• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Non diabetic hypos

S

Sue99

Newbie
Messages
2
Location
Essex
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Hi, I'm new here and need a few answers, I am not diabetic. I have been having 'funny episodes' of shaking, sweating, confusion and extreme fatigue over the last couple of months. I took my blood glucose at these times and they have been 2.1, 2.8, I was admitted to hospital following a bad one last week. I was given 5% glucose over an 8 hour period. I had a prolonged OGGTT X 4 on Monday, a C peptide test and cortisol test.
I eat normally, am active and although 5'10" I weigh 13 st 5, I have put on 1 1/2 st in a few weeks!
Any ideas would be appreciated as waiting for the results is making me worry.
Sue
 
This article explains the possible reasons for low blood sugars in non diabetics @Sue99
What can cause hypoglycaemic episodes in non-diabetic patients?
Too much insulin in the blood:

  • reactive hypoglycaemia (see below)
  • a tumour – very often benign – in the insulin-producing pancreas. This is a very rare condition indeed
  • an overdose of insulin or diabetic tablets either by mistake or on purpose.
Other diseases:

  • a disease in the adrenal glands (Addison's disease)
  • a weakened pituitary gland
  • a severe reduction in liver function
  • patients who have had their stomach removed
  • sometimes cancer
  • fasting, malnutrition
  • following alcohol ingestion.
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/conditions/a4460/hypoglycaemia-low-blood-glucose-in-non-diabetic-people/

Unfortunately there is nobody on the forum who can give you a diagnosis. I hope your results will arrive quickly and then your HealthCare Team will have some information to move forward with.
 
Thanks for your reply, I appreciate no one can diagnose me. I just wondered if anyone had similar experience. Thanks again .
 
Hi, @Sue99

I have a condition called Reactive Hypoglycaemia.
We have our own forum and quite a few members!
There are many types of hypoglycaemia as their is of diabetes.
No one is the same, but we will try and help you to get control and stop the lows (hypos) that are causing your symptoms.

Welcome to the forum.

Go to top of page click on forums when that comes up, scroll down to reactive hypoglycaemic, there is a lot of knowledge and information there.
Then come back and ask questions.

You will be glad to hear, that I was in the same boat as you, unaware and struggling!
I'm not now!

Hope this helps, again welcome!
 
Hi,
I agree no one can diagnose what's going on.

But I'll tag a couple of people in that may understand this stuff..
@nosher8355 @Brunneria

Edit, cheers Nosher. Beat me to it!
 
nosher8355 said:
Hi, @Sue99

You will be glad to hear, that I was in the same boat as you, unaware and struggling!
Click to expand...

I'm just curious, because I don't really understand RH and I'm interested in learning more. What is it about @Sue99 's 2 posts that makes you suspect she's in the same boat in terms of RH (or was it just a supportive turn of phrase)? Can RH come on suddenly as OP describes her funny turns appearing over recent month - the bits and pieces I've read in the RH forum seemed to suggest it is something people are aware of from quite a young age? Is it something that can progress over time? If you suspect RH, isn't a key question going to be about what OPs diet is like around the time of these episode? If it's possibly RH arent the RH hypos a reaction to carbs - does it happen with every carb intake or can it be more erratic? Can an RH hypo be completely unrelated to food?
 
catapillar said:
I'm just curious, because I don't really understand RH and I'm interested in learning more. What is it about @Sue99 's 2 posts that makes you suspect she's in the same boat in terms of RH (or was it just a supportive turn of phrase)? Can RH come on suddenly as OP describes her funny turns appearing over recent month - the bits and pieces I've read in the RH forum seemed to suggest it is something people are aware of from quite a young age? Is it something that can progress over time? If you suspect RH, isn't a key question going to be about what OPs diet is like around the time of these episode? If it's possibly RH arent the RH hypos a reaction to carbs - does it happen with every carb intake or can it be more erratic? Can an RH hypo be completely unrelated to food?
Click to expand...

RH, a condition that occurs when a glycaemic load leads to a quick spike followed by a hypo, depending on the excess insulin after said glycaemic load.
It is a condition that can be slight or severe depending on which foods trigger the insulin response, as in diabetes certain foods can be tolerated and some are like poison.
There are more types of hypoglycaemia than just RH, patients can get it early in life or late in life as I did. There is a lot unknown in how one gets the condition.
There is theory and this condition can be non diabetic and diabetic.
There are a lot more women with the condition then men because it is the hormones in play here.
@Brunneria has had it for a very long time and has T2 diabetes.
I developed it naturally, and I am non diabetic.

The symptoms are wide ranging and mostly similar to T2.
Only hospital tests can confirm diagnosis. Starting with a prolonged OGTT.
I have been wrong on many occasions and caught out after suspecting hypoglycaemia but now I try to be careful by not saying you have this type or other and give them the opportunity to gain knowledge and ask questions.
RH is totally a dietary condition and controlled by diet!
 
catapillar said:
I'm just curious, because I don't really understand RH and I'm interested in learning more. What is it about @Sue99 's 2 posts that makes you suspect she's in the same boat in terms of RH (or was it just a supportive turn of phrase)? Can RH come on suddenly as OP describes her funny turns appearing over recent month - the bits and pieces I've read in the RH forum seemed to suggest it is something people are aware of from quite a young age? Is it something that can progress over time? If you suspect RH, isn't a key question going to be about what OPs diet is like around the time of these episode? If it's possibly RH arent the RH hypos a reaction to carbs - does it happen with every carb intake or can it be more erratic? Can an RH hypo be completely unrelated to food?
Click to expand...

There is a sticky in our forum for newbies.
Similar to the one that is given to diabetic newbies.

The main difference between T2s and RH. Is the insulin response initially and of course having T2 means also insulin resistance. The excess insulin has to go somewhere, so it goes on our endocrine organs. It's a vicious cycle because every time we eat food that gives a hyper the insulin response is more excessive I Dublin.
Before diagnosis, I was misdiagnosed as T2. Because of high blood sugars due to insulin resistance. It was only when my GP saw I was having a hypo, she referred me, as she didn't have a clue, what was happening to me.
As in T1s, too much insulin leads to mental problems especially anxiety.
We cannot treat hypos the same as the result would be fluctuating bloods, yo yo blood levels up and down which causes more severe symptoms, hence what I call my hypo hell!
 
Hello, same condition here, insulin resistant and producing too much insulin (hyperinsulin), causing reactive hypoglycemia but not so severe. Lowest at 3.7. Cutting carbs has helped greatly. I'm not diabetic either but I think I am/was pre diabetic. Checked for insolioma (tumor) but not present. I think your docs are going in the right direction, it's rare but Nosher will tell u better than me, there's a 72 hour test to diagnose insolinomas - with levels as low as yours, I might want to check but that's me.....


Sent from my iPad using DCUK Forum mobile app
 
Back
Top