Type 2 Are my meds giving me hypos?

[KatieLou]

I was diagnosed about a month ago...put on metformin and Glicazide (1 tablet each, twice a day). I’ve been measuring my BG twice a day and it’s gradually fallen from 22mmol to an average of 6-7mmol. This last week i’ve been getting readings of 4-5mmol and i’ve been feeling quite ill. I’ve been carrying jelly babies around with me and having a few when i feel jittery. Could it be that my meds are too strong? (I’m slim and fairly active, blood pressure and cholesterol are fine). I’d really appreciate your thoughts....i feel really unwell.

 

[urbanracer]

I was diagnosed about a month ago...put on metformin and Glicazide (1 tablet each, twice a day). I’ve been measuring my BG twice a day and it’s gradually fallen from 22mmol to an average of 6-7mmol. This last week i’ve been getting readings of 4-5mmol and i’ve been feeling quite ill. I’ve been carrying jelly babies around with me and having a few when i feel jittery. Could it be that my meds are too strong? (I’m slim and fairly active, blood pressure and cholesterol are fine). I’d really appreciate your thoughts....i feel really unwell.

Your blood glucose levels have been pretty high and it's quite normal to suffer false hypo's as your body gets used to lower sugar levels. I write 'false' because a hypo is clinically defined as being below 4mmol (in the UK) so if you get the symptoms above this level then it's just your adjustment period.

Metformin isn't known for causing hypo's (I'm not saying it can't) but Gliclazide can so watch out for this.

 

[urbanracer]

Just to add - you might want to check the side effects of Metformin if you're feeling unwell. A lot of people have problems with it.

 

[paulus1]

you want to be a little higher than 4s not much space before your in the real zone.

 

[DCUKMod]

I was diagnosed about a month ago...put on metformin and Glicazide (1 tablet each, twice a day). I’ve been measuring my BG twice a day and it’s gradually fallen from 22mmol to an average of 6-7mmol. This last week i’ve been getting readings of 4-5mmol and i’ve been feeling quite ill. I’ve been carrying jelly babies around with me and having a few when i feel jittery. Could it be that my meds are too strong? (I’m slim and fairly active, blood pressure and cholesterol are fine). I’d really appreciate your thoughts....i feel really unwell.

When are you having the 4s? Is it just before you are due to eat or at random times?

It sounds like you're doing really well, getting those numbers down. Do you have an appointment with your Doc or nurse anytime soon?

If you are feeling unwell regularly, then a chat with a medic would seem sensible.

 

[wiflib]

Slim, young, double figure and high BS and they’ve told you you’re T2?

 

[Mike d]

Agree .. worth checking IMHO. Has some of the hallmarks of T1

 

[KatieLou]

Slim, young, double figure and high BS and they’ve told you you’re T2?

Well when i say young i’m 30....so fairly young for the average t2 diagnosis. If it was t1 i’d have known before now right?

 

[KatieLou]

When are you having the 4s? Is it just before you are due to eat or at random times?

It sounds like you're doing really well, getting those numbers down. Do you have an appointment with your Doc or nurse anytime soon?

If you are feeling unwell regularly, then a chat with a medic would seem sensible.

Thank you for your response!!
I usually get the 4s mid afternoon so i’ll have some sweets/something to boost my level....but a few hours later i feel bad again and i’m back in the 4s. I seem to be fine overnight/in the morning.
My next proper check up is in April but maybe I’ll try to get an appointment sooner if this continues.

 

[wiflib]

you want to be a little higher than 4s not much space before your in the real zone.

Well when i say young i’m 30....so fairly young for the average t2 diagnosis. If it was t1 i’d have known before now right?

Not necessarily, keep a close eye on those numbers.

To feel that bad at normal BS levels means you’ve been running high for a while, how did you get your diagnosis?

 

[db89]

I would agree with the posters about questioning your diagnosis - from your last thread it looks like you went to the GP after a random finger prick test at a pharmacy and were diagnosed that way but didn't have ketones so were diagnosed T2? Has any other test been arranged to rule out Type 1 (GAD or c-peptide)? As far as I understand gliclazide isn't recommended for T1 as although it can seem to be effective at first it can accelerate beta cell death.

On a different note - you say you're testing twice a day. Do you drive and if so have you been informed about testing before doing so as you're on blood glucose lowering medication?

 

[KatieLou]

Not necessarily, keep a close eye on those numbers.

To feel that bad at normal BS levels means you’ve been running high for a while, how did you get your diagnosis?

My boyfriend noticed that i was drinking loads of water and eating loads of food but not putting on weight. He pushed me to get screened at my local pharmacy who then referred me to my doctors. They did a HbA1c test which came back with a reading of 121. My specialist said it could have been brought about by stress....i used to work 60+ hours a week and struggled to eat regular meals so used to snack a lot on fruit and smoothies (thinking that they were healthy options) so that couldn’t have helped.
Apart from the hunger and thirst i gelt healthy, my energy levels were great....now i’m on meds and feeling rubbish which is frustrating.....

 

[DCUKMod]

Thank you for your response!!
I usually get the 4s mid afternoon so i’ll have some sweets/something to boost my level....but a few hours later i feel bad again and i’m back in the 4s. I seem to be fine overnight/in the morning.
My next proper check up is in April but maybe I’ll try to get an appointment sooner if this continues.

In your shoes, I'd be testing lots, and recording what I was eating and drinking, and see if you can see any trends. I'd also get an appointment with the Doc in the diary, then you'll be prepared for your appointment.

Should you see any trends, depending on what the trends were, you could be able to act on those.

As others may have already told you a true hypo is under 4, and as wiflib says if you've been running high for a while, your body won't be used to these healthier levels you're getting now.

I don't and never have taken Metformin or Gliclazide, but Gliclazide does lower the blood glucose levels, so you do need to keep a close eye on things.

 

[KatieLou]

I would agree with the posters about questioning your diagnosis - from your last thread it looks like you went to the GP after a random finger prick test at a pharmacy and were diagnosed that way but didn't have ketones so were diagnosed T2? Has any other test been arranged to rule out Type 1 (GAD or c-peptide)? As far as I understand gliclazide isn't recommended for T1 as although it can seem to be effective at first it can accelerate beta cell death.

On a different note - you say you're testing twice a day. Do you drive and if so have you been informed about testing before doing so as you're on blood glucose lowering medication?

I do drive....no one has mentioned anything about that....
When I was last at the doctors they did test my urine for keytones and that was negative....

 

[paulus1]

youdo need the gad test. if your picture is accurate i would want to rule out type 1 or lada. re driving in the uk you have to report that your a diabetic to the driving licence people if using bg lowering meds. you have to test before and every two hours whilst driving. you do get skinny type 2s as well so its anyones guess at what you are. well done on getting your bloods down.