Urgent advice needed.

[HelenBW]

Oh dear!

The hypos went away yesterday afternoon, other than being a bit headachey I was fine all evening and night.

Now it's started up again. I feel really scared, my face is burning hot, my body is shaking and I feel panicky again.

I got up at 7am and to make sure my BG did not drop I immediately had a slice of ham and about an ounce of cheese slices, and a cup of milk.

Then I backed this up at 11am with an early lunch of prawns in full fat mayonnaise and a dash of lemon juice on a bed of shop-bought bagged salad.

Then about 12 noon all the horrible hypo symptoms hit me again and now I am dying to slug down a load of sugar to get back up, but taking advice from here yesterday apparent I must not.

What can I do now? I am finding this unbearable and going out of my mind with it.

Why have I crashed when I did exactly what I am supposed to - protein, fat, veg, no sugars and I even did not have caffeine.

 

[Rokaab]

Then about 12 noon all the horrible hypo symptoms hit me again and now I am dying to slug down a load of sugar to get back up, but taking advice from here yesterday apparent I must not.

What are your blood sugars actually at?

 

[Brunneria]

Get thee to a doctor.

seriously. You may well have stuff going on that is not at all blood glucose related, in which case your doc needs to identify what IS going on.
It would be a good idea (as discussed above) if you were testing your blood glucose when you get these symptoms so that you actually know if you are experiencing a hypo or not.
No need to get a meter from your doc.
You can go into almost all pharmacies and buy them over the counter (but the test strips may be expensive to repeat purchase),
Or you can buy cheap to run meters and strips over the internet (the Codefree and the Tee2 are popular amongst members here).

 

[HelenBW]

I'm really scared now, that you think I need a doctor. Could I just be coming down with a cold, Brummeria? I'm really so very scared.

 

[Rokaab]

Looking back at posts in the thread:

You were diagnosed by a naturopath (I don't even know what that is)

I can't quite recall but she made me lay on a couch and she did various muscle./allergy tests and asked loads of questions. It was a lifetime ago. But what I do remember was that I'd had a set of symptoms for 17 years by then and no doctor had ever suggested blood glucose problems.

No, my symptoms match exactly all the descriptions of plummeting blood glucose. Plus drinking something sugary (usually) makes it all disappear within 10-15 minutes.

Allergy tests and lying on a sofa answering questions cannot diagnose RH or diabetes, or any kind of glucose dysregulation
You have no blood glucose results to back up the RH hypothesis, that is the only thing that can back up whether it is RH or not.
You felt hypo at 6.9 - thats not RH.

So it your symptoms could be something else entirely and not related to hypos at all, your symptoms need investigating to find out what it actually is - this why @Brunneria said to go to the docs. If it's not RH then there may be other things you can do to help.

 

[HelenBW]

Rokaab. I did also describe my symptoms to her, symptoms that I had describe to one doctor after another over a period of 17 years 1983-2000. I'd had the same doc here for 8 years. They all failed to find any solution. She the naturopath suggested RH and when I went home and googled the symptoms, they fitted exactly. When I stopped eating sugar (on her suggestion) the hypos stopped. From having 8 to 10 a day for a year they stopped completely. About 3 or 4 times a year for the next 20 yrs I get the same symptoms, and a glass of sugary drink puts me right. That seems to be proof that I have RH.

I went back to my GP and told her and she said she had never heard of RH. There were five other GPs at the practice and in time I told them all. Some said it was imaginary, non diabetics dont get hypos.So I never bothered them again. I didn't need to, just for 3 or 4 hypos a year that are instantly put right by a glass of orange.

I guess the fact that docs could not put me right in 17 years made me lose any faith in them being able to sort out anything to do with these hypos.

 

[NicoleC1971]

Rokaab. I did also describe my symptoms to her, symptoms that I had describe to one doctor after another over a period of 17 years 1983-2000. I'd had the same doc here for 8 years. They all failed to find any solution. She the naturopath suggested RH and when I went home and googled the symptoms, they fitted exactly. When I stopped eating sugar (on her suggestion) the hypos stopped. From having 8 to 10 a day for a year they stopped completely. About 3 or 4 times a year for the next 20 yrs I get the same symptoms, and a glass of sugary drink puts me right. That seems to be proof that I have RH.

I went back to my GP and told her and she said she had never heard of RH. There were five other GPs at the practice and in time I told them all. Some said it was imaginary, non diabetics dont get hypos.So I never bothered them again. I didn't need to, just for 3 or 4 hypos a year that are instantly put right by a glass of orange.
HelenBW just wondered if you ever got to see an endocrinologist or diabetologist or even asked to see one? I can understand you will have been totally put off by your GPs telling you it was all in your head but wondered if that was an option?

I guess the fact that docs could not put me right in 17 years made me lose any faith in them being able to sort out anything to do with these hypos.

Helen

 

[HelenBW]

Just phoned the doc and the receptionist said the are closed and not seeing anyone. They are moving premises. A GP phoned me back and said they would not see me anyway because of the corona. She said my hot head could be coronavirus and I must get a test. None of the doctors will see me. She said to phone 119 and get a coronavirus test.

I am now 100% petrified out of my mind with panic.

 

[Rokaab]

Most doctors I think aren't actually doing face to face visits unless absolutely necessary at the moment due to covid, but the vast majority are doing phone consultations (I know mine definiitely are)
Do get a Covid test sent because then presuming it comes back negative you can talk to the docs again and saying it was negative and its definitely not that, and given the docs told you to get a test they'll probably not do much (apart from tell you to self-isolate) until you get one done, It is of course possible you have picked up a bug of some kind which is making you a lot worse than normal (could be anything, but until they rule covid out they wont do any tests for anything)

 

[Brunneria]

Helen,

deep breaths, there is really nothing to panic about.

