LindaJoy Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 Hi, everyone,Whenever I have a medical question that no one else seems to have an answer to, I come to all of you. I wonder if any of you have ever heard of this?I'm having severe problems with my blood glucose level controls right now. I'm severely glucose intolerant (CC endo said I'm the worse case he's ever seen--I don't feel special). I've been plummeting around 10:00 am each morning, two hours after eating and at the end of my hydrocortisone that I take at six (it's supposed to last four hours, peaking after two).I went down to 59 Friday and went into major symptoms, nearly passing out, leaving me exhausted the rest of the day. Just a bit ago, before supper (I eat six small meals a day, balancing carb, fat and protein and usually do well until lately), my sugar was 157. I ate my meal, and within an hour, my sugar had DROPPED to 105. I just took it again, two hours after eating, and it's down to 83. I read on some site that this sounds like an insulin surge right after eating, which makes sense to me, except that I've had several glucose studies over the past few years, and in each study, it was found that my glucose level goes well into the low 200's before my insulin kicks in (after about 3 hours or so), then does so in huge amounts since the glucose is so high, plummeting my sugar into the 40's. My one test two years ago showed that my glucose (lab result) was less than 2. No kidding.Has anyone heard of blood sugar dropping after a meal, not rising, and what the cause could be? Everything I've found on reputable internet sites all say that blood sugar only goes up after a meal. Well, mine doesn't sometimes, and I think it's just part of this glucose intolerance problem I'm having--a clue to maybe what's going on, that I'm hoping you all can help me figure out.Thanks. I hope this finds you all doing well today.Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TypewriterGirl Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 I think it's called reactive hypoglycemia. I've been tested for it before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janey Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 Is it something to do with blood pooling in the abdomen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delphicdragon Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 I think you probably have reactive hypoglycemia, especially since yours takes about 2 hours to drop. I think you need to see your doctor and get your blood sugars stabilized. Perhaps you need an additional med to help moderate this.Mine takes only about 30 mins (sometimes less) to drop into hypoglycemia, then it slowly goes up and stabilizes. It basically does this...30 min == 60 <-- hypoglycemia60 min == 702 hr == 803 hr == 834 hr == 83 I eat every 60-90 mins. This way my stomach is never really empty and I'm never really hungry. No one's figured my blood sugar out yet, and this eating schedule works out pretty well. Sara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dizzygirl Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 yea i was going to say reactive hypoglycemia as well......good luck to you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaJoy Posted January 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 I guess my fear with this is, it's dropping and not going back up without eating, and the symptoms are getting pretty bad--nearly passing out this last time. I'm eating every two to three hours. Does anyone know the cause of their's?Thanks.Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broken_Shell Posted January 19, 2010 Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 Linda,I have very extreme reactive hypoglycemia. My sugar drops into the 40's and 50's when I eat. I have seen several endocrinologists with no explanation other than that it is somehow related to dysautonomia. I also have very rapid drops (down from 90's to 60's in less than 10 minutes), I am very symptomatic with only neuroglycopenic symptoms - not usual adrenergic ones, and the rate and timing of the drops varies from day to day even though I eat the same diet. I eat 6-8 times a day. I have been found to have rapid stomach emptying, and the drops can be somewhat correlated with bowel movements. I am sorry that I have too much arm pain to type more, but I haven't seen many blood sugar posts on the forum, so I was interested to read what you experience. Do you have a glucose meter? Do you eat small meals and avoid simple sugars? Have you seen an endocrinologist? I hope you find a better answer and solution than I have. ~ Broken_Shell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaJoy Posted January 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 Hi, Broken_Shell,I'm so sorry you have this terrible condition. I'm even sorrier you have found no explanation for it. It's interesting, though, that you mention bowel movements in connection with the drops because, when I went into this episode last Friday, it happened after a bowel movement, and I believe the one the week before did, as well. I'm not so certain about that one, but I know the one on Friday did. Do you know why that would be? Is that connected to your gastric emptying disorder for you?Yes, I have a glucose meter. I eat every three hours and never have simple sugars. I try to balance my carbs with fat and protein. I've eaten the same way for the past year, and for seven months (after my Secondary Addison's diagnosis) I did well, then all of a sudden, my body went haywire and won't control its sugars. I've seen more endos than I like to admit, over the years since I became sick, trying to find out what's going on with me. I have a history of a pitutary tumor, with many out of whack hormones, symptoms and developing conditions associated with pituitary dysfunction (Secondary Addison's, severe glucose intolerance). My home town endo likes to think he knows more about stuff than I think he actually does, and the other endos I've seen have not been helpful.Today, I'm getting a needle inserted into my abdomen that is attached to a monitor and, for three days, will record my blood sugars every five minutes. I guess this helps them to see how food, exercise, medications and insulin all affect me.I do hope you find some help soon. What testing have you had done?Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gertie Posted January 19, 2010 Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 My blood sugar drops fast & I have passed out several times. Sometimes after I eat my gucose levels do not go up. I feel mine is related to adrenals. The thing that worries me most is what will happen to us when we have a virus & can't eat. If I can't eat every 2 or 3 hours I'm on the floor. Ihope you find out what your problem is & get help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaJoy Posted January 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 I understand your fear, Alicia. I'm right there with you. Before I have diarrhea with this, my guts will start feeling anxious, like a thousand tiny insects flapping away in there. My heart may start to go into tach with PVC's, then I'll start to just plain feel "not good." Then the diarrhea. After that it seems like everything comes at once. I had another incident this morning. Nurse gave me my HC steroid in my IV, tested sugar (it was fine at 113), then just monitored. I was exhausted afterwards and still haven't recovered.I think mine is adrenal related, too, from a pituitary issue, but again, what do I know? Not much anymore, I think.My endo is sending me home for out-patient testing. Makes me mad that I've sat here since Friday with nothing being done, now all tests will be out-patient and I'm still having terrible episodes. Heck, I should have been sent home right away, then. What a waste of time, money and still no answers or even tests to start to find answers. My insurance is going to love this.Thanks, everyone. I hope you all get answers and get better really soon. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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