RH as per cursor to diabetes?

Lesleywo

Well-Known Member
Messages
714
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
My addiction to carbs
Just wondering how many people experienced Reactive Hypoglycemia before getting diabetes? How long before? Symptoms etc. Thanks
 
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Brunneria

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,889
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I had RH as a child onwards (managed by increasingly low carbs).
BGs reached type 2 levels in my mid 40s, but I got my levels down by cutting carbs further before getting a T2 diagnosis. Am now 52.

There are reports (@Lamont D is an example) of people who have RH who are misdiagnosed with T2 when it was RH all along. I speculate that happens often.

I have seen various articles and studies over the years which suggest that RH is a fairly common precursor to T2 for some people. A kind of pre-pre-diabetes, where developing insulin resistance leads to insulin overshoots, hypos (which are interpreted as hunger and carb cravings) which lead to more carb eating, which lead to another hypo, and so on. The side effect is sometimes weight gain, leading to more insulin resistance, and sooner or later, the insulin resistance increases to T2 levels => T2 diagnosis.

@Lesleywo
Can I ask, are you still officially diagnosed with LADA? Or did the diagnosis change to RH? I see no reason why the two couldn't co-exist, certainly until the LADA reduced beta cell production far enough to knock out the possibility of an insulin overshoot, so I was mainly asking whether your signature is still accurate? :)
 
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Lesleywo

Well-Known Member
Messages
714
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
My addiction to carbs
Hi @Brunneria ... am I still officially diagnosed with LADA? Well that would depend on which Endo you ask! My last one in Australia said yes, at this stage I have IGT and to keep my numbers below 5 before eating. Which doesn't happen very often so is nigh on impossible. My new Endo here in UK is non committal like most of them as they wait for the A1c to get to 42 for official pre diabetes diagnosis, which for me would be beginning of LADA I suppose. Mine is 41, has been slowly increasing over the years. A few years ago I lost 8kg on low carb diet but very disappointed as no change in A1c. I see lots of posts of people losing weight/low carbing and theirs drops but mine won't budge. Just slowly moves upwards. I've been low carbing for the last month. Trying to lose the half stone endo has requested, though not sure how it would help unless he's referring to insulin resistance?

From my late teens I've struggled with low blood sugar symptoms if I go more than 3 hours without eating. What I have now is different in that usually about 20 mins after eating I feel a bit nauseous for about 10 mins and a bit light headed. Symptoms subside but light headedness comes back when I need to eat..this continues through the day til about 5pm and symptoms completely disappear and I feel fine all evening. Except on Friday night I had a couple of wines and didn't get to eat til about 8pm and I felt quite wobbly.

And of course I have the Addisons at play.
So I dunno B .... I'm over it
 

Brunneria

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,889
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Thanks @Lesleywo

That is a fair old slog of different opinions, isn't it? What ongoing hassle for you!
I would suggest that you tweak your signature a little, otherwise you may get people querying why a LADA is interested in RH.

Am glad they are tracking your HbA1c and that you are having ongoing consultant appointments here in the UK.
Are you living here permanently now?

Sorry for the barrage of questions, but I remember you from when you used to post before, and am very glad to see you back here again. :)
 

Lesleywo

Well-Known Member
Messages
714
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
My addiction to carbs
Sure I will change my sign off ... weird anomaly I think would cover it
 

Lesleywo

Well-Known Member
Messages
714
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
My addiction to carbs
I am not here permanently, but probably 2 or 3 years. I was born down South but we are up here in Geordieland. I have one friend who would you believe I met on this forum as we share same endocrine conditions and endocrinologist, though she got her LADA diagnosis 8 years ago, already knowing she was Gad positive. We catch up every week and I'm so grateful for this site, otherwise I'd be Billy No Mates
 
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Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,796
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
It is quite common according to my endocrinologist, that the symptoms of RH and other diabetic conditions such as IR, hyperinsulinaemia, Hyperglycaemia, hypoglycaemic episodes and the symptoms of sudden drops in glucose levels.
That, tests are used to diagnose my condition is important because the tests eliminate other conditions.
I would say that because you go hypo when you don't eat is not RH!
In most cases of RH you go hypo only after food, unless you have another condition with it.
It is difficult for GPs to diagnose RH, because of the tests required for diagnosis.
Hence, like me, you get a misdiagnosis of T2, when your Hba1c is in normal levels!'

And, yes it can be a precursor to diabetes.