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Does anyone get rapid crashing fatigue? (Paralysis)

CustardBun

Member
Messages
8
Location
London, UK
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Other
Hello. I get rapid onset crashing fatigue at random every few days.

I would be sitting at the desk then suddenly a heaviness/fatigue overcomes me in a span of about 10 minutes, I would then have to immediately lay down.

What would follow is some sort of paralysis, where I am semi-conscious, in and out of "sleep", nightmares, sweating, irritability.

I would "wake" from this weird situation exactly 3–4 hours afterwards every time, nauseous. The doctor can't figure out why it lasts 4 hours every time, maybe something to do with blood glucose reset? IDK. I wake up more tired than before the crash, so it is not a sleep but something else. Why would my body need to become immobilised for 4 hours, what is the mechanism here?

Sometimes it would occur after eating, sometimes before, there is no "trigger". Thanks
 
Have you ever recorded your blood glucose during/after one of these? Are you diabetic or on diabetic medications? Do these following (even a few hours) a high carb or high sugar food or drink?
 
Sugar crashes are regular for some people, especially after a heavy meal!
This is mainly due to higher than usual blood sugar levels then dropping back down to normal range.
But there are other conditions,, where something similar episodes occur.
It could be many conditions.
I have had similar experiences with my condition. This is because I will have a sugar crash after eating some certain foods or drinks. I can go very low and go into hypoglycaemia!
The symptoms for many of these type of conditions are very similar because of the crash in blood sugar levels, which in my case are very quick.
I take it your doctor took blood tests? And found to be normal?
Ask your doctor to have a look at non diabetic conditions that cause the type of symptoms you describe.

Unless you can get the tests to ascertain why, it is risky to find yourself having a severe reaction to something that you are unaware of.
I would recommend a referral to a specialist endocrinologist, if your doctor hadn't got a clue!
 
Hi, Yes I do. I put it down to moving from working in an office to working at home and being on Teams all day, That in itself can be exhausting. I'm intrigued by the idea of it being Diabetes related though. It is like I go from being awake to almost being unconscious. It lasts about 10 minutes. I can sleep for much longer than this when it happens but the extreme need to sleep is only there for about 10 minutes. i do wear a freestyle libre and checked a few times to see if my blood sugar was spiking or crashing and it never did. There was a slow drop in blood sugar but nothing dramatic. And this doesn't necessarily happen after a meal either so not convinced it is a sugar crash.
 
That sounds very similar to the "funny turns" i used to get way before diagnosis. I was in no position to test bloods, but doctors did Hba1c which showed nothing. They never found out what it was, and really didn't seem to be interested. my own pet theory was a form of vertigo, and i even discovered rolling my head in a particular way whilst lay down did seem to relieve the worst of the nausea. (Canalith repositioning maneuvers).
It seemed to clear up whilst i was doing very strict Keto to lose weight.
 
A lot of that 'crashing' sounds like when I get a sudden migraine. I don't get headaches just a sudden need for dark and sleep, and I feel groggy for hours or a day or so after.
Just another avenue for you to explore @CustardBun . Good luck
 
Davecuk said:
i do wear a freestyle libre and checked a few times to see if my blood sugar was spiking or crashing and it never did.
Click to expand...
What kind of numbers do you see?
You posted a couple of years ago when you were seeing fasting numbers of 10 - 12 and high twenties after food.
Has this changed?
 
Before diagnosis I would “sleep” all day and all night running high numbers was the cause, I would fall asleep as soon as I sat down no matter where I was even on the bus, I’m sure I once had a micro sleep standing in the queue at M&S once diagnosed and got my BG under control this totally went away. Now I’m the other way and struggle to sleep lol
 
Hi @CustardBun - your profile isn't amazingly clear. DO you have a diagnosis of diabetes? If so, which type, and do you use medication to help with it? If not, it doesn't matter, but it could significantly impact the guidance or suggestions members might offer you.

For me, I'd start by asking what sort of investigations your doctor has undertaken to arrive at the point where he doesn't know what is going on?
 
I do not have diabetes according to blood test but my father, grandfather, grandmother on one side, auntie and several uncles all had/have it, so I am not sure if I am close to pre-diabetes. I am overweight, obese at 5'11 270lbs, sedentary, I only eat 1 meal a day though. Furthermore, I take pregabalin 600mg, and sertraline 200mg, levothyroxine 50mg. Hashimoto thyroid disease. It might be the pregabalin doing this, but according to the doctor, any side effects should wear off after the first month of dosing. I have been taking these medications for 10 years, I am 38 years old male. I cant find interactions with medications. Ty for help
 
Generally the term 'diabetic coma' to refers to falling unconscious from either DKA - diabetic ketoacidosis, or severe hypoglycaemia from an insulin overdose - both medical emergencies that can be quite quickly fatal. What you describe doesn't sound like either of these, so the title is a bit odd.
 
oh, yeah my bed I changed it to paralysis
 
HSSS said:
Have you ever recorded your blood glucose during/after one of these? Are you diabetic or on diabetic medications? Do these following (even a few hours) a high carb or high sugar food or drink?
Click to expand...
I just purchased a blood glucose monitor with lancets and strips, I will check to see the results.
 
