A question?

[LittleSunflower]

My diagnosis is still ongoing therefore I am unsure whether I am Type 1, Type 2 or still Prediabetic. (Although I was told it’s leaning more towards type 2.)
After my bloods came back 43 and 47 last year, I had a meeting with my GP to discuss my symptoms. My most recent results are 51.
I explained that sometimes I can go shaky, have blurred vision, feel hot, nauseous and hungry. There is a history of type 1 in my family so I am aware of Hypos but my doctor said if we were looking at type 2, he wouldn’t expect me to have this type of episode, which is low blood sugar levels; instead he would expect them to be high?
(I have a history of disordered eating and have dealt with being shaky before but I always thought it was because I wasn’t eating enough - this has improved over the years but I still have episodes here and there)
Is there any clarification on this through your own knowledge or am I going to have to wait to discuss this when I have my second bloods of this year taken and results discussed again? Thank you

 

[stillgoing]

Unfortunately classic hypo symptoms can occur at higher levels. If I feel hypo I check BG level. It is either below 4.0 or 10.6.

I have no idea why 10.6 is a magic number

 

[trophywench]

I have no idea why 10.6 is a magic number

Because that's the level at which your body happens to recognise as OMG, this ain't right! and reacts accordingly.

I'd be surprised if there was anyone else whose body did the same at the same BG result.

 

[Inka]

@LittleSunflower I asked about your diagnosis on your other thread. For a proper answer you’d need a C Peptide test and a test for the Type 1 antibodies.

Disordered eating can cause erratic blood sugar swings and hypo feelings (in people without diabetes).

In addition, a ‘failing pancreas’ can mean a late and too strong insulin response that can cause low blood sugar. That is, the blood sugar will go high, and then drop slightly too low when the body finally manages to produce some insulin. Too much, too late.

 

[stillgoing]

Because that's the level at which your body happens to recognise as OMG, this ain't right! and reacts accordingly.

I'd be surprised if there was anyone else whose body did the same at the same BG result.

Not above 10.6. I feel fine above 10.6 its just 10.6. 10.5 fine 10.7 fine 10.6 terrible

 

[rebrascora]

Not above 10.6. I feel fine above 10.6 its just 10.6. 10.5 fine 10.7 fine 10.6 terrible

To me, your 10.6 feeling is a hyper not a hypo and I get that around 9. it is a very similar sensation to being mildly hypo for me and like you, once i get above that level it goes away, so there are occasions when i feel like that and can be surprised that i am high rather than low. As regards it happening at a particular decimal place in the 10s, your meter is not accurate to that level of reading and blood is not homogenous, so it may just be coincidence that you have frequently tested on that number when you feel like that.

@LittleSunflower Hi and welcome
I would have expected you to have a much higher HbA1c than 51, usually into 3 figures (ie over 100) if you were Type 1. The shaky feelings you are getting may well be false hypos as your BG levels come dropping down after a delayed insulin response to a binge shall we say.... Hope the use of that word isn't offensive. I used to binge on sweet stuff for comfort pre diagnosis, so I don't use it in any derogatory sense. So if you eat a lot of sweet stuff for example, your levels may shoot up because your pancreas cannot cope with the amount of Glucose which has hit your blood stream and then when you stop and your pancreas has the opportunity to catch up with insulin production, your levels which by this time may be really high then come crashing down. A Hypo is generally when you drop dangerously low below 4 but if your levels go up into the mid teens or above and them come rattling down very quickly, you can feel those hypo sensations even when your levels are a safe 4,5 or 6 even. Those are false hypos. Without testing when you feel like that there is no way of knowing, but that would be my guess as to what you are experiencing.

