Unusual symptoms

[Dom1980]

Hi all. New to this forum. I am not diagnosed diabetic however am having little success with medical professionals currently in diagnosing my odd synotoms. My brother has diabetes, unknown type 1 or 2 and came on extremely suddenly straight to insulin. I am now getting daily hypoglycemia. I start to shake, feel faint and confused etc. I check my blood sugar and it is usually between 3 and 3.8. I drink cola and eat and symptoms subside.
I have also been diagnosed with retinal vein occlusion. (blood clot on retinal vein) which is usually caused by bad heart health and in old folk or in uncontrolled diabetes. I am in good health, ecg fine. Bloods fine with slightly raised white blood cell count, blood glucose appears fine in tests no diabetes.
Frankly doctors seem at a loss. Has anyone experienced very low bs before diabetes kicked in. The odd thing is I don't appear to ever have low blood sugar. It hovers around 4.5 when waking and doesn't seem to go much over 5 or 7.
Anyhow I came here as I need some input from anyone who has any inkling if this could be a sign of incoming diabetes or any advice really. I have had to take long term sick (police officer) and with 4 children I m frankly scared to go out with them alone as when the hypos occur I feel like I m going under fast.
Thanks for your time apologies if I've broken protocol in posting as a non diabetic but this is very debilitating

 

[LittleGreyCat]

Worth checking out Reactive Hypoglycemia.
This is where your body over reacts to rising glucose levels and dumps too much insulin which then crashes your BG levels.
There is a specific forum for this - worth a look.

 

[HSSS]

The only thing that comes to mind is reactive hypoglycaemia. This is when you overreact to carbs and end up low having pumped out too much insulin

Does it tend to occur at particular points after eating or after particularly carb laden meals?

 

[Dom1980]

Hi both thanks for replies. Seems to happen about 2 hours after eating. I will look at the mentioned forum thanks. However today I ate fruit and a small tuna roll before it happened which isn't Carn heavy

 

[LittleGreyCat]

Hi both thanks for replies. Seems to happen about 2 hours after eating. I will look at the mentioned forum thanks. However today I ate fruit and a small tuna roll before it happened which isn't Carn heavy

Fruit and a small tuna ROLL isn't that low carbohydrate IMHO.

 

[Dom1980]

Okay apologies I m ignorant of diet I m afraid...!

 

[Dom1980]

Possibly part of my problem!

 

[LittleGreyCat]

Okay apologies I m ignorant of diet I m afraid...!

No need to apologise.
Dig in, read and learn.

Noting that people often confuse low carbohydrate and low sugar.
Bread (and anything else made from grains) is generally high carbohydrate.
That includes pastry, pasta, pizza, all the nice things in life.
Root vegetables including the dreaded potato are also carbohydrate heavy.
Fruits are full of sugars, especially tropical fruits.
Porridge is also full of carbohydrate, as is Weetabix, muesli........the list is depressingly long.

Please note also that low GI carbohydrates are still carbohydrates.
Wholemeal, granary etc just means a bit longer to digest but still full of carbohydrates.

So fruit and a roll will have sugars and carbohydrates in it.

 

[Lamont D]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

It does seem that some type of hypoglycaemia is what is happening to w.

However, we cannot diagnose you, only give some advice on how to help with this.

First of all, we have a sub forum called reactive hypoglycaemia, use the search button or click on forums, scroll down and click on Reactive Hypoglycaemia. There is a lot of information on the sticky notes and threads. Just see if something rings a bell in your head.
Secondly, as you are seeing a GP already, ask for the tests that can get you a diagnosis. If your GP is stuck for an answer, ask for a referral to a specialist endocrinologist who has experience in Hypoglycaemia.
Thirdly, because you have a glucometer, you can start a food diary, where you can record everything that you eat and the effects on your blood sugar levels.

Most types of Hypoglycaemia, have too much insulin after eating, but you can and will get high glucose just after eating, then as the insulin overshoot kicks in, you will find your blood sugar levels dropping into hypo levels.

I have RH, and my fasting levels are always in normal range. Hba1c in normal levels, only if I eat too many carbs and sugars, for me, does the symptoms occur and cause the hyper/hypo scenario.

Hypoglycaemia is a dietary condition that can be controlled.

Best wishes and again welcome to our forum.

 

[Dom1980]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

It does seem that some type of hypoglycaemia is what is happening to w.

However, we cannot diagnose you, only give some advice on how to help with this.

First of all, we have a sub forum called reactive hypoglycaemia, use the search button or click on forums, scroll down and click on Reactive Hypoglycaemia. There is a lot of information on the sticky notes and threads. Just see if something rings a bell in your head.
Secondly, as you are seeing a GP already, ask for the tests that can get you a diagnosis. If your GP is stuck for an answer, ask for a referral to a specialist endocrinologist who has experience in Hypoglycaemia.
Thirdly, because you have a glucometer, you can start a food diary, where you can record everything that you eat and the effects on your blood sugar levels.

Most types of Hypoglycaemia, have too much insulin after eating, but you can and will get high glucose just after eating, then as the insulin overshoot kicks in, you will find your blood sugar levels dropping into hypo levels.

