New onset Type II Diabetes and low blood sugars

[potsdo]

It’s been a while. For those who don’t know, I have POTS for almost 20 years. Now in my third major relapse which is complicated by new onset Type II diabetes. I’m trying to control it with diet. Exercise is out of the question right now due to the relapse. The issue is my blood sugar keeps tanking every 2 hours requiring constant glucose monitoring and eating almost every 1.5-2 hours. My endocrinologist has no real suggestions. Does anyone have any experience with this or perhaps a physician that does?

[Pistol]

Hi @docpots - I have HPOTS and NCS and in the first few years, when my symptoms were hardly controlled, I would have many hypoglycemia episodes. It would start feeling hungry and weak and had to lie down, then I would start to sweat profusely. If I did not eat I would become unconscious. I have been disabled for 8 years and am well controlled on meds, IV fluids at home and I am homebound, since I need to be able to lie down when things get too much for me ( and that almost anything on a bad day ). Since I am better controlled I no longer experience these hypoglycemia episodes. I definitely found them more frequent when I was in a flare. I too eat every 2 hours and avoid concentrated sweets, since they cause these attacks for me. I am not sure if this is helpful since I am not diabetic. 

[toomanyproblems]

I'm having glucose intolerance. Check out this recent thread:

 

[toomanyproblems]

15 hours ago, docpots said:

The issue is my blood sugar keeps tanking every 2 hours requiring constant glucose monitoring and eating almost every 1.5-2 hours. 

I should have noted that hypoglycemia accompanying glucose intolerance is known in POTS patients, but not well studied yet either. It's discussed in the video I posted above.

[MarcoS108]

Whenever you do eat carbs are you eating them with enough fat and protein? You may find by doing so that it helps with reactive hypoglycemia. I sure know that if I do not eat fat and protein (Olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, meat) with a carb source (starches, fruit) I will have a severe reactive hypoglycemia reaction and will cause a big POTS flare up as well as major anxiety/mood issues. If this doesn’t resolve it maybe you should look into Addison’s disease as low cortisol will cause low blood sugar.

[toomanyproblems]

2 hours ago, MarcoS108 said:

Whenever you do eat carbs are you eating them with enough fat and protein? You may find by doing so that it helps with reactive hypoglycemia. I sure know that if I do not eat fat and protein (Olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, meat) with a carb source (starches, fruit) I will have a severe reactive hypoglycemia reaction and will cause a big POTS flare up as well as major anxiety/mood issues. If this doesn’t resolve it maybe you should look into Addison’s disease as low cortisol will cause low blood sugar.

I have Addison's and it did cause low blood sugars before I was on steroid replacement, like in the 40s at any time, and often, but not only post prandially. Hypoglycemia certainly is a symptom but one endocrinologist told me it actually wasn't a common one. Also, I *never* had high glucoses at that time pre-steroid replacement, only normal or low. 

Addison's might be a rule out but I would think it unusual in this cause especially since both the reactive hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia is a now being discovered as a POTS thing. Similar to what the OP is describing.

That "guarding your carbs" thing is very useful. Fat, fiber or protein before carbs keeps a rush of insulin from hitting your system because of the carbs going straight into your system basically "undiluted." Even complex carbohydrates are better than simple ones because it takes longer for them to break down and get into your blood stream.   

[potsdo]

Thank you all for the input!