Thx, I will ask for an endocrinologist
 
MrsA2 said:
A lot of that 'crashing' sounds like when I get a sudden migraine. I don't get headaches just a sudden need for dark and sleep, and I feel groggy for hours or a day or so after.
Just another avenue for you to explore @CustardBun . Good luck
Click to expand...
I have migraines also, flashing lights, non-allergic rhinitis causing pressure in the forehead, Eustachian tube dysfunction, but I have had this since birth, the crashing fatigue is 2-3 years ago since it started.
 

What are you eating before these events actually happen? I'm wondering if you have a sensitivity to something you are eating. Symptoms relating to a sensitivity aren't always an upset tummy. For me, my symptoms if I consume gluten are headache, fatigue, bloating, then eventually an upset tummy.
Going on to your thyroid: I would be astonished if you were adequately medicated. Hashimoto's can be erratic, by it's nature, but 50mcgr of Levothyroxine is a starter dose. Very few find this starter dose to be enough to balance out their thyroid function.

When was your thyroid last tested? What were your results? In my world, "they're fine/normal" just doesn't cut it.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism include fatigue, brain fog, challenges maintaining a healthy weight (experiencing weight gain).

Personally, in your shoes, I would be trying to get closer to the bottom of this, at home. I would be recording EVERYTHING I eat and drank, when I exercised, any symptoms, and mood. If you are testing your blood glucose, record that too. You can just use a notebook, although a spreadsheet can make it easier to interrogate later on.

Over time you may be able to spot trends, which could help you pinpoint what's going on.
 
Well I took my blood glucose with a monitor Accu-Check and result was 5.2 mmol/L fasting and slightly higher after eating, which is normal range, so I guess it is not diabetes but does this mean that non-diabetic hypoglycaemia is also ruled out?

Sometimes I eat nothing, sometimes something, they are random. The pregabalin in the morning stops appetite for about 5 hours after taking it, so I only eat 1 meal a day. My thyroid is in "normal" range according to doctor while on 50mg levothyroxine, so IDK, from blood test 2 months ago. (my problem with crashing fatigue started 3 years ago) I think it was 5.5 or something, slightly qualifying for hypo. I've had Hashimoto for nearly 20 years but never the "crashing" onset fatigue since 3 years.

I literally do no exercise, I sit down all day with depression/anxiety playing video games or watching 1970s comedy shows. I supplement vitamin D and have good levels 60+ points. Also all the vitamin/mineral markers are normal for those that cause fatigue. Thanks for the help sir
 
Yes those results seem normal but they are not diagnostic. It does not mean non diabetic hypoglycaemia is eliminated as that needs other testing specifically when these “events” are actually occurring. Testing for hypos when you are feeling normal is likely to have a normal result (in this scenario at least)

please get actual numbers not a normal comment. The normal ranges for many things are exceptionally wide and inc the range for sub clinically sick people too. And normal just means 95% of the people tested and not having obvious ill health directly from the tested metric. Ie it is not the same as optimal for health. Eg vitamin D at 60 is okish but not optimal IF it ng/ml (USA). If its nmol/l (uk) then it’s awful (but within “normal” range)
 
A vitamin D score of 60 in UK, is considered acceptable my some GPs, but both my Endo and Metabolic Bone folks consider 100+ to be getting to acceptable ranges. In your shoes, I'd consider it might be worth trying a little more Vitamin D to nudge that up a bit, irrespective of whether it helps with your energy.

If you are not doing weight bearing exercise, aside from getting about in your self professed sedentary lifestyle, your bones could probably appreciate a bit of extra help. That's up to you, and I'm certainly not prescribing anything, just saying what I would do in your shoes for that.

5.2 before and a little bit up after eating isn't bad at all, but honestly a snap shot like that doesn't tell you the whole story.

I'd strongly advise you commit your life to a notebook for, say, a month, and see if you can spot any trends. It is a bit of work, but you are your own best bet for working out your triggers.
 
At this moment in time nothing else should be ruled out.
Non diabetic hypoglycaemia could be the cause but you need the tests.

If you have hashimotos or issues with thyroid, the hormone overload is awful. Has your doctor done tests on a possibility that you have one thyroid being hyper, and the other hypo? Are the meds helping?

Your doctor should have referred you to a specialist, unless he doesn't know who to refer you!

I can't exercise very muvh, but I have to walk, I have to cook, clean and my garden. Try and do more!
I have anxiety issues myself and it's hard to get motivated, but you do need to do more!
Are you getting counselling?
 
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