I have RH, and my fasting levels are always in normal range. Hba1c in normal levels, only if I eat too many carbs and sugars, for me, does the symptoms occur and cause the hyper/hypo scenario.

Hypoglycaemia is a dietary condition that can be controlled.

Best wishes and again welcome to our forum.

Thanks that's all helpful advice

 

[Dom1980]

No need to apologise.
Dig in, read and learn.

Noting that people often confuse low carbohydrate and low sugar.
Bread (and anything else made from grains) is generally high carbohydrate.
That includes pastry, pasta, pizza, all the nice things in life.
Root vegetables including the dreaded potato are also carbohydrate heavy.
Fruits are full of sugars, especially tropical fruits.
Porridge is also full of carbohydrate, as is Weetabix, muesli........the list is depressingly long.

Please note also that low GI carbohydrates are still carbohydrates.
Wholemeal, granary etc just means a bit longer to digest but still full of carbohydrates.

So fruit and a roll will have sugars and carbohydrates in it.

Thanks I will look into diet much more now

 

[HSSS]

Thanks I will look into diet much more now

If it is RH then the same advise as prediabetic and type 2 applies ie reduce carbs. If you don’t spike high, you don’t overreact and the line stays flat not rollercoaster looking.

 

[Dom1980]

If it is RH then the same advise as prediabetic and type 2 applies ie reduce carbs. If you don’t spike high, you don’t overreact and the line stays flat not rollercoaster looking.

Thanks for that so basically avoid carbs. Being rather uninformed re diet, can you point me in the direction of any resources to plan meals better. Or is it literally just cut out as much as possible carbs and keep it simple

 

[LittleGreyCat]

https://www.dietdoctor.com/ is worth a read as an introduction.

 

[HSSS]

Try these

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog/jokalsbeek.401801/ for info including low carb made simple

And https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/category/success-stories-and-testimonials.43/ to show it really works and for motivation

and https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/what-have-you-eaten-today.75781/ for food ideas

also https://www.dietdoctor.com/ for more food ideas and general info of carb content of foods. Lots of other websites for recipes out there too. Just use the term low carb or keto with whatever you fancy.

 

[Brunneria]

Thanks for that so basically avoid carbs. Being rather uninformed re diet, can you point me in the direction of any resources to plan meals better. Or is it literally just cut out as much as possible carbs and keep it simple

My best suggestion - if you want to see if you feel better on low carb - is to try a day where you just don’t eat carbs.
That is a day when you start with a protein breakfast of (for example) bacon and egg. No juice, toast, potato.
Then a lunch of chicken, salad, mayo, coleslaw. No bread, potato, pasta, rice or fruit.
Then a supper of meat or fish, with green veg. No pud, potato, rice or pasta...
You can also have snacks of tea or coffee (not much milk), cheese and nuts.
No sugar all dy.

Just try it for one day, and see how you feel.

I have RH, and I still remember the day I dropped all the carbs. I just... felt OK. All day. No dips, drops, wobbles or muzzyness.
Very liberating.

Hope you get the same result.

 

[EllieM]

I'd argue that it's worth getting a proper medical diagnosis. There are a number of conditions which cause hypoglycemia, and it's worth knowing what you've got, as the treatment varies. eg there's a condition called insulinoma where there's a cyst growing on the pancreas which produces excess insulin, and surgery treats that. I would have thought that if you take your blood sugar readings and food diary to an endocrinologist, they would know what tests to do.

Good luck.

 

[Dom1980]

https://www.dietdoctor.com/ is worth a read as an introduction.

Thanks

 

[Dom1980]

I'd argue that it's worth getting a proper medical diagnosis. There are a number of conditions which cause hypoglycemia, and it's worth knowing what you've got, as the treatment varies. eg there's a condition called insulinoma where there's a cyst growing on the pancreas which produces excess insulin, and surgery treats that. I would have thought that if you take your blood sugar readings and food diary to an endocrinologist, they would know what tests to do.

Good luck.

Thank you am raising this with the doctor tomorrow hopefully

 

[Lamont D]

I'd argue that it's worth getting a proper medical diagnosis. There are a number of conditions which cause hypoglycemia, and it's worth knowing what you've got, as the treatment varies. eg there's a condition called insulinoma where there's a cyst growing on the pancreas which produces excess insulin, and surgery treats that. I would have thought that if you take your blood sugar readings and food diary to an endocrinologist, they would know what tests to do.

Good luck.

Hi @EllieM,
I totally agree with getting the tests, until you have the fasting test, supervised in hospital, the tests are very similar, starting with Hba1c, blood panel, c-peptide and GAD,. Then glucose tolerance, extended glucose tolerance test, mixed meal, allergy tests, because of the number of tests, a food diary would show that any episodes of Hypoglycaemia will show up in the results or not!
After the fasting test, they would diverge away, to look at other causes or pancreatic conditions such as insulinoma.Only if you do not hypo on a fasting test, will Hypoglycaemia be diagnosed, of course other conditions can impact on diagnosis!