A lot of questions!??!?

While I have no idea if this can be blood sugar related, some of your symptoms are consistent with nicotine withdrawal. Giving up cigarettes is a painful process. It does have physical symptoms. They should lessen after 5-7 days. The psychological cravings will continue for much longer. It's worth it!
cheers

Hi GR,

You made me laugh at saying that you are a secret smoker. It is detectable on your clothes and hair even if you think other people do not notice. Ask here how many mums knew that their teenagers were having a crafty fag because they could smell it on them. The usual excuse is that they have been with someone who was smoking. :thumbdown: They can no longer use the excuse that they were in a club or pub around smokers.
Take the bull by the horns and let out your "guilty secret" at your G.P. surgery and ask to be tested. Failing that, arrange an appointment at a Lloyds Pharmacy for a blood sugar test and they will let you know if you have anything to worry about.

As Paul says, it could be part of the withdrawal symptoms.

Hi Globerunner. Wouldn't have thought that not-smoking would cause low blood sugar as such, but are you taking any meds to help with the giving up? Or have you changed your eating habits? Guess they could have an effect.
I agree with catherine - 'fess up, and tell the Doc you've been bad but it's sorted now. I'm sure the Doc will be delighted to help!
By the way, I know how you feel. I smoked for over 40 years before giving up about 7 years ago. It's worth it!

I would contact the Help Stop Smoking service.
In my town, they have a stall in the shopping centr. they are on-line too.
Hana

Hi Globerunner

Yep, I did the "secret smoker" thing too. After I had given up initially, I started again but was too proud to tell my family I had re-started. Bit thickheaded as they were all smokers anyway and wouldn't have noticed the smell of smoke but pride's a funny old thing.

Anyway when I finally gave up (which was fun because I couldn't confide in anyone! :evil: ) I had all the symptoms you mentioned especaiily the dizziness, palpitations and tiredness, so much so that I wondered if it was all worth the effort!
I would hazard a guess that it is due to the increased oxygen getting to where it needs to be, having lungs that really do breathe deeply..I think the tiredness is part of that. I very much doubt that any of it is caused by low bg's.

It is what our bodies are supposed to do, to regulate us naturally and we screw that natural process up by inhaling the equivalent of glue.:sick:

My side effects (physical ones) too a good 3 months to start to clear but it honestly is worth it in the end. Get yourself as much help as you can be it patches, potions whatever and we can give you support here. Good luck.

You really need talk to your doctor and also your glucose to find out if it is actually low or the symptoms are from something else. ( as Paul says it could be as simple as nicotine withdrawal)
It is perhaps possible that stopping smoking would lower your levels.
It has been known for a long time that people who smoke tend to have higher HbA1cs but there are various possible reasons that could be the case (less exercise etc)
This report suggests though that nicotine directly raises glucose levels.
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/di ... els-in-lab
And note the caveats, this is just a report to a conference. It is what happens in a lab when you add nicotine to a cell (ie not research in people ) and as far as I can see there is as yet no published paper.

And if it is reduced levels because you're not smoking that would be a double plus.

I gave up smoking then got diabetes :evil:


Still miss it but wouldn't ever do it again.