Low blood sugar? Something else?

[winneythepooh7]

OK so I went to my doctor tonight for a routine physical/bloodwork. Everything was fine until I got up to leave. I felt really dizzy and passed out for about 5 minutes. I came to, and had no clue where I was/what was going on. The bizarro thing was my doctor told me I was having what appeared to be a seizure while I was passed out. A year ago, when I went for a physical she told me that my blood sugar level was low, but nothing to worry about. I just did a quick search online and saw that the seizure could be a result of low blood sugar. I am going back in two days to see her but I am slightly nervous cuz nothing like this has ever happened to me before. There is a history of diabetes in my family as well so I am kind of nervous about that. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this before? By the way, I did eat two meals today as well, so I wasn't totally "fasting" all day.......

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by winneythepooh7
OK so I went to my doctor tonight for a routine physical/bloodwork. Everything was fine until I got up to leave. I felt really dizzy and passed out for about 5 minutes. I came to, and had no clue where I was/what was going on. The bizarro thing was my doctor told me I was having what appeared to be a seizure while I was passed out. A year ago, when I went for a physical she told me that my blood sugar level was low, but nothing to worry about. I just did a quick search online and saw that the seizure could be a result of low blood sugar. I am going back in two days to see her but I am slightly nervous cuz nothing like this has ever happened to me before. There is a history of diabetes in my family as well so I am kind of nervous about that. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this before? By the way, I did eat two meals today as well, so I wasn't totally "fasting" all day.......

I'm going to tell you right now, that if you do have diabetes your blood sugar would not be low. It would be high. Very high. It's possible that you are hypoglycemic.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally posted by winneythepooh7
OK so I went to my doctor tonight for a routine physical/bloodwork. Everything was fine until I got up to leave. I felt really dizzy and passed out for about 5 minutes. I came to, and had no clue where I was/what was going on. The bizarro thing was my doctor told me I was having what appeared to be a seizure while I was passed out. A year ago, when I went for a physical she told me that my blood sugar level was low, but nothing to worry about. I just did a quick search online and saw that the seizure could be a result of low blood sugar. I am going back in two days to see her but I am slightly nervous cuz nothing like this has ever happened to me before. There is a history of diabetes in my family as well so I am kind of nervous about that. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this before? By the way, I did eat two meals today as well, so I wasn't totally "fasting" all day.......

Yepper... In 2003... Passed out in front of a bunch of Cardiologists--5 of them--one being my boss...

It took the entire Neurology TEAM to tell me that they could not figure out what happened to me... My MRI did not show anything although the CATSCAN did (slightly, broken machine)--MRI is a better measurement of seizure brain damage assessment...

What made the MD say it was a "seizure"? Where you shaking or choking on your tongue--like your tongue was "patent"? Did your face contort?

You could not have had a heart attack because you would have not been out as long as you were and still be alive... A heart attack is detectable by the heartbeats "sounds"--that's what the cardiologists get trained for... And that is what they told me...

Are you taking any medicines that could have exacerbated your situation? Either over the counters, vitamin supplements or prescriptions? You don't have to tell me, just remember exactly what you did and tell your provider.

And have you EVER been caught by a healthcare provider with high blood pressure--but they discounted it because you were too young to have it?

Here are my thoughts, but I am not an MD so this is not a diagnosis. But I am a Ph.D. research scientist--researching diabetes, obesity and heart disease so I can tell you what I know from my studies:

Low blood sugar with stress and hypertension causes a "heart syncope", which can cause you to pass out--if you were not shaking (like Grand Mal style--epilepsy).

When your heart rate flies off the handle, it makes your head hurt with a "spin". A predisposed person to diabetes may be unable to regulate blood sugar levels or the other hormones that regulate levels--insulin, leptin, etc. So, you get a "bum rush" to the brain. Your brain freaks. And then you just pass out. And none of this gets detected in an MRI--yet... So basically, you had like some bizarro "pre-mini-undetectable-stroke"--but not enough to cause brain damage...

How do you protect yourself...

Cut the salt... Like NO MORE!!! PERIOD!!!
More cardio and weight training exercise--unless you are 2 lbs or extremely tiny--then you need discuss your issues with an MD...
Hella more water at all times...
Breathe--like get some O2 every now and then...
And some of this MIGHT be a thyroid issue alone... But I paid well over $2000 for that info and I got a bunch of whoo haaa. So, make sure your verify with a bonafide endocrinologist...

PM me if you want more info... We can compare notes...

Type 2 diabetes runs in my family too...

[AKA_Monet]

Oh, and if you ain't getting "busy" like that there, then don't let them tell you that you are pregnant...

"They" do that chit from time to time... But it is standard routine when you pass out like that in a doctor's office that that is the first thing they check...

If you Dr. says you had a seizure, he or she must prove it to you with an MRI...

Most seizures--not all, but most cause damage detectable on an MRI...

But MRI time costs $$$

If you talk to some folks at a University hospital and/or teaching, you can be like this "tester subject" to "equilibrate" the machine for use of the day... Sometimes you don't have to pay...

