Struggling to make sense...

[m1567]

I have severe POTS/CFS so I'm unsure whether that has any relevance to what is going on. I've also had bulimia on and off for 8 years. Just thought I would mention these things in case they have anything to do with what's going on.

Over the last 8 months or so, I've gained 10 pounds that won't budge with no change in diet. I've always been very slim so this is unusual. I'm also constantly hungry (despite eating loads) and I have to eat every 2-3 hours. My CFS is also consistently getting worse despite rest + pacing etc... I'm also experiencing heart palpitations which I've recently begun to suspect is in reaction to high carb/sugar meals. I've developed morning hypoglycemia (around 3.8 usually). All of this has started after a period of very high stress in my life.

I'm putting this down to reactive hypoglycemia and probably insulin resistance at the moment. I've spoken to my doctor who is not worried but ordered the Hbac1 anyway. It's come back at 31 which is apparently normal. Throughout the day, my blood sugars are well in the normal range (never seen them above 6.0 and they are usually closer to 5.0 ). I'm trying to lower my carbs but I'm ending up feeling even worse (really fatigued and even more hungry) so I'm not sure what to do re. diet. I also had my thyroid and cholesterol checked and both are fine.

Because I'm at a healthy weight and all my bloods are fine, my doctor won't run any more tests at present but I feel so terrible that I know something isn't right. I really would like the OGTT but I'm not sure how to go about getting one.

Any advice re. tests, diet, explanations etc... would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Antje77]

Hi @m1567 , welcome to the forum.

From what you've told us, all your blood sugars are completely normal, and so is your hba1c.
A fasting blood glucose of 3.8 is not unusual in non diabetics.

May I ask why you feel your symptoms are related to your blood glucose?

 

[AloeSvea]

Hi @m1567.

The good news is - you don't have diabetes, or prediabetes, even. Those fasting blood glucose tests are great, as is the HBA1c. That means - no reactive hypoglycemia, and with a gorgeous fasting blood glucose like that - no insulin resistance hitting the 'detection gong' at any rate. I would kill for a fasting blood glucose like that. No I wouldn't - I would be celebrating soooo hard that my shot blood glucose regulating system was whole at last!

And an HBA1c of 31 is simply glorious.

If you ask for an OGTT with that blood glucose situation you may get some very funny looks from medical professionals that deal with the likes of me constantly! ie someone with diabetes.

My guess is (I had to look up those acronyms for your diagnosed conditions), both of those could be explained from the stress and the conditions around a longterm eating disorder - at least the COFS? Your medical team may already have talked to you about this?

Transitioning from a 'normal' high-carb diet to a low-carb or even a moderate-carb one (and I hope you have raised your dietary fat level along with lowering the carbs?) often brings about exactly the symtoms you are mentioning. It's called 'the low carb flu' or 'keto flu' and you can feel pretty bad for a wee while there. I have had more than a few friends in my life get quite freaked out at how they felt when they lowered their carbs - and went back to their old diet within days! It's a shame because often it's nothing that healthy fats and some salt doesn't cure, and making sure you are hydrated enough.

Something that you may enjoy and that would be good for you, if only to lower your anxiety, would be keeping a food journal. You may already have done that in order to treat your bullemia? But when you said you ate loads, I wondered if that was actually true - but something that could be checked out with a food journal. I used to think I had an inordinately high appetite until I actually tried one of the dynamite ow-calorie treatments that can be good for those with lots of sick fat cells like me, and realised my normal intake was just that - perfecty normal. If you take a look at any common garden variety mammal or basically any living creature - you will see that they spend quite a lot of time hunting and/or gathering food, and eating it. Ditto water. We are no different in terms of our nutritional needs. And your perception of loads may be distorted? But a food journal should cast some light on that.

I am assuming there are some great eating disorder forums out there you could join? Or for those with chronic fatigue? It's sweet that you came in to see us and ask us for advice, but we are not what you need - if you all don't mind me saying this? (I can be a bit blunt, but I have a lot of compassion.) (I hope the compassion came across.)