I Called The Dr. About Possible Sugar

[Darlene]

Yesterday afternoon I had a bowl of life cereal.. then around 5 or 6pm I felt really nervous.. it's been happening to me for years.. my hands shake.. my heart races.. I feel funny.. I was diagnosed with POTS, so now when it happens I just assume it's my POTS.. because POTS affects your nervous system, right? But something made me check my sugar(bought a glucose monitor because I have always suspected low blood sugar).. it was 67.. so I drunk some milk with 1 teaspoon of strawberry nesquick.. I still felt nervous.. so then I ate one of them little plastic cups of pears.. then I was ok.. I checked my sugar again, and it was 109..

Any way I called the Dr.'s office today.. I said I want to make an appointment.. she said are you sick.. so I told her what I told you above.. so, she transfers me to a nurse.. I had to explain the same story again to her.. I told her I came their before about it.. I fasted all night and had blood drawn in the morning, but it came back normal.. . she said 67 was ok.. I said I knew I shouldn't have called you guys.. she put me on hold.. I hung up.. I don't know why I go there.. When I tell them something is wrong with me.. they don't help me..

Should I have not ate anything to see how low it would go? Would they have helped me then if the reading was lower?

So, for those of you that have low blood sugar? Is 67 low or not? And if I don't have low blood sugar, why is it when that nervousness strikes, and I eat something, it goes away.

Hows the Dr.'s don't listen to me. You know when I first when to them with my POTS symptoms, the Dr. said "I am going to send you to the hospital to get a holter monitor, and if that turns out normal maybe you need to see a psychologist". Why would he say something like that? I was sick physically, not mentally. The holter monitor reading came back abnormal, and he sent me to a cardiologist, and I asked him why he said something like that. He apoligized.

[EarthMother]

Sorry you didn't get the answers you needed at the office. You are going through what I'd like to call a FAD. Find Another Doctor!!! situation.

I high tail it out of there anytime a medical specialist suggests my physical symptom is psychological. I see a therapist, and I let them know that (in some cases) and I assure them I am handling my mental symptoms (which are a result of my physical issues) with a specialist in that area. But that I need these physical issues addressed.

You have some physical issues that need to be addressed. You may need a Doctor to help you out with your blood sugar questions. Or you may be able to find answers iin books/web and see positive results with some minor changes in diet. But regardless, finding a primary care phycian who respects the wisdom of your body and your own intuition would be a big help on your healing journey.

BTW I once called my Doctor's medical group with a blood sugar reading of 54! And the nurse on call wasn't alarmed. It's all based on how you are FEELING rather than the numbers per se. (54 is low in anyone's book -- but for some it means drink some milk, for others call the paramedics. There are no hard and fast rules.)

Having a glucose tolerance test, with insulin levels checked, is probably warranted if you are concerned.

Good luck finding the answers you seek.

[MomtoGiuliana]

It seems a lot of us have issues with blood sugar and symptoms. My autonomic dysfunction specialist told me that POTS mimics hypoglycemia -- similar to the way it mimics heart disease I suppose. I don't know exactly what he meant by that, but I do know that when I was pregnant and postpartum I would get sometimes fairly dramatic hypoglycemic symptoms, yet nothing was usual at the times blood was drawn. One doctor suggested that it may be a quick shift in blood sugar that triggers my POTS symptoms. I found that completely eliminating sugar/white bread and increasing protein intake and eating smaller, more frequent meals helped. It's all still a bit mysterious to me. I don't have these reactions anymore at all, for whatever reason. Even if I have a POTS relapse.

[EarthMother]

One doctor suggested that it may be a quick shift in blood sugar that triggers my POTS symptoms.

And this is what I am finding as well. It's not so much what the value is, but the drop that may have proceeded it. In most cases this goes completely unknown. But this summer, when I was very ill and taking my blood sugar like a certified hypochondriac ... I noticed on more than one occasion that when I would get a terrible spell (extreme dizzyness, feeling of pressure dropping out from under me, shakyness etc.) my blood sugar had dropped 30 points or more in a matter of 15 minutes. So for example, I had a meal and my blood sugar went up to 120 or so and then I went to take a shower (stupid, I know ... NOW) and within 15 minutes when I felt this huge flare come on, I took my blood sugar again and it was 70. It was this rapid drop (text book reactive hypoglycemia) that caused my symptoms.

