Please tell me if this sounds like pre-diabetes ..desperate

[Troubled]

Hello, I’m new here, desperate for advice. I have not been diagnosed with diabetes ...yet ...but am struggling terribly every single day. I have had the most terrible problem with blood sugar swings since taking ciprofloxacin in November. in March it got much much worse after another bout of different antibiotics. I am eating every 1.5 - 2 hours all morning long, as well as once or twice in the night . the food is just not ‘fuelling’ me at all ...I am exhausted to the core and so weak . I can do nothing at all I am so fatigued. The problem is I don’t even really fancy food so have to force something down as best I can. I have a meter, and this morning (7.30 am) it was 7.2 .. bearing in mind I ate a plain biscuit about 4.30am. I had Special k and it rose to 10.8 in half an hour. This rise leaves me shaky, weak, tired and with palpitations. ..I was hungry again in 1.5 hours, even though the reading then was still 9, and followed that trend all morning, dropping to a 4.5, and. 4.7 too when I felt deathly Just trying to eat what I can that’s not too sugary. I really have no life at all now, just exhausted to the core. I just want to know if any others began their illness like this ... it’s a constant battle. Doctor has done nothing yet as my Hba1c was 38 (highest level it could be was 41). I have asked to see an endocrinologist as I can’t live like this. Does this terrible hunger, and extreme fatigue and weakness, resonate with some other people before their diagnosis? Feeling hopeless

 

[brisr949]

Hi and welcome, sorry your having a really hard time of late and i just wanted to say hi, i dont know much about pre diabetes but someone with much more experience will be along soon.
The highest level of 41 i believe is of someone in normal range and if im correct 42 or 43 to 47 is pre diabetic.
but with the vast wealth of experience on here someone will be able to help you more.
Adam.

 

[grovesy]

Personally I never had any symptoms, I had what was classed back then impaired glucose tolerance, which is now called pre diabetes.

 

[Inka]

@Troubled You’ve said your problems started after the Ciprofloxacin, and worsened after another antibiotic. Some antibiotics can cause extreme fatigue and weakness. Have you asked your doctor whether your problems could be due wholly or partly to these meds?

An HbA1C of 38 doesn’t count as pre-diabetes, but I can see you’re saying you feel your blood sugar is swinging too much. Can you give us an idea of a day’s food for you? What’s your BMI, if you don’t mind saying?

By the way, 4.7 is a good, non-diabetic blood sugar and you shouldn’t feel awful at that normal level.

Has your doctor investigated your palpitations?

 

[leonS]

It is reasonable to assune that you were taking these drugs to fight an infection. The body's response to infection is offten to raise the BG to provide extra energy needed to fight this. A high BG is an expected symptom of your illness, and will likely return to normal as you recover.

The other problems that you have may well be due to the infection too. Simple flu, for example, can leave you feeling washed out for weeks.

I hope that you soon feel better.

 

[mikeyB]

I don’t think your symptoms could be explained by diabetes or even pre diabetes. All of them, particularly palpitations, are listed as uncommon or rare side effects of ciproflaxin, though. Some of the side effects can persist, though there is no data on which. Both hyper- and hypoglycaemia are listed as possible side effects.

You need to take your symptoms to the doctor, because there are other metabolic disorders that could account for them. It would be interesting to know if your weight is changing, up or down.

 

[trophywench]

@Troubled - that last answer came from a now retired ex-GP - so I'd definitely take that advice if I were you!

 

[Troubled]

I don’t think your symptoms could be explained by diabetes or even pre diabetes. All of them, particularly palpitations, are listed as uncommon or rare side effects of ciproflaxin, though. Some of the side effects can persist, though there is no data on which. Both hyper- and hypoglycaemia are listed as possible side effects.

You need to take your symptoms to the doctor, because there are other metabolic disorders that could account for them. It would be interesting to know if your weight is changing, up or down.

hello Mike, I should have said that I had a low renal threshold when I was pregnant ...all be it 39 years ago ..which may have made me more susceptible to the blood swings from cipro. I am now 57, and I weigh around 59kg. Since the cipro, I had this dreadful hunger, and awful feelings of low blood sugar ( shaking, sweating etc) and also felt when it was high, by pressure in my head, dizziness etc. I coped with this until March when I had a bad uti, and had to have more antibiotics...these seemed to build On the effects I already had to a terrible extent, to where I am now. only Just now, I measured my blood and it was 6.3, but I felt exhausted ... 10 minutes later, I became absolutely starved and had to gobble a sandwich down as fast as I could ...it’s a ridiculous hunger, and leaves me shaking and weak over the whole time I have gained weight ..I was around 52kg before. thank you for all your replies

 

[Inka]

@Troubled When you had your HbA1C done, did you have other tests too eg for anaemia, thyroid, etc etc?

