futurehope Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 My physician had asked for a 2 hr GTT. I know you are really supposed to have a 5 hr GTT to diagnose this.For those who were diagnosed with reactive hypoglycemia, did you see anything at the 2 hour mark? I noticed that my blood sugar went down at the one hour mark and went slightly up at the two hour mark. I did not have any of the usual "low blood sugar" symptoms of dizziness, shakiness, or sweating. But I was very sleepy.I did tell my gastro about the 2 hr GTT that I had and that I didn't have the symptoms. I then reminded him that when my blood sugar was deliberately brought way down during an insulin tolerance test, my ONLY symptom was difficulty in thinking.Conclusion: As far as I'm concerned, the usual low blood sugar symptoms do not happen to me.I'm trying to decide whether to ask for the 5 hr GTT. The doctor almost asked for it, but then decided that my symptoms do not fit. POTS has affected my adrenals ability to react, so I may need the 5 hr test to see what's going on. I want to see if anything is seen at the two hour mark, since I have had that test already. Does anybody with reactive glycemia have their test results handy to see what happened at the two hour mark? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliegee Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 You really need the 5 hour to DX reactive hypoclycemia. After I drank the sugary drink, my BS went to 140, then dropped a bit at one hour (135), a bit more at 2 hours (120); but crashed to 55 at the 3-4 hour mark. I was having trouble breathing, sweating, shaking, so they tested me every 15 mins. until it started to rise to 60. The endo was looking for that rise- indicating things are working as they should be??? The test was then concluded and I was able to eat. What a waste of your time to only undergo the 2 hour- esp. if you're having low BS symptoms! I'm sorry.Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurehope Posted February 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 Thanks for your answer. At the one hour mark I went down a bit from baseline (which I thought was odd). At the 2 hour mark I went up a bit from baseline but only in the 90's, I think. My symptom was drowsiness.On a normal day I can get very weak and drowsy, like I need to sleep now. It may turn out that I have what they call a "flat curve". On the internet, people with this curve lead a boring and monotonous life and may be hypothyroid.Being as your test made you ill, were you in a setting where you could recline or be taken care of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliegee Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 Iwonder if we were even given the same amont of sugary drink.... Might be different for the 2 hr. vs. the 5 hr. I brought my husband with me. Whenever I got really bad, he went out in the hallway: "We've got a fainter in room 2!" or "We're losing her again." Each time he called out, the nurse came in and re-checked my BS, even if it wasn't time. When I couldn't breathe, the endo came in and stayed with me until my BS rose a bit. I had a life saver candy in my pocket to use if I couldn't get immediate help AND I brought whole wheat crackers with peanut better for after. I also have mast cell activation disorder, so my benadryl and epi-pen were also handy. The 5 hr. was pretty scary. If you think you have low BS, ask for the 5 hr. Do you have to eat often to remain stable? Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurehope Posted February 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 Do you have to eat often to remain stable?Well, since I feel like I have excessive hunger, yes. My only possible sugar symptoms (from the rapid change in blood sugar) is drowsiness and extreme weakness and inability to think. That's it. I'm determined to figure out why after 1 hour my blood sugar went from 84 to 78?! At the 2 hour mark I was only at 94, which was 10 higher than baseline.My two hour results are flat and weird, if you ask me, but two of my physicians didn't care, the endo and the gastro. I don't have diabetes, so, case closed. Is there a doctor who specializes in this stuff, who cares enough to figure it out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 Sometimes I feel like i have reactive hypoglycemia but ive been thoroughly tested and found to be normal. I made the assumption that maybe I justr have an enhanced sensitivity to the adrenal response to blood sugar flucations because of POTS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarthMother Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 There are a whole slew of different types of reactive hypoglycemia -- some will show in 2 hours some in 3 or 4 or even 5. I went up to 195 at hour one and because it was scheduled for only 3 we never did see the big drop, but had we continued to hour 4 there is little doubt it would have gone below my starting numbers (low 70's) because it was crazy low all the time back then. Perhaps you can discuss with your Doc to schedule the 5 with the caveat that when you drop below baseline that you will stop there. ???Make sure you get insulin levels checked every hour and not just once at the beginning.Good luck getting the answers you want and the tests you need! