sandymbme Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I started pulling together all of my medcal records because I have an appointment with a new headache specialist tomorrow. If you guys are like me, you try to pull the volumes of history into some sembalance of order before a new doctor visit. In going through my records, I noticed something troubling, to say the least. On at least two ocassions, my blood sugar was abnormally high. Like 206 and 177 high. These two ocassions were months apart. I have neve been tested for diabetes. So I do a quick search for diabetic autonomic failure and preceded to scare the @#$@! out of myself. The symptom list was mine, verbatim. I have an emergency appointment with my neurologist for later today because I suddenly have to urinate constantly. (This not so fun new symptom showed up a few days ago.) I already saw my pcp and ruled out uti or bladder infection. I have gone in the space of a few hours from thinking that I have a condition that is a major pain in the rear but at least had the possibility of improvement, to wondering if I may just have something that might kill me after all. I keep telling myself that I am getting all worked up over nothing and that I have had scary maybes before. If it weren't for the blood sugar results I could totally chalk this up to an overactive research tendency. After all, if you believe everything you read on the web about potential health issues you'd be convinced of some new horrible diagnosis every minute. The details of this are just cutting way too close to home.... I know I am over-reacting but I just needed to tell someone how terrified I am. Nobody who isn't going through serious illness can really understand just how scary it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannie32 Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I know that this is indeed freaking you out! It is not my intention to dismiss your fears ? but to perhaps allay them? When you say you have never been tested for diabetes ? I?m assuming you mean a glucose tolerance test. But, pretty much every time you have a blood test ? they test for glucose levels. I find it amazing that no one had been alerted to a blood sugar level of over 175 or 200 ? I don?t care if they were months apart! It is not a secret that incompetence is alive and living in the medical community. However my understanding of diabetic autonomic failure is that it typically occurs in Type1 Diabetics ? taking insulin for long period of time. This, in itself, might point to another - less serious - concern.It sounds as if you will be getting medical attention in the next day or so. I know it is easier said than done ? but I?d REALLY try to chill out until the matter is fully evaluated. You certainly don?t want additional stress to skew any symptoms... Please keep us posted...ps -- I'm praying for you.Jeannie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi Sandyshell,I'm sorry you're scared. I'm glad you can come here and voice your thoughts.Take a deep breath.... Don't freak out yet. Bring your concerns to your doctor and ask about the high blood sugar. He'll be able to order tests that can give a clearer picture of what is going on.Thinking of you,Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi,I would ask my doctor to have a glucose tolerance test. Also I would ask to get a glucometer to test myself at home to see if there are any times where my blood sugar is off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Definitely do not freak out. You need to be evaluated by a specialist. I am not a medical practitioner, but I think diabetic autonomic failure would only be found in people with long-standing diabetes and at that point you would know you have diabetes. Stress hormones can cause blood sugar to go high; I had some pretty high blood sugar readings (I remember one was about 160) when I was very sick with POTS. These were not fasting readings?which is important to note. Were your readings done after fasting? Below is from an article on POTS I can send you (noting that increased urinary output can be a POTS symptom). Send me a PM with your e-mail address if you would like me to send the full article.?Hyperadrenergic POTS patients often complainof extreme tremulousness, anxiety when upright,and cold sweaty extremities.22 Some patientsmay experience a significant increase in urinaryoutput after a short time upright.?I note you say you are seeing a headache specialist. Over 50% of people with hyperadrenergic POTS have true migraine headaches as well, according to the article. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxine Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I'm sorry you have this to worry about. I think some good advice was given here, and just wanted to offer my support.Please ask your doctor why these results were not mentioned to you. When my glucose levels went high I was given insulin---------some levels were around 260. The reason mine went high was due to high doses of IV steroids after cervical spine surgery. The levels went back to normal after the steroids were stopped. I'm told high doses steroids can increase glucose levels.Maxine :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia3 Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 My cortisol levels can be high after standing or sitting upright for an hour..as can my blood sugar. Once my sugar was 125 (not as high as yours but my ANS doc is an endocrinologist) I got a glucose meter from him to use at home...at eating and fasting my sugar was always normal...so mine was gravity induced rises.HOWEVER, a friend of mine who has adult onset insulin needed diabetes, also has IBS. After seeing a specialist for IBS and possible surgery, they ran blood work. His blood sugar was over 550 and nobody had checked or noticed this in previous doctor visists!!He is fine today and a fanatic about what he eats, walks and checks blood sugar two or three times a day. he is not over weight (thin) and never had diabetes before but it does run in his family. He is now 60.I say this because MANY THINGS get overlooked...His PCP idiot doc wanted him to have his colon taken out after several weeks worth of IBS...the second surgeon said he only removes colons after YEARS of horrible issues when medication and diet does not KEEP things under control..The second thought my friend needed more investigation and probably saved his life..or at least his colon!.For sure ask your doctor about this and many offices have monitors they can give you. Mine came with 10 needles (in one pen, does not hurt) and 10 little sticks to check the blood work.Good luck and keep us posted what you find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flop Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi Sandyshell,I can only imagine how frightened you are at the moment. Worrying about new symptoms often brings them to the front of your mind and makes them even more prominent. I think that you have already had some good advice from other members, try to wait until your appointment and then ask your doctor everything. I guess that the starting point will be to have a fasting glucose and glucose tolerance test before you know if diabetes is a possibility.thinking of you,Flop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandymbme Posted June 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Thanks for all the great support guys! I saw two docs today. A new headache specialist that said simply that was "outside of his specialty but I should have it checked out." Yeah, big help there! I also saw my regular neurologist who is ordering a bunch of blood work. She said the same as many of you, that I shouldn't get too worked up about the sugar levels in the hospital because IV fluids can throw them out of whack. She is sending me for some bloodwork in the morning, but said she suspected "neurogenic bladder". She said that people with dysautonomia often have these types of problems, and that unless it proved to be debilitating rather than irritating she wouldn't reccomend any meds to treat the frequent urination. She said a lot of them lower BP and since mine was 80/60 today sitting, she didn't want anything making it any lower.She did say that the 206 reading was a bit more troubling, because I was not in the hospital at that time, but it may again be related to the pots. She said that many of the symptoms of the pots were difficult to treat because the heart rate and bp can get thrown off by so many meds, and bp and heart rate are usually the primary concern. I don't think I am going to go back to the new specialist, he didn't rock my world. I think as I am in Ohio that I may try to get an appointment with Dr. Grubb. I think that I really need to understand what type of pots I have, and what is causing it. If for no other reason, so I don't give myself an aneurysm worrying about evry new symptom that pops up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megan Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 I just wanted to add that you are in my thoughts!Meg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.