Out of interest, what’s the highest blood sugar test result you’ve got, and the lowest?

 

[Troubled]

@Troubled You’ve said your problems started after the Ciprofloxacin, and worsened after another antibiotic. Some antibiotics can cause extreme fatigue and weakness. Have you asked your doctor whether your problems could be due wholly or partly to these meds?

An HbA1C of 38 doesn’t count as pre-diabetes, but I can see you’re saying you feel your blood sugar is swinging too much. Can you give us an idea of a day’s food for you? What’s your BMI, if you don’t mind saying?

By the way, 4.7 is a good, non-diabetic blood sugar and you shouldn’t feel awful at that normal level.

Has your doctor investigated your palpitations?

Hello, the fatigue and and weakness have hung on weeks after i finished the antibiotics, so don’t think it’s just those that caused the problem ...although I do wonder if the uti is still there and may be contributing to some of it ...and is perhaps making me have a poor appetite. when I get the extreme hungper the palpitations definitely occur at that time ...I have suffered with them for years though, so I may be particularly prone to them. not sure of my BMI, but I am 5’5 and about 59 kg. I know my blood sugar is wrong at least for me, because I have even woken in the night, damp with sweat, shaky and starving I don’t eat as well as I should , as I don’t fancy much food, and that won’t be helping ..I will have to try harder to deal with this though ...I am in a real mess

 

[Troubled]

@Troubled When you had your HbA1C done, did you have other tests too eg for anaemia, thyroid, etc etc?

Out of interest, what’s the highest blood sugar test result you’ve got, and the lowest?

All other tests ok ...I am hyperthyroid, but it is well controlled.
highest these days is around 11 and lowest around 4 ...but You wouldn’t believe how badly its effecting me

 

[Inka]

I do believe you. I can ‘hear’ your desperation in your words. It must be horrible for you. Whatever it is is clearly throwing you right out of whack

I’m afraid I don’t know anything about thyroid problems, but if it was me, I’d want a second opinion that that wasn’t involved somehow as it’s a problem you’ve already got. I think there’s a thyroid forum online that gives good advice about levels and meds.

If your thyroid’s ok, I think you need to listen to @mikeyB If it’s not the antibiotics, I’d be looking at things that weren’t included in your original blood tests. A relative was really unwell last year and no cause could be found (she was tested for diabetes too because I have it) She had numerous trips to the GP and it turned out to be deficiencies of various B vitamins. Sounds like nothing, but she had bad symptoms.

I’m not at all saying that that’s what you’ve got. I’m just suggesting to think ‘outside the box’ And consider ruling out less obvious causes if it’s not your previous antibiotics.

The shaking you describe sounds very unpleasant and I really do hope you can find an answer and stop it.

 

[Troubled]

It is reasonable to assune that you were taking these drugs to fight an infection. The body's response to infection is offten to raise the BG to provide extra energy needed to fight this. A high BG is an expected symptom of your illness, and will likely return to normal as you recover.

The other problems that you have may well be due to the infection too. Simple flu, for example, can leave you feeling washed out for weeks.

I hope that you soon feel better.

I do believe you. I can ‘hear’ your desperation in your words. It must be horrible for you. Whatever it is is clearly throwing you right out of whack

I’m afraid I don’t know anything about thyroid problems, but if it was me, I’d want a second opinion that that wasn’t involved somehow as it’s a problem you’ve already got. I think there’s a thyroid forum online that gives good advice about levels and meds.

If your thyroid’s ok, I think you need to listen to @mikeyB If it’s not the antibiotics, I’d be looking at things that weren’t included in your original blood tests. A relative was really unwell last year and no cause could be found (she was tested for diabetes too because I have it) She had numerous trips to the GP and it turned out to be deficiencies of various B vitamins. Sounds like nothing, but she had bad symptoms.

I’m not at all saying that that’s what you’ve got. I’m just suggesting to think ‘outside the box’ And consider ruling out less obvious causes if it’s not your previous antibiotics.

The shaking you describe sounds very unpleasant and I really do hope you can find an answer and stop it.

thank you so much for your kindness..I will bear this all in mind

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear you are having such a rough time with such horrible symptoms.

Hope you can get to the bottom of what is causing it for you and get a successful treatment plan in place.

 

[Troubled]

Sorry to hear you are having such a rough time with such horrible symptoms.

Hope you can get to the bottom of what is causing it for you and get a successful treatment plan in place.

Thank you so much ...I will let you all know if I manage to sort it out eventually