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delphicdragon Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 I was told that I have this too, but my blood sugar never went higher than normal, if anything it remained within normal limits, besides the 1 hour time point that is. And no, I don't have insulin numbers to go with this finding, just glucose.Start: 781 hr: 60 <-- 2 hr: 803 hr: 844 hr: 82I think my body just couldn't handle that much sugar that fast. I don't drink soda at all. Futurehope, my numbers sound a lot like yours. I sometimes wonder if I'm just digesting the stuff really fast (I eat constantly anyway and get really crabby if I'm not fed on an regular basis, but I was like that even as an infant - my parents were told to feed me every 4 hours, needless to say I got fed every 2)Sara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurehope Posted February 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 I was told that I have this too, but my blood sugar never went higher than normal, if anything it remained within normal limits, besides the 1 hour time point that is. And no, I don't have insulin numbers to go with this finding, just glucose.Start: 781 hr: 60 <-- 2 hr: 803 hr: 844 hr: 82I think my body just couldn't handle that much sugar that fast. I don't drink soda at all. Futurehope, my numbers sound a lot like yours. I sometimes wonder if I'm just digesting the stuff really fast (I eat constantly anyway and get really crabby if I'm not fed on an regular basis, but I was like that even as an infant - my parents were told to feed me every 4 hours, needless to say I got fed every 2)SaraSara,Honestly, you sound like me. The internet says something stupid about having this "flat" curve. We lead boring, monotonous lives ?! And possibly have hypothyroidism. We're probably a bit low on the adrenal hormone too, what else? Nothing seems to work right.OMG, I was just like you in my infancy. My Mom said I had to eat frequently. My gastro, last week, suspected that I just have a "fast transit time" and therefore, I get hungry sooner. He suggested eating more fats and proteins.I'm telling you our numbers mean something, esp at the 1 hour mark - we go down??? I'm telling you we're strange. This entire POTS thing is strange, if you ask me.What kind of physician called for your tests, and did he say anything about your numbers?P.S. I never drink soda either and thought when I had to swallow that much sugar at once my body would go into shock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delphicdragon Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 Honestly, you sound like me. The internet says something stupid about having this "flat" curve. We lead boring, monotonous lives ?! And possibly have hypothyroidism. We're probably a bit low on the adrenal hormone too, what else? Nothing seems to work right.OMG, I was just like you in my infancy. My Mom said I had to eat frequently. My gastro, last week, suspected that I just have a "fast transit time" and therefore, I get hungry sooner. He suggested eating more fats and proteins.I'm telling you our numbers mean something, esp at the 1 hour mark - we go down??? I'm telling you we're strange. This entire POTS thing is strange, if you ask me.What kind of physician called for your tests, and did he say anything about your numbers?P.S. I never drink soda either and thought when I had to swallow that much sugar at once my body would go into shock.Well I don't think I lead a boring life. I'm studying for a PhD in Biomedical Sciences, I write science fiction, I love to go on hikes. Sure, I'm no adrenaline junkie (though I do have a desire to go sky diving) and am not the life of the party, but I think my life is pretty interesting right now. I saw an endocrinologist when I was diagnosed with this condition. He really didn't take me seriously, just said this happens to a lot of adolescent women and it was nothing to worry about. It's a false positive. This was confirmed by another endo -a false positive. My thyroid hormones have always been on the low side (which would make me hyperthyroid) but I have about half the symptoms of hypo and half the symptoms of hyper... Not sure what's going on there. As for adrenal hormones, I have a lowish morning cortisol level (8ish - normal 6-23) and low aldosterone (2 - normal 5-41) but my cortisol responds appropriately to ACTH stimulus, so according to the endos, I'm fine. I should take florinef for the low aldosterone, but I have trouble with those side effects.I firmly believe SOMETHING is going on but I have no idea what and I'm too busy right now to go through the process of having the tests repeated to see if the effects are the same.Sara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 Is there medication you can take for reactive hypoglycemia, or is it controlled by diet and exercise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurehope Posted February 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 Remove comment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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