Dizziness becoming more debilitating, especially in morning?

[chu-ii]

Had pots for 10+ years. I get extreme dizzy spells when I’m low blood sugar, sleep deprived, premenstrual, need a bowel movement etc.

Recently I’m getting them first thing in the morning and it’s horrible. It feels like my head is spinning whenever I lift my head off the pillow, I feel like the ground is pulling me down and that I’ll faint if I move an inch.
 

Today I had to ask my sister to come round and help me sip some sugary coke while laying down, it took me half an hour of tears and failed attempts to feel okay enough to get my head up off my bed. My blood pressure and pulse are perfect during these episodes, so I’m not sure what’s to blame. 

It’s giving me extreme anxiety and I can no longer leave the house. I feel a little better after getting some sugar salt and fluids down. If it’s not my blood pressure or pulse causing this then what could it be? I’m not diabetic nor do I have vertigo or anything so it has to be the pots right. I’m maybe a tiny bit anemic but I take iron for that. 

[MikeO]

Low blood sugars are an issue. i think you have hit the issue just might not know it. Have you seen a endo at all? lows for me are a issue for sure albeit they don't happen too often but will become symptomatic for me. 

[Sarah Tee]

One thing to consider is that you can have low blood flow to the brain with normal blood pressure and heart rate.

However, I think you should look at your blood sugar. Dizziness can be from high or low blood sugar. There is a rise in blood sugar called the Dawn Phenomenon, for instance. (Not saying you have this of course, just pointing out the possibility.)

Could you get a basic blood sugar meter and ask someone to check it for you first thing? Maybe your sister could stay overnight.

The standard test for diabetes only looks at an average, I believe, so it might not capture fluctuations. Also, perhaps something has changed since you got tested last.

You might want to try isolating which is making you feel better – is it sugar, salt, or fluids? – by trying each one separately. I’d try (on different days) plain water, oral rehydration salts, a sugary snack, and a salty snack.

If it looks like the sugar is what is helping the dizziness, then you could ask your doctor about some testing and perhaps a loan of a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) for a couple of weeks to see exactly what is going on.

[MikeO]

2 hours ago, Sarah Tee said:

One thing to consider is that you can have low blood flow to the brain with normal blood pressure and heart rate.

However, I think you should look at your blood sugar. Dizziness can be from high or low blood sugar. There is a rise in blood sugar called the Dawn Phenomenon, for instance. (Not saying you have this of course, just pointing out the possibility.)

Could you get a basic blood sugar meter and ask someone to check it for you first thing? Maybe your sister could stay overnight.

The standard test for diabetes only looks at an average, I believe, so it might not capture fluctuations. Also, perhaps something has changed since you got tested last.

You might want to try isolating which is making you feel better – is it sugar, salt, or fluids? – by trying each one separately. I’d try (on different days) plain water, oral rehydration salts, a sugary snack, and a salty snack.

If it looks like the sugar is what is helping the dizziness, then you could ask your doctor about some testing and perhaps a loan of a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) for a couple of weeks to see exactly what is going on.

Thunder Birds Go....FAB

[Sushi]

You might ask for a 4 or 5 hour glucose tolerance test. They give a measured amount of glucose and check your levels for 4 or 5 hours. It was very telling for me as there an emergency metabolic rescue mechanism that will restore levels after a deep dip so normal glucose tests don’t catch the pattern. Mine went down to 40 during the test. Now I control it with diet, being sure to eat regular protein and complex carbs snacks during the day and sometimes in the middle of the night. I also bought a home glucose meter—easy to use.

[GasconAlex]

It depends what you mean by dizzy.

Try looking at Dizziness-and-balance.com which is excellent for listing causes for dizziness and might give you help in narrowing down the cause of your dizziness.

 

 

[MikeO]

28 minutes ago, Sushi said:

You might ask for a 4 or 5 hour glucose tolerance test. They give a measured amount of glucose and check your levels for 4 or 5 hours. It was very telling for me as there an emergency metabolic rescue mechanism that will restore levels after a deep dip so normal glucose tests don’t catch the pattern. Mine went down to 40 during the test. Now I control it with diet, being sure to eat regular protein and complex carbs snacks during the day and sometimes in the middle of the night. I also bought a home glucose meter—easy to use.

I would have not even considered a glucose issue for me was it not for a smart UW dietitian. The OGTT test was telling. I do hit lows when sleeping and during the day. CGM just confirms this. I know this is not a popular dysautonomia diagnosis but it is real and i suspect some sedentary folks have some sort of insulin intolerance issue as well.

Data speaks for itself and is worth pursuing as to picking off one more stressor. 

 

 

[Sushi]

Yes, very telling! I used to work in a hospital and once when they were doing glucose tests on patients I asked them to test me too. I had not eaten for about four hours and my glucose was 40! The nurse immediately sat me down and gave me fruit juice to drink. Though I felt my usual orthostatic intolerance, I had no idea that my glucose had gone so low.