Feeling faint.

Hi all,

Since being diagnosed about three weeks ago a few times I felt like I was going to faint (lightheaded, headache, dizzy, slightly shaky and nausia). I am on Metformin 500mg twice a day which I take with or after food. Every time I feel like this I check my BG and it's always been around the 6.5mmol mark so I am not hypo.

Could it be a side effect of Metformin or not eating enough maybe?

Usually I eat 2 slices of self baked bread with cheese, ham or beef for breakfast and dinner. Sometimes just two slices of toast with margarine only. Sometimes a couple of fried eggs (very little sunflower oil) on toast with baked beans in the evening instead. For lunch, it's usually chicken or very lean meat with potatoes or rice and veg. I drink tea with sweetener and skimmed milk or just plain water.

I know the carbs are pretty high but my BG rarely goes over 7.5mmol. Last night, for a change, I had a chicken shish kebab with the pita bread and the salad and about 8 pieces of chips, my BG 2 hrs later was 6.3. My avarage since diagnoses is 6.58.

Anyone any ideas please?

Hi Orchid, thanks for you reply.

As I suspected that I was diabetic due a pancreatic stone I bought a meter a couple of years ago and tested my levels once or twice a week, the results were never over ten. Mornings before breakfast always between 4 and 4.5 and also around same levels in the afternoons but not all the time. Most of the tgime they were in the normal range.

The thing I don't understand is why my levels were so low although I used to drink up to ten mugs of tea with two sugars, one or two bars of chocolate a week, biscuits and a piece of cake every now and then. Back then when my levels fell I used to feel tired and a little shaky but none of the rest of the symptoms I get now I mentioned in my first posting. It seems to be worse now that I have dropped sugar, cakes and the chocs. Hope you are right and it's just the body trying to adjust.

The question is though, what do I do when I feel "hypo" and my BG levels are normal? Should I eat some sugary stuff to make me feel better and risk my levels going high or try to wait till my next meal time feeling ill?

Luckily, I don't get this "hypo" feeling very often so if I do eat to make me feel better, would the occasional BG rise be harmfull?

Thanks again.