Low blood sugar

[Dandelade]

Hi lovely people,

I’ve posted a few times about slurred speech, dizziness and brain fog.
The other day I was bad then tested when I got home and got a reading of 1.9, thought it was an error and tested again at 2.2. Had a pack of dates as it was the only thing in I could find that had sugar in at 23g. Went up to 9.6 and stayed there for 4 hours. Like what????
I assumed I was type 2 or that it was my hypothyroid. Got treatment for thyroid and now in range (debatable about if this is optimal). Went low carb, lost over 2 stone (15% of my body weight).
A typical day for me is start out around 5.5, eat some Greek yoghurt and berries when I get to work. Start feeling off about 11, have a salad and either fatty fish or avocado or cheese. Continue to feel awful, speech and brain fog starts in afternoon. Have tea with a balanced tea with small amount of carbs (I’m around about 100g of carbs a day now). Feel awful for about an hour then come around.
So all this time has it been low blood sugar or not high? And what does that mean for what’s caused it? And how can I prevent it?
I know nobody can diagnose here and I’ll go back to the doctors who continue to shrug their shoulders. But anyone any experience of similar?

 

[EllieM]

Hi @Dandelade that sounds horrible for you. I've no experience but I do remember folk on the RH forum who described having RH and T2.

Tagging @Lamont D and @Brunneria who are both very knowledgeable on RH.

Having said that, you really need to see a doctor because there are a number if conditions that can cause hypoglycemia, and you need the tests done to narrow down the cause.

Good luck.

 

[Dandelade]

Hi @Dandelade that sounds horrible for you. I've no experience but I do remember folk on the RH forum who described having RH and T2.

Tagging @Lamont D and @Brunneria who are both very knowledgeable on RH.

Having said that, you really need to see a doctor because there are a number if conditions that can cause hypoglycemia, and you need the tests done to narrow down the cause.

Good luck.

Thanks @EllieM back to the hunger game phone call to doctors to get an appointment Monday morning! They have ran so many tests ruling things out I’m going to try insisting on referral to an endo now if they are out of ideas.

 

[Lamont D]

Hi lovely people,

I’ve posted a few times about slurred speech, dizziness and brain fog.
The other day I was bad then tested when I got home and got a reading of 1.9, thought it was an error and tested again at 2.2. Had a pack of dates as it was the only thing in I could find that had sugar in at 23g. Went up to 9.6 and stayed there for 4 hours. Like what????
I assumed I was type 2 or that it was my hypothyroid. Got treatment for thyroid and now in range (debatable about if this is optimal). Went low carb, lost over 2 stone (15% of my body weight).
A typical day for me is start out around 5.5, eat some Greek yoghurt and berries when I get to work. Start feeling off about 11, have a salad and either fatty fish or avocado or cheese. Continue to feel awful, speech and brain fog starts in afternoon. Have tea with a balanced tea with small amount of carbs (I’m around about 100g of carbs a day now). Feel awful for about an hour then come around.
So all this time has it been low blood sugar or not high? And what does that mean for what’s caused it? And how can I prevent it?
I know nobody can diagnose here and I’ll go back to the doctors who continue to shrug their shoulders. But anyone any experience of similar?

Hi @Dandelade,
I think I remember you posting before.
It does sound as if you have followed a low carb diet and experienced some really good results, weight loss and some control, even helping your hypothyroidism at times.
But the results you have posted, even though the symptoms you describe are very similar to mine, those results are not typically RH, but not having all the tests to rule out other conditions. It doesn't sound like RH!
Can you remind me of what tests you have had?
Obviously, if you are having continuous hypo episodes, There has to be a reason, and after so long and low carb diet, the need for a referral to a specialist endocrinologist who has experience of hypoglycaemia is crucial.
Not everyone who has hypos is diabetic!

Let us know how you get on. Best wishes.

 

[Dandelade]

Hi @Dandelade,
I think I remember you posting before.
It does sound as if you have followed a low carb diet and experienced some really good results, weight loss and some control, even helping your hypothyroidism at times.
But the results you have posted, even though the symptoms you describe are very similar to mine, those results are not typically RH, but not having all the tests to rule out other conditions. It doesn't sound like RH!
Can you remind me of what tests you have had?
Obviously, if you are having continuous hypo episodes, There has to be a reason, and after so long and low carb diet, the need for a referral to a specialist endocrinologist who has experience of hypoglycaemia is crucial.
Not everyone who has hypos is diabetic!

Let us know how you get on. Best wishes.

Thank you @Lamont D. Yeah I agree, RH crossed my mind but doesn’t quite fit.

In terms of tests. A couple of times I’ve gone to a and e when it was really bad and I couldn’t walk/ talk. It looked so similar but not quite like a stroke they brought me straight to the front of the queue both times to check for a stroke with ct and/ or a brain tumour, which was thankfully clear, as were the ecg’s. I feel a bit silly now that I’ve picked up a few readings which indicate it might be hypoglycaemia.