And like Mom in the above post, for me it meant cutting out a lot of even natural carbs in my diet. At that time, I couldn't even eat half of a small potato with the skin ON without having a sugar bounce. I had to be careful even with brown rice. Now I am back to a much more "normal" whole grains diet. I can eat small portions of brown rice and baked potate without a problem. Still though, I avoid things like sweet fruits (bananas, whole oranges (I eat a few slices or up to half without a problem) and certainly nothing with concentrated sugar.

[MelissaCrystal]

I wanted to make sure you saw my post in your last thread:

http://dinet.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=11409

I'm pretty sure your blood sugar is not what is causing your bad POTS episode. You said you were having "brain-zaps" which is a sure-fire sign of drug withdrawal. I don't want you to keep suffering or wasting time looking for another problem if it is indeed withdrawal from your Lexapro. Brain-zaps don't happen with any other problem than drug withdrawal. Are you changing your doses with your SSRI? I've been keeping track of most of your posts just because we seemed so similiar, and you had said in one of them that you try to go off Lexapro often and your nervous system crashes because of it. It's not your nervous system crashing, it's your body withdrawing.

I went through the same exact thing as you so I wanted to make sure you feel better soon. Drug withdrawal makes you feel like you're dying, and it's worse with POTS. I also thought my blood sugar was doing weird things when I was withdrawing from Paxil. It seemed really low at times, and I also called my doctors. They were all stumped and frustrated with me. Turns out it was my meds, and once I properly tapered off them, I felt worlds better.

[Darlene]

Melissareid,

Yes, I know you can get these brain zaps when withdrawing from ssri's, but i haven't withdrawn from my lexapro, I have tried in the past, but that's not what i am doing now, that's why I don't understand why I get these brain zaps sometimes.

Maybe I don't have sugar, but if a normal reading is 70-100, hows come my reading has been below 70 and above 100 at times. Why do I get jittery, and it goes away after eating. And why is my vision blurry at times.

Right now I have a fricken headache, I'm about sick of those.

[MelissaCrystal]

Very odd indeed...

The only other thing the internet says is that anxiety attacks have been known to cause brain zaps. Hmmm

Wikipedia says that some people taking Prozac in one study had an adverse brain-zap side-effect from taking the drug

A 2005 review of adverse event reporting showed that descriptions of "electric shocks" from patients on paroxetine had been reported more frequently than some other symptoms.[9]

You might be getting it from your meds, orrr...

Maybe pressure on a nerve?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraesthesia

It said that brain-zaps is often called paraesthesia of the brain by doctors. Brain-zaps can be caused by a special kind of headache too... Very vague.

Hope that helps. I really can't find anything from diabetics or sugar readings that can cause it though.

[MomtoGiuliana]

That "normal" range is under fasting conditions, just to clarify if needed...

As I think both EarthM and I were saying, you could have reactive hypoglycemia or some other sort of reaction to swings in blood sugar--many of us with POTS seem to have POTS-y reactions to bodily functions or chemistry changes that would not cause symptoms in someone without POTS.

I know how awful it is--I went through a tough time with similar symptoms. See if cutting out sugar and eating smaller more frequent meals higher in protein/good fats helps. This did help me. I know others with POTS also find this helpful.

Here's a list of foods per glycemic index. Eating foods with lower glycemic index delivers glucose more slowly to your bloodstream, so may be helpful to moderate swings in blood sugar. This is considered a healthier way to eat whether you have a medical condition or not.

from

http://www.glycemic-index-impact-diet.com/...emic-foods.html

LOW GLYCEMIC INDEX FOODS

(choose most often)

Skim milk

Plain Yogurt

Soy beverage

Apple/plum/orange

Sweet potato

Oat bran bread

Oatmeal (slow cook oats)

All-Bran?

Converted or Parboiled rice

Pumpernickel bread

Al dente (firm) pasta

Lentils/kidney/baked beans

Chick peas

MEDIUM GLYCEMIC INDEX FOODS

(choose more often)

Banana

Pineapple

Raisins

New potatoes

Popcorn

Split pea or green pea soup

Brown rice

Couscous

Basmati rice

Shredded wheat cereal

Whole wheat bread

Rye bread

HIGH GLYCEMIC INDEX FOODS

(choose less often)

Watermelon

Dried dates

Instant mashed potatoes

Baked white potato

Parsnips

Rutabaga

Instant rice

Corn Flakes?

Rice Krispies?

Cheerios?

Bagel, white

Soda crackers

Jellybeans

French fries

Ice cream

cookies

Table sugar (sucrose)

[Maxine]

NorthernDarlene,

I remember you saying you had some brain lesions, and you were going to get checked out for MS. I know in the area where you live the neurologists aren't willing to look outside the box.

