mrsdavidson8605 Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 After talking with Sandy for a couple hours over the weekend, I am really interested in the correlation between dysautonamia and hypoglycemia. I'm another one who has had fasting glucose levels be fine. I am going to go to the doctor tomorrow and ask for a 3 hour glucose tolerance test WITH the insulin levels checked at each blood draw as well.. just wondering how many of you have had this test done and came back with abnormal results? How many are using the Metaforin and seeing success? (I know Sandy is!!) I'm just so discouraged about any other treatment i'm hoping that something comes up for me here. I was told by Dr. Grubb's PA to try another beta blocker today. I just can't put myself through that, since the last time I tried a beta blocker, my blood pressure was about 80/60... Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 When I first got POTS my doctor thought it was reactive hypoglycemia after hyperthyroidism was excluded. I had a gamet of tests - fasting glucose, 5 hour tolerance tests with insulin, etc. No luck and no sign of abnormalities. This was despite the fact that I seemed to be getting reactions to food (which i found out later was a sudden drop in blood pressure on eating).Hope you find something though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Hi,I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia at age 17 with a 7 hour fasting test and glucose tolerance test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sandy Sims Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Hi,I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia at age 17 with a 7 hour fasting test and glucose tolerance test.This is the thing--blood sugars can crash at different times--or surge. Some say the ONLY way to test for hypoglycemia to be completely sure is a 48 hour fast!!! YIKES!! Mine surges FAST after I eat --with insulin levels spike alongside it--luckily--cause this can be seen on testing--drops MUCH later than expected--but drop it does--with the resulting adrenal surge that goes with that. But each person IS different--the longer the test the better the odds are of catching yours.Also, docs have a tendency to ignore low numbers on sugar--as they do with blood pressure--tho they can make you feel AWFUL! They also ignore highs til they get REALLY high.This might be a test worth repeating--as this syndrome DOES tend to worsen over time. There is also a correlation between adrenal surge and blood sugar--such that if you ARE hper adreanal your blood sugar fluxuations WILL naturally get worse along with it--and blood pressure. Fact is--be it the cart first or the horse--you WILL have blood sugar "issues" with adrenal surge--there's no way around it. If you know you have one then you should be looking for and treating the other.I wish the best for you Karen--feel free to call if I may be of any help!! BTW--check the beta blocker and it's effect on blood sugar. Before taking these you should be tested to be SURE it won't make you worse!! If you've tried the drugs below and DID get worse, this may be why.Drug class Sympathetic activity Insulin resistance Diuretics Increased Worsened Beta-blockers Decreased Worsened Calcium antagonists Unchanged Unchanged ACE-Inhibitors Decreased Improved Angiotesine II receptor blockers Decreased Improved Central sympatholytics Decreased Improved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliegee Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Count me in. I've got both reactive and absolute hypoglycemia. I've done the GTT (without insulin levels.) I'm going to talk with my endo about all that Sandy has shared. By eating often and eating very carefully- no sugar....I'm doing much better. Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sandy Sims Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Count me in. I've got both reactive and absolute hypoglycemia. I've done the GTT (without insulin levels.) I'm going to talk with my endo about all that Sandy has shared. By eating often and eating very carefully- no sugar....I'm doing much better. JulieJulie I did this too--and it helps--but I was still getting symptoms at night (cause I can't eat frequently at night). Hypoglycemia causes low BP!!Metformin helped this--TONS!It works because I was pouring out TONS of insulin--not because I had none--like diabetics do. (tho eventually I'd have run out and then would've had diabetes)Metformin works on this. Really there is no other good drug that does--and this drug is not old--tho not really new new either. Used to be diet was all there was--which can't help lows at night. But now there's another way!!! Hope it helps you!!!XOXOXOXSandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliegee Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 I hope so too and I'm very appreciative of your help. I don't have low blood sugar at night. Morning are the worst for me I think because my cortisol is so high in the AM. On a bad day, I have to eat 3 breakfasts :-) Pretty pathetic. BTW, thought you might find this interesting. I, too, am losing weight since I've stabilized my blood sugar. I feel like Im eating more than ever, but the weight is falling off. Metabolically, things are changing....Hmmmm. Cross your fingers that my endo will be open to metaformin.Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Exact same situation as ramakentesh, except I don't get a drop in bp after eating, only an increased heart rate (only when my POTS symptoms flare). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarthMother Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 I am also reactive hypoglycimic or pre-diabetic as they called it in the hospital last June. But I was told by the attending endo that I could totally reverse this with diet. I believed her but admit that I lost faith in the months that followed when I saw no signs of improvement. However I am now about six months in to a hypoglycimic diet and finally I have level blood sugar all day and night. It's been weeks since I woke up in the 60's and now seem to be reliably around 85 upon rising.Can't say my POTS is much improved however, I am still spiking a pulse of 140 when I stand up and walk around. But since I physically couldn't stand up at all four months ago, this too might be a slower recovery than desired.I see my doctor Thursday for my normal followup (thyroid and hormone blood work etc.) to see if there is anything more I can be doing.Salubrious.~EM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsdavidson8605 Posted October 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Thanks for all the replies.. I went to the doc and he was very open to doing the test! yay! it's scheduled for tomorrow morning at 8am at the hospital. I will fast for 12 hours before. They are doing a 3 hour GTT with insulin being checked. They are going to check it every hour, should it be every half hour or does it really matter? I'm just glad he's actually doing the test!!! I hope I find an answer down this road.