not diagnosed is continuous spikes and hypos when eating carbs and sugars.
And yes you feel horrible and the symptoms are many and varied, as I have experienced.
Yes the original post gives a suggestion but I have seen this before with glicizide.