 

[Leadinglights]

That is interesting that the symptoms of hypo and hyper can feel similar as feeling light headed, dizzy and nauseous, I thought my blood glucose was low but it was actually a bit high, in hindsight silly interpretation as I was prediabetic (for some years). It was that and high blood pressure that sent me to the G P in June. I was feeling very stressed as my daughters work on the front line in the NHS and I was completely freaked out by the thought of them being at so much risk so wasn't sleeping as it was all going round my head in the night. I had put on weight as my exercise level had reduced since I retired 2 years before as at work I was always on my feet and could do anything between 15,000 and 25,000 steps a day. Also the slippery slope diet wise. Anyway low carb, more exercise and lots of tips picked up here have had a positive effect although very stuck on the weight loss.

 

[LittleSunflower]

To me, your 10.6 feeling is a hyper not a hypo and I get that around 9. it is a very similar sensation to being mildly hypo for me and like you, once i get above that level it goes away, so there are occasions when i feel like that and can be surprised that i am high rather than low. As regards it happening at a particular decimal place in the 10s, your meter is not accurate to that level of reading and blood is not homogenous, so it may just be coincidence that you have frequently tested on that number when you feel like that.

@LittleSunflower Hi and welcome
I would have expected you to have a much higher HbA1c than 51, usually into 3 figures (ie over 100) if you were Type 1. The shaky feelings you are getting may well be false hypos as your BG levels come dropping down after a delayed insulin response to a binge shall we say.... Hope the use of that word isn't offensive. I used to binge on sweet stuff for comfort pre diagnosis, so I don't use it in any derogatory sense. So if you eat a lot of sweet stuff for example, your levels may shoot up because your pancreas cannot cope with the amount of Glucose which has hit your blood stream and then when you stop and your pancreas has the opportunity to catch up with insulin production, your levels which by this time may be really high then come crashing down. A Hypo is generally when you drop dangerously low below 4 but if your levels go up into the mid teens or above and them come rattling down very quickly, you can feel those hypo sensations even when your levels are a safe 4,5 or 6 even. Those are false hypos. Without testing when you feel like that there is no way of knowing, but that would be my guess as to what you are experiencing.

Thank you for your reply and all the information. With my eating habits and how they have been, I do lean towards the sweet stuff to keep my energy levels up, little and often but since finding out my results from the hba1c were 51, it’s made me reconsider things. I assume I shouldn’t make any dramatic changes as this could cause more damage if my body is used to said amount of sugar etc? I think I’ve put too much pressure on myself to change things before my second test next week so I’m worrying more that I will have these episodes of going shaky and then binging to feel ok again in the meantime. I bought a testing meter but I’m not entirely sure how to use it or if its best to do this - what do you think? Is there anything else you suggest I take on board before my results are fully known and discussed?

 

[LittleSunflower]

@LittleSunflower I asked about your diagnosis on your other thread. For a proper answer you’d need a C Peptide test and a test for the Type 1 antibodies.

Disordered eating can cause erratic blood sugar swings and hypo feelings (in people without diabetes).

In addition, a ‘failing pancreas’ can mean a late and too strong insulin response that can cause low blood sugar. That is, the blood sugar will go high, and then drop slightly too low when the body finally manages to produce some insulin. Too much, too late.

@Inka after my test and results next week, would you suggest I ask to be fully tested for type 1 or anything else? Could this all be tied into my history of not eating enough therefore still having these episodes? I feel lost at times because it’s almost as if I have pieces of everything tying into one another, making it unclear of what I’m dealing with - which I assume is the diagnosis process but it is upsetting and frustrating.

 

[Inka]

Hi @LittleSunflower If you can get them to test for a Type 1 that would be good. Mention the Type 1 in your family. They might not agree so be prepared to argue your case.

Without knowing your blood sugar when you had/have these episodes it’s hard to say if they’re hypos or hypers. Also, if your blood sugar has been running a bit high for a while, you can get what are called false hypos when you feel hypo but actually are not. Not eating enough can cause similar episodes, and binge-eating and/or bulimia can also mess with the insulin response and cause wild swings and dysregulation.

So, I’d ask for the Type 1 tests, yes. I’d also test your own blood sugar when you feel like this. I’d also advise choosing a sensible diet and avoiding any extreme restriction.