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seanamarts

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I'm hoping I might be able to find out some info in here.
First off, I'm not diabetic. However I suffer with daily hypos.
I have reactive hypoglycaemia. I'm currently under investigation for certain illnesses that cause this.
For those who don't know what this is, it's when after a meal, my glucose level bottoms out causing me to go into a hypo very quickly. It can drop as low as 2.0. It was recorded at 1.1 at lowest and it was a rush to get my glucose levels up.
I don't get much warning and this usually happens within 2 to 3 hours after eating, the higher in carbs the quicker it happens, it has been known to happen up to 3 times a day. This usually happens when I'm not well.
I have to check my blood levels quite a lot during the day.
I've been told that you can have a reader placed into the skin and it sends out an alarm when the levels drop.
I simply can't afford the machine but was told I maybe able to have one from the NHS.

Would anyone know how I would go about getting one of these.
Thank you in advance.
 
Freestyle libre is what you need to look up. There isn’t funding for reactive hypoglycaemia at the moment though you could still discuss it with your team to see the chances of getting it.

Be aware though that it doesn’t give readings when your bgs are dropping or rising fast, you get a “try again in 10 minutes” error until the pattern stabilising. Also you are advised to fingerprick for hypos even with the libre on because of the time lag.

So in your situation, fingerpricking does sound more appropriate than libre.
 
Lucyr said:
Freestyle libre is what you need to look up. There isn’t funding for reactive hypoglycaemia at the moment though you could still discuss it with your team to see the chances of getting it.

Be aware though that it doesn’t give readings when your bgs are dropping or rising fast, you get a “try again in 10 minutes” error until the pattern stabilising. Also you are advised to fingerprick for hypos even with the libre on because of the time lag.

So in your situation, fingerpricking does sound more appropriate than libre.
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Thank you.

I was discussing this with a nurse while have a prolonged glucose test and she suggested it might be an early warning system for me. My symptoms of a hypo doesn't manifest until I hit below 3.0 albeit I get hangry first and the brain seems to get foggy.
My fingers get so sore when I'm having a particularly bad few days.

Because I've not had a definitive diagnosis of what the cause is yet, I can see I'm going to have to carry on until I do.

Thank you again.
 
EmmaL76 said:
How long has this been going on for @seanamarts ?
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It first started a few years back, but only occasionally.
It's only been this last year that it has become a daily event.

I was diagnosed as pre diabetic 2 years ago, but now my glucose levels are very low.

The endocrinologist consultant says its not a common thing but a few things will have caused it.
A pituitary issue, a pancreatic issue, an adrenal issue or my hormones.

My thyroid and cortisone levels are also low.

There is a lot of direct family members who are diabetic. So it could be an connection.
 
Hope you are able to get to the bottom of things @seanamarts

You seem to have noticed that your post-meal dips in glucose levels seem more dramatic after higher carb meals. Have you experimented with a lower carb menu to see if that reduces your reactive hypos?
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Hope you are able to get to the bottom of things @seanamarts

You seem to have noticed that your post-meal dips in glucose levels seem more dramatic after higher carb meals. Have you experimented with a lower carb menu to see if that reduces your reactive hypos?
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At first I noticed that it happened moreso after eating breakfast like porridge or cereals, even toast, within 3 hours I would have a hypo, so I stopped eating breakfast and found I would have less hypos if I ate late afternoon and eat something every 2 hours or so after that.

If I have a virus or infection, it seems to be a lot worse and I'm testing my glucose levels every few hours to make sure they don't drop too quickly.

Sometimes I can go over a week and it doesn't happen. But it seems to be getting worse.

Thank you
 
Sorry forgot to say, I'm on a low carb meals, however when I have a hypo, I raid the fridge after and drink pints of water.
 
You say you were diagnosed pre diabetic a coupe of years back, do you know your most recent hba1c? Are your finger prick test always low? The thirst sounds more like a hyper symptom (sugar too high) I’m wondering if you are running a little high as your first insulin response is maybe not so good then you’re producing too much sending you low. I hope your endo is on the ball with this as I can imagine you must feel dreadful at times
 
EmmaL76 said:
You say you were diagnosed pre diabetic a coupe of years back, do you know your most recent hba1c? Are your finger prick test always low? The thirst sounds more like a hyper symptom (sugar too high) I’m wondering if you are running a little high as your first insulin response is maybe not so good then you’re producing too much sending you low. I hope your endo is on the ball with this as I can imagine you must feel dreadful at times
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My level was 48. I'm presuming this is the fasting glucose blood test. Recent level was 42. Then my last reading was much lower. They didn't tell me what it was but said it was very low.

It depends what time of day I take them.
They used to be quite high in the mornings and were as high as 16.
Now mornings are quite normal at around 5, if I ate in the morning they drop to around 3 after about 2 hours, then if I don't have something to eat quickly it drops lower within minutes.
It can be low and stay low about 4 throughout the day, especially if I've had a virus


My glucose levels are tested every year, this is since I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes when I was pregnant at 17.
There is also a high risk of diabetes in my family. Many close members have it. Brother, aunts, uncles, grandfather, cousins. All on my fathers side.

I have a number of health issues. I've suffered a number of strokes in my early to mid 30s and suffer with MS. Hormone levels have never been normal and had to have a complete hysterectomy in my mid 20s.
Not sure if that's relevant really.

I'm thinking I get so thirsty after a hypo, is because of the amount of glucose gel and tablets I have to take to rise the levels, it can take up to 45 minutes before it rises again. That's usually a bad one. I then have to sleep for a while after.

I hope they figure it out, it's very frustrating and tiring. I seem to only have energy in the morning.

Thank you
 
seanamarts said:
My level was 48. I'm presuming this is the fasting glucose blood test. Recent level was 42. Then my last reading was much lower.
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That sounds like a hba1c, it’s not a fasting test though you might have to fast for other blood tests being done at the same time. It gives a 3 month average of you blood sugars, in different units to your fingerprick tests.
 
Lucyr said:
That sounds like a hba1c, it’s not a fasting test though you might have to fast for other blood tests being done at the same time. It gives a 3 month average of you blood sugars, in different units to your fingerprick tests.
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It's never just the one blood test. There's usually 4/6 viles to fill. I've a prolonged glucose test next week. Bloods taken every half hour, think there's 6 to be done after drinking a glucose substance.
 
seanamarts said:
It's never just the one blood test. There's usually 4/6 viles to fill. I've a prolonged glucose test next week. Bloods taken every half hour, think there's 6 to be done after drinking a glucose substance.
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That sounds like an OGTT (oral glucose tolerance test). Make sure you take something to read as you normally just have to sit there, not even walk about, I think you can drink water.
 
Yes thats the one.
I started to have one on Tuesday, but half way through the nurse realised she was using the wrong tubes to put the blood in. She said its not a test that's done regularly.
You're allowed to go for a walk but not to far. You can sip water. The drink isn't that bad, a bit like flat lemonade. I was expecting a thick glucose drink, but it was surprisingly pleasant.
Had the drink at 9. Had a low reading of 2.5 by 11.30am, I had just got home luckily.
 
Not sure if you would qualify for the free libre trial but I definitely think it would be very useful to get the full picture of what’s going on. I’m sorry you have had to go through so much. Life’s just not fair sometimes :(
 
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