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seizure

M

mtl

Newbie
Messages
3
Location
Rossendale
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hello! I wonder if anyone can help me?
In October last year I was diagnosed type1, I take novorapid 3 units before breakfast, dinner and 8 units before evening meal, I also take 8 units of glargine in the evening and 4 in the morning. I am 39 years young and keep myself in good shape and the diagnosis was a bit of a shock.
About 5 weeks after the diagnosis i was out shopping when i began to feel dizzy ,i managed to get my phone out but the next thing i remember is looking up at a paramedic! I was referred for scans in december which my consultant has said are ok.My BG test on that day was not low.
On saturday i was out cycling, my BG was 13 before i started. After 13 miles i decided to stop for a cofee and a banana and cake, i wasn't feeling low but i was cold. While i was in the store i began to feel extremely dizzy and collapsed. Witnesses on both occasions said i was fitting,(my tongue is still sore)A paramedic said my BG was 6 when he tested me after this episode.

Has anyone else experienced seizures after starting insulin medication?
 
Seizures do happen when people have very low BG. It could be that you are running rather High. 13 is very high and the drop to 6 caused a false hypo and seizure.
It might help you to find whichever way suits to keep your bg to the recommended targets if not lower
Hana
 
Hi mtl and welcome to the forum. :)

Although I can’t offer any knowledge or help I do send best wishes and I hope that things get sorted out for you very soon. Hopefully someone will be along very soon to help.
 
As Sue said it is unfortunately possible to have seizures during hypos. If other reasons for the seizures have been eliminated then it is possible that you have had some very low blood glucose levels. although the paramedic found your level to be 8mmol it may be that it was lower and that our liver had 'released some glucose as a safety mechanism .
My own experience has been that I can drop from any level to sub 4mmol within 25 min of starting exercise. I have dropped very low and have perhaps been lucky not to have had more serious consequences. My major symptoms during exercise are tiredness, and sometimes negative feelings but they have never been that clear.
I have found it important to check my levels after 20 minutes of exercise and if necessary ( and it almost always is) to take one or 2 dextrose tablets, and to repeat the testing every 20-25 minutes.

Five years later I have an insulin pump and can reduce my basal during exercise but even today during a 6 mile run with a tiny basal dose my bg was 2.8 mmol half way and I had to take some dextrose. My best advice is to check regularly during any exercise. (and I include shopping, don't know why but it seems to reduce glucose levels quickly... something to do with moderate exercise + decision making I think!)
 
Fitting is extremely unpleasant and does happen sometimes in combination with REALLY low bg levels, a lot lower than the numbers you quote, but without timings it's difficult to pinpoint. Sudden drops in bg from higher to normal levels could make you feel out of sorts, even providing the sensation of a hypo, but are unlikely to make you fit. I think this needs more investigation by your doctor to rule out other causes before blaming the diabetes immediately, there are plenty of other things that can make you fit!
 
Hi mtl

I would certainly get this checked out by your gp. Could/could not be diabetes related, but to be sure I would go back and discuss again with your doctor. Occasionally gp's can miss things first time around, or request other checks that have not been carried out to date, so make that appointment!

Nigel
 
Many thanks for the reply. I have a appointment with a neurologist as a result of this second seizure
and hopefully we'll get to the bottom of this.

Although i like to think i am in control of this my BG do seem to vary from day to day without being stable. My diet for example on an average day would be a bowl of porridge,a glass of fruit juice,2 slices of toast and a tea-spoon of marmalade and 2 cups of tea. For lunch a large bowl of soup and 2 slices of bread and a piece of fruit. For dinner 3 sausages and 2 average potatoes mashed in milk and butter, a fruit corner and some buiscuits(rich tea).That was last nights! I am an active person and my weight is 65 kg for a height of 5'10. I test before each meal, last night before bed i was 18,this morning 14. Do you think i need to pay more attention to my diet and BG control? I.e eat less. I have been told about a honeymoon period and think this may now have passed!!
Is it normal to have readings that fluctuate from day to day?? I would be gratefull to hear of other members experiences with their BG/diet control.

p.s Im doing the Hastings half marathon at the end of next month.
 
mtl said:
My diet for example on an average day would be a bowl of porridge,a glass of fruit juice,2 slices of toast and a tea-spoon of marmalade and 2 cups of tea. For lunch a large bowl of soup and 2 slices of bread and a piece of fruit. For dinner 3 sausages and 2 average potatoes mashed in milk and butter, a fruit corner and some buiscuits(rich tea).That was last nights! I am an active person and my weight is 65 kg for a height of 5'10. .
Click to expand...

Everything above, in red, is carbs To me that seems rather a lot.

Your BG levels seem to be reflecting this. A fasting BG of 14 is way too high, and if you're going to bed with a level of 18 then you're high all through the night too.

Do you test after meals, or only before eating?

I would definitely talk to your diabetes nurse about trying to lower your BG levels.
 
Hi thanks for the reply. No i don't test after meals, i'll try reducing the carbs too. What kind of foods do you eat? What are your BG levels at and do they stay stable?
 
If you're very active, and in training for a half marathon, then you may well need more carbs than I do, but that should be covered by your insulin. You should speak to your diabetes nurse about balancing your insulin with your carb intake and exercise levels. Ask for help in working out your correction ratio (how much one unit of bolus reduces your BG).

Ask if you can be referred to a DAFNE course, as this really seems to help people.

You should aim to test before eating, and then (to begin with) at 1 and 2 hours after eating. That way you will build up a picture of how various foods affect you. When you are confident about your reaction to carbs you can drop the 1 hour after eating test, and just test at 2 hours (although if your meal has a high fat content you may need to test at 3 hours, as fat will slow down carb conversion to glucose). You should also test whenever you feel "odd".

I'm still in my honeymoon period (diagnosed in November last year) so my insulin needs are quite low, but my BG levels are usually around 4.7 on waking, and about 5.5 after meals. I aim to be at around 6.1 at bedtime. My levels are perhaps a little on the low side, but I've never had a serious hypo, and I have good hypo awareness.

My normal diet is a small bowl of porridge with a few raisins and flaked almonds, 100ml of orange juice and a coffee for breakfast, a portion of meat or fish with plenty of vegetables (but no potatoes, rice, pasta or "stodgy carbs") and a small glass of red wine lunchtime, and homemade soup, 40 grams of homemade bread, salad, cheese, yogurt, a small fruit and a small glass of red wine in the evening, and sometimes a small glass of milk and half a digestive at bedtime if I'm not at 6.1 before turning in.

If eat out, have friends round to dinner, or spend an evening in the local bar, all of the above goes out of the window, but I correct before and/or afterwards with enough insulin to make sure that I am never above 8.5.

I'm 5 ft 8, weight 9 stone 6 and fairly active but not really what you would call sporty.
 
Talk to your Dr about enlisting a on a carb counting course.

The low carb, not low carb approach is much debated, but I think what everyone agrees, is that you do need to make sure you find out what you ration of insulin to carbohydrate is, and then alter your insulin to suit what you eat..and what you bg is.

Good luck with the marathon!
 
mtl,

I have to agree with Sugar2 here, a good starting point would be to enroll on a carb counting course. Ask your dsn about any DAFNE courses in your area, you will find that they will teach you how to adjust your insulin to the food you eat, meaning matching the correct dose of insulin to the grams of carbs you have at each meal-time.

Regards

Nigel
 
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