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NEWBIE!! - Possible Hypogycaemia

G

Grrr

Newbie
Hi all, this is my first post and visit here so be kind please :)

I have not got diabetes, but for the last eight years I have suffered with what I believe to be Hypoglacemia - I get virtually all the symptoms listed for this; and eating regularly and following effectively a diabetic diet (apart from a two or three glasses of wine a week but not every week) has controlled it.

The issue is that blood tests from my Doctor says that I do not have it as my blood sugar remains above 4; and my home test kit agrees. My range has been 4.1 - 5.7 during this week (I have been really affected by it the last two weeks - I believe additional stress triggered this episode - and am just puling through now).

Has anyone else had this experience? Does anyone have any other suggestions as to what might be the problem?

I have just had a blood test this morning after an extremely difficult 12 hour fast and a follow up appointment with the doctor in a weeks time; but I'm sure she is going to say that I don't have the condition.

I changed jobs six months ago, and it is very enjoyable, but obviously has been a stressor to me, and for the entire time I have woken up at 2:30 to eat and 5:30 to eat. If I don't and leave it, the stomach cramps become unbearable and as soon as I eat I throw up.

I am at my wits end and am desperately looking for some support and find an answer.

Thanks all
 
Dear Grrr,
Welcome to the forum, I'm sure you will find us all friendly and keen to help where we can. Members cover a vast range of knowledge and experience so I am sure there will be some constructive suggestions to this and any other questions you may have.

Your BG figures are pretty close to normal although on the low side, you may be getting symptoms of a Hypo at the bottom end of the levels you quoted, but I wouldn't expect them to be severe - and if you are in this range all the time your body is un-likely to treat these as abnormal so you will not have symptoms of a Hypo.

Hypo's are most noticable when you drop from a relatively high BG to a low one, symptoms can even be experienced within the 'normal' range if you have been hyper for some time - but your reported levels seem quite flat.

Without a lot more detail it will be hard for anyone to understand and that's best done by your doctor.

You mention having to eat at regular intervals but then feeling sick - I am no expert but this could be simply stress related did it occur before or after your new job?

If there is an underlying medical condition I would rather suspect a food intolerance or even malabsorption or coeliac disease. All these will take a significant number of tests to prove or eliminate.

Is your weight stable? Are you overweight? On other medication? Is Diabetes or other autoimmune disease prevalent in your direct family? I hope your doctor will be able to complete a diagnosis quickly but be sure to let him have all relevant information to make this possible.
 
HI Grr
I have a friend who has all the symptoms of reactive hypolycaemia, but the consultant says it's not, because the readings aren't low enough. She finds a low carb diet aleviates it considerably, combined with eating small portions of high protein foods every 2 hours.
 
Hey, thanks both for your replies...

I'll follow this up with the doctor when the blood results are back.

When I first got the condition 8 years ago, I used to get severe stomach cramps in the night so I'd eat a chocolate bar or a bowl of coco pops and it would go away. After reading information on the net, I cut out all sugars, chocolates, sweets (except fruit) and ate healthy meals and things got better quite quickly.

I assumed that I had hypoglacemia because the symptoms matched and the diet helped. I only had problems at night after that when I went stupid with alcohol or missed meals the day before, other than that although I never got rid of the symptoms completely, I did feel much better and in control.

Stress is definitely a factor, but I feel like it is a trigger for this condition rather than the condition itself. I have been worse in the last six months since changing to a more stressful job.

I'm only sick if I don't eat when my body gives me the warning signs to eat as my stomach tightens up too much to let the food in (I also have a rolling hiatus hernia which complicates things - I then resort to diazepam to relax it).

My weight has gone up a little in the last year from 9 to 10 stone, but I am 5'8 and 34 years old, and to be honest was a little to thin before bu couldn't put weight on, I just assumed my metabolism was slowing down like people say.

There is no autoimune problems in the family as far as I know although my grandfather has had diabetes for a number of years.

Anyway, I'll follow up on the ideas, and thanks again!
 
I suffered from this for a long time, it can be hard to find unless you look at your BG at the right times. For example my fastings were are still are normal, and my two hour postprandials are usually around normal

BUT I would be relatively high at around 1 hour postprandial and could be significantly low at three hours out so the two hour number was a false reading in that it was missing the problem.

My usual suggestion for testing

http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/NewlyDiagnosed.htm

only start half an hour after eating and go out hourly to about four hours. You can emulate a GTT by drinking a significant quantity of orange juice (nicer than the standard lucozade!) then tracking what occurs.

This can be a precursor to diabetes and a significant number of the reactive hypoglycemics I have met have had symptoms going back years and often to childhood. Speed of progression may vary but the treatment is essentially the same, moderate your carb input to avoid the highs and the lows should take care of themselves.

Having said which, similar symptoms can be caused by other conditions. Full lipid panel is always a good plan if you can persuade them to do it, this may show your degree of insulin resistance. Thyroid is also worth checking. Also mechanical problems such as gastroparesis and "dumping syndrome" which may follow stomach surgery, and other endocrine problems - when one part of the endocrine system falls over it will often drag down other parts, and some things like adrenal or cortisol problems can be hard to pin down.
 
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