Eye drops affecting blood glucose levels

[Linda_Bly]

Hi,

I use lumigan eye drops for ocular hypertension and think they may be giving me false low blood sugar readings, I have had numerous blood tests and they all say that I am not diabetic but I have all the symptoms: weight loss, blurred and distorted vision , tingling in feet and legs, brown pigmentation on skin , headaches, fatigue , peeing a lot etc . I’m in a position where no one can help me as all I am being told is that there is nothing they can do as my blood tests are fine but I’m not feeling fine and just getting more symptoms . I’m scared that by the time any thing is found out it will be too late and I will have severe complications. I would appreciate if anyone can help .

 

[xfieldok]

These symptoms are side effects, well most of them, of the drug. Have a word with whoever's prescribed them, there may be an alternative.

 

[Linda_Bly]

Thanks for your reply but I feel that the drops are causing false negative results of my blood tests I have all the symptoms of diabetes and nothing is getting better if anything things are getting worse.

 

[Mike d]

Thanks for your reply but I feel that the drops are causing false negative results of my blood tests I have all the symptoms of diabetes and nothing is getting better if anything things are getting worse.

Don't talk yourself into it as it sounds pretty much like you are.

 

[Brunneria]

Have a look at the patient information leaflet on your eye drops. If any of the symptoms are listed, then you are perfectly justified in asking your optician or doc to prescribe a different medication, to see if your symptoms go away.

 

[Dark Horse]

I use lumigan eye drops for ocular hypertension and think they may be giving me false low blood sugar readings

Eye drops have very little, if any, systemic effects so would not be expected to affect blood glucose measurement.

I have had numerous blood tests and they all say that I am not diabetic but I have all the symptoms:

Symptoms such as weight-loss and peeing a lot only occur with very high glucose levels so even if a drug could somehow affect glucose measurement, it wouldn't be able to mask such high levels. The symptoms you list are non-specific and can be caused by other diseases - hopefully you will have had blood tests to rule them out (not just tests for
diabetes).

blurred and distorted vision

There may be several reasons for this, your optician should be able to identify the cause.

brown pigmentation on skin

The eye drops can cause increased skin pigmentation around the eyes in some people.

 

[Linda_Bly]

Eye drops have very little, if any, systemic effects so would not be expected to affect blood glucose measurement.


Symptoms such as weight-loss and peeing a lot only occur with very high glucose levels so even if a drug could somehow affect glucose measurement, it wouldn't be able to mask such high levels. The symptoms you list are non-specific and can be caused by other diseases - hopefully you will have had blood tests to rule them out (not just tests for
diabetes).


There may be several reasons for this, your optician should be able to identify the cause.


The eye drops can cause increased skin pigmentation around the eyes in some people.

Eye drops have very little, if any, systemic effects so would not be expected to affect blood glucose measurement.


Symptoms such as weight-loss and peeing a lot only occur with very high glucose levels so even if a drug could somehow affect glucose measurement, it wouldn't be able to mask such high levels. The symptoms you list are non-specific and can be caused by other diseases - hopefully you will have had blood tests to rule them out (not just tests for
diabetes).


There may be several reasons for this, your optician should be able to identify the cause.


The eye drops can cause increased skin pigmentation around the eyes in some people.

The pigmentation is on my body

 

[Linda_Bly]

The pigmentation is on my body

 

[Linda_Bly]

Is there anyone who can help me ? What are you supposed to do if you have symptoms of diabetes , had various blood tests showing everything ok , yet you feel ill and frustrated !! Surely I can’t be the only one who’s diabetes has not been diagnosed straight away . Everyone tells you to go straight to doctors if you have any symptoms yet if it isn’t straight forward no one knows what to do!! I’ve even been told I’m not the right size , if I was a big person at least I could be exercising and eating healthy but I do that already so there’s nothing I can do!!