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Confused as to what is wrong with me?

Greeny79

Active Member
Messages
42
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi Guys

Not sure If I am in the right place here as not been diagnosed with diabetes (although in my experience i'm not sure my docs could diagnose anything other than depression no matter what symptoms you went in with)
Anyway I have been feeling really rough for a while, a few years but gradually getting worse and in the last few months quickly going downhill, more symptoms happening at the same time, more frequent, less and less periods of feeling ''OK'' ish

I'll list my symptoms before I forget them, some of the more severe and regular ones will be at the top

Severe sweating (upper body mainly head and neck and can be soaked within a minute or 2 in a shop etc)
Faint/dizzyness/light headed
Fatigue (sometimes chronic)
feeling of hunger(urgent need for food/fuel, nothing like normal hunger)
anxiety
aches all over my body mainly legs and arms
IBS (on and off but improved since diagnosed Vitamin D deficient)
Irritability (very snappy at times)
clumsy/confusion
Depression
fast pulse
shakes


* will add others as I remember them

Now I have had quite a few of those for a while but lately worse and more frequent plus they are often all attacking me at once now, the dizzyness/ feeeling of about to pass out is shocking mainly happens when out and about but can happen anywhere lately, the sweating is horrible and makes me reluctant to do things and the fatigue is becoming more constant, as are the aches.
I have been to the doctors LOADS of times and been fobbed off as ''its your anxiety'' ..''its your medication'' ''Lose some weight'' ''do more exercise'' all well and good but the last 2 are next to impossible given that i need to eat often and struggle to exercise as I have no energy, I know my own body, its not anxiety pretty sure its phsyical, I have a docs app tomorrow and I swear if he mentions my weight etc or trys to fob me off, if I have the energy he's going to have an ''accident'' with his window and a fall
I am male mid 30's 16st (overweight by maybe 2st) I try and remain active and when feeling decent would go for a few walks per week of around an hour each and bike rides of between 4-8 miles 2-3 times a week, I have done none of these hardly in a couple of weeks now as symptoms have been that bad.
My diet although not perfect is pretty decent, very rarely eat bad carbs like white pasta,rice,bread etc, main vices are probably cheese and crisps, don't really have a sweet tooth.

Anyway I have ended up here after some research into my symptoms and Hypoglycemia has come up a lot, so looking more into that, I mentioned this to a doc about 2 years ago when my symptoms were less severe and he laughed at me..no joke! I've had a few blood tests (always after a decent breakfast or I wouldn't even make it there) but apparently nothing other than slight liver ..(don't even know what as wasn't explained to me at all) and vitamin D as mentioned which is no ok
I bought a home monitor last week and measured 10 times over 2 days and results were between 3.9 and 6.9 which I believe is fairly normal?

Just wanting to know if anyone has had similar problems etc and some advice, I am going to docs tomorrow and if they try and fob me off will be back monday..tuesday...everyday of the week until they take me seriously as my life is ruined at the moment, I can not do anything other than lay down and eat, watch TV and be a slob in general and its driving me crackers and making my depression even worse.
Any help or advice much appreciated.
 
It might be worth requesting a thyroid function test as some of your symptoms sound similar to problems I had when mine was overactive, particularly the weakness, shaking and sweating. However, there are other classic symptoms such as rapid weight loss and palpitations which don't appear to be a problem for you.

I'm sure some one more experienced will correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I'm aware, hypoglycaemia is usually only a problem for people who are on insulin or other diabetic medication. It's not a symptom of diabetes, but a possible side effect of the medication for it.

Good luck at the docs
 
Hi,

There are a few people on this forum with experience of similar symptoms - but of course that doesn't mean that the symptoms have the same cause!

A lot of your symptoms match mine when I have hypoglycaemia, which I started having aged 3, and experienced all my life. The messed up blood glucose balance eventually led to a lot of weight gain and finally, a few years ago, in my developing diabetes.

