Hypoglycemic symptoms without medication?

[AlanMarson]

Hi everyone,

I have a quick question about hypoglcemic symptoms even though I am type 2, currently controlled by diet and exercise.

I have found that quite often I suffer some of the symptoms that I believe can be associated with hypos, even though there is no reason for my sugars to be dangerously low. A lot of these symptoms are similar to stress/depression, such as feelings of anxiety, confusion, extreme irrational irritation etc but are almost always worst when I'm between meals and if I test myself my sugars are usually around 4-4.5. In fact, I can predict that my sugars are low based on these symptoms. When I used to feel like that before I was diagnosed, I would reach for the sugary drinks and chocolate and instantly perk up. Now that is no longer an option, it's hard to lift myself out of it.

Given that since I am controlling my sugars with diet and exercise alone, I am a little worried that the symptoms are caused from a similar means as hypoglycemia - am I being naive? As I see it, nothing has physically changed since I was diagnosed now, and if my body is not processing the glucose properly then perhaps a reading of 4 to 4.5 is "equivalent" to 2.5 to 3 in someone else since I get less for my money so to speak (with IR or similar) That is my logic - is it nonsense? 🙂 Especially since I used to find, before I knew I was diabetic that I could rely on a sugar hit to pull me back up (goodness knows what damage I was doing. . . 😱)

My wife has suggested that I am overdoing it and maybe I should accept that I need to keep my sugars over 5 (say) but I am reluctant to try this.

I am not ruling out that the symptoms are stress/depression related, but this idea that it might still be related to blood sugars is something I'd appreciate your opinions on.

Thanks

 

[Caroline]

Anything under 4 is considered a hypo. itis possible for anyone (even non diabetics) to hypo. As far as I know the main way to be sure is by testing.

Other things can give similar symptoms to a hypo such as a panic attack or stress.

Has your team given you limits to work to or targets to keep to? Have a chat to them.

I'm sure there will be others along soon who will have more information.

 

[AlanMarson]

Thanks Caroline,

I was given the guidance to aim for 4-6 before meals, 8.5 of less 2 hours later, I believe that's also Diabetes UK guidance for type 2.

I certainly think it could be something else If nothing else, not being able to reach for the sugar hit affects my mood further!

I feel I should be delighted that I can get readings of 4 to 4.5 without medication (I am lucky that it was caught early I think) but not if doing so makes me feel like this. I can't list the number of times I've done or said something stupid when I've felt like that not really realising just how out-of-sorts I am! 😱

 

[Northerner]

Hi Alan, what you are feeling are 'false hypo' symptoms, which are indeed similar to real hypo symptoms, but without the associated danger. As your levels will have been fairly high for some time prior to diagnosis and are now falling to more normal levels, your brain misinterprets these new lovely lower levels to indicate that you blood sugar is too low, so it sends out distress signals. The resultant stress hormones, like adrenalin and cortisol, are what makes you feel anxious, hot, maybe shaky etc. This will ease in time as your body and brain adapt to the new lower levels. As a Type 2 on D&E, you are highly unlikely to suffer a potentially dangerous hypo, so this should not be a concern for you. It is still useful to test when you feel like this though, so you can learn what levels you can associate with these sensations.

If you find you are around 4-5, there should be no harm in having a small amount of something sweet, such as a rich tea biscuit or boiled sweet, and this should then dissipate the symptoms without affecting your levels by much.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

As your levels will have been fairly high for some time prior to diagnosis and are now falling to more normal levels, your brain misinterprets these new lovely lower levels to indicate that you blood sugar is too low, so it sends out distress signals...

Much the same way as T1s can lose their hypo awareness if they spend too much time below 4 (as I know to my cost!). It can take a little while for the 'emergency switch' to reset itself.

 

[Copepod]

It sounds like a combination of features - both false hypo symptoms and lower blood sugar caused by something, although as Alan Marson has been controlling his T2D with diet & exercise for a couple of months, false hypo is less likely the entire explanation. As symptoms happen some hours after meals, it sounds like Alan Marson's pancreas is kicking out insulin in response to eating.

It could also be in reaction to exercise, particularly extended strenuous exercise. my partner doesn't have diabetes, but the only time either of us has needed help to treat a hypo, it was him coming back exhausted from putting out controls for a mountain marathon, seriously hypoglycaemic and dehydrated and lacking in electrolytes and nearing hypothermia, so that took a combination of sweets, muesli bars, hot soup & hot noodles, followed by peeling off his clothes so he could warm up further in camping barn shower. He's never had to do anything remotely like that to me! Even if Alan Marson isn't doing anything as extreme as that, he could still be lowering his blood sugar considerably by exercise / activity.

 

[AlanMarson]

Thanks again to everyone for very quick responses.

I had forgotten about the effect of "reseting" my levels, but equally I am exercising a lot as well, although there isn't so direct a link. I am eating a significant amount of fruit, and usually try to save my juicy sweet pears for when I feel a need for a bit of sugar hit. . .