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Scary hypo

CaBos

Member
Messages
13
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Unkindness, unfairness
Hello all. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 3 months ago. I have taken control, take 1 metformin 500 per day, I eat a low carb diet, test regularly and results are usually around 5.5 before meals and between 6.2 and 7 2 hours later, lost a stone (I am not very overweight) and have been getting on really well. Energy levels are great (amazing compared to a few months ago) and all is well - or so I thought. On Sunday, I was at my grandson's christening party. I'd had a scrambled egg for breakfast and had just filled a healthy plate at the buffet. Took a few mouthfuls then got into conversation with one of the guests and without any warning, it hit me. I got really hot and sweaty, dizzy, felt like I was drowning. My legs went very wobbly (I tried to walk but sat down immediately). I didn't think I lost consciousness because I was really concentrating on not going but my husband said I was out for 2 or 3 minutes. That frightens me. My son-in-law is a doctor and he recommended I eat something sweet. I did and gradually felt better.
I honestly don't know why this happened. I didn't have my testing kit with me so I don't know what my levels were. I haven't had this happen since I've been diagnosed though it was something similar that sent me to the doctor in the first place.
Any advice? I now have a packet of jelly beans in my bag but as I had absolutely no warning signs, I am petrified this will happen again.
 
contact your Dr, but my wild guesses are..
it could have been a one off, or there are other reasons for a hypo other than diabetes..
you aren't eating enough from the day before and too restricted
it could be metformin if your liver is sensitive to the blocking of "sugar' release, which is the natural regulation when you go low

ONE scrambled egg isn't a breakfast, are you having enough fat too?
it’s a long page and a videohttp://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
 
Sorry to hear that you have recently experience what is obviously a Hypo. Metformin is one of the safe medications and isn't known to induce a Hypo, so it must therefore be down to something else.
Solely eating food that have high Gi/GL ratings can under certain instances result in what is known as Rebound or Reactive Hypoglycaemia, where having reached a peak blood glucose level, the blood/glucose level then rapidly drops in a short time down to a level that is below the safe lower level (Hypo) before slowly recovering again.
This can be worsened by anxiety, stress, illness, alcoholic consumption without adequate food and is generally avoided by eating the higher Gi/GL foods with lower Gi/GL food items so as to balance things out.
Triggering the Hypo might also be accelerated by a sudden change in temperature, ie: coming into a hot environment from the outside cold, whatever caused it, I think we'll never really know.
This is probably something that is a one off instance, but is worth mentioning to your doctor, and most probably nothing to get unduly worried over. Taking simple precautions, by ensuring that you are eating beforehand and carrying with you some sugar sweets as an emergency will do no harm, even if they are never needed.
 
Thank you both. I do eat enough fat (rediscovering butter and cheese has been one of the joys of this new regime) but I was at my step daughter's house at breakfast time and there were no low GI choices hence the egg (but I am a small woman anyway and get full quickly). In future, I will take my own food with me. I have also had a chest infection and yes, it was very cold outside so that theory sounds logical. I am seeing my doctor in a few days and have also just been told I'm going on the 6 week course in January. Again, thanks for taking the time to reply. It's nice to know I'm not alone!
 
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