At no point did any doctor listen to me, do any tests, or offer any sort of solution. It took a routine test for something else before I was identified as pre-diabetic.

@Nicola_F and @nosher8355 have both recently been diagnosed with the same thing - reactive hypoglycaemia, and they may want to comment.

Of course, none of this means that is what you have, so if you don't mind, I'll ask a few questions:
  • When do you get these symptoms? Is there a pattern?
  • What is a typical day's diet?
  • How long after eating do you get the symptoms?
  • You mentioned other medication, are these symptoms listed on the contraindications list?
  • Have you ever tested your BG at the start of your symptoms?
  • What are you currently doing when the symptoms hit?
I wouldn't do/change anything before seeing your doctor (you never know, he may offer some suggestion or test).

And then, when you get back from your appointment, I suggest you do what I suggest any potential hypoglycaemics do (remember back that far nosher?).

Eat a nice big fry up.
Eggs, bacon, good quality high meat content sausages, mushroom, tomato.
No beans, toast, hash browns, bead and butter, or carbs of any form - no sugar or milk in your tea or coffee (preferably no caffeine.
Fill yourself up.

Then wait.

If your symptoms appear inside the next 4-5 hours, then you don't have reactive hypoglycaemia.
And if eating like that stops your symptoms dead, then you can switch to a low carb high fat diet and control them with diet.

Nosher and myself have both found that eating carbs (bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, sugar, etc) is the worst thing that a reactive hypoglycaemic can do. The carbs send the blood glucose up, your body over reacts and drives your BG right down, your symptoms appear, your body craves carbs to get your BG up ASAP, and the cycle begins again...
To step off the seesaw, simply stop eating the carbs.

Simply? Well, you may have the odd carb craving and carb withdrawal symptom, but believe me, if you are a reactive hypoglycaemic, then it is worth every effort!

And the result is that you get your life back. Energy. Concentration. Limbs no longer ache. The endless gringing fatigue goes. You wake up refreshed...

Let us know how thing go?
 
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Thanks for your reply mate, I will try and answer briefly but having an episode at the moment ?(just sat watching tv, dripping in sweat and dizzy etc)

Of course, none of this means that is what you have, so if you don't mind, I'll ask a few questions:
  • When do you get these symptoms? Is there a pattern? Not really sure as to a pattern worse episodes seem to be after dinner when I go out but can be other times as well, I generally feel ok in the morning for an hour or so then rough if not eaten, then I will be ''hungry'' (need fuel) even if i did eat breakfast after an hour or 2
  • What is a typical day's diet? don't really have one as such, but example would be late breakfast (get up late as sleep is poor) Porridge or low GI granola with yogurt or brekfast cereals, dinner chicken, veg and some wholegrain pasta (not been eating any pasta etc lately as heard it was all bad for such things, and seem to feel worse) tea scrambled egg, cheese, salad, snack b4 bed cheese on crackers or without (wholegrain), crisps
  • How long after eating do you get the symptoms? varies again but seem best just before bed and worse in afternoon
  • You mentioned other medication, are these symptoms listed on the contraindications list? beta blockers (propranlol) anti depressant (fluoxetine) sleeping tablets (zopiclone)
  • Have you ever tested your BG at the start of your symptoms? not been able to as only started testing last week but tested when feeling a bit funny and was in the 3.9-5.4 range, not tested in middle of bad symptons
  • What are you currently doing when the symptoms hit? freaking out!!! stopping myself from passing out and getting home asap and lying down, if already home, lying down probably having some food or drink before
 
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You've been given some good advice, but you might perhaps also think about changing your doctor to one who doesn't have depression on the brain?

While I do trust my doctor and he has taken care of a lot of my problems, he continually blamed my tiredness on my weight, when I believe now in retrospect it was probably a precursor to diabetes...