When you have certain neurological conditions it can cause certain changes in your body, and it's possible your glucose levels would be affected secondary to somethng else. I still don't think your getting the proper medical workup.

As far as weight gain goes, this is something that can be caused by a combination of things-----i.e.------> SSRIs, hormone changes, and other medical conditions---------->including a pituitary problem, which can create a variety of hormone problems ect.

You need a doctor who has his rear in gear. You need to be taken seriously, and get answers because something isn't right.

Maybe you can try the Cleveland Clinic, or University of Mich.

I hope you find the help you need for your "physical" problems.

HUGS,

Maxine :0)

[MomtoGiuliana]

Sorry, I wan't aware of your history, etc. Definitely, if all other conditions besides POTS have not been ruled out, and you have some questionable results that have not been adequately explained by a specialist, you need to pursue this with your doctors or find a doctor who will do this.

[juliegee]

Northerndarlene-

It sounds like you've got a few things going on (don't we all???), BUT I think you were reacting to a drop in your blood sugar. 67 is beginning to get low. And, if your value was considerably higher and it dropped quickly, it totally explains your symptoms.

Even though 70-100 is normal, most folks go over 100 and below 70 in a typical day. How quickly you cycle and how high and how low you go (and how you feel during the swings) really indicates the severity of your problem.

I recently went through an awful period of reactive hypoclycemia. I had to change my diet very dramatically, AND I found it really helpful.

I cut out all alcohol, caffeine, and sweeteners (except stevia), anything white (rice, potatoes, bread, pasta, even corn.) No fruit. I focused on good lean protein, whole grains, and vegs. It's hard, but it works. I followed that strict diet for 6 months or so and things gradually improved. I'm nopw adding a scoop of caffeine to my decaffeniated coffee and occasionally enjoying a small glass of wine. I'm careful to eat 5 or 6 small meals a day especially if I've been bad- anything sweet, etc. Remember each swing up is followed by a low and that's when your symptoms start. Life cereal, strawberry Nesquick, and pears are all sugar. The milk part is good, but not the rest.

Very few doctors understand reactive hypoglycemia. Consider joining a group online to learn more.

All the best-

Julie

[jump]

I am so sorry you're having such a hard time with this!!

I wonder though, perhaps the key here, with the doctors, might be to focus more on your symptoms. If you often feel nervous and shaky and this feeling is often off-set by eating, then that perhaps gives them more information than isolated BG readings. It sounds like they're not listening to your numbers, so maybe try to really emphasize how you FEEL. As others have pointed out, low blood sugar and hypoglycemia are as much about symptoms as about any kind of objective science. As I mentioned, I myself am frequently "hypoglycemic" by the numbers, but I have no symptoms and no adverse physical reactions so it isn't something my doctors treat. I would imagine that the reverse would also be true -- that if your numbers are borderline normal but you FEEL very unwell, then it's a sign that it's a problem and needs to be treated, you know? Everyone's body is a little different, and many people with dysaut are much more sensitive than the regular population. Perhaps your doctors would listen better if you gave them a record of your symptoms?

In the meantime, it sounds like you've started to find things that help --- keep up what you already know works! If you know you feel better when you eat, don't let yourself go a long time between meals. Perhaps try one of the hypoglycemic-friendly diets others have suggested. If it helps, that's a good thing, even though it's frustrating not to have an actual diagnosis. One thing I've learned with dysaut is that the docs may not ever be able to give me clear answers, and while I hate that intellectually, I also have to learn that the important thing is learning ways to manage it. If I know doing X or taking Y medication helps me, but I don't really know WHY it helps, well... at least it helps!!! You already know eating helps... maybe the thing to do is to try and narrow it down (do certain foods make you feel better than others? etc) and focus on the management side of things, even if the doctors aren't giving you any good answers. You know your body better than anyone and certainly better than the doctors; you don't have to wait for their approval to try and make yourself feel better, especially when it's something like tinkering around with when you eat.

[yogini]

I don't know too much about the blood sugar issue, but I wonder if your numbers weren't far enough away from the "normal zone" for the doctor to be concerned. Another thing that you may want to look into is reactive hypoglycemia, which isn't unusual for people with POTS.

I didn't read your post about brain zaps, but I have them. I got them a couple of times right when I started Paxil (SSRI), and have had them once or twice since even though I haven't done anything with my dose. I never looked into it, b/c I feel OK otherwise. I just assumed they were a side effect of Paxil since I never had them before.