Oh, I forgot... You may have just passed out at the sight of blood... Some folks do that, too... I've seen that happen alot. I almost did that when I donated blood once... But after that, I didn't have a problem...

[JennRN]

Originally posted by Lady Pi Phi
I'm going to tell you right now, that if you do have diabetes your blood sugar would not be low. It would be high. Very high. It's possible that you are hypoglycemic.

Actually, that's not quite true. I have seen many a diabetic come into our unit with a blood sugar of anywhere from 8 to greater than 1000. It is very possible for diabetics to become hypoglycemic. Passing out and seizures can result from this as well. If you are found to have diabetes, your doc should put you in touch with a diabetic counselor who can discuss with you nutrition and lifestyle changes. Keep us posted!!

[Tippiechick]

I am hypoglycemic. I have to check my blood sugar three times a day. (Although, I have gotten it regulated to the point of knowing when it goes higher or lower and only checking it then.)

You'll probably have to keep a food diary and a level diary for a week. That's what they had me do.

They also wanted to put me on a diabetic diet. But, that only caused it to go lower. (I usually have levels of 65-85, with 70 being normal. It stayed between 50-65 with me feeling faint on the diabetic diet.)

I have had to cut out a lot of sugar. I use a lot of Splenda, sugar-free products, and equal. Weight Watchers has also helped. Not only did it help me to lose some weight, it also helped me learn to eat healthier.

I drink more water instead of Cokes. I have to graze all day instead of eating meals three times a day. It is important that I keep something in my bloodstream every two-three hours.

Good luck.

P.S. They may do a glucose-tolerance test on you. They'd give you something to drink and then would take your levels over a period of time for hypoglycemia. My levels were so low, they had no question it was hypoglycemia.

[winneythepooh7]

Hey. I did speak to one of my soros last night who is a doctor and her guess is it is hypoglycemia. I am going to go back to the doctor tommorrow night so we shall see. I did an online search on this and I noticed one of the symptoms was moodiness and irritability. Interesting. I thought I could just be under stress from my job. Plus my co-workers always comment that I can eat a lot and not gain a ton of weight (although I notice I gain weight). Perhaps those are connections.

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by JennRN
Actually, that's not quite true. I have seen many a diabetic come into our unit with a blood sugar of anywhere from 8 to greater than 1000. It is very possible for diabetics to become hypoglycemic. Passing out and seizures can result from this as well. If you are found to have diabetes, your doc should put you in touch with a diabetic counselor who can discuss with you nutrition and lifestyle changes. Keep us posted!!

That's the craziest thing I've ever heard (not that I don't believe you, because anything can happen). When I was diagnosed my blood sugar was at 50 mmol/L and I was nearly comatose.

[agdbirmingham]

Good luck at the doctors. I'm sure everything will work out just fine.

In high school I passed out at the dentist's office. I think it was partly due to stress and them doing all those x-rays and making me stand still for long periods of time. I'm certainly no expert, but I think people pass out for a variety of reasons, so it may turn out to be nothing. Which is what we'll hope for! Let us know how it all goes.

[PhoenixAzul]

Eating a lot and not gaining a lot of weight may be a sign of diabetes. During the pre-diagnosed phase, most people's bodys simply (pardon my french) pee out all of the sugar in the body in an attempt to normalize blood sugar. Whenever a diabetic's weight fluctuates unexpectantly, they look directly at their blood sugar.

HOWEVER! losing weight might also be a sign of hypoglycemia because your body may process glucose too well, leaving you SOL later in the day when you need that.

Signs of Hypoglycemia:
Shaking
Lethargy
Decreased mental awareness (might feel like you're high/tripping and NO i'm not kidding).
cold sweat
irritability
weakness
numbness in the mouth or hands
in some, dialated pupils.

Basically, it feels like you're drunk and it isn't pleasant at all. What I do is carry a tube of glucose tabs in my bag at all times (they're cheap, they make a huge bottle for 8 bucks, smaller carry tubes for about 3) and a pack of crackers.

People can become hypoglycemic without having hypoglycemia or diabetes. If you say, skip breakfast and lunch and spend 3 hours in the gym, you're likely not oging to feel too good. When a diabetic becomes hypoglycemic, it's usually the result of a miscalculated dose of insulin, or not eating enough to cover physical activity.

[_Lisa_]

Originally posted by PhoenixAzul
What I do is carry a tube of glucose tabs in my bag at all times (they're cheap, they make a huge bottle for 8 bucks, smaller carry tubes for about 3) and a pack of crackers.

I carry glucose tabs too, but instead of crackers I keep peanuts. I first found out I was hypoglycemic in 2000 while in Paris, France. I was really so weak I couldn't even stand up straight.

[Peaches-n-Cream]

I hope that you are feeling better and that nothing is medically wrong with you.