Robbity
 
Thanks for the answers - your breakfasts and late night snacks seem carbier than I can cope with and that would definitely affect my sleep ( have sweaty flushes, restlessness and general fidgetyness if I carb in the evening) - but that proves nothing, cos we don't yet know if you do have reactive hypoglycaemia...

One thing worth thinking about: a lot of the symptoms of my hypos - shakes, irritability, clumsiness, hollow feeling, (and in me, aggression), are actually symptoms of the adrenalin that the body releases as a panic response to the hypo. So there are actually two stages.

The first is (for me) lost words, zoned out, numb cheekbones, apathy, slow reaction time, no energy, apathy, depressed hopeless black misery.
This is when you would be able to measure the lowest BG reading with your meter.

The second is (for me) the aggressive, hollow, shaky, wobbly kneed, white faced, achy limbs.
These are caused (I think) by the adrenalin which is released as part of the body's very complex emergency process to get your BG back up to normal levels. Fight or flight, at its best.

By the time you notice the second stage, your BG may be significantly higher than at its lowest point.

Are you up for another experiment?
Why not eat your normal carby breakfast one day, and test your BG every 15 mins for 4 or 5 hours (or longer), while you go about your usual activity. Try to avoid too much exercise though - that can cause the liver to step in and adjust the BG.
 
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I am a sufferer of the dreaded sweats which have basically ruined my life, i am newly diagnosed T2 and taking metformin as of this week, I am hoping that the drug will reduce my bg to a normal level, been 16 to 18 with the occasional 12.

I was also diagnosed mild copd and have a very high bp , if i was an animal i would have been shot, so all in all i am hoping metformin fixes me so i can have a normal sweat free life again.
 

Yeah they might be a bit carby but I get the expensive low GI granola not really sure what else I could have other than bacon/eggs or scrambled eggs which I had yesterday and had a torrid day again

iI should maybe monitor my symptoms but they come on quickly and next thing I am a sweting,dizzy, shaky mess, I have no idea what all this is just that my symptoms ALL seem to fal under the hypo bracket

I will try the experiment mate cheers

If anyone else has any advice, stories please share, I am losing my marbles at the moment, had singular symptoms and now all coming at once

oh other symptoms I forgot

Headaches
pain in right hand side (more of a discomfort) and could be due to a colonscopy I had 6/7 weeks agao
 
If you can test your bg when you're having those symptoms that would be very helpful - basically if your result is too low, it's probably the reactive hypoglycemia as mentioned. But if they're good, then you'll know to look for other causes. Thyroid issues are a good lead here.
 

It does sound like the symptoms I had with an overactive thyroid too, and I didn't have the classic weight loss and "bulgy eyes" My body was making to much T4 but converting the right amount to T3 and it's to much T3 which causes the weight loss (I believe).
 
@Greeny79 - you need to start keeping accurate records too (apologies if you already do, and I missed it). That way, you can review in a calm way, when you are feeling fine, rather than racking your brains, in a flap in the grip of symptoms. I would say you need to record:

Everything you eat
Everything you drink
Every blood score
Any symptoms, including time, and duration; scored 1 - 10 for severity
What action you took to counteract symptoms
What medication you take, and when you take it.

I'm sure that sounds like a lot, but you have a lot of questions without answers, and you may just start to see some trends. Trends are your friends, even if they are undesirable trends.

I think I'm turning into an amateur epidemiologist.
 
Cheers guys

Had a slightly less traumatic day today (sound like a right drama queen, but it is pretty traumatic whatever it is)
Been to docs earlier saw one I have not seen before, got a chest infection on top of the other stuff which may have made symptoms worse got some ABX for that.

Anyway she took my BP, pulse, listened to my heart and has referred me for an ECG, Also got to go in for a load more bloods and urine tests, there was some readings on my last bloods that said something was amiss with some of my liver function results back in Jan which should have been checked again earlier

Have not been able to test bloods as unable to even afford a monitor or strips at the moment unfortunately but will be getting some asap

Basically still in the dark for time being and not sure whether to change my diet much in case it will affect my results ?
 