Then the thyroid tests and started on levothyroxine. Then the usual panels; kidney, liver, blood, inflammation markers. A referral to neurology who said no evidence of anything - of course the appointment landed on the day/ time I was fine.

It’s like by body is really slow to turn on a tap to release insulin so I’m a bit higher than I should be after eating (but not too high with the low carb), then when it does respond it leaves a leaky tap on for too long before turning off, so blood sugar has a steady decline and goes too low. Maybe?

I’m just confused as to what I’m supposed to do with food now. Maybe switch to very small amounts of carbs more frequently?

Back to doctors and If I get any answers I’ll update!

 

[Lamont D]

Thank you @Lamont D. Yeah I agree, RH crossed my mind but doesn’t quite fit.

In terms of tests. A couple of times I’ve gone to a and e when it was really bad and I couldn’t walk/ talk. It looked so similar but not quite like a stroke they brought me straight to the front of the queue both times to check for a stroke with ct and/ or a brain tumour, which was thankfully clear, as were the ecg’s. I feel a bit silly now that I’ve picked up a few readings which indicate it might be hypoglycaemia.

Then the thyroid tests and started on levothyroxine. Then the usual panels; kidney, liver, blood, inflammation markers. A referral to neurology who said no evidence of anything - of course the appointment landed on the day/ time I was fine.

It’s like by body is really slow to turn on a tap to release insulin so I’m a bit higher than I should be after eating (but not too high with the low carb), then when it does respond it leaves a leaky tap on for too long before turning off, so blood sugar has a steady decline and goes too low. Maybe?

I’m just confused as to what I’m supposed to do with food now. Maybe switch to very small amounts of carbs more frequently?

Back to doctors and If I get any answers I’ll update!

Once again, it does sound very much like RH, the way you describe the 'insulin tap' it is a very good analogy!
But what is the root cause of the trigger, and what hormones are in place to give you those odd results causing the hypos?
If it was RH, fasting would give you an idea what happens when you do fast. Because continual fasting in RH, you will not go hypo. But if you do go hypo while fasting, then it is a pancreatic problem releasing too much insulin.
Have a Google about hyperinsulinimia, that is a condition that happens when your glucose derived from carbs, cannot spike you and then hypoglycaemia occurs. Much like a tap that never turns off!

Good luck with your GP!

 

[Dandelade]

Once again, it does sound very much like RH, the way you describe the 'insulin tap' it is a very good analogy!
But what is the root cause of the trigger, and what hormones are in place to give you those odd results causing the hypos?
If it was RH, fasting would give you an idea what happens when you do fast. Because continual fasting in RH, you will not go hypo. But if you do go hypo while fasting, then it is a pancreatic problem releasing too much insulin.
Have a Google about hyperinsulinimia, that is a condition that happens when your glucose derived from carbs, cannot spike you and then hypoglycaemia occurs. Much like a tap that never turns off!

Good luck with your GP!

Yep, similar effect different triggers I think - I definitely get low with extended fasting!

Hyperinsulinemia is a good shout, maybe I’ve dealt with the insulin resistance mostly but not the excess insulin somehow. I typed in hyperinsulinemia and hypothyroid to google and there were some studies linking them the mechanism thought to be slower clearing of insulin which is linked to low t3.

I very much doubt my gp will take a few fringe studies into account though. I’m expecting a repeated tsh in range everything fine message. Maybe the recorded low glucose readings will convince him to refer to an endo fingers crossed!

 

[Lamont D]

Anyone who is having hypoglycaemic episodes not on meds, not on insulin, has to be referred.
The only medical practitioners that can order the diagnostic tests necessary are specialist endocrinologists.
as I said previously, a specialist endocrinologist who has experience in diagnosis and knowledge about the true mechanism of what the true cause is to the hypoglycaemia episodes.

Are you UK based?

 

[Dandelade]

Once again, it does sound very much like RH, the way you describe the 'insulin tap' it is a very good analogy!
But what is the root cause of the trigger, and what hormones are in place to give you those odd results causing the hypos?
If it was RH, fasting would give you an idea what happens when you do fast. Because continual fasting in RH, you will not go hypo. But if you do go hypo while fasting, then it is a pancreatic problem releasing too much insulin.
Have a Google about hyperinsulinimia, that is a condition that happens when your glucose derived from carbs, cannot spike you and then hypoglycaemia occurs. Much like a tap that never turns off!

Good luck with your GP!

Yep, similar effect different triggers I think - I definitely get low with extended fasting! Hyperinsulinemia is a good shout, maybe I’ve dealt with the insulin resistance mostly but not the excess insulin somehow. I typed in hyperinsulinemia and hypothyroid to google and there were some studies linking them the mechanism thought to be slower clearing of insulin which is linked to low t3.

Anyone who is having hypoglycaemic episodes not on meds, not on insulin, has to be referred.
The only medical practitioners that can order the diagnostic tests necessary are specialist endocrinologists.
as I said previously, a specialist endocrinologist who has experience in diagnosis and knowledge about the true mechanism of what the true cause is to the hypoglycaemia episodes.

Are you UK based?

That is really good to know thank you! Yes UK based.