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Confused.. can anyone help please!

W

Westongal

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Hi, I have been having funny turns lately so saw the gp who ordered a hbA1c test, whilst I was having it taken at my local hospital I had another turn and they called the diabetic nurse, who did a finger prick test and my result was 3.7, so she said to eat something and that I was probably diabetic. Well today I received the results of the test and my reading was 45, from what I can see online this means that I am only pre diabetic, so my query is why would my blood sugar keep dropping so low that I nearly pass out? I'm confused and due to the current Corona situation, the drs aren't helping.
 
Westongal said:
and they called the diabetic nurse, who did a finger prick test and my result was 3.7, so she said to eat something and that I was probably diabetic.
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Hang on, the diabetic nurse reckoned that 3.7 showed diabetes (presuming if you're not on diabetes meds), that is so far wrong you wouldn't believe it.
Diabetes causes high blood glucose not low!!!
Non-diabetics can often sit happily in the mid-high 3's just for reference.

The funny turns do need to be looked at, and if it is low blood sugar that's causing it you need to get it checked out - there are conditions that can cause that, but a good thing to do would be to get a blood glucose meter so you can check yourself when it happens, and if its is always on the lowish side you can go to your docs with the evidence
 
Agreed 3.7 when not on diabetic meds is normal at times for anyone and I’m shocked the nurse would offer than opinion. Perhaps too accustomed to treating insulin dependent patients for whom that level needs attention.

Though the hb1ac at 45 is a bit too high and if I were in your shoes I’d be taking some action to avoid sliding further towards diabetes. Take a look at the link in my signature below.
 
Thank you for your reply. That explains why I'm so confused if that was incorrect info from the hospital! I nearly passed out in the hospital, I was sweating, shaking and confused, it's happened a few times recently. The diabetic nurse said i might have diabetes because of my medical history, the way I was presenting and to contact my GP. The Dr has just now referred me to the diabetic clinic so I guess I will find out more there.
 
Westongal said:
Hi, I have been having funny turns lately so saw the gp who ordered a hbA1c test, whilst I was having it taken at my local hospital I had another turn and they called the diabetic nurse, who did a finger prick test and my result was 3.7, so she said to eat something and that I was probably diabetic. Well today I received the results of the test and my reading was 45, from what I can see online this means that I am only pre diabetic, so my query is why would my blood sugar keep dropping so low that I nearly pass out? I'm confused and due to the current Corona situation, the drs aren't helping.
Click to expand...
A DN who doesn't know that a T2 (or any kind of diabetic) isn't going to have spontaneous lows, but highs, is one who needs her head examined. Now, there are several things that can explain your pre-diabetic HbA1c: If you're low on red blood cells (anemic), it can come out higher than it truly is. On the other hand, if you keep having these funny turns, with low blood glucose, you could have Reactive Hypoglycemia. RH is a condition where your pancreas overreacts and pumps out too much insulin, resulting in a hypo. It usually would happen, then, if you've eaten something high in carbs. Carbs turn to glucose once ingested, and if your blood sugars go high, your pancreas dumps too much insulin in response, making you go low. So then the question becomes, what did you eat, before this happened? Somewhere in the 4 hours or so before it hit, maybe even just two?

The thing is, for some people with RH, it can progress to diabetes type two. That's because their bodies have so much insulin floating around, they become insensitive to it. (That's the difference between T1 and T2... One's don't have insulin, two's have lots but can't properly use it anymore). That's a possible explanation for your relatively high HbA1c, and that's why you want to get yourself a meter, and request a Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (The long one, not the short one, as it can miss the dip and you don't want to crash on your way home..). Odds are your blood sugars peak high, and then drop like a stone, making you drop with it. There's a solution to this though, so rest easy. It's the same way T2's get their blood sugars under control if they opt to do it without medication: A low carb/high fat diet. If you have no peaks, you don't have lows either, as your pancreas wouldn't be over stimulated. That'd keep you from passing out. https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html is my own little quick start guide, see whether that resonates and is something you'd like to try. But whatever the case, get yourself a meter and check what your blood sugars are up to, before a meal, and in the hour and second hour after the first bite. Normally I'd say two hours after only, but you want to know how high the peak gets before it dips. You'll want those numbers for your GP if you're asking for further testing. (A lot of GP's don't know what a OGTTest is, after all...)

This is just a guess though. You do need to get tested to be sure whether RH is what is going on, get your red blood cell count while you're at it, to make sure the HbA1c wasn't incorrect, and go from there. If it is RH and prediabetes, you need to know so you can do something about it. After all, why let things get out of hand? If you faint at the wrong time that could be quite bad, and if you don't have to become a T2, all the better, right? (And yes, T2 is avoidable!)

Hope this helps...!
Hugs,
Jo
 
Thank you, that makes total sense. I had eaten a normal breakfast of toast with spread at about 8am and the test was done at 12.30pm. the worst turn I had, I hadn't eaten before it happened and that time I did fall as I was so shaky it looked like I was having a fit!. Thank you, back to the Dr I go!
 
Westongal said:
Thank you, that makes total sense. I had eaten a normal breakfast of toast with spread at about 8am and the test was done at 12.30pm. the worst turn I had, I hadn't eaten before it happened and that time I did fall as I was so shaky it looked like I was having a fit!. Thank you, back to the Dr I go!
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Hope you'll get your answers soon, and if you have questions, throw them out there, eh.
 
Westongal said:
Thank you for your reply. That explains why I'm so confused if that was incorrect info from the hospital! I nearly passed out in the hospital, I was sweating, shaking and confused, it's happened a few times recently. The diabetic nurse said i might have diabetes because of my medical history, the way I was presenting and to contact my GP. The Dr has just now referred me to the diabetic clinic so I guess I will find out more there.
Click to expand...
If you want to be absolutely sure - you have to do Kraft Prediabetes testing. This test is basically OGTT plus Inulin plasma level -they check what is your glucose and insulin levels at 0 hour, 1 hour after and 2 hours after. https://wimbledonclinic.co.uk/kraft-prediabetes-testing/
 
Hi @Westongal ,

Welcome to the forum..

OK, so you're on a pre-D register but have what appears to be hypos.
These's somtimes a lag with the blood flow & meters by about 20 minutes? So by the time of the test you could have dropped a little further than the "3.7" or was on the way back up.?

Were you tested with the meter around 45 minutes after eating something?

I'll tag in @Lamont D @Brunneria who have experince of RH who may help..
 
I wouldn’t be in too much rush to assume that a reading of 3.7 while having the symptoms suggests RH.

It could be, but you would need a lot more evidence before you could be sure.

Good luck with the tests though. Hope you get a clear answer. It is very distressing experiencing weird symptoms and not knowing why, or how to avoid the next incident.

Please come back and tell us how you get on?
 
Westongal said:
Hi, I have been having funny turns lately so saw the gp who ordered a hbA1c test, whilst I was having it taken at my local hospital I had another turn and they called the diabetic nurse, who did a finger prick test and my result was 3.7, so she said to eat something and that I was probably diabetic. Well today I received the results of the test and my reading was 45, from what I can see online this means that I am only pre diabetic, so my query is why would my blood sugar keep dropping so low that I nearly pass out? I'm confused and due to the current Corona situation, the drs aren't helping.
Click to expand...
Did you actually feel better after you ate. Had you eaten anything that day ? Be interesting to know. Wish you the best.
 
I do hope you have had further investigation of your funny turns other than doctor and nurse jumping on the diabetes bandwagon there could be many reasons for these episodes other than blood sugar levels.
 
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