Glad you are finally getting someone to investigate the symptoms! Stick with this doctor.

I wouldn't go low carb (although the odd meal wouldn't be a problem) if they are going to run any fasting or glucose tolerance tests, since it would screw the results.

Keep us informed, eh?
 
Yeah its not that easy getting to see the same doctor, its all pot luck and your lucky to get an appointment, you have to ring on the day between 8-9 am, its a bit **** really

Ok won't go fully low carb yet, today I did the thing with the fry up (bar having goats milk in a cup of tea) was shaking making it feeling rough and for about 20 mins after then had about 4 hours of feeling ok-ish

Had it around 1:45

tested bloods at following

4:30 4.8
5:25 4.7
5.55 4.3
(small snack of cheese string/pack of crisps) around 6:15 *
7pm 5.2

feeling rough at moment
 
I'm probably the last person who should comment, as I've seriously only recently been diagnosed with reactive hypoglycemia, though was aware of something for a long time, but the BG tests you set out above seem pretty much normal, baring the 4.3 one, I'm still unsure what is really classed as Low BG's there appears to be no set or definitive figure, ranges from 4.5 by my doctors, down to 3.8 according to the hospital I went to. All I can really say is what's been said to myself, test when you get symptoms and keep an active record. At the moment the one thing I can say the sweats really aren't fun, I get so many I've given up counting them each day, regarding your doctors be persistent, I wasn't and ended up passing out completely about three times with no memory of what happened. Also see if your doctor can prescribe bloodsticks, talk to them, with the investigations that you are due or having they are more likely to be willing to prescribe them. As I said I'm still very much in the early stages of getting to grips with things myself, I hope you manage to get an appointment with doc and that things settle down for you soon
 
Cheers Nicola

Have been testing last couple of days and noticed a drop around 2.5 half hours after meals, is this normal, figures below

Sunday
wake up reading 5.0
1:30 small granola,yogurt
3:30 6.8
dinner of chicken, 4 small new potaoes, green beans
4:30 5.9
5:30 4.2
7:30 4.0
8:30 peanut butter on some weird quinoa rye bread
10 pm 6.0

today

1pm (woke up sleeping badly) reading of 5.0 protein bar
2:30 dinner of pulled pork, veg (broccoli, cauli,carrots) and 2 roas potatoes
3:40 7.9
5pm 4.2

edit reading at 6:30 pm of 3.4
 
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Greeny, to be fair and honest, I can only offer my view and my understanding of what is "normal" BG levels is based on what my doctors have told me, but then the hospital nurse told me something else and the diabetic specialist another figure, frustrating!, that said taking the middle road between them all, I would have to say anything below 4.0 isn't good. Me personally, at 4.0, I'm usually heading for the lucozade at that point to tie me over until I can grab a snack of some kind. I wouldn't say any of your bloods are high, but mine don't go that often above 10.0. I was told to try and keep ,my blood sugar above 4.5 mmol and top range of about 10.0 by my doctor, but hospital diabetic specialist told me hypo's don't happen until your blood sugar dips below 3.8. As I say for me at 4.0 I would at least take some action to counter it, though I would depending if I could catch it at 4.2. the rest though look pretty good to me, maybe others could tell you more. I would still seek doctors with those especially the low 4's not sure if they the a blip would say keep checking.
In all seriousness if your worried keep checking but make a doctors appointment don't do what I did, I ignored it for years until it put me on the floor being brought round by friend not just once but on three occasions and I still can't recount the exact events, all I know the last time is that I was in hospital six days. definitely not the way to do it
 
Just tested now @ 6:30 and its at 3.4
starting to sweat and feeling dizzy (tho been dizzy since friday almost none stop)
 
Greeny79 said:
Just tested now @ 6:30 and its at 3.4
starting to sweat and feeling dizzy (tho been dizzy since friday almost none stop)
Click to expand...

seriously get something sweet its too low matey
 
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