We’ve all been suggesting that you get properly checked out by a doc since the third post in this thread.

Now you have been told to by a doc, you can organise a coronavirus test. If you have Covid, most ppl get it very mildly. It really isn’t the death sentence that some very silly media sources seem to suggest. if you have covid, then that is a simple explanation as to why you are feeling off.

In the meantime, I strongly suggest that you get yourself a blood glucose meter and start testing when you have these symptoms.

your experience of dismissive disinterested doctors and the blank ignorance about the existence of RH mirrors mine.
That is why I have little faith in their competence around all things RH.

However, times have changed. RH is better understand now, and some docs may have actually heard of it by now.

And even if they haven’t, then showing a doc a blood glucose meter with low readings will demonstrate that you have blood glucose dysregulation (cue doc sending you for further tests), OR it will show that you don’t have low readings (cue further tests and investigations for why you are feeling so rough).

either way, it is one step further to finding out what is going on.

since you have been told to get tested for covid, You need to isolate and stay home, as per govt instructions until the covid query is resolved. So you can order a meter over the internet. That will probably arrive before you have your covid test, so it won’t be a long wait.

 

[Lamont D]

I was going to the doctors regularly for over twelve years, trying to explain what was going on, I had no reference other than being misdiagnosed T2.
It wasn't until I had a hypoglycaemic episode in front of my latest GP. I got the same answer as you. Type T2s do not get hypos because you are not on meds to do that, they tested again and it was in the twos......
I didn't have a clue, the surgery doctors didn't have a clue, so after all that time, I got a referral to a specialist endocrinologist who did diagnose RH after quite a lot of tests.
But saying that, my first specialist in 2005, didn't have a clue either, so I was lucky to get the specialist who recognised the symptoms.

The bottom line is your guessing that the symptoms fit because the symptoms are similar. There are many other types of metabolic conditions as well as Hypoglycaemia, to really know what is happening, you need the tests.
And until you convince a doctor to refer you, by testing yourself and getting that covid test, you will have that doubt about what is going on.

The only discrepancy about your list of food is the milk.
Milk especially those with reduced fat, are carb laden, could it have been this that made you crash.
If you want to, when I get a hypo or feeling off, just one plain biscuit will nudge your blood sugar levels up a little. If that doesn't help, eat a low carb small meal.
If only you knew how low you are going, it would be easier to advise you.

Keep safe

 

[HelenBW]

Thanks for further replies.

I don't have covid. The world is in a covid frenzy and acting like there are no other illnesses or ailments. What remaining small amount of trust I had in my GP has now completely evaporated and I am even more disinclined to go anywhere near a doctor again.

I told her I had a hot head, she tells me over the phone, you have covid. Three hours later I am right as rain, and the next day out and about - nothing at all wrong with me. What a terrible derogation of duty! I can have my ears pierced, see a dentist, get a tattoo, have a massage and even have my eyes tested and yet my entire GP surgery is close and refusing to see anyone.

Anyway, I seem to have had a short-lived virus type thing, which maybe attacked my pancreas.

Hey Lamont thank you for your input. I only drink full fat milk and gold top when I can get it. Usually only in tea but have the occasional warm milk before bed. I never eat biscuits or indeed anything made of any grain whatsoever, whether wheat, rye, rice, corn, etc. All those things have a deeply detrimental affect on my health.

Just been eating mainly meat and a bit of veg for the last 2 days and feeling good on it.

Many thanks all.

 

[DCUKMod]

Thanks for further replies.

I don't have covid. The world is in a covid frenzy and acting like there are no other illnesses or ailments. What remaining small amount of trust I had in my GP has now completely evaporated and I am even more disinclined to go anywhere near a doctor again.

I told her I had a hot head, she tells me over the phone, you have covid. Three hours later I am right as rain, and the next day out and about - nothing at all wrong with me. What a terrible derogation of duty! I can have my ears pierced, see a dentist, get a tattoo, have a massage and even have my eyes tested and yet my entire GP surgery is close and refusing to see anyone.

Anyway, I seem to have had a short-lived virus type thing, which maybe attacked my pancreas.

Hey Lamont thank you for your input. I only drink full fat milk and gold top when I can get it. Usually only in tea but have the occasional warm milk before bed. I never eat biscuits or indeed anything made of any grain whatsoever, whether wheat, rye, rice, corn, etc. All those things have a deeply detrimental affect on my health.

Just been eating mainly meat and a bit of veg for the last 2 days and feeling good on it.

Many thanks all.

Hele, whilst frustrating that your GP is physically closed, to move location, in UK we must not forget we are incredibly fortunate to have NHS 111 and 999 at our disposal, for urgent issues.

To be perfectly candid, unless you are testing, nobody will have much of a clue what's going on, and any first encounter would be to do some bloods maybe, and talk about your symptoms. To begin to properly understand what's going on, you do need to self-test at home.

Your earlier objection to that was that these symptoms are very infrequent, so you could be testing when nothing is going on. The last few days, whilst you have been posting here perhaps suggest that really isn't the case. Today, for example, having testing kit around, you would have gathered valuable data which could help shorten your route to a diagnosis - whatever it is.

You need to make an appointment with your doctor, when he/she will see you. If you need to have a COVID test to clear that pathway, it's a pain, but it could be that's what you have to do.

Your symptoms could be something or nothing, but something is impacting your life

In the meantime, have you tried using any form of mindfulness apps or processes to help settle your mind, because it seems like when things start to feel a bit wonky, you move into deeply distressed mode extremely quickly.

I'm not saying your concern is inappropriate, I'm must thinking that panic/adrenalin/cortisol rushes won't be helping how you feel generally.

Nobody here can diagnose you, so your route to better understanding of your condition, really does start with your GP.