Hypoglycemia AFTER eating

[Carebear]

I've been having what feels like hypoglycemia right after I've eaten, and in some cases while I'm still eating.  The meals are balanced and not overly high in carbohydrates.  Symptoms are classic - shaking, sweating, weakness, nausea.  And they can last for up to 4 hours.

This is confusing to me.  Could it be that my pancreas is over producing insulin during these instances?  I've had a fasting glucose test done recently and the results were normal.

As always, I appreciate your input.

[Gayle]

Can you take your glucose at the time it is happening? Maybe someone you know has a little machine or you can get one, fairly cheap.
good luck, that sounds miserable...
I have hypoglycemia and eat multiple small snacks/meals all day. Love my almonds when I can swallow them.

Gayle

[slccom]

I would think an endocrinologist might be in order. Definitely check your sugar levels after you eat and while you are feeling this way. Also your blood pressure. Then take that info to the endocrinologist, if you can find one that treats things other than diabetes.

Sharon

[volleymom]

Carebear,
Those symptoms sound exactly like a hypo event. I've dealt with many hypos and I know it is a very very scary feeling, and in some cases can be dangerous.  What makes the symptoms go away for you?

If you have an endo, I would expect that he/she could give you a meter at no cost.  I've had a couple of endos over the years and their offices are loaded with meters to give out.  Most come with at least a small vial of strips (10-25).  That would be enough for you to check at various times, particularly right before eating, and after the meal, as well as soon as you feel those symptoms.

Hang in there!  Good thoughts coming your way!

[anita]

I would go out and get an inexpensive meter from Walmart or CVS.  Then you can check it while it's happening.

[irish]

ARe you sure that this is related to your diabetes. It sounds like something called "dumping syndrome" that is related to eating and the stomach pushing food through so fast that it literally dumps into the small intestine very fast.

This in turn can cause a lot of the symptoms that you are describing. Also, I have diabetes and I have noted  (and discussed with docs) that sometimes when my blood sugar is high and starts to come down I will feel like I am having hypoglycemia but I am not.

It has to do with the fact that our body gets used to having higher blood sugars at times and when they go down from 160 or what ever number to 110 our body sends out an sos making it seem like we are worse off than we are.

I would get this assessed as soon as possible. Check with youor GI doc and see if you are getting too high a dose of your meds for gastroparesis. Pushing food through too fast is almost as bad, if not worse, than it going through too slow. Good luck. Irish

[Carebear]

Well, that settles it.  I'm picking up a glucose monitor today.  I'm sure my doctor is going to think I'm a hypochondriac because I am already monitoring my blood pressure at home.    

I feel frustrated that she isn't taking my symptoms seriously.  Maybe if I bring in some "evidence" to substantiate my symptoms she will act more quickly. 

Can the heat impact blood glucose?

[slccom]

Tight control of blood sugar levels (defined as keeping them down where "normal" people are) can have some significant negative effects. http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/blood-glucose-control/tight-diabetes-control.html

Also search "blood sugar control tight health" and add "mortality" and you'll see that it can actually increase mortality.

If you have hypoglycemia symptoms, particularly strong ones, going from 160 to 130, perhaps you should be staying at 160. (I realize that this is a hypothetical.)

I am providing this as information for discussion with your doctor. Not permission to get careless!
Sharon

[irish]

Some people do seem to get along better when their blood sugar is a little bit higher than what is recommended. Everyone is different so the only way to know is to talk with your doctor.

I would consider the fact that this may be from some other issue and not necessarily a blood sugar issue. Insurance will not pay for the strips or the meter unless there is a doctors order. FYI. The strips are bloody expensive. Good luck Irish

[Carebear]

Thanks Irish.  I highly suspect that this is due to my adrenal glands malfunctioning.  I am seeing my doctor every 3 or 4 weeks to keep on top of it, and hopefully she can refer me to an endocrinologist.

I was surprised to find out that my health insurance does cover the meter, lancets and strips without a doctor's prescription.  That was an bonus because I would have purchased them anyway.

And now I wait patiently for another "event" to see if it is my blood sugar...or something else.