A month ago I donated blood and nearly passed out. I felt all of the symptoms that PhoenixAzul outlined except for shaking and I'm not sure about the dilated pupils. This is the second time this happened to me when blood was concerned. Luckily, both times the nurses were quick to grab me, push me back in the chair and elevate my legs. They also gave me cups of water and juice. In about half an hour I left better.

I passed out in a supermarket because I went shopping on an empty stomach. I have felt faint and nearly passed out many times since I was a child because I was hungry or too hot. My solution has always been to eat something or drink juice to avoid this. I usually carry a small candy that I can pop in my mouth if I feel dizzy.

I hope that this turns out to be just a reaction to the blood test and nothing more serious. Feel better, sweetie.

[alphaalpha]

HOWEVER! losing weight might also be a sign of hypoglycemia because your body may process glucose too well, leaving you SOL later in the day when you need that.

Signs of Hypoglycemia:
Shaking
Lethargy
Decreased mental awareness (might feel like you're high/tripping and NO i'm not kidding).
cold sweat
irritability
weakness
numbness in the mouth or hands
in some, dialated pupils.


I have a lot of these symtoms during days right before my period )maybe the first day or two) anyway. I have passed out before and have gone to multiple doctors and they keep telling me i don't have diabetes, nice to know. Anyway, i have discovered on my own that i have problems regulating my blood sugar and have also discovered the relationship between estorgen, or lack of estrogen and low blood sugar. Anyway, sometimes a person can pass out and i just wanted to say that the doctors might not always know why. Good Luck in your search for an answer. Since i don't know you or your doctor i am not going to tell you what to do, but in my situation i have seeked out aditional doctors advice and if you do not find an answer then keep searching.
debbie

[chideltjen]

I have a friend who is hypoglycemic and he's REALLY skinny. I'm talking over 6'0" and like 145 lbs. Boy eats and eats and never gains a pound.

I'm a type 1 diabetic. Since I was really little when I was diagnosed, I don't remember the symptoms. I was just told I was "sick."

I would get checked for pre-diabetes, which apparently exists when people are about to get Type 2. My old boss was diagnosed with Type 2 so he COMPLETELY overhauled his diet and stopped drinking... and somehow his BS regulated. I don't think he was completely diabetic at that point but some changes in the diet and such "reversed" the effects.

Anyway, if you think you have diabetes, ask yourself this: are you constantly thirsty at any time and then proceeding to go to the bathroom more than twice in an hour or so? Granted there are the hypoglycemic aspects of diabetes that can bring someone into the hospital to check for diabetes, but you got to look at the opposite symptoms, if you are having them. Hyperglycemia (or high blood sugars) can make me feel like I am high/drunk. And sometimes I think I am low... and I end up being high. It's weird.

See if your doc will run a Hemoglobin A1C or HA1c.

On a side note to those who buy the tubes of glucose for their purses and whatnot. Here's a tip: buy the big bottles of tabs and a case of M&M minis. Dump the minis (or feed your bf/hubby/sibling/kid/etc) and use the case to refil with tabs. If you get the B-D kinds, they fit perfectly.

[AKA_Monet]

Okey folks, I am about to write a huge NIH grant on this topic alone, so I am pretty sure I know what I am talking about:

For type 2 diabetics--

There is the pre-diabetes phase... There is a problem with blood glucose usage from skeletal muscle and other organs... Not an insulin problem, YET... Some of the details still sketchy...

Someone said, HA1c: I have run those tests before, they are not 100% for pre-diabetics...

The established (spelled insurance paid) rule of thumb to type 2 is hyperglycemia with glucose intolerance...

Now type 2 pre-diabetics can have beboppin' levels of blood glucose. Blood glucoses spike when someone is stressed, non-fasted... They don't spike when fasted--hence the reasoning for glucose intolerance test--OGTT or IVGTT... The Drs, office might do the OGTT first...

But, they don't even begin to think that there is diabetes when the blood glucose is low and the person is passed out shaking (seizuring)... They've got to prove their logic for these tests to the insurances...

If the person seizes, then it usually means a neurological issue and they want that cleared out first before going on to diabetes--especially if none of the test symptoms are provable for diabetes--like she winds up with normal blood glucoses, etc...

It is either she wasn't tanked up enough with fuel or passed out at the site of blood and it's this onetime event...

But she needs to probably change her diet a bit (and eating habits--no McDonalds every meal), reduce the alcohol consumption and exercise with water...

And watch that blood pressure, too... Because the main type 2 diabetic complication is stroke, if not heart attack... And there is a correlation of hypertension and diabetes...

If you are mood swinging, the exercise will minimize the swings--like weight training with cardio...

As far as dropping weight too fast, you need more protein in your diet early in the day--none of this late night snacking--not good!!!

So, your eating times must be changed...

At least, that is what is happening to my animal model I am studying for aging, diabetes and obesity is showing...

Ironically, a high carb/high fat diet affects a body differently than just a straight high fat diet... Either way, they are both bad...

Leafy green veggies with salmon or halibut... Best diet you can have... Don't ask me why...