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarthMother Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 The reactive hypoglycemia may not show up until hours 4 or 5. Mine didn't show in hour three during the GTT ... but they saw the spike and knew of my other ultra low readings and put two and two together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sandy Sims Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Again, once the ONLY treatment for hypogycemia was diet--which helps--but is not a perfect cure.Now there's metformin--a drug designed specifically for pre-diabetes, reactive hypoglycemia, pick your name for it--having an overproduction of insulin.Metformin DOES work. For me it only took a very small dose to make a HUGE difference in my Dys symptoms!I take 500mg at night--to stop early morning lows--then 250 more mid morning to keep me stable during the day and that's it. I'm feeling SO MUCH BETTER!!! And just passed a tilt table!!Guys I have my life back now! And CAN get by on three meals a day!Please, consider trying this if you have these problems!It took me 3 days to work up my guts to try--yet again--another pill. I was REALLY afraid from so MANY bad experiences. But I look back now and see that EVERY ONE of those other drugs adversely affect blood sugar--so DUH--of course they made me sicker!!!But I'm SO GLAD DID THIS!Took the first dose with dinner--got a VERY tiny bit of queasy with the first dose--but was fine by the second dose--and have had no side effects since--even if I forget and take it on an empty tummy.The only other GI symptom I had was that my constipation/diarrhea cycles stopped.PM me if you want and I'll gladly give you my phone number and we can talk more if you want.The ONLY good thing that has come from my two years of soul sucking sickness with "autonomic dysfunctions" by all its many names is --maybe--I can help someone else who has this for the same reasons I did. NOT TO SAY THAT THIS IS THE REASON FOR EVERYONE. But that if you DO have blood sugar problems they WILL cause dys symptoms and immune system breakdown--and tons more!!!Kansas--if you have a meter just take it with you to the test and do your own testing at 30 minutes--if you get a bad reading tell them!!! But the more draws they do and the longer they do them---the better your odds are for finding this.Let us know how it goes.GOOD LUCK!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sandy Sims Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Also, a side note to kansas,Take a hard boiled egg and some all bran crackers with you to this test. Eat them after the last blood draw to help "turn off" your reaction to the sugar. Do not eat any more sugar for 24-48 after as you'll be more prone to get sick from it. Drink lots of water and eat lean protein and veggies for a couple of days and you'll do better.Fast for EVERYTHING other than water--for at least 12 hours prior to this test!!! Carb loading before starting the fasting spell also helps get good results.--sugars and starches--but don't over do it.Once you provolk a spike it will tend to want to come back--so ya gotta be real diet aware for a couple of days after this test til your body settles down. Maybe by then you'll have an RX for metformin and fee better anyway tho. <smiles> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsdavidson8605 Posted October 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2008 Thanks for all the replies. I had the test done yesterday (yuck) but it's over and i'm just praying that they find SOMETHING!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sandy Sims Posted October 30, 2008 Report Share Posted October 30, 2008 Thanks for all the replies. I had the test done yesterday (yuck) but it's over and i'm just praying that they find SOMETHING!!!!So are you feeling OK?The test will kinda make ya feel yucky.Hope it helps!BTW this is NOT a send off sort of test--so they probably have results by now. For sure I'd call and ask b4 the weekend.XOXOXOXOSandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsdavidson8605 Posted October 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2008 Thanks for all the replies. I had the test done yesterday (yuck) but it's over and i'm just praying that they find SOMETHING!!!!So are you feeling OK?The test will kinda make ya feel yucky.Hope it helps!BTW this is NOT a send off sort of test--so they probably have results by now. For sure I'd call and ask b4 the weekend.XOXOXOXOSandyI felt REALLY CRAPPY afterward yesterday until I got something to eat. My husband took me out for mexican food and I really over ate and didn't eat the rest of the day! i'm feeling okay today, not great but not too bad. I have called them twice today but nothing so far, which makes me think there might not be anything wrong but i don't know for sure. Just trying not to get too worked up about it!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarthMother Posted October 30, 2008 Report Share Posted October 30, 2008 Brava! Congratulations on having the test done. I know how hard it is especially for those of us with a chronic illness.Make sure they FAX or mail you the results so you can see the values for yourself. Too often, I have had someone tell me my results are "fine" or "normal" over the phone but then when I see the lab print out it can be a different story.~EM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sandy Sims Posted October 30, 2008 Report Share Posted October 30, 2008 <<<<Well the nurse just called and, sure enough, my glucose levels were fine but insulin was high!!!! my doc is starting me on Metforin twice a day!!!!! I know it sounds crazy to be so excited, but I just feel like maybe FINALLY after 2 years of searching, I may have found something to make me feel a little better. Thanks so much to Sandy who has been so faithful about sharing important information to all of us. GO GET THE GTT with INSULIN LEVELS TESTED!!! It migth be worth while!!! >>>Thank YOU for doing this! For fighting for the testing--then having the nerve to go thru it when you already feel awful. I KNow how hard this is to do!!But your results matched mine--near normal on the surface--but NOT normal at all when you look just one step deeper. This is the point I keep trying to make. Having normal glucose levels--or even normal fasting glucose and/or insulin levels does NOT mean you don't have VERY high insulin levels in response to food. And these high insulin levels can cause ALL the symptoms we tend to have.I just want everyone here could get well too. And if there's a chance for you--like there was for me--I want you to know about it.Good luck with your metformin. I hope it helps! FYI I DO feel that we dys folk have "something" that makes us respond so strongly to high insulin levels--and for so long. BUT if we can put an end to the cause maybe the symptoms WILL get better.Again congrats on your good news! It's 4 sure awesome to have a diagnosis that DOES have a cure!XOXOXOXOXSandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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